...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead-Source Tags & Codes (2002)

 

Artist: ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead

Title: Source Tags & Codes

Label: Interscope

Format: CD

Cat #:  069493236-2

Year of Release: 2002

Country and Year of Edition Issue: US 2002

Listed Condition: VG+/VG+

Sell Date: 10/24/25

Sell Price: $3.38

Discogs Last Sold:  10/25/25 NM/NM $6.00

Low: $0.85

Median: $3.00

Average: $3.40

High: $9.88

Current low price: $1.00

Current Number on Sale at Discogs: 62

Have/Want: 1778/100

Where Sold: Brooklyn, NY

Time it took to sell: 15 years

Where and When Bought: internet used mid aughts

Gwiz-gau Letter Grade: B-

Sad To See It Go: No

This is one of those bands that would probably be better served by a single or two rather than an overlong major label production.  The Merge formula made it's way to Interscope via Austin's ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.  The band was 5 years in by the time Source Tags & Codes became their major label debut.  They had a reputation as a great live band, but somehow I don't recall ever seeing them.  In fact, I don't think I have seen them to this date.  Somehow, several of their CD's were purchased by me I think in one shot used in the mid-aughts on half.com probably for 75 cents each plus shipping.

This particular album was a glop of anonymity the first time I put it on.  There are actually people out there that hold this music near and dear.  I am not one of them.  It has taken me over two weeks since it sold to hear it enough between playing the CD that sold, streaming it randomly in a playlist and streaming the whole thing a couple times.  There were days I didn't write about anything with this in the "sold and writable" pile, but I couldn't muster a sentence about this release.  Most of it still feels like anonymous glop, albeit competent indie rock of the early aughts before dancier elements and dandyism started taking over the youth of the naughty aughties.  However, there were a few songs that jumped out over time.  

The main track was one of two that had videos.  I guess I have a good ear for this shit because "Relative Ways" is track #9 of 11 and that one is the standout in a major label Sonic Youth meets Superchuck sort of way.  None of this is bad "Baudelaire," "Days Of Being Wild" and "How Near How Far" have that revved up indie rock thing going on that sounds good on a road trip mix tape in the background.

I thought the title was a spoof on the Mission of Burma title Signals Calls & Marches.

Maybe it is, maybe it isn't.