I feel sorry for bands who have to compete with critics' unrealized expectations. We saw what Rome (Written Upside Down) did for Les Savy Fav's Go Forth and we're not happy. What would have otherwise been a rather fulfilling full-length seemed to lack the innovation that was promised by the group's tour-de-force EP. I certainly don't want to sentence And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead to this fate-- expectations easily get out of hand and can quickly become insurmountable-- but it appears that they've brought it on themselves. Why else would they release this seemingly innocuous collection of scrawling post-punk?

The band's newly honed songwriting skills become immediately apparent on the disc's first track, "Relative Ways." Yes, the Trail of Dead are still having a great time attempting to recreate the Daydream Nation experience, but here, they're finally pulling it off with enough intensity to convince you that the sound still has some uncharted ground to be covered. That having been said, the new EP expands their once-limited musical vocabulary to convey such previously foreign topics as happiness and sanguinity. And the lyrics, though still predominantly angstful, have matured to the point of potency and quotability. Here's a slice for you: "It's okay, I'm a saint/ I forgave your mistakes." Nevermind that Kevin Allen's voice sounds more like Thurston Moore than ever.

All too often, artists evolve sonically while choosing to jettison the most effective nuances of their music. While I believe it's necessary for artists to self-actualize, it should be noted that they tend to alienate much of their fanbase in the process. So, there's something to be said for groups whose initial approach to writing consistently yields profound results. Such is the case with "Blood Rites," the EP's obligatory reflection on the essential formula of the Trail's previous outings. The recent popularity of such decidedly pubescent groups as Slipknot and Papa Roach has made it harder for songs of this genre to yield outstanding moments, but the Trail of Dead manage to walk on thin ice without slipping, leaving us with the same self-effacing freshness of Madonna (the album).

This disc marks the first appearance of material written under the wing of Interscope Records. The production values are up and the sound has lost a bit of the intimacy that was once an integral part of the group's records. Of course, this all seems trivial when compared with the leaps made in style and ability. Even the primarily ambient "Blade Runner," which closes the record, is pulled off with a formerly unseen grace. All told, it seems that the Trail have carved themselves a comfortable niche in which they can feel free to explore, subvert, and bastardize their influences into hideous four-minute gems.

It's not easy to cut an "essential" EP and, despite the quality of the material and the consumer-friendly price, this isn't Rome (Written Upside Down), the Archers of Loaf's Vs. the Greatest of All Time, or Mogwai's EP+2. Each of those releases set a precedent by which the rest of their respective artists' careers would be judged. And while Relative Ways is a departure for the Trail of Dead, it certainly doesn't mark a radical change in the band's aesthetic. Of course, when judged on its own terms, Relative Ways is well worth its price tag and, most importantly, hints at what could be achieved if And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead keep the focus that appears to have inspired these songs.

-Kevin Adickes, November 13th, 2001