Author Archives: TitusAndronicus

NEW TRACK “TUMULT AROUND THE WORLD”

May 1, 2019


This time last month, heads were spinning hither and yon as noted rock band Titus Andronicus boldly kicked open the door to a new era with the announcement of their forthcoming studio album An Obelisk (available June 21st from Merge Records) and the release of its first single, “(I Blame) Society.” The curious and the converted alike were startled to find the long-running rockers leaning in to the most assertive elements of their sound like never before, with the aid of producer and certified rock legend Bob Mould. Today, Titus Andronicus add another brick to their monument to modern malaise in the form of their new single, “Tumult Around The World.”

While “(I Blame) Society” offered the first glimpse into the muddled mind of the disenfranchised “narrator” whose emotional and intellectual journey makes up the narrative of An Obelisk, the album-closing “Tumult Around The World” serves as an uplifting anthem of unity and compassion for an increasingly divided world.

“It’s so hard to stop the stream of spoilers these days,” explains singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles, clearly eager to stop mucking about and get on with it. “It should not be terribly surprising to anyone that we must each strive to shatter the illusion of individuation so that we might offer greater empathy and understanding to our whole human family, united as we are in our common struggle, and even if it is, well, I don’t want to wait until the record comes out to tell everybody.”

With anticipation for An Obelisk reaching a nearly unbearable peak of intensity, it’s even less of a surprise that the short run of intimate Titus Andronicus concerts this summer have swiftly sold out -— tickets remain for only the band’s appearance at the Central Rappahannock Regional Library in Fredericksburg, VA on July 27th. Does the recently announced inclusion of Titus Andronicus in the lineup for Vancouver, BC's Westward Music Festival this September portend the revelation of additional dates this autumn? “Maybe, but also maybe not,” Stickles slyly states, as elusive as ever. “Just in case, everybody better get tickets to the library show.”

Enjoy the official audio for “Tumult Around The World” now. If that isn’t enough (and it won’t be), revisit the lyric video for “(I Blame) Society” and pre-order An Obelisk from the Merge Records store on CD, LP, or grayscale Peak Vinyl today.

Titus Andronicus on tour:

Jun 21 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade (Record Release Show) [SOLD OUT]
Jul 23 Washington, DC – Comet Ping Pong [SOLD OUT]
Jul 26 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (MRG30 Festival) [SOLD OUT]
Jul 27 Fredericksburg, VA – Fredericksburg All Ages
Jul 28 Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA [SOLD OUT]
Sep 12-15 Vancouver, BC – Westward Music Festival

NEW ALBUM ‘AN OBELISK’ / NEW VIDEO ‘(I BLAME) SOCIETY’

April 2, 2019

an obelisk cover

An Obelisk is the sixth album from Titus Andronicus, which finds the noted rock band under the stewardship of producer and legendary rocker Bob Mould (Hüsker Dü, Sugar, et al.). This trans-generational meeting of the minds has yielded the most immediate, intense, and unadorned Titus Andronicus record to date. Clocking in at a brisk 38 minutes and change, it is also the shortest. Recorded over six breathless days at Steve Albini’s world-renowned Electrical Audio studio in Chicago, An Obelisk presents the sound of Titus Andronicus, rock band, at its most irreducible, as monolithic as the album’s titular monument.

Curious listeners old and new can take their first careful steps into the shadow of An Obelisk today with the newly unleashed lyric video for lead single “(I Blame) Society.” Directed by longtime collaborator Ray Concepcion, this video brings to life some of the most unsparing verses yet to drip from the poison pen of singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles, leaving just enough room to showcase the majesty of two of America’s most notable obelisks, Cleopatra’s Needle in New York City and the District of Columbia’s Washington Monument.


An Obelisk functions as a kind of companion piece to last year’s A Productive Cough. Taken together, these two records present a panoramic view of Titus Andronicus’ musical interests. If A Productive Cough left listeners wondering what happened to all the fast songs, An Obelisk offers an answer—they are here. Whereas A Productive Cough was slathered with every available bell and whistle, very much a product of the studio and a demonstration of its capacity for “magic,” An Obelisk is built for the stage, the most faithful and true reflection of the Titus Andronicus live sound yet put to tape.

