On Worlds Apart, And You Will Know Us By The Trail of Dead have really set themselves up on for a fall. Not only was their previous record, Source Tags and Codes, one of the greatest albums of the new century, (a hard act to follow), but their name itself is such a tedious/pretentious tongue twister that it's a bit of (a hard tag to swallow). Even up against such self-created pitfalls, Worlds Apart is just different and strong enough to avoid the quicksand in it's path.

Source Tags and Codes crowned my best-of list in 2002 - and their various appearances as a power-trio on the late-night talk shows were mostly interesting and memorable. The problem with trying to follow up a seminal record is often one of deciding whether to take a decidedly different tack so as to avoid comparison (see Radiohead's move between O.K. Computer and Kid A) or to try to recreate the magic by taking the "don't fix it if it ain't broke" approach. A road which we all know is festooned with built-in foot-falls.

The very title of the album suggests that Trail of Dead have opted for the latter, but in truth it's about a toss-up between the two. The most noticeable change is in Conrad Keely's singing voice. For whatever reason he seems to taken on a snarling, bratty affectation that makes him sound much like Tim DeLaughter circa Tripping Daisy. A band that, along with Doves, Sonic Youth and Sunny Day Real Estate, they can rightfully be likened to.

As for the music, the bulk of Worlds Apart is similar to the veins-bulging big, sweeping visceral assault that they've offered in the past; and for the most part it succeeds (though I find my attention wandering a bit on these familiar tracks.) They've inserted some sporadically entertaining snippets of spoken-word sound-bytes (mostly children) that certainly smack of Pink Floyd. The very worst bit on this new offering is the title track. Do we really need another song where an up and coming band takes a critical swipe at the commercial rock machine? Evidently not as Keely spouts "look at these cunts on MTV with cars and cribs and shit - is that what being a celebrity mean?" Cough - "who cares?"

The most interesting stuff is to be found of tracks 9 and 12. "To Russia, My Homeland," features a lively and well composed orchestral interlude. A violin driven ditty that's lead melody sounds like the "Gypsy Movement," from some Classical composers best-of concerto-collection. Worlds Apart's most atypical song (and thereby it's most interesting) is the closer "Lost City of Refuge." This much lighter and more poppy fare sounds like something Billy Corgan may have composed in a one-off collaboration with Paul McCartney. And while I'm on the subject of plagiarism, track four "Summer of 91" is literally a note-for-note knock-off of the best tune from Owsley's eponymous debut. It took me a few listens to put my finger on the wronged-party, but it's so exact that you can spot the "one" note that their publisher forced them to alter so as to avoid litigation.

After it's all said and done Worlds Apart should, at the very least, hold Trail of Dead's spot as one of the more inspired alt/indie bands, but it's certainly not strong enough to allow the jury to retire.