Yeah, Pitchfork loves them. And they're right. Amazing screaming-into-the-void rock. This is the level of passion that should be in all music. It's messy, loud, fast, and angry. And it makes me totally happy.

FUCK EVERYTHING FUCK ME

I've got this queued up on the bluebird, thanks for making my life easier.

Bored me to tears. TO TEARS

Really though, there was nothing interesting or ear-grabbing on my first and only listen. Sounded pretty generic to me.

Sorta reminds me of Cursive meets Desaparacidos with extra fuzz.

i like it.

don't tell Nick.

couldn't even get three tracks in, jesus this is bad. The Desaparecidos comparison is spot on, and that idea was bad enough the first time. For all the descriptions of loud, fast, pissed-off rock I read before I heard it, I was expecting something like Jawbox and got a poppier Times New Viking with longer songs and a more annoying singer.

simakos, i'm on your side of this line in the sand. love it

yeah, it's pretty good... the recording sucks though. i love bands that have song titles with their band name in it.

i pulled out Deseperacidos today because of this record and i couldn't believe how good it sounded in the car today while it was raining. i think it's the only Oberst record i can say i like front to back.

I haven't heard this, but really want to.
How do you put Desaparecidos and Times New Viking together like that?
Now I need to hear it even more.

Is that lyric the highlight of the album?

a little more aggressive than the former, poppier/more angsty (not angrier) than the latter

offensively awful.

awesome record

I like the way this thread is going.

Not the greatness I was expecting after hearing the "Titus Andronicus" and "Camus" singles, but still very good.

I heard a few of these guys tracks a while back and liked 'em just fine.

This album on a whole isn't that bad. It's nothing earth shattering, no, but it reminds me a lot of Cap'n Jazz mixed with Far and all those other screamo bands I used to really like way back when.

I keep wanting to make a Thursday comparison but have no grounds for doing so except that both bands are from New Jersey.

Anyway, I could see their live show being pretty high energy and awesome.

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how can you enjoy a rock record with such terrible rhythm?

it sounds like their drummer and bassist were recorded at the bottom of a mossy bog.

How can any of you silly bastards not like this?

Seriously, I can understand people not liking the guy's vocal style (hell, I usually hate that screamo style stuff), but to me it sounds like he's literally pouring his heart, soul and guts into it rather than just trying to sound pissed off. A bit of sloppy playing and some ragged production... so what? What do you want, Coldplay produced by Eno?

I personally think this is awesome. I realise it's terribly unfashionable to jump on P4K reviews, but this really does remind me of "Born To Run"-era Springsteen; genuine, heart-felt, soulful rock and roll music. It's got that kind of Spector/ "Wall Of Sound" vibe that (for me) connects The Boss and the Arcade Fire. In fact, I haven't had my breath taken away and felt so excited about a new record since the first time I heard "Funeral". New favourite 2008 album.

hey people, i still really think this is a pretty rad album

'arms against atrophy' is a monster beast of a song

and the self-titled trck. good stuff.

Yeah I listened to this again yesterday, still like it.

you both speak truth. a coworker stole my copy so i had to burn myself another one.

we rule so hard

I will not listen to this album!


HOWEVER i do plan to bash it come year-end when I refer to it as "boring" and "shitty" despite never hearing a single note

I'm on board for the Andronicus. At least for the moment. Despite a terrible band name. 1) the guy can sing and 2) the production isn't awful. These two things elevate it above the No Age album for me. Only comparing because they're two recent Pitchfork approved indie rock acts. There's some good guitar lines and a lot of energy on this disc. Seems to draw a bit of influence from classic rock. It gets pretty hard, and not in a noisy "turn that awful shit off it sounds like Times New Viking" kind of way. Of course I haven't finished listening to it, and could very well only listen to it four or five more times over the course of my life, but right now it sounds good.

I wish Andronicus good luck in overcoming the publicity difficulties their terrible name will bring.

So I've really been listening to this a lot lately and after watching the live set they have on Pitchfork tv, I've got to say these guys are probably going to bring it come the fest. I think they're a pretty perfect way to kick off the whole shebang for me. Exciting.

Also, if you want, they're selling copies of this on limited print vinyl (only 500 copies out there). I just ordered one online. They're bringing 'em on tour with them, too. So snag 'em while the snagging's good.

