Don't Be Such A Titus, Andronicus.

Titus Andronicus – The Monitor

This is a very cool CD…I knew after listening to “The Enemy Is Everywhere” that there would be no guitar heroics or great musicianship here, but the fact is, great punk/pop rock has been made throughout the years without great musical chops or even much technical proficiency. This CD has that spirit…it also has clever lyrics to go along with simple rock sensibilities. To me, it was solid, fun, snarky and nasty all at the same time…they had me at “tramps like us, baby we were born to die.” 4 .

X – Los Angeles and Wild Gift

I loved both of these albums when they came out, so it was fun to listen to again in their entirety – a casualty of the I-Pod era is that I only hear these songs mixed in with others these days – and I was curious to see if they’d stand the test of time for me, which they do. Nobody harmonizes like these guys, it’s an element of their work that is unique and, in contrast to Titus Andronicus, Billy Zoom knows his way around a rockabilly lead. The two albums are a little different…Wild Gift has shorter, punkier songs than Los Angeles, but every song is cool and they both deserve to be called “classics.” 4

Icarus Himself – Mexico

So here’s the thing…I like the pop sensibilities here, The sparseness of the sound is OK, the vocals are fine…but I FUCKING HATE drum machines. It’s a Thanksgiving dinner with instant mashed potatoes. I can’t get by the artificial sounding percussion, even though the closer on this is a pretty cool song. This would be better as Icarus with a drummer, although as a two-piece, it’s respectable, even though it doesn’t hold a candle to the Black Keys. 2 ½.

Hanson – Shout It Out

If I had a 7 year old, I’d be listening to this in my car all the time…but I don’t and while I like my music on the pop side, this is too sicky sweet even for me. That said, it’s well produced formula pop and I’ve heard plenty worse. Just because one of these kids sings for Tinted Windows, I’ll give it 2 ½..

Bash & Pop – Friday Night Is Killing Me

This is one of those albums that backs up the notion that when the real songwriter is out of the picture, it just doesn’t matter how good the music sounds. Tommy Stimpson has plenty of help on this from some of Tom Petty’s band and others, and it really does sound good, but at the end of the day, it’s just good, not great like a Replacements album. 3.

Blue Oyster Cult – GH

This is a great underrated guitar band…I remember them as more of a heavier rock band than a rock n roll band…this a really good, broad cross-section of their stuff that highlights that terrific guitar work. It definitely sounds ‘70s/’80s and the big hits like “Don’t Fear the Reaper and “Godzilla” are burnt for me, but a lot of these songs are interesting enough for repeated listening, so thanks, D’Arcy for giving me something that I will happily add to the classic rock folder of my I-Tunes library.

Since I'm a radio geek, and the topic was in my wheelhouse, I answered the questions off the cuff, with no written notes, and while I'm sure I was quite erudite and insightful, I have no idea what I said. Oh well...

The enemy is everywhere....

Hanson –The old “genre” problem again. On one hand, Hanson fits nicely with the rest of the innocuous Disney bubblegum pop favored by teenage girls (and apparently 45 year old sissified soccer coaches). Within those confines, its fine. But at face value, its just 45 minutes of inoffensive blandness, like a Kenny Loggins best-of. 2 stars

Icarus Himself – Right from the Adams Family-ish opening, I knew it was going to be a tough listen, and it was. These low-fi, DIY discs are tough for me to enjoy unless are some hooks, and on this disc there aren’t many. Best parts reminded me a little of Okkervil River, but this one doesn’t fly nearly close enough to the sun. 2.5 stars

Titus Andronicus – Audaciously conceived and brilliantly executed, “The Monitor” is the balls-iest record I’ve heard in years. Ties together several Civil Wars: the historical one, the one between the sexes, and the one within. Musically combines the thrash mentality of the Replacements with the emotive wails of Bright Eyes, and Springsteen’s presence looms throughout, literally and figuratively. From the opening Lincoln quote to those chill-inducing bagpipes at the end, a stone-cold masterpiece. 5 stars

