Titus Andronicus

It's not as if Titus Andronicus (joined on this bill by the So So Glos, Raleigh and Accordion Crimes) had dozens of members. The band's latest album, The Airing of Grievances, features just four regulars: Liam Betson, Ian Graetzer, Eric Harm and Patrick Stickles. Somehow, though, the quartet combines to...

By Michael Roberts

September 10, 2009

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It's not as if Titus Andronicus (joined on this bill by the So So Glos, Raleigh and Accordion Crimes) had dozens of members. The band's latest album, The Airing of Grievances, features just four regulars: Liam Betson, Ian Graetzer, Eric Harm and Patrick Stickles. Somehow, though, the quartet combines to make a big noise whether the arrangements are sonically wide-ranging, like "Joset of Nazareth's Blues," or indie-rock primitive, à la "My Time Outside the Womb." Even if these guys weren't proud dwellers of the Garden State, cuts such as "Fear and Loathing in Mahwah, NJ" would likely draw comparisons to a certain classic-rocker known for prowling Asbury Park. But such influences don't come across as academic, thanks to performances that generate plenty of punk-informed mega-wattage: Take "Albert Camus," in which the boys distill the essence of existentialism down to the line "We don't give a fuck about nothing." They're lying, but if Camus doesn't mind, why should you?

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Michael Roberts began his career with Westword in 1990 as music editor. In 1999, he took on a new role, full-time media reporter, as author of a column called The Message. In 2008, he became the lead writer for Westword's news blog, The Latest Word, a position he held until January 2023. Michael continues to freelance for Westword, covering everything from business to sports and the media; he also contributes to Jazziz, a national music magazine. He holds a bachelor's degree from what is now Colorado Mesa University and master's degrees from the University of California, Los Angeles, and Northwestern University.

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