What's the link for the vinyl? Thanks.

http://www.troublemanunlimited.com/store/lp.php

This is still a good record, definitely. I'm not sure that it's worth some of the super-praise it gets, from time to time, but it's strong...and stronger/more consistent than most of what I've heard, recently. I like it pretty good.

Ordered the LP..thanks for the tip HD!

Titus Andronicus...Empty Bottle...Thursday, October 23rd


if I can pull off going to this show, then wow, I deserve a cookie. That's two really great shows that night I want to see and one show I'm 'meh' about but would have gone to any other time if it wasn't scheduled in the heart of Rocktober.

Anyone going to the Titus Andronicus/No Age show at Reggie's on Tuesday? The sound at that place is so dismal, I fear what this stuff'll sound like. But hey, it's free:

http://www.shockhound.tickets.musictoday.c...d/calendar.aspx

This band humiliated themselves at P4k Fest. What fucking dreck.

Glad you are all enjoying their album!

what a gratuitous pile of shit. this album is like a car wreck, i want to but can't look away. that pitchfork video is fantastic... the bearded twat trying to act all uncomfortable and stuff, but his beard and general ineptitude getting all sorts of in the way. add his other 6 guitar-playing disciples awkwardly emulating indifference and you may just find yourself in is such a narrow niche of musical superficiality, it almost feels genuine. the ironing.

What a gratuitous pile of shit. This post is like a car wreck, I want to but can't stop reading..

the ironing.

What happened at P4k Fest?

This band played their music live.

i think i was too kind.

agreed. I liked this band's singles, but devoid of the awful/charming production of the singles, this is a trainwreck.

I listened to this album once a few days ago, and there was one OK song on it. Pt. 1 of whatever that 2-part thing at the end is called.

Otherwise, nah.

TITUS ANDRONICUS
SO SO GLOS
COCOCOMA
MON SEPT 7TH
BOTTOM LOUNGE 18+
8.5 ON PITCHFORK
http://pitchfork.com/reviews/albums/11202-...-of-grievances/

new album up on sordo

http://uploading.com/files/get/49e16c71/

After the first listen, I like this. It seems more...sprawling and epic then Grievances.

The first track complete with "Born to Run" reference is a lot of fun. Lots of fun, sloppy rock on here front to back.

Way too much for me, and not as sloppy or fun as the debut. Feels like it crumbles beneath the weight of its own conceptual conceit, especially when Craig Finn drops by to provide a spoken-word interlude as Walt Whitman.

Didn't like the first one too much, but I actually adore the sloppy, artsy sprawl of this record. This is the type of record you want to either give up on after two listens or just get to slowly know it over the course of a few months (depending on your tolerance for pretension).

"Richard II" is my jam right now. Still can't quite the Bright Eyes comparisons (vocally at least), but that is ok.

Really want their to be a decent lyric sheet with this one when it comes out.

This album is fucking amazing. I love everything about these guys, I loved The Airing of Grievances and after letting this giant sprawling mess sink in, I think I love it even more. Lyrically, it has more of an edge. Funnier, more pissed off, smarter, and just down right great. Anyway, I don't know if I'm the only one around here who loves it, and it hits a little close due to the 'Get the fuck out of Boston' mentality running through it, but I figured a bump promotion was necessary.

I'm guessing this will get a little more discussion after someone like pitchfork reviews it or something, but this album is fantastic. Sick and sprawling and exhausting and fucking perfect really.

And they did the little speaking interludes before, Craig Finn did nothing to hamper this thing whatsoever.

Album rips. I think they pull off the epic, concept thing pretty well, much better than I expected actually. Who writes a fucking civil war album? These guys apparently. But it still seems to fit their character. Rowdy, loud, good stuff.

yeah i take back my post from 20 months ago. i saw them at pitchfork and again opening for ted leo and they fucking suck. that first album blows too. this new one might be good but its going to take a lot of recommendations to get me to listen to it.

The first time i listened to this i thought it was dense and too all over the place. but by the time i finished up listens two and three, i fell for this thing hard. There's a lot going on, but it's a terribly rewarding disc. It's crazy but tons of fun. Definitely one of my favorite discs I've heard this year. Really excited for their shows coming up in the next few weeks all around Chicago.