Using Shakespeare’s hackneyed themes — violence, impertinence and a little Rock & Roll — the band Titus Andronicus has created a newer (and louder) interpretation of a classic gone awry.
The band’s first effort, The Airing of Grievances, a title lifted delicately from the Seinfeld-derived, faux holiday of “Festivus” (the album even has a track dedicated to the episode) could have pigeonholed Titus Andronicus as a gaggle of pop-culture fluent Indie knockoffs that considered obscure television references —and side-swept bangs — as the new cultural currency. Like many Emo bands, they might not consider talent as a prerequisite for success, choosing instead to irritate the masses with non-sequitur songs about condiments and girls with hot moms.
But, no. Titus Andronicus is a catalyst trying to destroy music. While the band is definitely not for the faint of eardrum, there is a surprising amount of depth and devotion to their sound. The Airing of Grievances isn’t a crying-into-my-PBR kind of album, but rather it comes from somewhere more genuine. It’s often funny (really, a song about Festivus has to be amusing) and heartfelt, raw and contemplative. It makes us feel bad about inserting a quintessential sad Emo bastard joke (read: Dashboard Confessional).
They play the Southgate House with Ted Leo and the Pomegranates. Get more Sound Advice here.
