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Track Listings
| 1. A More Perfect Union |
| 2. Titus Andronicus Forever |
| 3. No Future Part Three: Escape From No Future |
| 4. Richard II |
| 5. A Pot In Which To Piss |
| 6. Four Score And Seven |
| 7. Theme From "Cheers" |
| 8. To Old Friends And New |
| 9. ...And Ever |
| 10. The Battle Of Hampton Roads |
Editorial Reviews
The Monitor is a concept album about the Civil War, "sort of", says singer Patrick Stickles. It was recorded August (09) by Kevin McMahon at his studio - Marcata Recording - in New Paltz, NY. The usual suspects from the world of Titus Andronicus were all in attendance, as well as members of Ponytail, Wye Oak, Vivian Girls, and the Hold Steady. McMahon also mixed the album, and it was mastered by Greg Calbi whom the band chose because he is the only person alive who can claim involvement in both The Chemistry of Common Life by Fucked Up and Bat Out of Hell II: Back Into Hell by Meat Loaf!
Customer Reviews
Most Helpful Customer Reviews
23 of 26 people found the following review helpful
5.0 out of 5 stars
Titus Andronicus - Crave your approval but will settle for your utter disdain.
March 13, 2010
Format:Audio CD
So what do we have here then? In short it is a concept album using the American Civil War as an extended metaphor for a young man's journey away from his ancestral home in New Jersey to his new home in Boston, combined with a sort of half hearted homage to Bruce Springsteen. It doesn't sound very promising does it? Amazingly then it is all the more surprising that "The Monitor" by Titus Andronicus largely works and on times works brilliantly. Moreover a band which take their name from a minor Shakespearean tragedy turn out to be a high voltage, messy, punk American bar band who have recorded in the words of Drowned in Sound "just a stupendous collection of songs; one that demands to be listened to as loudly as you can possibly get away with"
The Monitor is of course the great American civil war iron clad battleship that fought to a standstill its Confederate equivalent CSS Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads. It is no great shock then to find a 14 minute long ode to said battle on this album which in its ninth minute introduces the bagpipes!
Let us forget the concept for now and pose the key question what's the music like? The album starts with someone quoting Abraham Lincoln and then "A more perfect union" erupts. Squalls of feedback breach into a huge drum beat/riff which would put the Gaslight Anthem to shame and singer Patrick Stickles announcing that "I never wanted to change the world, I'm not looking for a new New Jersey / But tramps like us / Baby we were born to die". Indeed the current obsession of young American bands with the Boss knows no bounds except in this case its Bruce's nasty nephews at happy hour with ASBOs! At about 4 minute 10 seconds it seems to break into a different song that could be the Dropkick Murphys. Just hear it.
Second song "Titus Andronicus forever" is a 2 minute thrash out essentially revolving around a mental guitar solo and the band screaming the "enemy is everywhere". "Richard II" subtitled with some lack of brevity (Or Extraordinary Popular Dimensions And The Madness Of Crowds (Responsible Hate Anthem) is one of the greatest songs the Pogues never recorded and will lead to the most raucous live shows any side of the Atlantic. "A pot in which to p" is another 9 minute epic which contains within its boundaries just about the whole history of rock n roll and what I detect to be a couple of new chords! The albums epic highlight is "Fore Score and Seven" starting slowly with a Sickles offering a range of unprintable expletives. It has a bigger kick than a donkey with a migraine and turns into total rock 'n'roll mayhem where at one time Stickles announces that -
"We're all depraved and disgusting" I spew like a fountain,
"And debased, defaced, disgraced and destroyed,
"Most of all disappointed" I say atop this mountain
In this setting "Theme from Cheers" is actually quite a nice if rather anarchic pop song and for good measure why not reprise "Titus Andronicus forever" again call it "And ever" and off we go again "The enemy is everywhere"..... This album is work of a band whose motto is the title of this review. Titus Andronicus are a rude, raw rock band who will be lucky to ever sell a record and that would be a little Shakespearian tragedy in its own right (the comparisons with the Replacements in this regard are spooky) "The Monitor" is hugely inventive, lyrically funny and often literate, partly Irish mixed with Conor Oberst and more often than not completely scabrous. Spin has called it Born to Run's drunk stepchild on a epic spree. Wish I thought of that one.