Thusly, An Obelisk has all the trappings of a classic punk album, though, to hear Stickles tell it, it is moreso an album about punk. “The ideology of ‘punk’ supports the elevation of our own interior authority and the degradation of exterior authority, which we recognize to be arbitrary, a tool by which the many are subjugated under the few,” Stickles explains, growing noticeably short of breath. “While the common ‘punk rocker’ will take this as license to piss on the street and generally pursue a lifestyle of nihilistic hedonism, the true ‘punk’ will recognize the price of this freedom. An Obelisk tells the story of one particular individual, someone maybe a lot like you but certainly a lot like me, scouring linty pockets, trying to pay that bill.”

an obelisk LP front

An Obelisk is available for pre-order now at the Merge Records store on CD, LP, or grayscale Peak Vinyl. Also available is the deluxe bundle, which includes An Obelisk on Peak Vinyl and CD with an exclusive Titus Andronicus t-shirt. All formats will include a perforated kit which will allow the happy consumer to construct their own miniature obelisk, while supplies last.

Those eager to celebrate the beginning of this new era will get their first chance to do so at the record release show for An Obelisk, happening June 21 at Rough Trade in Brooklyn, NY. Not long after, the beloved band will embark on a short run of intimate gigs surrounding their appearance at the MRG30 Festival in Carrboro, NC. Considering their hard-earned reputation as tireless road dogs, Titus Andronicus are sure to announce additional dates soon, so stay tuned by following America’s premier rockers on Facebook, Twitter, and Instagram, keep a vigilant eye on their official site, and pre-order An Obelisk today!

TITUS ANDRONICUS ON TOUR :

Jun 21 Brooklyn, NY – Rough Trade (Record Release Show)
Jul 23 Washington, DC – Comet Ping Pong
Jul 26 Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle (MRG30 Festival)
Jul 27 Fredericksburg, VA – Fredericksburg All Ages
Jul 28 Philadelphia, PA – PhilaMOCA

WASHINGTON-7

“HOME ALONE ON HALLOWEEN” SURPRISE 12″ EP

October 1, 2018

HALLOWEEN.png

Merge Records is pleased to announce the surprise release of Home Alone on Halloween, a new EP from Titus Andronicus, available digitally beginning today with limited-edition pumpkin orange 12-inch vinyl shipping out immediately from the Merge store.


With Home Alone on Halloween, noted rock band Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] celebrate the spookiest of the seasons by staring into the abyss and confronting the bone-chilling terror which lies at the haunted heart of our human experience. Bearing the justly feared catalog number MRG666, the 12-inch EP spans 31 minutes and features three tracks recorded concurrently with the group’s most recent full-length A Productive Cough, offering an autumnal tableau of dread and decay to complement its LP companion’s springtime visions of rebirth and new possibilities.

The title track remixes A Productive Cough’s hardest-rocking selection, foregrounding its ominous strings and swelling organ and featuring a soulful new lead vocal from frequent +@ special-teams captain Matt “Money” Miller, while “Only a Hobo” plucks an oft-forgotten gem from the dusty corners of the Bob Dylan songbook to paint a grim portrait of hopes dashed and potential squandered. Eeriest of all is “A Letter Home” which, across nearly 17 minutes and more than 1,200 words, drags the listener along for a harrowing descent into the darkness and proves definitively that this ceremony is no mere monster mash.

“Death is not scary,” explains +@ singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles, shaking off a cold sweat. “Everyone has to die, but not everyone gets to die surrounded by love with the satisfaction of a life well-lived. What frightens me, far more than ghouls or goblins, is knowing that I may yet face the former without the comfort of the latter. When it comes to that of which nightmares are made, a werewolf popping out of the bushes is nothing next to a life without love when it is too late to turn back.”

If only they can find the courage, +@ will soon embark on the previously announced “American Rock Band Tour,” their first extensive run of “full band” concerts since 2016. By popular demand, they have now added a special second show at Monty Hall in Jersey City, NJ, for Halloween night, which threatens to be the most terrifying +@ concert ever. They are joined on select dates by up- and-coming rockers Summer Cannibals, longtime lodestars and Merge Records labelmates Spider Bags, and, for certain co-headlining shows, the legendary Ted Leo, performing solo. Don’t miss yr chance to see the “American Rock Band” when they come to haunt yr town.

