At the beginning of just about every Titus Andronicus live show, Patrick Stickles takes a moment to ask that the audience respect one another, to ask that everyone enjoys themselves without negatively impacting anyone else's ability to have a good time. Buying a ticket, he says, doesn't imply that anyone is consenting to a kick in the head.
Stickles will often follow that with a slowed-down, solo rendition of a Titus Andronicus song as the rest of the band gradually join him onstage. From there, Titus Andronicus proceed to rock. In the exuberance of the proceedings, the limits of Stickles's opening request are often tested by members of the crowd. I've come home from several shows with bumps on the head or bruised ribs. There was a sweaty show at Warsaw in Brooklyn where there were so many people climbing up my back that, in all the clawing and pulling, my jeans started to slide down my legs.
It's never really bothered me. I choose to stand right up front, even when I don't have my camera; and it's rare that anyone is intent on doing any actual harm. But, to me, Titus Andronicus have always been about a lot more than just thrusting my fist into the air and screaming the lyrics into another person's face.
In the Ray Concepcion-directed documentary that preceded the release of A Productive Cough, Stickles talks about wanting to strip away a lot of that stuff in order to have a more literary relationship with his audience. As a result, A Productive Cough can feel intimate at times; but Stickles can never fully turn away from the drama of the big, expansive rock song.
A Productive Cough opens with "Number One (In New York)," a ballad centered on Alex Molini's piano and accented with horns. The song grows from its sparse beginnings, adding additional vocals and strings as Stickles sings of his complicated relationship with the "obnoxious process" of working to make it as an artist. In the documentary, there's a discussion between Stickles and his father, where the younger Stickles talks about always chasing that one, successful record that will put all his worries to rest. I think we hear some of that when he sings, "Spent my whole pension improving my penmanship / when does it get any closer to ending?"
A Productive Cough pulls sonic inspiration from some interesting places. "Real Talk," on which Stickles gets a big assist from Matt "Money" Miller, is a rousing, New Orleans-influenced take on the current situation in the United States. The song stays away from any really specific references, though, and could easily be about any era in history. "Shit isn't new until it happens to you." "Above the Bodega (Local Business)" is soulful and full of backing sha-la-las. It's about the special relationship between store patrons and the people who, without judgment, sell them what they need to get through the day.
"Crass Tattoo" is a quiet waltz sung by Megg Farrell that's a sort of prayer to always remember youthful ideals. On the digital release, "Crass Tattoo" is followed by "(I'm) Like a Rolling Stone," a 9-minute, reworked version of the Dylan masterpiece. It's tough for idealism to survive the harsh realities or ups and downs of life, but "(I'm) Like a Rolling Stone" ends on a positive note as Stickles and the band sing of feeling like Rolling Stones even if they're not the biggest rock n roll band of all time.
"Home Alone" is the closest thing to loud Titus Andronicus here; but, with its big guitar solo, the song is heavily-rooted in classic hard rock rather than punk rock. Closer and commuter anthem "Mass Transit Madness (Goin' Loco')" gets at the strength that it takes to get up and keep trying the same thing day after day, whether that's going to an office job or working at being a band.
I don't think that there's a lot on A Productive Cough that crowds will be moshing to during the upcoming Titus Andronicus "acoustic" tour, but I have seen people crowd surfing to Real Estate; so who knows? Those who aren't too distracted to listen will hear themes like constantly struggling to stay true to yourself and feeling compelled to continue to work at things even when the rewards may not be obvious. The six (or seven) songs here, like all Titus Andronicus songs, are very Patrick Stickles-specific in their content; but the arrangements and Kevin S. McMahon's production give them all a sense of expansiveness that makes them feel universal.
A Productive Cough is out now on Merge Records.
No comments :
Post a Comment