Review Summary: Trail of Dead may not give you the album you want to hear, but if you hear it you'll want to hear it again. Probably.
Change. It’s something we all go through. But in order to be happy with ourselves we have to accept that it’s our fate. But in this case, the change is only temporary. I was surprised that I enjoyed this record as much as I did. Not enough people appreciate what Keely and his band mates were trying to pull off. So without further ado, here is a track-by-track review of So Divided.
Intro: A Song of Fire and Wine 3.5/5
The album opens with a chatty crowd. Keely then strums a majestic riff. The song builds up and the crowd noises fade out. Of course the way the album is first presented is not nearly as strong as the beginning of the band’s prior album, Worlds Apart, but it’s still a solid opener.
Stand In Silence 3.5/5
Cheering fan noises precede this standard 3-chorus song, which is odd for Trail of Dead. Conrad’s vocals sound awesome in this track as well as the music. For a middle section Trail of Dead reprise “A Song of Fire and Wine” and although it works, some might think it’s lazy.
Wasted State of Mind 5/5
This is the only song off the album that gets the attention it deserves. It starts out with bongos, piano, followed by a twangy guitar. The melodies are haunting and indubitably catchy— not just the chorus but also where Keely sings, “Caught in a statis, feels like I’m wasting all this time.” The boys from Austin, Texas really know what they are doing here.
Naked Sun 4/5
Big, big drums in this one. The actual song is pretty cool, but the ending is the best part. Trail of Dead give you their specialty crescendo ending that an ordinary rock band wouldn’t give you.
Gold Heart Mountaintop Queen Directory 4/5
Originally by Guided By Voices, Trail of Dead presents a more symphonic, dramatic version. The song is only two minutes so I’ve come to the conclusion that it is more of a segue into the title track.
So Divided 5/5
The masterpiece of the album. The beginning of the song is very upbeat and happy, but at a minute and thirty seconds in the song will catch your attention with that shuffle beat. Just when you think this song won’t get any more awesome, it does. The drum hits and guitar chords that are played with so much emotion overlap with Conrad singing his ass off with the line “All of your lovers who think you’re in love, I’ll put you out of your misery.” I wouldn’t want this track to be ***ed with at all. It’s just too perfect.
Life 4/5
“Life” opens with fat sounding drums and banging piano. Conrad lays down a cool vocal melody throughout the entire song. Well, not the entire song. Lily Courtney sings a beautiful, little bit at the end.
Eight Days of Hell 5/5
I don’t know why this song never gets any credit, but it has to be one of the catchiest songs I’ve ever heard.
Witch’s Web 4.5/5
This song shows Trail of Dead’s quiet side. Layered with acoustic guitars, distant harmonies, and a slide guitar, this is the tune you listen to while driving through the desert late at night. It’s not the most beautiful song you’ve ever heard, but it’s nice to know that the “Source Tag” kids can write stuff like this.
Segue: In the Realms of the Unreal 3/5
It’s hard to rate this because it isn’t really a song. But what would Dark Side of the Moon sound like without track 2? Segues really tie the album together like they are meant to do. This one is pretty trippy and I do think it’s a good opener to “Sunken Dreams.”
Sunken Dreams 5/5
The first half of this song is sung by James Olsen, a friend of the band. It may seem like you’re not listening to Trail of Dead, but Jason Reece is waiting for you around the corner with his poetry. The climax of the song is at around 3:10, but for some reason the lyrics in this section are unknown. I still think it’s one of the most epic endings to an album ever.