Titus Andronicus on tour:

Oct 12 New Haven, CT – Space Gallery%
Oct 13 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street%
Oct 14 Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall%
Oct 15 Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo%
Oct 16 Cleveland, OH – Now That’s Class%
Oct 17 Columbus, OH – Skully’s Music Diner%
Oct 18 Bloomington, IN – The Bishop%
Oct 19 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge*
Oct 20 Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel [SOLD OUT]*
Oct 22 Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck*
Oct 23 St. Louis, MO – Off Broadway*
Oct 24 Memphis, TN – Hi Tone Cafe Page 1 of 2
Page 2 of 2Oct 25 Nashville, TN – Basement East*
Oct 26 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade (Hell)*
Oct 27 Durham, NC – Motorco*
Oct 28 Richmond, VA – Capital Ale House*
Oct 30 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar^
Oct 31 Jersey City, NJ – Monty Hall^
Nov 01 Asbury Park, NJ – House of Independents^
Nov 02 Jersey City, NJ – Monty Hall [SOLD OUT]^
Nov 03 Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel^

% w/ Summer Cannibals
* w/ Ted Leo (solo)
^ w/ Spider Bags

titus-andronicus-AMERICAN-ROCK-BAND-TOUR-dates.jpg

“AMERICAN ROCK BAND TOUR” / “MIXTAPE VOLUME III :: A REDUCTIVE SCOFF”

August 7, 2018

titus-andronicus-AMERICAN-ROCK-BAND-TOUR-dates.jpg

Earlier this year, noted musical act Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] dazzled audiences and scrambled expectations with their first “acoustic” tour of North America. In September, they will embark on their first “acoustic” tour of the UK and Ireland, bringing fans across the pond a show that promises to reach even greater heights of intimacy and vulnerability.

Today, it is the pleasure of +@ to announce the descriptively-titled “American Rock Band Tour,” (commencing October the 12th in New Haven, CT) which will revive the dormant “rock band” format in the eastern United States for the group’s first tour as a four-piece ensemble (drum set and all) since 2016 and offer the first “rock band” shows in support of this year’s
groundbreaking Merge Records studio LP, A Productive Cough.

On the “American Rock Band Tour,” +@ singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles will be joined by longtime guitarist Liam Betson and the indomitable rhythm section of R.J. Gordon (bass) and Chris Wilson (drums). These four kings will leave a trail of musical riches from the Mississippi to the Atlantic which rock bands of the future are sure to follow like so many breadcrumbs into a bright and fruitful future for the genre and the world.

On select dates, +@ will be joined by perennial rock inspiration Ted Leo, who himself will be embarking upon his first extensive run of “solo” performances since the release of 2017’s acclaimed album The Hanged Man. “I have had the joy of seeing Ted Leo perform dozens of times,” commented Stickles, “both solo and with the support of the Pharmacists, and his flexibility as a performer and consistency as a showman remains an aspirational high-water mark for such guitar-slinging troubadours as myself.”

To celebrate this auspicious announcement, +@ is now sharing the latest installation in their ongoing mixtape series, “Titus Andronicus Mixtape Volume III : A Reductive Scoff,” which collects demos and outtakes from the making of A Productive Cough, peeling back the curtain to demystify the creative process with the courageous transparency for which +@ has become beloved. Stream the entire mixtape for free below from the official +@ Soundcloud page.

“ACOUSTIC” TOUR OF THE UK / IRELAND

Aug 30 Glasgow, UK – CCA ^
Aug 31 Newcastle upon Tyne, UK – Head of Steam ^
Sep 01 Nottingham, UK – Bodega ^
Sep 02 Wiltshire, UK – End of the Road Festival ^
Sep 03 Manchester, UK – Soup Kitchen ^
Sep 04 Leeds, UK – Belgrave Music Hall ^
Sep 06 London, UK – St. Pancras Old Church ^ [SOLD OUT]
Sep 07 London, UK – St. Pancras Old Church ^ [SOLD OUT]
Sep 09 Dublin, IE – Whelan’s ^
Sep 10 Derry, IE – Bennigans Bar ^
Sep 11 Limerick City, IE – Pharmacia ^

“AMERICAN ROCK BAND TOUR”

Oct 12 New Haven, CT – Space Gallery
Oct 13 Northampton, MA – Pearl Street
Oct 14 Buffalo, NY – Asbury Hall
Oct 15 Pittsburgh, PA – Cattivo
Oct 16 Cleveland, OH – Now That’s Class
Oct 17 Columbus, OH – Skully’s Music Diner
Oct 18 Bloomington, IL – The Bishop
Oct 19 Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge *
Oct 20 Davenport, IA – Raccoon Motel *
Oct 22 Lawrence, KS – Bottleneck *
Oct 23 St Louis, MO – Off Broadway *
Oct 24 Memphis, TN – Hi Tone Cafe
Oct 25 Nashville, TN – Basement East *
Oct 26 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade (Hell) *
Oct 27 Durham, NC – Motorco *
Oct 28 Richmond, VA – Capital Ale House *
Oct 30 Baltimore, MD – Ottobar
Nov 01 Asbury Park, NJ – House of Independents
Nov 02 Jersey City, NJ – Monty Hall
Nov 03 Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel

^ “acoustic” show
* w/ Ted Leo solo

“ACOUSTIC” TOUR OF THE UK / IRELAND

April 18, 2018

acoustic-haze.jpg

photo by Kevin Brown

Having just completed a comprehensive North American tour, Titus Andronicus is gearing up to bring their acclaimed, revelatory “acoustic” show to the United Kingdom and Ireland. The newly announced “acoustic” dates, beginning August the 30th in Glasgow and concluding September the 9th in Dublin, will go on sale to the general public this Friday, April the 19th.

