Critics like to talk a lot about rock 'n' roll revivalists. Ideally, a rock band breaks through and provides a breath of fresh air to popular music. They lead a mass of followers on a march towards musical salvation and unity through good music. It quickly becomes a delicate balance between maintaining popularity and credibility, and that's ultimately what rock 'n' roll is all about. Then there's Titus Andronicus.
Titus Andronicus couldn't care less about reviving rock 'n' roll. They proudly proclaim that they crave your approval, but will settle for your utter disdain."" They're tired of trying to fit in, because this world doesn't deserve that kind of effort. They don't share society's ideals, instead reflecting on ""Albert Camus"" by observing, ""how weary, stale, flat and unprofitable it is / to be young, dumb and have lots of money.""
The Airing of Grievances opener ""Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ"" presents a melancholy Patrick Stickles telling the recipient of his anger that ""should the shit hit the fan/ I just pray you will not be spared,"" over a solitary guitar before launching into a full-on assault of both man and instrument. Rarely is music able to embody the entropy of hatred, but that's Titus' bread and butter.
The music makes it easy to dismiss the true depth of Titus Andronicus. Stickles is the poet laureate of counterculture, smothering each song with insightful prose. He justifies his anger on the lead track by reasoning, ""People will tell you that if you don't love your neighbor then you don't love God / but no god of mine would put light in such unrighteous eyes.""
Airing's climax comes on Titus' self-titled theme song of sorts. ""Titus Andronicus"" depicts a demonic Orwellian dystopia with ""no more cigarettes, no more having sex / no more drinking until you fall on the floor,"" before swelling up to the rallying cry of ""your life is over.""
The Airing of Grievances is the manifestation of angst, but that shouldn't scare off anyone. The abrasive lyrics never suggest violence, and are accompanied by a sprawling wall of Springsteen-like guitars that open the doors for all. Stickles sings with such arms-open acceptance that you not only begin to appreciate his paradigm, you start to embrace it. You're either for them or against them, but if you're for them, he's there to tell you that he's got your back. On ""No Future"", despite his threats that ""If I could say just one thing with the whole world listening / it would be 'Leave me the fuck alone,'"" he promises that ""If you're weary, I don't mind sharin' the load."" It's the apocalypse of accountability and cool, but that doesn't mean we need to be alone.
Titus Andronicus is leading its followers not to salvation, but to a new appreciation, a new start. The Airing of Grievances is their notice of resignation, call to arms, and introduction all in one. Needless to say, it's an absolute necessity.
