The Century Of Self
by
The Century Of Self Image
Metascore
68

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.4

Universal acclaim- based on 37 Ratings

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  • Summary: The sixth full-length album for the rock band from Texas is its first on the Richter Scale/Justice label.

Top Track

Isis Unveiled
I have made you in my likeness And I make you the keepers of my garden world And if you honor me in kind, I will be grateful, but be warned For I'm... See the rest of the song lyrics
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Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 14 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 9 out of 24
  3. Negative: 1 out of 24
  1. The A.V. Club
    91
    Sometimes the rigid pattern of power-murk-power gets a little too predictable, but the pleasure of having a Trail Of Dead album that contains mostly good parts and no blind alleys more than makes up for any reduction in ambition.
  2. Boston Globe
    80
    After releasing two albums that bored even its most ardent fans, . . . And You Will Know Us by the Trail of Dead is back to blowing minds with The Century of Self.
  3. musicOMH.com
    70
    Ultimately The Century Of Self won't trouble the charts and Trail Of Dead's status as a cult act will be assured. But there's enough here to keep their small group of followers very happy indeed.
  4. Austin Chronicle
    67
    Trail of Dead's post-major label debut, The Century of Self, may be the Austin institution's most conceptually complete work to date, a post-prog cathedral of mythical mini-epics, though it's by no means the band's masterpiece.
  5. Uncut
    60
    A familiar sound predominates: an impressive fanfare for a royal procession that never quite arrives. [Apr 2009, p.78]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. No Ripcord
    60
    As promising as its initial concentration of songs foretells, The Century Of Self suffers from careless sequencing, its tempos haphazardly spooned together and flung like high school portions of mashed potatoes and gravy, slopped into sections of the tray with no real purpose or benefit.
  7. Under The Radar
    30
    Any way you slice it, Trail Of The Dead is a sad case in selling out. [Winter 2009, p.68]
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See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 15 out of 16
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 16
  3. Negative: 1 out of 16
  1. DavidG
    Mar 22, 2009
    10
    In an age of sleepy pianos, predictable hooks, & industry regulators like click track recordings; Trail of Dead have delivered an amazing In an age of sleepy pianos, predictable hooks, & industry regulators like click track recordings; Trail of Dead have delivered an amazing tour de force that casts off the arms of the record industry, and the hack record reviewers who aren't happy with a record that stands apart from the same ol' same ol'. At SXSW 09' I saw tons of Arcade Fire-esque bands w/10 members on stage doing very little. I long for the days when more bands sound like TOD.… Expand
  2. MatthwC
    Feb 23, 2009
    10
    Nearly a return to their very best. Sounds like it could have been the successor to Madonna or Source Tags and Codes.
  4. JanM
    Feb 20, 2009
    10
    This is the best CD Trail has ever released. I absolutely love it!
  5. SimonE
    Feb 27, 2009
    10
    Awesome. It's disappointing to read most of the main (supposedly well versed in the arts) magazine reviews. By classifying the band as Awesome. It's disappointing to read most of the main (supposedly well versed in the arts) magazine reviews. By classifying the band as having 'cult status' does not mean that can get away with giving it mediocre marks because 'you don't really get it'. Though I suppose that explains the currently bland & pointless music that is 'the current scene'. Reviewers such as these make the current scene bands big. Says a lot really.... What you DO need to know, is that despite the backward step in production, the songs are still awesome. A good mix of tunes, with the now expected Conrad piano pieces thrown in for that touch of genius. TOTD ARE Austin, Texas. They ARE weird. And they ARE a welcome sight in the current musical wateland...… Expand
  6. C
    Feb 21, 2009
    9
    This album completely floored me. I'm shocked. Their best since Source Tags & Codes and one of the best rock albums of the year so far. This album completely floored me. I'm shocked. Their best since Source Tags & Codes and one of the best rock albums of the year so far. This is a group that really picked themselves up and delivered.… Expand
  7. mike1586
    Oct 10, 2010
    9
    They show glimpses of the kind of band they were ST&C era but it is the regained confidence that shines through. No-one writes music likeThey show glimpses of the kind of band they were ST&C era but it is the regained confidence that shines through. No-one writes music like these guys now. Biggest criticism is the track layout, 'Insatiable 1' and 'Insatiable 2' are lost instrumentals that make the second half of the album unbalanced and slightly weaker than the first. 'Luna Park' and 'Halcyon Days' are personal favourites. Overall, it's a very strong 'comeback' album. Whatever they do now will surely be amazing.… Expand
  8. KarenH
    Mar 19, 2009
    0
    Terrible album, so boring.

See all 16 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

100
#100 Most Discussed Album of 2009
22
#22 Most Shared Album of 2009

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