Bash and Pop – Can’t believe I missed this one when it came out. A very good record that has the boozy, amateurish feel that a lot of the best Replacements records have. The disc shows that Stinson played no small part in creating the Replacements’ ragged glory. Can’t imagine why he gave this band up to be part of Axl’s ongoing train wreck. 4 stars

X – I’ve never been able to really connect with this band. Love the rockabilly meets punk guitar sound. The lyrics, when comprehensible, are well done and take on dark subjects. What keeps me from fully embracing them is Exene’s voice. Her range is non-existent and after a few songs she just grates on me. The tunes with Doe on lead vocals work fine, and I love the Doors cover. 3 stars

Blue Oyster Cult – This one really surprised me. I’ve always lumped them in with Black Sabbath, Deep Purple, etc. as mindless sludge purveyors, and a little of that fits. However, these guys also incorporated some pop influences, some Southern boogie touches and a sense of humor as well. Significantly more good than bad on this disc, and “Joan Crawford” is a great one I hadn’t heard in forever.

Discussion Questions


1 & 2) Yes, and our public station, KDHX fits the bill more often than not. In my 40-minute commute this morning I heard Lou Reed, Miles Davis, Arcade Fire and Rush. That’s a pretty varied set of music.

3) Depends on the context and the song. Every once in a while, hearing a classic is fun, especially if I’m not expecting it. That stated, I no longer listen to the local classic rock station at all. Period. A man can only take so much Boston.

4) No. Oldies are still oldies, and almost anything recorded in the 80’s still sounds dated.

5) I’m assuming D’Arcy doesn’t mean something like “Cruel to Be Kind” or “Werewolves of London”, which were the only “hits” of what I consider artists of substance. Based on that assumption, I’ll vote for “Fooled Around and Fell in Love” by Elvin Bishop.

See, I was ready! Sorry I had to miss the meeting.

The Mong
Music Group Commentary
August 2010

Bash & Pop – FRIDAY NIGHT IS KILLING ME – 2 Stars
This one’s an odd compare/contrast to Titus Andronicus. Two Replacements-esque groups (this one for obvious reasons) but as where Titus sounds inspired, Tommy Stinson’s project feels more than a bit disingenuous. It’s competent songwriting and production yet it smacks of going through the motions, which, true or not, results in tracks and a sum total that is largely forgettable.

Hanson – SHOUT IT OUT – 2.5 Stars
As far as pure commercial Pop albums, what’s not to like. It’s not my thing but it’s got the hooks, the production is top-notch, and it does exactly what it sets out to do.

Icarus Himself – MEXICO – 4 Stars
Yes, there’s only five tracks on this (apparently) narrative EP, but what a great collection of songs: spooky and expansive while avoiding self-indulgence and with all the right peaks and valleys, like any good story should. Even though I have yet to piece together the full story, like a good book or movie, sometimes it doesn’t really need to make sense to work. If this band can pull off a full album of this stuff, my five stars await.

Titus Andronicus – THE MONITOR – 3 Stars
So, when did the Replacements get back together? You say this isn’t the Replacements ... It’s some new band?! Well, that’s okay because it’s some good-listening Post-Punk-Power-Pop. Nice stuff except for the fourteen-minute plus closer (that was so, “Man, we’re so great, we’re going to write an inane, three-chord Epic and you ARE going to sooooo love it,” that it caused the subtraction of one-half a star).

X – LOS ANGELES (& WILD GIFT) – 2.5 Stars
Yes, this is a “must hear” for any initiate to the period’s LA Punk-slash-Hardcore-slash-New Wave scene; so it’s more than just a little bit sad that X’s “Los Angeles” (and “Wild Gift”) just doesn’t hold up. Tinny, vocal-heavy production of two not-so-great singers essentially crushes what should be (and by all rights likely is) the blistering musical accompaniment. Not having heard this stuff since the late-’80s (when I was first exposed to X), I’m now wondering: Did these studio albums ever come close to imparting what books and movies tell me was a phenomenal live band from a singularly wild scene? If you know elder-punks, please tell me.

