Category: Reviews

She & Him – Volume Two

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

After a stunning debut that won over many a doubter, She & Him return for their second album, Volume Two.  You’d be hard-pressed to find someone who didn’t appreciate the first effort, at least to a certain degree, but would the yearning for a second helping of Zooey be nearly as fulfilling as the first run through?  Honestly, it’s probably equally as rewarding as the first record, but that gets lost in the fact that it doesn’t find the group really pushing any limits.

“Thieves” finds the duo transported to precisely the place where they left off, cashing in on our adoration for Motown girl-groups of the past or female country singers with lush orchestration.  While you can see that this was definitely mapped out a whole lot better, with Ward’s raspy whisper singing along during the chorus, it’s not too far removed from the last release, something that may trouble some listeners.

“In the Sun” displays Zooey’s vocal prowess.  Perhaps it’s not the most perfect voice of all time, but you’ll find it every bit as enchanting as you did the first time you heard her sing while watching Elf. However, it has to be M. Ward who steals the entire show here; his guitar work cutting in and out of the song definitely makes this a whole lot more memorable than some of the tracks you’ll hear this time around.

While the album opens with a more upbeat feeling, due mostly to predominantly featured piano, the warmer songs hold the bread and butter.  “Me and You” is probably the most simplistic song, yet the arrangement of the song, accompanied with slide guitar makes it extremely powerful.  She & Him back this up with “Going to Get Along Without You Now,” a song that definitely has a hint of playfulness to it, but Ward’s simple strumming holds the song in place, never letting it stray to far into the realms of kitsch.  Which is not how much of the latter half-of the album goes.

Perhaps the redundancy of the piano work here makes it all seem a bit too childish.  There’s not a lot of exploration on the keys, instead relying upon simple chord progression. While it was charming mixed in on Volume One, this time around it comes off as if the band has run out of ideas. You can contrast that with some of the simple guitar songs, like “Brand New Shoes,” which comes in near the end, and you can feel as if something just hits home with your heart when the piano is absent.

In the end, “If You Can’t Sleep” closes out the record, doing so in a bit of a different fashion.  The title definitely reflects the emotional appeal of the song, and the pacing, which makes perfect sense, as the band isn’t one to push boundaries too far.  All in all, Volume Two leaves you with the feeling that She & Him didn’t want to stray too far away from their original work.  That being said, a detractor here is that it doesn’t stray too far at all, and you get the feeling that this sits perfectly next to Volume One. It’s a pleasant enough listen, just one that isn’t nearly as exciting as the first time you heard Zoeey and Matt together.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/01/She-Him-In-the-Sun.mp3]

Download: She & Him – In the Sun [MP3]

Tre Orsi – Devices + Emblems

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Rating: ★★★½☆

The burgeoning music scene in Denton, Tx has long been known for releasing quality music; Tre Orsi is apparently going to be another one of those bands.  Recently, they’ve gotten some press for their appearance on Casual Victim Pile compilation by Matador, but Devices + Emblems gives the group a more definititve sound.

From the onset of this album you can tell that there is a brooding sense of post-punk that lies beneath this record.  Repetitive angular guitars seem to drive the opener “Manumission” prior to the climactic break down that kick starts the rest of the number.  But, it’s “Engineer” that will undoubtedly grab your ear as it did mine.  For some reason, I hear a young J. Mascis wailing away on the guitars here, or at least in the vocals.   Still,  people will want to toss around Unwound references, which I suppose is relevant.

One of the things that just gets me here, though never quite fulfills, is the increasing tension that is built by piling guitars atop one another in a repetitive fashion.  But, while they could completely release the fury upon listeners, they use a bit of restraint–perhaps this a trait suggested by their producer Bubba Kadane.  I love it all, but give me a little bit of a yelp, or just  a nice solid scream.

What’s amazing on Devices + Ebmblems is how enthralling the record can be with just the simplest songwriting.  Nowadays, every record seems to need a touch of electronics or string arrangements ( I do like that stuff too), but a song like “Sargasso” desmonstrates that some bands don’t really need any of the tricks.  It’s refreshing to hear a song that relies a great deal on cleanly produced vocals with just a hint of some off-kilter intonation to drive the song’s message home.

