While (I Blame) Society, the first track from Titus Andronicus’ upcoming new album An Obelisk (order here) was a thunderous reminder of their hardcore credentials, the album-closing Tumult Around the World serves as an uplifting anthem of unity and compassion for an increasingly divided world. It is a buoyant blast of Patrick Stickles and co. at the height of their cathartic powers.
Watch the excellent video for it below.
And in case you missed it…
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Titus Andronicus – Only A Hobo
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The third part of our epic countdown of our favourite songs of the past ten years.
160 The Pink Mountaintops – North Hollywood Microwaves (2014)
Filthy, snarling, primal rock’n’roll featuring some pornographic rapping from Annie Hardy (ex-Giant Drag). A case of the bite being much worse than the bark.
159 Calexico – Two Silver Trees (2008)
Atmospheric and relaxed, Two Silver Trees meanders on a river of accordion, keys, hushed guitars and seductive vocals.
158 Mountain Man – Animal Tracks (2009)
A perfect combination of old-timey acoustic guitars and lilting, reverbed harmonies. And that chorus was made for a campfire late in the evening.
157 Wire – One Of Us (2008)
One of Us is a coiled spring of minimalist musical tension. Taut, melodic and streamlined, it is a post-punk classic.
156 The Willard Grant Conspiracy – Preparing For The Fall (2009)
Set to a vivid strummed guitar, Robert Fisher sings a sprawling apocalyptic tale about the soul of man with a voice rich in world weary resignation. “And I see the devil sitting in my favorite chair / he says he wonders why I’m, I’m still here / And I say that I’m having trouble finding the door / And he says if we wait a little longer / Won’t have trouble anymore / And I’m just preparing for the fall”
155 Dr. Dog – Bring My Baby Back (2017)
Laying a yearning, plaintive vocal over the top of a perfect mix of pop, gospel and psych rock, the nigh on perfect Bring My Baby Back majors on themes of betrayal, repentance, solitude, and revenge, wrapped up in a perfectly strummed acoustic guitar. It was the most innocently beguiling tune of 2016.
154 Whalers – That Rabbit (2010)
What. A. Riff. A wonderfully straightforward blend of thudding, bass-heavy rock that makes us think of the best bits of QotSA melded with the Black Angels and then given some 60s style reverb treatment.
153 Van William – Revolution (2017)
Van William is a return to the folksier roots of his previous band Port O’Brien. Add in a mournful trumpet and the gorgeous harmonies of First Aid Kit and this lovely record is suddenly elevated to another plane altogether.
152 Tom Williams & The Boat – Get Older (2011)
Get Older is a musical storm of thumping bass drum, growled, restrained vocals and a stunning violin-led riff – it all combines to deliver an energy and edginess that is on a par with its catchiness.
151 Conor Oberst & The Mystic Valley Band – Nikorette (2009)
Riding in on the back of a classic rock groove, and morphing into a loping country rock shuffle, Nikorette sounds like a brilliant lost outtake from a late-era Clash album.
150 The Black Angels – Don’t Play With Guns (2013)
Their trademark psych-drone is matched to provocative lyrics, a big, ominous organ groove and an even bigger riff. Wonderful stuff.
149 The Low Anthem – Charlie Darwin (2008)
Haunting and lachrymose, Ben Knox’s pitch perfect falsetto weaves a sad tale on the back of tranquil beauty.
158 Chad VanGaalen – Cries Of The Dead (2008)
I can hear the cries of the dead / Maybe it’s your neighbour beating his dog in the basement. Emotive vocals and a twee, but never saccharine harmony tinged with sadness, sets this fractured slice of indie-pop apart from the also-rans.
147 Middle Brother – Daydreaming (2011)
From the simple picked guitar line and weary, melancholy opening lyric, the scene is set for a raw, unflinching excursion courtesy of McCauley’s craggy vocals and beer-soaked romanticism. Loneliness never sounded so…well, lonely.
146 Arborist – Twisted Arrow (2015)
A fabulous slice of rolling, countrified folk and Kim Deal’s hushed and plaintive vocal adds weight to a familial tale of detachment and is the perfect counterpoint to Mark McCambridge’s sharp delivery.
145 Tom Williams & The Boat – See My Evil (2011)
Menacing, righteous fury set to threatening percussion and a thick, pulsing bass-line.
144 Sparks – Let The Monkey Drive (2008)
Ultra catchy surreal tale of a couple so eager to consummate their love that they’d let a primate steer the car while they fumble in the back seat. And it has one of our favourite lyrical couplets of the past ten years too: “Let the monkey drive, and it’s only fair / It’s the monkey’s car and he hates to share”
143 Titus Andronicus – Titus Andronicus (2008)
Huge drums start thumping behind the rhythm guitar, throw in bass, piano and a wicked harmonica as frontman Patrick Stickles thrashes through the song. All together now “Your life is over / your life is over“.
142 TRAAMS – Succulent Thunder Anthem (2015)
Traams at their absolute, unstoppable motorik best. Propulsive, urgent, threatening.
141 Pontiak – Shell Skull (2008)
A serrated rhythmic stomp and slow crawling groove captures the ghosts of Black Sabbath and the Doors in this bass heavy rocker.
Check out songs 200-181 and 180-161 as well.
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Titus Andronicus – Number One (In New York)
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Craig Finn and Titus Andronicus are heading out together for some live dates starting next week, and as is becoming increasingly de rigour with tours, it has prompted a cover of one another’s songs.
