...And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead

Indie snobs who think a band's credibility is worthless after said band records on a big label's dime need to listen to this album. Trail of the Dead unleash what could very well be their masterpiece. All the clamor and shimmer is still balanced, but they seem to have tapped into a strong songwriting root not heard before.

When a band begins its album with a track titled "Overture," featuring a choir chanting the
names of ancient Egyptian gods ("Isis! Horus! Ra!"), you have to suspect it's either Rush or
just cocky bastards. And since the title track rails against MTV's Cribs, you can probably
rule out Rush. . . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead are cocky enough to make
everyone else look like modest mice: a black-suited Austin art-punk ensemble o... More >