Then again, perhaps this is just a record of nostalgic purposes.  It’s clear cut in its goal, and it doesn’t deviate too much from where it began.  You get guitars cutting in and out, along with moments that seem to build towards no ending.  Yet, in using this approach, Tre Orsi strays away from every mainstay in independent music.  They’ve got a stylistic approach that is all their own, but one that seems to echo every record in your collection from those teenage years.  By no means is this meant as a condemnation of the group, as I definitely have an affinity for this music, and this album.

Devices + Emblems is a record that wears its influences openly, leading you to walk down memory lane with Tre Orsi.  Still, something within this record is begging you to be pulled in (or it begged me), and you’ll find yourself enjoying every twist and turn of the guitar all the way until you arrive at “Declaring Space,” the last track.  It’s here where it all makes sense, it all comes together; the past, the present and the future unite for a really solid record.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-The-Engineer.mp3]

Download: Tre Orsi – The Engineer [MP3]

Love is All – Two Thousand and Ten Injuries

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Rating: ★★★★☆

You have to have hidden under a rock to miss the last two releases from Love is All; if you were hiding, you missed a ridiculous amount of boisterous pop tunes.  Now, the group has returned with their newest work, Two Thousand and Ten Injuries, which shows a bit more experimentation and a shift in direction.  One things for sure, nothing is as joyous as listening to this group when they’re at their best.

Once this record kicks off, you can definitely tell that Love is All is no longer in the same place, as the blistering pace has been slowed back a bit, revealing a little bit more clarity in the songs.  “Bigger Bolder” is the first tune, and you can tell that more time was spent on the guitar work, which seems to reveal a hint of nostalgic garage rock.

As a long time fan, “Never Now” is a winner.  It’s not nearly as dense as anything in their past, which allows for the playfulness in Josephine’s voice to break through.  In the past, the cacophony often overpowered the pop element, but here empty space is not being filled, so you get a more concrete song pushing through.

But, one of the things that Love is All have continued to push is the bubbly dance tracks that seem to blur the line with discordant guitars.  “Less Than Thrilled” has a guitar line that sounds an awful lot like U2 guitarist Edge, but wraps you up in its bouncy bass hooks.  “Dust” also brings about that catchy bass work in the beginning, but here you see the band reverting to their old tricks, feeding saxophone into the skeletal backbone of the tune.  You’ll find yourself loving the drum circle moment near the 2 minute mark just before the band marches you into the concluding moments.

The thing that makes Two Thousand and Ten Injuries such a strong effort, and one that might exceed their prior work, is that the band isn’t shoving every possible instrument into each inch of the record.  “A Side in the Bed” sort of meanders along while Josephine cooly drapes her vocals over the drum beat.  Barely audible guitar and saxophone work cut in and out of this track, where as the group would have filled this song to the brim in the past.  Closing the record in this manner also works to the advantage of the quintet, as you’ll find them ambling during “Take Your Time.”  This is the first time where I’ve felt an emotive quality be created from the group rather than just sheer joyous noise.  I like it both, but it makes listening to the entirety of this album much more gratifying than the quick bursts that you might have found on something like Nine Times That Song.

It’s refreshing to see that Love is All seem to have made it out of the possible rut they could have found themselves in after their first two releases.  Two Thousand and Ten Injuries shows the band experimenting with different song construction, allowing for emotional releases that often evaded older efforts.  No longer do they need to beat you over the head with energetic playground fist-pumping, instead choosing to let you relish in more complex, and complete, songs.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/02-Repetition.mp3]

Download: Love is All – Repetition [MP3]

Seabear – We Built A Fire

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Rating: ★★★★☆

It’s heating up around Austin with SXSW right around the bend and with spring weather here, wildflowers across the state spring to life.  Nevertheless, Seabear is coming through town to cool things down a little. Icelandic septet Seabear, led by soothing songster Sindri Már Sigfússon, is set to release their nature-infused sophomore album, We Built A Fire. Iceland is renowned for its otherworldly landscapes and ethereal musicians (i.e. Bjork and Sigur Ros), but this record hits a familiar chord closer to home.