So here is Craig Finn’s take on Titus Andronicus’ brilliant No Future, which is not bad by any means, and does an excellent job of showcasing what an excellent lyricist Patrick Stickles is.
If you’re weary, I don’t mind sharing the load
Just keep me some company on the road
All I’ve got is a bottle that I ought to leave alone
But it’s the only thing that I can call my own
See them live:
2/29/16 – New York, NY – Webster Hall
3/1/16 – Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
3/2/16 – Charlottesville, VA – The Southern
3/3/16 – Asheville, NC – Lincoln Theatre
3/4/16 – Athens, GA – 40 Watt
3/5/16 – Gainesville, FL – High Dive
3/6/16 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa
3/8/16 – Austin, TX – Scoot Inn
3/9/16 – Norman, OK – Opolis
3/10/16 – Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck
3/11/16 – Omaha, NE – Lookout Lounge
3/12/16 – Minneapolis, MN – Mill City Nights
3/13/16 – Chicago, IL – Thalia Hall
3/15/16 – St Louis, MO – Off Broadway
3/16/16 – Bloomington, IN – Bluebird
3/18/16 – Cincinnati, OH – Ballroom at Taft Theatre
3/19/16 – Akron, OH – Musica
3/20/16 – Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo
3/21/16 – Buffalo, NY – Tralf Music Hall
3/22/16 – Ithaca, NY – The Haunt
3/23/16 – Albany, NY – Hollow
3/24/16 – Easthampton, MA – Pearl Street
3/25/16 – New Haven, CT – Toad’s Place
3/26/16 – Pawtucket, RI – The Met
3/27/16 – Philadelphia, PA – Union Transfer
Here are our favourite albums of 2015.
15 Julien Baker – Sprained Ankle
14 Joe Ely – Panhandle Rambler
13 Low – Ones And Sixes
12 James McMurtry – Complicated Game
11 Titus Andronicus – The Most Lamentable Tragedy
10 Quiet Hollers – Quiet Hollers
9 Girl Band – Holding Hands With Jamie
8 Ezra Furman – Perpetual Motion
7 The Decemberists – What A Terrible World, What A Beautiful World
6 Kurt Vile – B’lieve I’m Goin Down…
5 Slaves – Are You Satisfied
4 Jeffrey Lewis & Los Bolts – Manhattan
3 Houndmouth – Little Neon Limelight
2 Courtney Barnett – Sometimes I Sit And Think And Sometimes I Just Sit
1 Protomartyr – The Agent Intellect
Check the list from 30-16 here, and our tracks of the year so far here and here.
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Time for the MM countdown of our favourite tracks of the year to begin. Over the next few days we’ll be revealing our top 100 tracks and top 30 albums of 2015, with contributions from Mrs Mackerel, Chris T Popper, Polly Pocket and Franca. We’ll also share their personal choices with you next week.
So without further ado, here are numbers 100 through to 76.
100 Ultimate Painting – Woken By Noises
99 Samantha Crain – Elk City
98 Diet Cig – Dinner Date
97 Cruising – Safe Corridor
96 Gold Class – Life As A Gun
95 Beach Slang – Bad Art & Weirdo Ideas
94 Arborist – Twisted Arrow
93 Kodiak Deathbeds – Borderline
92 Summer Twins – Demons
91 Together PANGEA – Blue Mirror
90 Tallest Man On Earth – Dark Bird Is Home
89 Wilco – Random Name Generator
88 James McMurtry – South Dakota
87 J Fernandez – Between The Channels
86 Bonnie ‘Prince’ Billy & The Cairo Gang – I’ve Been A Long Time Leaving
85 Drenge – We Can Do What We Want
84 Spray Paint – Thrash Master
83 Bueno – Babyface
82 Slaves – Despair And Traffic
81 Ezra Furman – Ordinary Life
80 Table Scraps – Motorcycle (Straight To Hell)
79 Trance Farmers – Garbage Night
78 The Felice Brothers – Carriage
77 Wavves – My Head Hurts
76 Titus Andronicus – Into The Void (Filler)
Check back tomorrow for numbers 75 – 51.
Follow @madmackerelComing in typical fashion from a band soon to release a 90+ minute, 29-track indie-rock odyssey of an album, New York’s Titus Andronicus have shared video’s for not one but six tracks (including a brilliant Daniel Johnston cover), or as the band call it “the album’s second act”, known as The Magic Morning/Beside Himself.
Clocking in at nearly 15 minutes, prepare to be amused and abused, frightened and saddened. Shot against a fairly stark backdrop, it – like the Shakespeare plays from which the band draw their name – keeps your focus on the human drama unfolding before you, relaying the ‘act’’s core messages through a mix of comedy and drama; tension and release.
It is wonderful, compelling stuff and we can’t wait for the album proper.
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Follow @madmackerelWe’re loving Fatal Flaw, a track from New York’s art punks Titus Andronicus’ upcoming long player The Most Lamentable Tragedy.
Watch the video for it here. Can’t wait to see them in Oxford in November….
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Follow @madmackerelHere is the second part of our weekly round up of cracking new tunes – another nine from a bumper collection from the past seven days! See Part 1 here.
1. Titus Andronicus – Dimed Out
2. Angelic Milk – IDK How
3. Pet Symmetry – Gone Gone Gone (Even Further Gone)
4. God Damn – Vultures
5. Communions – Summer Oath
6. Guantanamo Baywatch – Corey Baum’s Theme
7. Mates Of State – Staring Contest
8. Battle Ave. – Solar Queen
9. Young Jesus – Dirt
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