Titus Andronicus - Local Business
By: James Hagin
When I heard that Titus Andronicus (one my favorite bands) was coming out with a new album I must admit I was somewhat skeptical. Given some recent subtractions to the band I wasn’t sure that they would even sound like the group of people. But alas they have stuck to their guns and created yet another masterpiece, despite their fiddle player and fiend Amy Klein leaving the band, and their lead singer Patrick Stickles having his infamous beard shaved after being (I kid you not) electrocuted while doing a show in Williamsburg. It was a great loss for band members and fans alike.
To give a brief history, Titus Andronicus fronted and started by singer/guitarist Patrick Stickles began in Glen rock New Jersey in 2005. They have had 15 members come and go over the years and though I have not the energy to list all the names I will say that the talents range from pianists and guitarists to chimes and “moral support” players.
This, their third album, sounds just as orchestrated and grand as the last two but is a bit more fast-paced. Their last album “The Monitor” was epic and drawn out, and told the story of not only a teenager struggling to find his way through high school and college, but also the story of a young man in the civil war (of all things) confused and angered by all his surroundings (Stickles is an expert on both concepts) It was very layered and lyrically stimulating. This album is still epic and powerful but not as full of stuff and previous work. For one thing it is not a concept album, which is a new direction for Titus. The Monitor had excerpts of Abraham Lincoln speeches and drum and fife parts. This album has none of that. It’s more Mick Jones and less Shakespeare.
I think this is change is one of the better aspects of the new record. It’s light and not as brooding as their previous work. Its succeeds in being as folky as what the band was before but also keeping that punk ethos that the band has come to be known by. The only time they miss with this idea is on the track “ I Am The Electric Man” which sounds like a drunken campy version of “Beasts Of Burden” by The Stones. This song disappoints me much. Very, very much
So to sum this up I can call most of this record huge success. I am glad to see Titus back in the game, and do recommend all but track nine of this album. The band will be touring around the New York and Jersey area for the next few months or so, and I’m sure that will be fun too.
To give a brief history, Titus Andronicus fronted and started by singer/guitarist Patrick Stickles began in Glen rock New Jersey in 2005. They have had 15 members come and go over the years and though I have not the energy to list all the names I will say that the talents range from pianists and guitarists to chimes and “moral support” players.
This, their third album, sounds just as orchestrated and grand as the last two but is a bit more fast-paced. Their last album “The Monitor” was epic and drawn out, and told the story of not only a teenager struggling to find his way through high school and college, but also the story of a young man in the civil war (of all things) confused and angered by all his surroundings (Stickles is an expert on both concepts) It was very layered and lyrically stimulating. This album is still epic and powerful but not as full of stuff and previous work. For one thing it is not a concept album, which is a new direction for Titus. The Monitor had excerpts of Abraham Lincoln speeches and drum and fife parts. This album has none of that. It’s more Mick Jones and less Shakespeare.
I think this is change is one of the better aspects of the new record. It’s light and not as brooding as their previous work. Its succeeds in being as folky as what the band was before but also keeping that punk ethos that the band has come to be known by. The only time they miss with this idea is on the track “ I Am The Electric Man” which sounds like a drunken campy version of “Beasts Of Burden” by The Stones. This song disappoints me much. Very, very much
So to sum this up I can call most of this record huge success. I am glad to see Titus back in the game, and do recommend all but track nine of this album. The band will be touring around the New York and Jersey area for the next few months or so, and I’m sure that will be fun too.