Madonna

Full performer name: And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead.
And You Will Know Us By The Trail Of Dead: Kevin, Conrad, Neil, Jason.
Additional personnel: Julie Pomerleau (violin); Clay Embry, Carolyn Cremona,
Jimmy Burdine (horns); Steven Hall (drums).
On 1999's MADONNA, the Austin, Texas-based noise-rock ensemble And You Will Know Us By the Trail of Dead further hones its sharp sonic attack. As the group's first and only outing for the Merge label (recorded before being picked up by Interscope), MADONNA sounds like a test run for Trail of Dead's lauded SOURCE CODES & TAGS, with caustic guitar squalls washing over propulsive rhythms, creating mountains of sound. "Mistakes and Regrets" surges forward like one of Sonic Youth's most rocked-out tunes, while "Mark David Chapman" evokes a more epic Fugazi with its simmering sense of urgency. In keeping with its unpredictable nature, the quartet also offers up the exotic, eastern-tinged mood piece "Children of the Hydra's Teeth" and the dreamy, ominous "Aged Dolls." Along with SOURCE CODES, this fierce, restless record is essential Trail of Dead listening.