As was the case on the North American dates, the “acoustic” tour of the UK / IRL will feature singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles performing in a duo configuration with pianist Alex Molini, offering the European debuts of fresh cuts from their polarizing 2018 release A Productive Cough (available now from Merge Records), as well as casting a new light on evergreen favorites from across the Titus Andronicus catalogue, creating an intimacy between artist and audience previously unexperienced by fans of the band on the Eastern side of the Atlantic.

“The British have good taste,” said Stickles, “after all, these are the people who sent the [Rolling] Stones’ ‘Little Red Rooster’ to the top of the pops. I don’t doubt they will have a sufficiently sophisticated palette to appreciate our new show.” He then added, with tears welling in his eyes, “of course, it is always a great joy to perform in Ireland, the land of my ancestors, and we will do our best to meet the high bar they set long ago for balladry both heartfelt and defiant.”

Find all the dates for the Titus Andronicus “Acoustic” Tour of the UK and Ireland below, and order A Productive Cough now (on standard black vinyl or special edition, blue/grey Peak Vinyl with bonus 7”) from Merge Records.

August 30th, 2018 Glasgow, UK CCA * £12.50
August 31st, 2018 Newcastle upon Tyne, UK Head of Steam * £12.50
September 1st, 2018 Nottingham, UK Bodega * £12.50
September 2nd, 2018 Wiltshire, UK End of the Road Festival * £195
September 3rd, 2018 Machester, UK Soup Kitchen * £12.50
September 4th, 2018 Leeds, UK Belgrave Music Hall * £12.50
September 6th, 2018 London, UK St. Pancras Old Church * £14.50
September 7th, 2018 London, UK St. Pancras Old Church * £14.50
September 9th, 2018 Dublin, IRL Whelan’s * €18

WORLD PREMIERE :: “A PRODUCTIVE COUGH : THE DOCUMENTARY”

February 26, 2018


Since the announcement of the new studio album A Productive Cough (available March 2 from Merge Records) and the release of narrative-scrambling singles “Number One (In New York)” and “Above The Bodega (Local Business),” even the most loyal fans of the noted rock act Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] have been scratching their heads, wondering how such audacious choices could be so fearlessly made, year after year, why the most trusted name in “punk” would risk it all by performing such an abrupt about-face, and what further, yet-more-baffling surprises may await around the next corner.

Today, all these questions and more may be answered with the unveiling of A Productive Cough : The Documentary, a sixty-minute film from director Ray Concepcion, which offers the curious observer an unprecedentedly intimate look “behind the scenes” of +@’s new album. The viewer will become a proverbial “fly on the wall” as ever-undaunted singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles, veteran producer Kevin S. McMahon and a sprawling cast of the northeastern seaboard’s most elite musicians navigate the choppy waters of the modern recording process, valiantly laboring to execute +@’s most defiant and challenging vision to date.

Between the laughter and tears, eager listeners will also have their appetites aroused upon their first taste of newly minted +@ classics “Real Talk,” “Crass Tattoo,” “Home Alone,” and “Mass Transit Madness (Goin’ Loco’),” while even the least-interested bystander will be unable to help from gaping in wonder at the bucolic splendor of New York’s Hudson Valley, captured in all of its majesty by Concepcion’s loving lens.

Across several extensive sessions from April through August of 2017, Concepcion kept vigilant watch over +@’s every move, amassing some fifty hours of footage. Along the way, he witnessed the formation of the piano-and-guitar duo configuration of Stickles and keys wizard Alex Molini (soon to dazzle stages across North America on +@’s first-ever “acoustic tour”), among the countless other priceless moments which make A Productive Cough : The Documentary the most enthralling glimpse into the studio since Some Kind of Monster.

“[Ray Concepcion] is one of the most singular artists I have ever known, as well as one of the most principled and most disciplined,” Stickles said, “and his steadfast, ruthless dedication to excellence pushed me to reach for that same standard – in the presence of such a samurai, one can not help but strive to sharpen the sword, so to speak.”

