On my flight back to New York from SXSW, I overheard the stewardess explaining to a passenger that the only seats she could move him up to from the back row would be in between other passengers. I heard a quite voice assent, glanced over casually, and saw none other than Conrad Keely of the Trail of Dead. He shuffled tiredly into the center seat one row behind mine, wiggled around a bit, and quickly fell asleep.
The Trail of Dead fell quite hard from grace after their arguable masterpiece, Source Tags and Codes, crushed the world of sound in 2002. After a follow-up LP that was mixed as best and another album that the band publicly disowned, Austin’s most destructive and indulgent rock band went back to square one, releasing The Century of Self on their own label to hopeful ears.
“Inland Sea” isn’t a single on the new record, but it’s my favorite track: anchored by a softly sweeping piano hook and a developed sense of restraint, this isn’t the band going back to its roots but forging ahead musically. Guitars swell, tension builds, and melody leaps from the release, but the impact is more lush than brute. It’s a pleasure to see the Trail of Dead salvaging maturity from obligation, and I hope that this streak bleeds into their next release.
