When the Austin post-rock outfit (now based out of NYC) …And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead released their third album, Source Tags & Codes, in 2002, many heralded the band as the next big thing in indie (a Pitchfork 10.0!) and praised the album’s searing sonic riffage, infectious vocal melodies, and affinity for the occasional orchestral flourish. Since the release of Source Tags & Codes, however, the band has had its ups and downs–some lukewarm reviews for later releases, a split with major label Interscope after 2006’s So Divided, the departure of members–yet it has managed to soldier on and continue to produce consistently original music to a passionate fanbase.
Tonight the band will be celebrating the release of their seventh full-length album, Tao of the Dead (released through Superball Music and the band’s own imprint, Richter Scale), at Littlefield in Brooklyn. The show will also feature Brooklyn’s Takka Takka and art on display by band member Conrad Keely, who did the cover artwork for his band’s new record as well as an accompanying graphic novel. The new tracks were recorded in just ten days, and the album is split into two parts in different tunings; the first produced by Chris “Frenchie” Smith (who produced their debut) and the second by Chris Coady (who has worked with Beach House and the Yeah Yeah Yeahs). In an interview with The Deli the band explained: “Our favorite records are ones that can be experienced as a great body of work, and not the disposable, artless idea of recording one or two singles while disregarding the rest of a record. Why not give people a reason to experience an album as a whole?” Tonight would be a good opportunity to catch Trail of Dead’s ferocious live energy in an intimate setting before they hit the road for bigger venues with Surfer Blood in April. In the meantime, you can check out Keely’s trippy, steam-punk influenced artwork at the band’s website –Bill Dvorak