Titus Andronicus w/Ceremony: at The Mercy Lounge (Nashville, TN) Thu. November 1, 2012

Titus Andronicus w/Ceremony

Alternative

Nashville Scene Critic's Pick …

I don’t think I’ll get any arguments if I refer to Jersey indie-punks Titus Andronicus as “bleak.” This is, after all, a band that ended a song trilogy called “No Future” with a two-minute refrain of, “You will always be a loser.” But don’t mistake Titus’ bummer lyrics for some kind of morbid Alkaline Trio affectation — in truth, Titus Andronicus is one of the most thoughtful bands punk rock has produced since The Clash. When singer Patrick Stickles sings about identity crises, eating disorders and “living on a diarrhea planet” (shout out!), it’s all rooted in grounded fact and supported by a boozy but coherent worldview. But that’s not what makes Titus Andronicus great. What makes them great is music like their recent album Local Business, where that sad-sack buildup turns to catharsis-powered scream-alongs. This is a band that can take you through a crazy rollercoaster of moods in eight-minute punk epics, turning loserdom into a rallying cry and despair into rocket fuel. And as this year’s Freakin’ Weekend attendees can attest, that feeling amps up exponentially when they play live.

—Lance Conzett