So Divided
by ...And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 31 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 19 out of 31
  2. Mixed: 11 out of 31
  3. Negative: 1 out of 31
  1. Drowned In Sound
    50
    While the instrumental augmentation in most of the songs is impressive, the setlist feels less immediate than the band's past work.
  2. cokemachineglow
    49
    This loosely associated collection of songs isn't even the logical extension of some of the more unwise artistic wanderings of Worlds Apart (2005).
  3. Pitchfork
    55
    While the band once pushed forward with a strength that seemed to surprise even them, So Divided ultimately feels scattered and flaccid.
  5. Playlouder
    60
    It's hard to truly love a band that are so chameleonic that they sacrifice signature definition for adventurousness.
  6. Rolling Stone
    60
    It's all over the place, but it packs enough sweet noise manipulation and actual songwriting to get over.
  7. Village Voice
    60
    As with most things Trail of Dead, it's bloated where it thinks it's profound.
  8. Prefix Magazine
    55
    Despite the impressive stylistic voices and rich production, there's ultimately something hollow around the project.
  9. PopMatters
    50
    So Divided is somewhere in between—something less than the bluster and chaos of the group’s major label debut, something more than the follow-up’s misguided pretension.
  10. Tiny Mix Tapes
    60
    Pick your adjective[:] Over-the-top, anthemic, epic.
  11. NOW Magazine
    60
    While they may never reach the heights of their Source Tags & Codes, the band can still push boundaries.
  12. Mojo
    40
    So Divided is less pompous, but the dynamic likes of Naked Sun and Stand In Silence barely atone for hamfisted stabs at chamber pop, country and The Cure. [Dec 2006, p.108]
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Awards & Rankings

16
#16 Most Shared Album of 2006

User Reviews

All reviews »
User Score
7.6

Generally favorable reviews- based on 45 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 33 out of 45
  2. Mixed: 5 out of 45
  3. Negative: 7 out of 45
  1. BobbyK
    Mar 19, 2007
    4
    A huge disappointment. Source Tags and Codes was perhaps their defining album, but I think that it made them want to try to push their A huge disappointment. Source Tags and Codes was perhaps their defining album, but I think that it made them want to try to push their boundaries even further. While Worlds Apart wasn't particularly great, it at least was fairly consistent and had some memorable moments. This album, on the other hand, finds Trail of Dead trying to be overly creative, making all the flourishes they add to their music sound excessive. It just seems like they're trying too hard to make something totally new, when in fact all they really need to do is expand on the stuff they made in works like Sources Tags and Elena's Tomb. "Wasted State of Mind" and "Eighth Day Hell" are really the only two tracks worth listening to, and even the latter sounds like a Beatles song with ultra-exaggerated British-accented vocals.… Full Review »
  2. RalphP
    Mar 14, 2007
    1
    Its not even worth 1 dime. So mediocre and so lame.Get source tags and codes or Madonna. How dissapointing
  3. DTonning
    Feb 14, 2007
    1
    Absoulute shit compared to Worlds Apart. Not even worth mentioning in the same breath as Source Tags & Codes.
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