Word: guitars
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...Festivus,” were a foundation for the album’s unrelenting energy. “The Monitor” is very much a continuation of the band’s debut, still laden with lead singer Patrick Stickles’ vociferous shouts and loud yet boisterous guitar solos. It’s certainly understandable that the band’s sophomore release hasn’t deviated much from their original formula, and neither is it a problem, as Titus Andronicus’ sound is still fresh and exciting...
Take “Even Heroes Have to Die,” an assertive stance on the reality of growing old, which Leo—now nearing 40—appears to regard with poise rather than panic. Powered by dynamic acoustic guitar, the upbeat melody has Leo singing, “Even heroes have to die / No one lives forever / No one’s wise to try.” The song is more reminiscent of the enervating, passionate style TL/Rx presented on 2004’s undervalued “Shake the Sheets?...
...crafted gem, whose force lies in the band’s ability to augment a knack for a catchy beat with a heretofore rarely seen phenomenon—Leo exercising his vocal range. The novelty extends to “Gimme the Wire,” where riveting electric guitar riffs far outplay the frontman’s singing. For a band that so frequently pummels its music with politically charged lyrics, it’s refreshing to hear the rhythm guitar jam with such fervor, thrill, and prominence (even if, perhaps, unintentionally...
...vocals summarizing a journey out of Titus Andornicus’ native New Jersey into the American unknown. Cynically invoking Springsteen, he screams, “I’m looking for a new New Jersey / Cause tramps like us / Baby we were born to die.” Driving guitar riffs and drum beats move the song forward, as the song builds to a climaxing chorus. Lyrics continuously question the anxiety and angst of Stickles’ view of America, leading into the chants of “The enemy is everywhere” on the punk rock...
While most songs are similarly aggressive, “Four Score and Seven” proceeds at a much slower pace. Over sparse guitar and cello, Sickles cries out against the divisions the narrator of the album encounters—“This is a war we can’t win / After 10,000 years it’s still us against them.” The song slowly crescendos into a restrained chorus followed by a battered-sounding yet triumphant brass band and an exultant guitar solo, as Sickles continues to scream “It?...