The release is premium indie-folk and shows the “Icelandic Beck” at his whimsical, yet haunting best. Although based in Iceland, Seabear’s lyrics are all in English; which makes it a surprise that this year marks the band’s first trip through North America, starting with SXSW. Beginning as a lo-fi solo project for Sigfússon, Seabear has expanded to a full 7-member band with the emphasis on the collective creative process. Their first release, The Ghost That Carried Us Away, was a much more intimate release with delicate, orchestral arrangements containing many indie-folk gems. Similarly on their latest, there’s no shortage of them. This time around, mutual input in the writing process was the modus operandi and what materialized is an improved confidence in all the parts. This translates into a stronger sound and superior effort as a whole.

Sigfússon songwriting talents (whose last solo effort came under the moniker Sing Fang Bous) is in full bloom starting with the opener, ‘Lion Face Boy’. His voice is a force, both full and soft simultaneously, driving the tempo throughout the track and ultimately the extent of the record.  ‘Fire Dies Down’ is a more up-tempo and moving track, displaying the rest of the group’s expanded instrumental vocabulary.

The pseudo title track and first single ‘I’ll Build You A Fire’ is a stand out track with wonderful harmonies. On Sigfússon’s 2009 solo tour, he was joined by headliners and fellow Icelandic indie poppers múm, and it’s obvious that a little rubbed off. ‘Cold Summer’ begins with a poignant piano intro. Then the vocals and cello drift in and out like a summer breeze over an Icelandic meadow. The depth and soothing nature of his voice prove to once again be the driving force followed by the country influenced ‘Wooden Teeth’; which is one of the more joyful moments on the record. This country influence continues into ‘Leafmask’ with a guitar intro displaying true country roots, before Sigfússon slows things down and emerges with one of the more impressive vocal tracks on the album.  After ‘Softship’, the album loses a little momentum and becomes more introverted before the back and forth crescendos and decrescendos of ‘Warm Blood’.

Seabear brings the tempo back up for the final track ‘Wolfboy’, completing one of my favorite releases of the year. We Built A Fire is thought-provoking music while physically moving to boot, and we can only hope their tour is so successful they return with more dates for years to come. Amazingly, this time around Austin gets 4 (yes 4!) chances to see them. You will not want to miss at least one of these free sets:

March 17th @ Epoch Coffee (221 W North Loop) – 7:15pm

March 18th @ Scoot Inn (1308 E 4th st.) – 1pm

March 18th @ The Hideout (617 Congress Ave.) – 1am

March 20th @ Cafe Mundi (1704 E. 5th st.) – 2:45pm

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/Seabear-03-Ill-Build-You-A-Fire.mp3]

Download: Seabear – I’ll Build You A Fire [MP3]

Happy Birthday – s/t

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Rating: ★★★☆☆

One of the most recent signees to historic Sub Pop is a relative newcomer to the music scene.  Happy Birthday, for those of you stumbling upon the band, just formed in 2008, and their self-titled album is their first official recording.  This album fits nicely into the new fascination with fuzz-riddled guitar pop, though the band isn’t just a one trick pony.  While the majority of the album is filled with charm, there are a few missteps that keep it from taking off.

Happy Birthday kicks off their debut with one of the catchiest tunes of 2010, “Girls FM.”  Jangling guitar rings hollowly in the background as Kyle Thomas wails a bit, just before the drums are added.  Once you get to the chorus, where Ruth Garbus joins Thomas, you can’t escape the sugary sweetness.  Placing this song up front establishes a lot of the music as surf-pop, though the group does go in different directions at times.

One of the tricks the band employs to great effect is to have Kyle’s vocals carefully backed by the warmth of Ruth’s voice.  “2 Shy” utilizes this tool, and it moves the music away from garage band to polished power-pop.  Such a combination creates blissful moments for the band, and they pull it out just often enough to make it memorable. You’ll see the same elements in “Maxine the Teenage Eskimo,” which might be the secret gem of this album.  It’s late in the collection, and this general sweetness comes in a bit later in the song; stay with this one folks, as you’ll be rewarded greatly.

