Friday, December 17, 2010

The Year in Music - My Favorite Album of 2010

Finally, we reach the end.

Titus Andronicus - The Monitor

I was initially sort of dreading this album's release. I'm not really big on concept albums, and when it comes to history, I've never really been all that interested in the Civil War. So when I learned that Titus Andronicus were following up 2008's 'The Airing of Grievances' with a sprawling epic of a Civil War themed concept album, I was skeptical. I was also very wrong to be skeptical.

This is not an easy album to love from the start. This is an album lover's album in the age of singles and one track downloads. Compared to a band like, say, the Drums, who's album has all of two songs that clock in at barely over four minutes, 'The Monitor' is 67 minutes long, and it does that in only ten tracks, two of which take up a combined 4:19. So that's eight tracks lasting an average of just under eight minutes long. This album has a lot going against it.

That said, I'm worried about Titus Andronicus. I'm worried about where they go from here. I'm worried that they won't be able to top this. 'The Monitor' is an ambitious album that sets a very high bar for itself, and manages to somehow exceed all expectations. They set out to create an album that tells the loose story of a young man's journey from his small New Jersey town to the bright lights of Boston, and they decided to tell the story using a Civil War motif. It's punctuated with Abe Lincoln and Jefferson Davis speeches, pamphlet and poetry readings. It's really kinda nuts.

But it's also a monumental achievement. It's almost not a collection of separate tracks so much as one long movement. The typical song starts slow, with an almost depressed sounding Patrick Stickles bearing his soul. Before long, they've built up to a raucous, angry, spittle flecked rant proclaiming at various points that "You will always be a loser", "You ain't never been no virgin, kid, you were fucked from the start", and "It's still us against them". This is not an album you will instantly love. You need to spend some time with it. You need to work a little bit to love it. But the payoff is absolutely worth it. It's stuff that really plays incredibly well live.

It begins with a reading from Abe Lincoln's Lyceum address leading into the beat for the song that's my choice for the best track of 2010, 'A More Perfect Union'. The album culminates in the 14 minute long epic 'the Battle of Hampton Roads', named after the two day long Civil War naval battle of ironclad warships, in which the inspiration for the album's title, the USS Monitor, fought the CSS Virginia to a virtual draw. In the song, our beaten protagonist leaves Boston defeated, but determined to remain "...as much of an asshole as [he's] ever been".

Like I said, I don't know how they top it. But I can't wait to see them try. And even if they never tread this ground again, they've left us with masterpiece.

I'm going to post the official video for 'A More Perfect Union', and by all means, watch and get the visual, but they cut the song in half, and the second part is every bit as good as the first. I'd suggest clicking on the second vid to hear the whole thing.

A More Perfect Union, a less than perfect cut of the song.


A More Perfect Union


A Pot in Which to Piss


The Battle of Hampton Roads (all 14+ minutes of it)

8 comments:

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

My problem here is that I usually listen to my new music as part of a playlist, so this one kind of passed me by.

Based on your review, I cued it up as an album, and you are right, LA Seitz Johnson. It turns it up to eleven.

Seitz said...

It took a long time for the whole thing to sink in. I think I was initially disappointed because there was no "My time outside the Womb" or "Titus Andronicus (the song)" like on the last album. Just good three minute rock songs. This one is a slog, but it's worth it when it sinks in.

Atishay jain said...

nice post just keep posting i would like to hear more about this in future

zombie rotten mcdonald said...

They just announced that the Bright Eyes show in Miwaukee would have Titus Andronicus opening.

Tipped me over the edge, and I got tix.

I disagree that it's a slog, and after listening to a cople of times, I really like the songs when they show up in otherwise random play.

I haven't scheduled anyone for the second ticky yet, if you feel like coming up for the show let me know.

Seitz said...

They're playing here with the Pogues, too, but I'm not really into the Pogues. I've seen them five times in the past couple years, so I'm not sure I'd travel to see them open, and although no they're always compared to Bright Eyes, I don't think I've ever listened to anything Conor Oberst has done.

I think it's a slog to get through the whole thing at first, and that's how I like to listen to albums at first. It's so long, and it's almost like one really long song, although once you get a feel for it, they tend to distinguish themselves. Glad you liked it.

power2balance said...

power balance.coach outlet store.Coach Hobos Bags.Those are the awesome shops I wanna tell you guys.Thanks for wathching coach backpack.Those are the awesome shops I wanna tell you guys.power balance bracelet.efx bracelet.

oakleyses said...

mcm handbags, hermes belt, instyler, chi flat iron, mont blanc pens, jimmy choo outlet, lancel, ghd hair, nike roshe run, nike air max, converse, new balance shoes, north face outlet, longchamp uk, north face outlet, timberland boots, nfl jerseys, nike trainers uk, reebok outlet, hollister, p90x workout, converse outlet, soccer jerseys, nike huaraches, ray ban, herve leger, lululemon, oakley, nike air max, louboutin, bottega veneta, vans outlet, hollister clothing, abercrombie and fitch, ferragamo shoes, vans, hollister, asics running shoes, wedding dresses, mac cosmetics, valentino shoes, babyliss, insanity workout, soccer shoes, beats by dre, ralph lauren, gucci, iphone cases, celine handbags, baseball bats

oakleyses said...

louis vuitton, moncler outlet, thomas sabo, ugg, louis vuitton, coach outlet, links of london, canada goose jackets, canada goose, moncler, juicy couture outlet, canada goose uk, marc jacobs, toms shoes, ugg,ugg australia,ugg italia, moncler, moncler uk, juicy couture outlet, canada goose outlet, karen millen uk, moncler, ugg uk, pandora charms, canada goose, moncler outlet, swarovski, montre pas cher, pandora uk, pandora jewelry, louis vuitton, wedding dresses, louis vuitton, ugg pas cher, pandora jewelry, moncler, replica watches, hollister, canada goose outlet, canada goose, supra shoes, louis vuitton, swarovski crystal, canada goose outlet, ugg,uggs,uggs canada, doudoune moncler