G’Hits - Blue Öyster Cult
God bless D’Arcey’s adolescent obsession with hard-driving guitar rock. All the favorites are here and a lot I’ve never heard, too. And I am now better for having heard them. One of the best G’Hits since Thin Lizzy!

TOPIC QUESTIONS

In this age of specialization can a public radio station survive without any true format?
As long as there’re hippies, which apparently will be forever, public radio/NPR will survive. Them longhairs sure talk about it enough.

Just play whatever songs whenever they want. Does a station like this exist?
Other than college radio, I don’t know of a broadcast station like this that exists. Not anymore.

When driving in the car while listening to the radio (if you still do) when a "classic song" comes on do you listen to it or switch the station to something else? Why?
If I am listening to the radio, I will usually listen to a classic song when it comes on because, usually, I’m listening to the radio to hear familiar songs.

With satelite radio and the internet has the classification of oldies or sounding dated seem to have lost its meaning?
No, it hasn’t lost its meaning. Just like, “Alternative”: it’s simply become a brand.

What is the greatest 70's one hit wonder song ever recorded?
Probably Stealers Wheel’s “Stuck in the Middle (With You)”.

A First, I'm Last

Hot Hot Heat – Wanted to like it, tried to like it, didn’t like it. Lacked the great hooks and charm of “Elevator”. The squelched fuzz and hyperactive vocals that permeate the disc become monotonous, as one song blends into the next without any differentiation. Disappointing. 2 stars

The National – A mixed bag here. “Bloodbuzz Ohio” is one of my favorite songs of 2010. “Terrible Love” and “Vanderlyle” are also standouts. The rest of it is kind of meandering low-fi stuff that sounds like Brian Ferry and just doesn’t connect with me. Not bad, but it could use some more punch. 3 stars

Willie Nile – See Ken’s Jesse Malin review from last month. Decent listen, some pretty good songs and instantly forgettable. I think what keeps me from loving this disc is his voice, which too often comes off like a Dylan parody. 15 demerits to Jay for submitting a 2009 disc this late in the year. 3 stars

Grease Band – I played this a bunch, thinking I’d finally click with it, but I never really did. In the end, it came across as pretty good classic rock. The best parts sounded a lot like The Band, particularly the Dylan cover. A lot of it was mediocre. 2.5 stars

Matthew Sweet – Blatant “Mongillo-ing” here. Its probably been 10 years since I heard this disc, but it still resonates. I love the way Sweet refused to deliver “Girlfriend 2” and made a rather dark, emotional record that goes its own way while still delivering some of the delicious melodies found on “Girlfriend”. 4.5 stars

Bloodhound Gang – I love inappropriate potty humor as much as the next guy, I guess assuming the next guy isn’t Ken. Double entendres and dirty words aren’t funny by themselves. Some clever lines scattered throughout this disc, and “Three Point One Four” killed me. Outside of that, ehh... Did anyone really laugh at “Lift Your Head Up High (and Blow Your Brains Out”)? Musically, except for “One Way” its mostly 2nd (or 3rd) rate Beastie Boys.

Discussion Topics


5) There is virtually nothing on this disc I would change.
4) A consistently solid disc that will be on my year-end best-of list.
3) Has some keeper tracks and some filler.
2) A track or two amused me, but it mostly sucks.
1) Its better than what I could do in the studio, but not by much.
0) Mike Patton was involved in the recording.

I sort most of my discs by year now, and keep all “new” selections, regardless of how bad they are. As far as the old discs go, I don’t keep anything under a 3. Generally, I keep the discs filed in cases by genre. Ghits are treated the same, and I cherry-pick those for the MP3 player.

2) Don’t have a good answer. To me it’s the variety that does it. The fact that Van Halen, Miles Davis, Elton John, The Hold Steady and Willie Nelson all co-exist comfortably in my collection is what makes me feel cool. What also makes me feel cool is when my kids tell me about some new band they’re into and I can say, “Yeah, I’ve got a couple of their discs”. They HATE that.