SXSW SPOTLIGHT: Titus Andronicus Tears Through Most of ‘The Monitor’ At Brooklyn Vegan’s Day Party

Photos by Aaron Richter

The Artist & Their Latest Release: Titus Andronicus, The Monitor (XL, 2010)

The Showcase: Brooklyn Vegan Day Party @ Emo’s, 3.17.10

The Set in a Few Sentences: By sticking to new songs from their Civil War concept album, Patrick Stickles and his rotating cast of Jersey boys (and girls, now that they’ve got Amy Klein playing guitar/violin) sounded like a history class that’s taught with guillotine-like guitars, winding rhythms, high-concept hooks, and dry heaves. Not as vicious or visceral as the Titus shows we’ve seen in the past, but that’s okay–patient tension/release tracks like “Four Score and Seven” are promising attempts at making lightning-in-a-bottle music that dials down the screaming in favor of straight-up storytelling.

And a Letter Grade: B+