Titus Andronicus – New Jersey Trash?

Titus Andronicus – Airing of Grievances (re-released by XL)

With the opening track lathered in reverb, delay and other effects; it’s really easy to write off the band. And I practically did… until the song unfolds to a rip rearing  “fuck you”. Armed with electric keyboards, guitars and youthful vigor, Titus Andronicus pulls you into a sweaty stuffed room filled with dancing and good times. With careful, but fast guitar work, you realize it’s not just fun but it’s good too! Enter cellos, enter instrumentation!

In the opening track, they paint a picture with this music that relates to the title. It really is “Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ.”
“Time Outside The Womb” is a funny narrative. Played with enthusiasm, the song relies on the lyrical content more than anything else to make it noteworthy.

The next track opens with what sounds like a harmonica and then resolves into incoherent yelling. While some of the songs are compelling on both a musical and/or lyrical content, others just seem to lack.

“Arms Against Atrophy” is a pop song with a strong beat that you can’t help to bop around to. The whole album makes you root for the guys hoping for the majority of the songs to be as compelling as the emotion that the lead singer is expelling.

Another interesting thing about Titus is that the songs are longer than most tracks made in the pop/rock genre. A live show filled with these 4-5 minute songs has to be absolutely crazy. Or exhausting.
In most tracks, the guitars could be considered as wailing, but by listening closely, the echo/”sing” the vocal line instead of doing their own separate contribution.

“Upon viewing” combines the drumbeat of a basic pop rock with the vocals of today’s indie pop punk. It combines innocence with a type of earnestness that a musician can convey. The addition of strings in this genre is really worth a mention. However, I wonder that maybe their choice of instrumentation, it really is something to make a note of.

When Andrew Cedermark sings, it sounds similar to early Bright Eyes where it is part whining but still compelling.

Titus opens with a banging piano and transitions into a fast tempo anthem of sorts that reminds me of “Old McDonald had a farm”. While the lyrics are bitter and singing of a cautionary tale, this song has to be a joke when they broke into a chant of “You’re life is over”.

Overall, I don’t feel that Titus Andronicus is doing anything new. Their lack of innovation can be ignored due to their high energy and overall youthful fun. To me, if Titus Andronicus comes up during shuffle, it will be played for probably a minute before switching to the next song.

A-

Track Listing:

1. Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ
2. My Time Outside the Womb
3. Joset of Nazareth’s Blues
4. Arms Against Atrophy
5. Upong Viewing Brueghel’s Landscape With The fall of Icarus
6. Titus Andronicus
7. No Future
8. No Futute Part Two: The Days After No Future
9. Albert Camus

Dan Auerbach, Get it?

Dan Auerbach – Keep It Hid (Nonesuch)

Andrew Dice Clay has a joke where he makes “Hour Back” the punchline and follows it with “get it?” So when I heard Dan Auerbach, I couldn’t help but recall that hilarious joke. With that said, let’s review his music.

Auerbach is half of the Black Keys and is a fantastic performer and songwriter. With a soulful voice, beautiful harmonies and a guitar that ranges from blues, to country and folk; Auerbach shows more versatility that only peaks through in the blues rock of The Black Keys.

The multiple genres Auerbach covers reminds me of the soundtrack of the  Cohen Brothers’ film Oh Brother, Where Art Thou. On “I Want Some More,” Auerbach adds more instrumentation and some guitar experimentation. It’s a more uptempo and fun track compared to the opening acoustic tune. “Heartbroken, In Disrepair” follows that trend. While the vocals styling is clearly emotional, they still remain a bit un-enthused, which makes you wonder and want more.

In today’s indie scene, blues rock that is either gimmicky or done right. Auerbach is recognized as an example of the latter. In Keep It Hid, it adds background noise and various other digital altered elements on a few tracks while staying traditional with just his vocals and guitar. “Whispered Words” is one of my favorite tracks, if not for the “cha-cha-cha” guitar work, because of the sensational lyrics.

He did not lose anything by going on his own. He is just branching into other genres. And he is doing it  successfully.

Track Listing:

1. Trouble Weighs A Ton
2. I Want Some More
3. Heartbroken, in Disrepair
4. Because I Should
5. Whispered Words
6. Real Desire
7. When the Night Comes
8. Mean Monsoon
9. The Prowl
10. Keep It Hid
11. My Last Mistake
12. When I Left the Room
13. Street Walkin’
14. Goin’ Home

I should also say, I saw the Black Keys live less than 2 weeks ago. They were really fantastic, and without a doubt, I’d gladly see them again. Here is a snippet of their live performance.