Main menu
Fretplay home Submit tabs

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead tabs ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead discography

Channels
Guitar channel Bass channel Guitar videos Reviews

Message Forum
Guitar forum Bass forum Bands and artists Promote your band Recent discussions All categories

Fretplay.com

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead guitar tabs

CD reviews

Worlds Apart

...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead - Worlds Apart Audio CD

A fair review of the ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead "Worlds Apart" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead reviews here, or go back to the ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead tabs.

Band: ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Title: Worlds Apart
Rating:

Release Date: 2008-05-13
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Ode to Isis 2: Will You Smile Again? 3: Worlds Apart 4: Summer of '91 5: Rest Will Follow 6: Caterwaul 7: Classic Arts Showcase 8: Let It Dive 9: To Russia My Homeland 10: All White 11: Best 12: Lost City of Refuge

Ignore the negative reviews
Worlds Apart is different from the rest of the discography of . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, but it's a quintessential piece in it. It's not as crazy-paced as the first album, which may turn off some listeners who were interested in the band at that time. Worlds Apart caters to the audience which enjoys orchestral-sounding rock--a small band that sounds like a whole orchestra.

Worlds Apart was my introduction to . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead, and it was a gateway drug. Upon hearing it and listening through it a couple of times, I quickly purchased the rest of the collection. I found myself eagerly awaiting the November 2006 release of So Divided and to this day find myself rotating between the albums based on my mood, most often listening to Worlds Apart and So Divided.

If you're on the line between picking this album or another band's album, pick this one. You've wasted money on worse things, and more than likely you'll live . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead more than most of the bands you already listen to regularly.

Awesome album
It's very different from any of their other work, although it does retain a lot of their trademarks. Unlike many of their fans, I personally think Worlds Apart is a fantastic Trail of Dead album. That being said, if you go into this listening without any preconceived notions, you'll see that this is a fantastic record. From the chanting of Ode to Isis into the brutal Will You Smile Again and Worlds Apart, this album has it all. Savage rockers (Caterwaul, A Classic Arts Showcase), gorgeous melodic songs (Summer of '91, Let it Drive, The Rest Will Follow) and epic showpieces (The Best, The Lost City of Refuge). This is, however, a creative turn for the band. A lot more prog and not as much into the noise and brutality of their earlier albums. However, this album still flat-out rocks and is a great album from this great band. Check it out, you won't be disappointed (unless you're expecting Source Tags and Codes Vol. 2).

Best album of 2005, so far
Before this album, . . And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead were unknowns to me. Sure, I had seen their enigmatic bandname, but had I given any thought to what their music sounded like? No, not really.

So, it must have been around the date that this album, Worlds Apart, was released. The only track available for full listen on Napster was the title track. One listen had me hooked. The political statements it thrust forward, combined with the ringing guitar melodies was the perfect mixture of ideas for what I was feeling at that time. Without listening to anything else from the album, aside from a few short 30-second clips, I made sure to buy the record as soon as I could.

And I did.

Trail of Dead, at that point, wasn't normally something I would listen to. Sure, I had grown out of pop-punk bands like Sum 41, or New Found Glory, but I was leaning more towards the funk rock stylings of 311 or the Red Hot Chili Peppers. It's quite plain to see that Trail of Dead reflects these bands in no ways. Their sound is that of an original one, a melancholy, introspective sound.

After a short intro, "Ode to Isis", which some may consider some type of war march, the music is thrown you in the form of "Will You Smile Again For Me?". This is the best way to start the album by all means. It begins with a pounding riff which blasts its way through your speakers/headphones. Suddenly, it slows down and the dreary sound of trumpets welcomes you. Conrad Keely sings warily over the brooding music, and then things are straight when the song is turned into a march, powered by the bass drum and Keely's story-telling lyrics. It ends in the way it began, with the guitars blistering a hole into your skull. By no means is that a bad thing! The whole thing adds up to about seven minutes, and I can guarantee that unlike other long songs, boredom will not set in.

The disc continues with a pair of gems in the aforementioned "Worlds Apart", and the piano-driven "The Summer of '91". Following these two powerful tracks is the majestic "The Rest Will Follow". One of my favorite tracks of the album, with pondering words over an airy guitar track.

The album continues with the frolicking "Caterwaul", but it's followed by the incredible opus, "A Classic Arts Showcase". Lead by a pure '90s riff, followed by a bridge of hopeful uncertainty, then back into the song at full force. Definitely a highlight of the album.

Another nostalgic song is added to the mix, with "Let It Dive". It definitely reminds me of something I've heard before, but I can never put my finger on what. It's not the best song, but it's still one you should listen to.

A change of pace is brought to the fore with "To Russia My Homeland". It's a classical piece, styled to sound like something a Russian composer would err. . . compose. It's mostly short filler, though, so I tend to skip it most of the time.

Back to the real music with "All White". The song is short, and sometimes feels incomplete, but it's symphonic qualities definitely make it worth a listen. Pounding into the off-kilter rhythms and riffs reminiscent of U2 is "The Best". A good song in all respects, ending with the wailing and sobbing of a woman. This mood is fitting for the final song, "The Lost City of Refuge". The song has a sympathetic mood to it, and it's like nothing I can describe. It's a fitting closer, a good way to wrap up this incredible album.

Overall: 4. 5 stars!

It isn't quite 5, so I rounded it down to 4 on Amazon. My recommendation to you would be to buy this album. It fits any mood, happy or sad! Thus far, the best album of 2005!.

Listen without prejudice
My appreciation grows with each hearing. I avoided buying this CD, put off by the early negative reviews, but finally picked up a copy, and I've been listening to it daily. My advice: Erase "Source Tags & Codes" from your mind and listen without prejudice, several times, before making a judgement. "Worlds Apart" is not as easily accessible as "Source Tags," but it's a beautiful, complex, and compelling work in its own right. You will discover jewels with each listen. Bands that care about their craft sometimes put out ungainly, experimental works that initially confuse their fans, but stand the test of time: I'm reminded of Pink Floyd's "The Wall," or "The White Album," or Fleetwood Mac's "Tusk. " "Worlds Apart" falls neatly into that niche. Thank you, Trail Of Dead, for "Worlds Apart"--I'm hearing you.

Great album
Their last album Source Tags and Codes was a masterpiece. This band has always done interesting work. They lost a member and there are a lot of expectations on this new album. "Will You Smile Again For Me" is a hard rocking tune much like their previous album. "Worlds Apart" and "Summer 91" recall the dreams of childhood. They reveal and introduce a glam rock fascination, and specifically a 1970s David Bowie influence, in some songs. The yearning and hope in songs like "And The Rest Will Follow" is an improvement. Songs like "Russia My Homeland" has some classical music touches. "All White" sounds like a track off of Ziggy Stardust. Trail of the Dead has always been fans of the classic rock tradition and musicianship. The album ends with the jazzy song "City of Refuge. " This album has the hits, the flourishes, and the delivery. You couldn't ask for more. We are not lost.
.

You can see a complete list of all ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead discography, or go back to the ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.