Interestingly, there are some odd Marc Bolan-esque vocals floating throughout spots on this record.  “Subliminal Message” has that trademark T. Rex guitar, and Thomas seems to channel a bit of Marc’s vocal inflections on his delivery–this actually makes for a really fixating slow jam.  Unfortunately, they return to this same formula for “Pink Strawberry Shake,” at a point in the album when you’re really looking to be revitalized by something new; you might find yourself bogged down at this point.

Still, a new band has to have some drawbacks, right?  Well, this is true of Happy Birthday.  At times, they seem to have a little bit too much simplicity in their songwriting, which can be translated to childishness.  “Zit” is just one of those songs that demonstrates some of these weaknesses; it’s a juvenile song, both lyrically and musically.  While the lyrics throughout definitely hint at the unpolished quality of the group, this song takes it a bit too far.  Clearly, there is room for simplicity and youthfulness, but it kind of goes too far at points on the album.  This is just another factor the band will eventually work out on the next album, as they sometimes don’t seem to know when to hold back, pushing songs beyond a point of impact for the listener.

However, don’t end the album without listening to closer, “Fun.”  Yes, it does use that recently popularized style of mundane lyrical songwriting, but there is a touch of real brilliance here.  Some might recall Superdrag or Teenage Fanclub, and fans of those bands will surely love the ending to this album.  All things considered, Happy Birthday‘s debut has demonstrated room for growth, with touches of brilliance throughout, so we should expect a solid second outing based on the charms of this beginning.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/01-Girls-FM-1.mp3]

Download: Happy Birthday – Girls FM [MP3]

Miles Kurosky – The Desert of Shallow Effects

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Rating: ★★★½☆

When Beulah called it quits many thought this might be the last we had heard of Miles Kurosky.  He hid under the radar for a little bit, but the instrumental orchestrations within his mind eventually won out, encouraging Miles to take to the studio once again. The Desert of Shallow Effects is his first solo album, and while it doesn’t stray too far from his previous works, it serves as a reminder that he still has the ability to craft amazing pop gems surrounded by big band moments.

The album opens with a slow burner, “Notes From the Polish Underground.” Miles doesn’t do too much to push the energy on this number, instead choosing to let the horns and piano flesh out the song.  It’s reminiscent of his work on Yoko, which left Beulah on the quieter side of California pop. But, he moves on quickly with “An Apple for an Apple.”  Seconds into the song, you get a ringing guitar, one that comes in and out of the song.  Here is the Miles that fans will fall in love with all over again.  Instruments abound, production wise, but it’s his warm vocal drenched in a faint moment of backing vocals that celebrate the exuberance we once associated with the singer.

While this record has moments where Miles brings back that passionate mini-yelp, such as “I Can’t Swim,” energetic moments are clearly not all that will define his return to form. The Desert of Shallow Effects also utilizes his softer side to great effects.  “She Was My Dresden” is really just a song for him to strum along while you are soothed by his vocals.  What’s relevant about this song in regards to his past is his focus on first-person storytelling it’s one of the few songs on this album where his feelings are the sole focus of the work.  In contrast, he has other slow turning songs like “Housewives with Knives” and “West Memphis Skyline” where he looks at writing from the third-person perspective.  Despite the change in lyrical content, these quieter moments also show that he’s polished his songwriting in this style, fusing his own distinctive writing with his lush orchestration.  Perhaps time has allowed him to clear the cobwebs a bit, and construct sublime moments all over.

Suffice it to say, The Desert of Shallow Effects is a triumphant return for Miles Kurosky.  Sure, he does seem a bit undecided on precisely where he wants to go now that he’s back in the music game, but what remains central to this album is that he can still create amazing songs, use his friends to provide great backing moments, then carry you into momentary bliss.  We should all consider ourselves lucky that such a wonderful voice has returned to the music scene to warm us over with his sunny chamber pop tastes.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/10-West-Memphis-Skyline-1.mp3]

Download: Miles Kursoky – West Memphis Skyline

Miles will also be playing the following SXSW shows:

3/17 @ Red Eyed Fly – 3:20 PM   3/18 @ Emos 9 PM  3/19 @ Home Slice Pizza – 5:15

Broken Bells – Broken Bells

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Rating: ★★★★½

If you’ve been living in a cave for the past 10 years or so, here’s a music tip: There’s an indie rock band from New Mexico called the Shins and there’s a music producer from New York named Danger Mouse (aka Brian Burton). They are both good at their respective positions and have enjoyed very lucrative careers. Well the romantic tale begins in 2004 in Denmark when Shins front-man James Mercer met with Burton and they discovered a mutual respect and fandom.  After years of playful collaboration in a secret, bunker-type studio, the result is virtually seamless.

