Review Summary: I'm sorry mama, but I've been drinking again
If you were to ask me to explain why I considered my classic albums to be classic, I would most likely provide a response pertaining to a nostalgic feeling, a personal connection, or based purely on the record’s musical technicality or passion. Titus Andronicus’
The Monitor is a rarity in that it does not fall into any of those categories; a record engaged in a constant battle with imperfection and flirting with disaster.
The Monitor represents an absolutely preposterous anthology of musical ideas, which are arbitrarily thrown together into a turbulent 65-minute whirlwind of shoddy execution and questionable craftsmanship. Lead singer Patrick Sickles takes center stage in this regard; his heavily intoxicated (yes intoxicated, not intoxicating) vocals botching the record around every corner, leading us to believe that he either has no talent, or just doesn’t give a ****. The latter is essentially what
The Monitor accentuates to the fullest of extents, mixing and matching with bagpipes, horns, and guest vocals in such a way that the lofty effectiveness is puzzling.
The Monitor is a depiction of our inebriated selves; that vulgar care-free demeanor that seems to create the completely avoidable late-night debacles of our college years. Undoubtedly more often than not, these blunders are dubbed as “totally worth it,” whether we end up looking utterly idiotic or just plain immature. It’s about that last whiskey shot, that girl you wouldn’t have dared to touch three hours prior, or that incessant feeling of the moment.
The Monitor is not the heartwarming or poignant type, but is purely successful because of the utilization of flaws; something that human nature is unable to avoid. If you don’t understand Titus Andronicus’ sophomore release, you are either ignorant of the human race, or you just need to get totally sloshed.
