RATING: 3.5 out of 5
The release of Trail of Dead’s Worlds Apart has met with immense praise and venomous attacks with little middle ground. As with most things, the truth lies between the extremes. Trail of Dead has steadily made the transition from the Austin indie fringe to the national major label mainstream. Most of the criticism seems founded in resentment towards this transition. Worlds Apart is their most accessible album to date, but it is no compromise. This release represents some of the band’s most complex compositions. The first half of the album, including “Will You Smile Again for Me” and the title-track, builds nicely into the climactic “Caterwaul.” The second half collapses into confusion at times, but is pervaded by beautiful moments. Worlds Apart may not be Trail of Dead’s strongest release, but the weaknesses involve great ideas that bode well for the future. An album that explores these ideas with the clarity of a “Source Tags and Codes” will be phenomenal.
- joaquin black
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