The Monitor is of course the great American civil war iron clad battleship that fought to a standstill its Confederate equivalent CSS Virginia at the Battle of Hampton Roads. It is no great shock then to find a 14 minute long ode to said battle on this album which in its ninth minute introduces the bagpipes!
Let us forget the concept for now and pose the key question what's the music like? The album starts with someone quoting Abraham Lincoln and then "A more perfect union" erupts. Squalls of feedback breach into a huge drum beat/riff which would put the Gaslight Anthem to shame and singer Patrick Stickles announcing that "I never wanted to change the world, I'm not looking for a new New Jersey / But tramps like us / Baby we were born to die". Indeed the current obsession of young American bands with the Boss knows no bounds except in this case its Bruce's nasty nephews at happy hour with ASBOs! At about 4 minute 10 seconds it seems to break into a different song that could be the Dropkick Murphys. Just hear it.
Second song "Titus Andronicus forever" is a 2 minute thrash out essentially revolving around a mental guitar solo and the band screaming the "enemy is everywhere". "Richard II" subtitled with some lack of brevity (Or Extraordinary Popular Dimensions And The Madness Of Crowds (Responsible Hate Anthem) is one of the greatest songs the Pogues never recorded and will lead to the most raucous live shows any side of the Atlantic. "A pot in which to p" is another 9 minute epic which contains within its boundaries just about the whole history of rock n roll and what I detect to be a couple of new chords! The albums epic highlight is "Fore Score and Seven" starting slowly with a Sickles offering a range of unprintable expletives. It has a bigger kick than a donkey with a migraine and turns into total rock 'n'roll mayhem where at one time Stickles announces that -
"We're all depraved and disgusting" I spew like a fountain,
"And debased, defaced, disgraced and destroyed,
"Most of all disappointed" I say atop this mountain
In this setting "Theme from Cheers" is actually quite a nice if rather anarchic pop song and for good measure why not reprise "Titus Andronicus forever" again call it "And ever" and off we go again "The enemy is everywhere"..... This album is work of a band whose motto is the title of this review. Titus Andronicus are a rude, raw rock band who will be lucky to ever sell a record and that would be a little Shakespearian tragedy in its own right (the comparisons with the Replacements in this regard are spooky) "The Monitor" is hugely inventive, lyrically funny and often literate, partly Irish mixed with Conor Oberst and more often than not completely scabrous. Spin has called it Born to Run's drunk stepchild on a epic spree. Wish I thought of that one.
11 of 11 people found the following review helpful
By P. Phalen
Format:Audio CD|Amazon Verified Purchase
Since I liked this recording almost immediately a few months ago I waited a few more months before posting a review to see if my enthusiasm would wear off. I still love it, consider it the best of the year and may even put it as one of my favorites in the last 10 years or so.
They wear their hearts on their sleeves - respectfully pulling from their influences but never sounding derivative (kind of like Wilco or Doves at their best). Its also brave that they pulled of a concept recording and have songs that run 7-10 minutes long. Definitely recommend not judging the band or recording by the you tube version of "a more perfect union" but getting the full version of "The Monitor".
I'm 42 and Westerberg has provided the soundtrack of my last 28 years. Yes, musically you can draw similarities to the mats -lyrical wordplay and musical ragged glory. My enthusiasm does as well - an indie band that's so deserving you want the world to hear yet selfishly you want to keep to yourself. That probably hasn't happened for me since discovering Sonic Youth.
They wear their hearts on their sleeves - respectfully pulling from their influences but never sounding derivative (kind of like Wilco or Doves at their best). Its also brave that they pulled of a concept recording and have songs that run 7-10 minutes long. Definitely recommend not judging the band or recording by the you tube version of "a more perfect union" but getting the full version of "The Monitor".
I'm 42 and Westerberg has provided the soundtrack of my last 28 years. Yes, musically you can draw similarities to the mats -lyrical wordplay and musical ragged glory. My enthusiasm does as well - an indie band that's so deserving you want the world to hear yet selfishly you want to keep to yourself. That probably hasn't happened for me since discovering Sonic Youth.