The resources of Mercer and Mouse blend together in a way that is well thought out and intriguing as first, but it’s not life changing music. (For me, Chutes too Narrow changed my life) It is, at the least, very enjoyable. The record is no doubt a candidate for best album released so far; however just ask me about it at year’s end.  If you listen to the radio, chances are, you’ve heard the first single, ‘The High Road’.  The group also just began their tour with a stop at the Late Show with David Letterman (AKA How can anybody stand him?) performing the single live for the first time to great success. The group isn’t going to blow you away with their live performances, but no one should find that surprising.

The track ‘Your Head is on Fire’, pulls a page from Animal Collective with very Panda Bear-esque vocals and samples mixed in. This simple but effective layering technique falls away displaying some of the best of Mercer’s lyrics on the album and I find myself going back to this track in particular for repeated listens. ‘The Ghost inside’ sounds like the next Gnarls Barkley single/ Gorillaz until Mercer’s lyrics come back in about half way through. (How ironic that the Gorillaz new album was also released the same day?)

‘October’ and ‘Citizen’ are about as vintage Shins as we find on the new record, circa 2007. On both tracks we find intriguing lyrics of which Mercer is well known, though the latter, it is the only track that feels over-produced.  It’s really the only track that feels significantly different from the rest, though the final third contains wonderful musical dénouement.

‘Mongrel Heart’ with a good hearty bass line that drives the track and ‘The Mall and the Misery’ finish off the record strongly, but fall to make any real lasting impression for me. It is a smart record that holds a good tempo throughout, with each track holding an infectious beat which is becoming something of a Danger Mouse calling card. So at your next party,  if you were wondering  how to make the Broken Bells ‘cocktail’: Take one part Shins, one part Gnarls Barkley, and one part Gorrilaz, mix with ice and strain (for a smooth consistency), garnish with a little Panda Bear and serve in a high-ball glass (Nothing too classy). Repeat as needed.  Your buzz may not last as long as you’d like.

Austin gets 2 chances to catch the group at SXSW:

Wednesday March 17th @ Stubbs – NPR’s Official Showcase

Friday March 19th @ Lustre Pearl – Dickie’s/Filter Party

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/01-The-High-Road-1.mp3]

Download: Broken Bells – The High Road [MP3]

Liars – Sisterworld

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Long ago Liars delved into post-punk world with They Threw…on Top, but they’ve shape-shifted on every record since that point, which would lead many to believe that Sisterworld would have some sort of major twist forcing listeners to adapt yet again.  The fact is, Liars have finally completed their most cohesive collage of noise-rock since their debut, and in doing so, have created their best work to date.

Our opening two tracks, “Scissors” and “No Barrier Fun” find the group getting into a bit of garden darkness.  “Scissors” features a haunting Angus vocal, with choir backing, that creeps along whilst tinkering noises guide the song.  Suddenly, you’re met with crashing noise.  It’s similar to the way the opened Liars, but as soon as you realize what’s happened, we’re back to Angus lurking in the shadows. Meanwhile, “No Barrier Fun” brings along the experimental noise work the band has employed in the past, throwing everything but the kitchen sink into the mix.  For some reason, there is a throbbing electronic element in the background that seems to keep you on edge throughout.

But, never to be a band to stay in one place for long, you’ll find that “Scarecrows on a Killer Slant” brings sort of an Anthrax vocal delivery coated in walls of feedback and noise.  You have to expect them to belt this song out in the live setting, as the energy alone emitted from this song surpasses almost all their work to date; even Angus’ odd vocals stretched over the ending are not enough to take away from the incessant pounding element that makes this number stand out in the head of most listeners.

