Seeing ...And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead at ATP really kicked off a new turn of listening to them. I wasn't really aware of just how much I've missed them before re-listening to them this time around. Yeah, I saw them at Way Out West last year, but they didn't make as much a lasting impression as they were roaringly drunk, which affected their performance a lot, in my opinion. This time, however, they blew me away.

I love their uninhibited way of approaching music, which is part of why I love bands like Einstürzende Neubauten and Super Furry Animals. Just listen to "To Russia My Homeland" before switching to "Baudelaire" or "Will You Smile Again?"; this way of toying with sounds and also carefully arranging their noise makes for a brilliant listen. Just visit X's muxtape and listen to "Mistakes & Regrets" to get a sample of their stuff. There's more to get at their site, e.g. video, music, lyrics and guitar tabs.

They challenge me and make me not like everything they do, and at the same time some of their songs are so extremely likeable I think people - no matter how narrow-listened a person may be - can get into their music easily. They've got integrity down with great music, and I love them for it. I've got to dance wildly to some of their tracks and sing at the top of my lungs to others while wishing I'd written that. While somebody who loves Iron Maiden and their likes might enjoy "Another Morning Stoner" I think someone who likes quasi-intellectual indie-pop could very well dig "Worlds Apart" or "The Rest Will Follow".

And oh, and there are great lyrics to follow the instruments. Here's a snippet from "Worlds Apart":

Look at those cunts on MTV With their cars, and cribs, and rings and shit Is that what being a celebrity means? Look, boys and girls, here's BBC See corpses, rapes, and amputees What do you think now of the American dream?

And our soccer moms and dads Who raised us brats on these TV ads I know that they sleep at night Their conscience is intact They've convinced themselves of that Giving money to Jesus Fucking H Christ

How they laughed as we shoveled the ashes Of the twin towers Blood and death, we will pay back the debt For this candy store of ours

...not to mention the lyrics for "Mistakes & Regrets". I recommend starting with their album "Worlds Apart".

Here's a clip by X from ATP, where they're doing the end of "Will You Smile Again?". I promise I'll upload my clips from all the bands I filmed performing at ATP soon enough, when I get the mental strength to upload anything more than pictures from that blessed event.

Also, Jason Reece is an absolute gentleman and utterly nice. YEAH!