6 of 7 people found the following review helpful
By zenarrrow
Format:Vinyl
I went to see Okkervil River, and this band "Titus Andronicas" opened up for them. What a great band, seem to have the right chemistry to make this work. I admit I was there for OR. But I was dang surprised the amount of energy the band had the the avid fans in the audience who sang right along with every song.
They were wrapping up their last song, and it must have angered a few in the crowd that their set was over. One of the more angrier people in the crowd decided to get very rowdy. When I complained to him that he was knocking into me, he took the opportunity to punch me really hard in the throat. After being struck I could not breath and he punched me really hard in the stomach, at that time I was bent over in extreme pain when he brought his knee really fast up to my face while holding the back of my head to push it harder into his knee. The pain was unbearable. The band continued to play as I crawled out the front door of the small theater venue. No one stopped to help me, just moved out of the way. As I made it out side I called the ambulance, knowing that my nose was busted bad. When they arrived they left me laying in front of the venue, and proceded to atend to the guy who punched me who said his hand might be broke.
Why would someone do this to me? What did I do to deserve this?
They were wrapping up their last song, and it must have angered a few in the crowd that their set was over. One of the more angrier people in the crowd decided to get very rowdy. When I complained to him that he was knocking into me, he took the opportunity to punch me really hard in the throat. After being struck I could not breath and he punched me really hard in the stomach, at that time I was bent over in extreme pain when he brought his knee really fast up to my face while holding the back of my head to push it harder into his knee. The pain was unbearable. The band continued to play as I crawled out the front door of the small theater venue. No one stopped to help me, just moved out of the way. As I made it out side I called the ambulance, knowing that my nose was busted bad. When they arrived they left me laying in front of the venue, and proceded to atend to the guy who punched me who said his hand might be broke.
Why would someone do this to me? What did I do to deserve this?
Most Recent Customer Reviews
5.0 out of 5 stars
A great romp
A great romp through Civil War era New Jersey. Titus Andronicus has done it well with Monitor. This is the band's best CD.
Published 2 months ago by T. Lutey
4.0 out of 5 stars
intoxicating sounds
"The Monitor" by Titus Andronicus has been called a concept album about the American Civil War, along with a few references to the state of New Jersey thrown in for good measure. Read more
Published 13 months ago by Donald E. Gilliland
5.0 out of 5 stars
Has changed the way I listen to and write music
There are only three albums that I can say have really really noticeably changed the way I look at music. Read more
Published 20 months ago by bkarcic
5.0 out of 5 stars
Re-imaging the Civil War as a battle against douchebags?
I'm not totally sure, but I THINK this album is a re-imaginging of the civil war as a battle for New Jersey between Bruce Springsteen disciples and frat boy-type douchebags. Read more
Published 21 months ago by Adam Selzer
5.0 out of 5 stars
5 stars because some people gave it a 3.
that's democracy. I get the 3's. I give a 5.
Then it's alright the way that you live
it's alright the way that you live.
Then it's alright the way that you live
it's alright the way that you live.
Published 23 months ago by muff gahbage
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Enemy is Everywhere
By the time the album's closer, The Battle of Hampton Roads began, I knew this would be the best album I would hear all year. Read more
Published on January 1, 2011 by Kevin
3.0 out of 5 stars
VERY GOOD, BUT...
OK to start this is NOT a five star record. I wish Amazon gave you a half star option because it's better than three and not quite a 4. You guessed it 3.5 from me. Read more
Published on January 1, 2011 by ehradecky
5.0 out of 5 stars
Album of the Year
This is the best album to come out in 2010 so far and I dont think any artist will beat it. Several songs are over 7 minutes in length and somehow they avoid getting boring. Read more
Published on August 18, 2010 by JosephQ
3.0 out of 5 stars
Glimmers of Greatness Give Way to Bloat
I finally got around to checking out Titus Adronicus by listening to "The Monitor" these past few weeks and while I do see the record's merit, I was not blown away like others... Read more
Published on August 5, 2010 by Benjamin Musburger
5.0 out of 5 stars
American Clash?
I've been driving around town, to and from work etc., for the past few weeks with "Monitor" in my CD player. I'm an old school punk fan, was in my 20's in the early 80's... Read more
Published on May 23, 2010 by T. E. Brown