One of the weirdest things about recent Liars records, including this one, is that sometimes the band just seems as if they’re messing about in the studio, and yet they manage to always make it sound interesting.  “Proud Evolution” doesn’t really seem to have anywhere to go from the first few seconds, and it almost feels like you’re stuck listening to this song without an escape; this may be why you have to credit the band for their creativity and exploration. You’ll find that as the percussion joins and the lyrical delivery comes in almost the form of a stomping chant, you’ve already invested yourself enough into the song to want to let it go by skipping on to the next moment.

Liars remain a compelling listen throughout Sisterworld due to their ability to juxtapose haunting experimental numbers right next to their oddball noise rock.  “The Overachievers” recalls some of their earliest work, although it has the sonic exploration of their later works, as screeching guitars fill in the back line of the song.  Then they throw it out the window and back the song right into “Goodnight Everything,” which comes off like a demonic version of M83, as soundscapes are destroyed by the death march of the guitars and Angus’ continually disturbing vocal delivery.

You have to give it up for this band.  Rarely does a band manage to jump from point to point throughout their career and still maintain a reasonable sense of cohesion amidst their catalogue.  Liars continue to push the envelope in their own quest to uncover every redeemable quality in sonic exploration.  Sisterworld is the benefactor of this never-ending search, finding the band learning from their past, and moving on into unknown territories of creative noise.

[audio:https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2010/03/09-The-Overachievers.mp3]

Download: Liars – The Overachievers [MP3]

Black Rebel Motorcycle Club – Beat The Devil’s Tattoo

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Rating: ★★★★☆

Over the last two decades, San Francisco’s Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has found itself in the midst of an ever changing identity crisis. Well, maybe crisis isn’t the right word; uncertainty fits better. After several years of back and forth infighting between original drummer Nick Jago and guitarists Peter Hayes and Robert Levon Been, it seems the strings have at long last been cut; for now at least. Joined now by the Raveonettes’ drummer Leah Shapiro, Black Rebel Motorcycle Club releases their sixth studio album, Beat the Devil’s Tattoo, their first since their 2008 instrumental record The Effects of 333 and 2007’s Baby 81. This is also the first release from the band’s own label Abstract Dragon. The emergence is a return the sound the band enjoyed during the early years with pound-it-out style rock and roll with a healthy mix of folk gospel induced melodies thrown in, akin to 2004’s Howl.

After the first listen of the opening and title track, ‘Beat the Devil’s Tattoo’, it’s the first time I’ve been excited for a BRMC album since Howl. That album carried mixed reviews and from a purely economic standpoint, was a disappointment. However, it marked a turning point in the band and produced some of the best songwriting thus far. That is, until now. The first track is just the tip of the ice-berg followed by the one-two knock out blows of ‘Conscience Killer’ and ‘Bad Blood’ Here, Hayes and Been are relentless in the attempt to regain their momentum. The former, a powerful pounding, psych-rock trip reminiscent of the Stroke’s at their height of popularity, the latter which relies more on the group’s distinctive vocals.

‘War machine’ explodes from the outset exhibiting a White Stripes-esque guitar riff with the kind of authority that makes groupies swoon. This is one track I am looking forward to hearing live next week during SXSW. This power fades into ‘Sweet Feeling’ displaying the group’s versatility drawing from their big bag of influences. This soft emotional side doesn’t last long before the ironically titled ‘Evol’ smacks the listener across the head with traditional BRMC drawl and slow building instrumentation we have become use to over their two-decade career. This release is an ‘evolution’ of the sounds produced throughout their 6 album releases and combines the best of all of them.

We get our first good examination of the addition of Shapiro with her raging, pulse pounding rhythms on ‘River Styx’. It’s at first obvious that she was a good choice to fill the void left by Jago and brings the stability of which Hayes and Been have been searching all along. The hypnotic brogue of Aya, building to a strong raucous ballad and the impressive 10-minute jam session of ‘Half State’ close out the record with a strong note. Black Rebel Motorcycle Club has been waiting their entire careers to construct an album like Beat the Devil’s Tattoo and it’s no surprise that based on where they’ve come from, they have many more to come. I am certainly back on the bandwagon.

Catch their SXSW showcase March 19th at 11:00 at La Zona Rosa and they are also playing the free Filter Day Party the same day at 4:20 pm in the Cedar Street Courtyard. 

Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

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Rating: ★★★★☆

“Good morning class and welcome to your American Civil War lesson. Today we will be discussing the fledgling US Navy and the Ironclad battle ship, The Monitor. Hey, WHO THREW THAT!? Titus! I know it’s you, damn trouble making teens with your loud rock and or roll music.”

After the roaring and ironically tame named debut, the Airing of Grievances, the New Jersey-based indie punk rockers are back with their sophomore album, The Monitor. With the new release, the band is taking a stab at the Civil War era, with the release serving as a period piece of sorts.  The title is in reference to the USS Monitor, which was the first commissioned warship by the US Navy during the Civil War.

That in no way means the group has changed their sound, so that means there’s plenty of low-fi, shoe gaze still involved, with a healthy dose of the ever-present fervent lyrics from front-man Patrick Stickles.  The moniker by which the young quintet refers to themselves is obtained from an obscure Shakespearean tragedy, known for it’s over the top drama and violence. Over the top, dramatic, and violent is a good way to describe the group and similarly their amazing live shows, which is providing much buzz for the group across the Country and abroad. In addition to that reputation, it’s obvious that these young men are cultured and know their history and that’s refreshing in itself.

Known for their raucous live shows in small, intimate venues, Titus Andronicus is set to have a very busy Spring Break.  The band has positioned itself to be one of the busiest bands around during SXSW which will give us a good great chance to hear the new album where it is best heard, in its face-melting, ear shattering, sweat-inducing live setting.  The new release also features appearances by members of Wye Oak, Vivian Girls, and The Hold Steady amongst many others, which according to the record label XL recordings, all play a specific role as Civil War-era personalities.

The opener, ‘A More Perfect Union’, begins with the significant Abraham Lincoln quote, ominously stating “if destruction be our lot we must ourselves be its author, and finisher.” Quickly, the group picked up where they left off in their debut, pounding into a seven minute jam with impressive melodies complimenting Stickle’s ‘agitated Oberst-esque’ lyrical stylings with fantastic results. Its good foot stomping Americana, proudly heralding “Rally around the flag!”, and proclaiming “I will not retreat a single inch, and I will be heard.” Not truer statement can be said about Titus Andronicus.

Throughout the record are more sound-bytes from the Civil War era, which hold much intrigue alone, but are especially portentous when heard alternate Spickle’s vocals and Eric Hold’s percussive fervor. The record is more or less about the conflict and subsequent unresolved misfortune followed by the ideals from the relationships forged nearly 150 years ago continuing today. However these principles have shaped our modern society, “you’ll always be a loser” quips the self-deprecating theme ‘No Future Part 3: Escape From No Future’, “and that’s ok.”

The two-part single, ‘Four Score and Seven’, which is set to be released on a 2-sided LP, is a great meditation on the subject of war and its absurdity. This track marks a turning point in the album, with the entrance of a brass section and beautiful interlude into the second half of the track which less introspective and more irate at the horrors of conflict more often seen.

‘To Old Friends and New’ displays a new side of the band with a touching duet with the Vivian Girl’s Cassie Ramone, which slowly builds to a crescendo proudly proclaiming “It’s alright now”. This touching moment is unexpectedly followed by ‘…And Ever’ which seems out of place at its ninth spot due to the drastic segue from the former’s tenderness and overall tone. Finally, the band finishes off the record with a powerful message of acceptance, liberation, and ultimately death. Per the band, the release is their way of celebrating the 148-year anniversary of the ship and much like the USS Monitor, this lengthy album fights a first-class battle and proves its worth in a great lyrical clash; only to sink quietly into rough waters following the afore-mentioned closing track, ‘The Battle of Hampton Roads’. And as we have all learned today, this battle served as the height of the Monitor’s service career and fittingly is a high water mark for the band. Any questions? Very well, class dismissed.

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Titus-Andronicus-Four-Score-and-Seven-Part-One.mp3]

Download: Titus Andronicus – Four Score and Seven (Part One) [MP3]

[audio: https://austintownhall.com/wp-content/uploads/2009/12/Titus-Andronicus-Four-Score-and-Seven-Part-Two.mp3]

Download: Titus Andronicus – Four Score and Seven (Part Two) [MP3]

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