A Productive Cough is available for pre-order on blue-gray Peak Vinyl which includes a jukebox-inspired 7-inch of “(I’m) Like a Rolling Stone,” a track that does not appear on the physical LP except as part of the download, its nearly 9-minute length split across both sides of the single. Explore all pre-order options including an exclusive $10 t-shirt add-on in the Merge store (where all purchases come with a free temporary “Crass[-inspired] Tattoo” while supplies last), at your favorite participating independent record store, or via these digital music providers.

Titus Andronicus on tour :

Mar 07 Kingston, NY – BSP Kingston
Mar 08 Boston, MA – The Sinclair
Mar 09 Providence, RI – AS220
Mar 10 Burlington, VT – Arts Riot
Mar 11 Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz
Mar 13 Toronto, ON – Great Hall
Mar 14 Detroit, MI – El Club
Mar 15 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
Mar 16 Madison, WI – The Frequency
Mar 17 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
Mar 18 Omaha, NE – Slowdown
Mar 19 Denver, CO – Globe Hall
Mar 20 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
Mar 22 Boise, ID – Treefort Festival
Mar 23 Seattle, WA – Crocodile
Mar 24 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Mar 27 Sonoma, CA – Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Mar 28 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Mar 29 Santa Cruz, CA – Crepe Place
Mar 31 Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater
Apr 02 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
Apr 03 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
Apr 06 Ft. Worth, TX – Ridglea Room
Apr 07 Austin, TX – Barracuda
Apr 08 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Apr 10 Birmingham, AL – Saturn
Apr 11 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
Apr 12 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
Apr 13 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
Apr 14 Philadelphia, PA – UArts Black Box
Apr 15 Brooklyn, NY – Murmrr Theatre

NEW SINGLE :: “ABOVE THE BODEGA (LOCAL BUSINESS)”

February 5, 2018

Last month, Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] shocked the world with the revelatory “Number One (In New York),” the opening track from the forthcoming album A Productive Cough (available March 2nd from Merge Records), as the door was kicked open to an intriguing new era for one of the most consistently unpredictable and rewarding acts in contemporary rock music. Today, that door flings wider yet, as +@ and Merge Records proudly present the new single, “Above The Bodega (Local Business).”


This surefire hit should serve to shatter whatever lingering preconceptions remain regarding the musical mission of +@, as Patrick Stickles and company boldly sashay into previously uncharted territories, digging deeper and grooving harder than ever before. Driven by a propulsive engine of shakers and congas, zesty horns and funky clavinet lift “Above The Bodega (Local Business)” into a soulful sphere worthy of the Stones in Memphis, further illuminating the sprawling aesthetic universe of A Productive Cough.

“All the songs on [A Productive Cough] deal with the realities of life, as I understand them, in my adopted hometown of New York City,” explains Stickles, “and one quality that does much to define New York City life is the access to twenty-four-hour consumption. The first floor of the apartment building in which I live is occupied by a deli-grocery, to which I give my patronage several times a day – as a result, I have developed a particular understanding with the staff there which I have not so far heard articulated in song. Thusly, I took it upon myself to write the ‘ultimate’ song explicating the bodega clerk / patron relationship.”

Pressed to elaborate further, Stickles darts his eyes left to right and back again, then down to the floor, exhaling, and expands, “More and more, we are defined by the things which we consume, and those who facilitate that consumption may glimpse a more truthful view of ourselves than the carefully curated image we share with our loved ones. No one knows the depths of my vice better than they who oversee the transactions which make it possible – in this way, the deli clerk knows me better than my own mother.”

Much like “Number One (In New York),” the release of “Above The Bodega (Local Business)” is accompanied by a stunning and lively video from director Ray Concepcion, who shadowed +@ through the process of recording A Productive Cough at Marcata Recording in New Paltz, NY. Those who enjoy this intimate look behind the scenes will be further delighted by the release of a full-length “making-of-the-album” documentary which will see release on February 26th. Interested parties are encouraged to keep a close eye on A-PRODUCTIVE-COUGH.com in the coming week for further updates and insights.

When visiting A-PRODUCTIVE-COUGH.com, don’t forget to investigate the dates for +@’s first ever “acoustic” tour, in which Patrick Stickles will perform in a duo configuration with pianist Alexi Molini, commencing March 7th in Kingston, NY, with direct support on all dates by Rick Maguire from Pile.

A Productive Cough is available for pre-order on blue-gray Peak Vinyl which includes a jukebox-
inspired 7-inch of “(I’m) Like a Rolling Stone,” a track that does not appear on the physical LP except as part of the download, its nearly 9-minute length split across both sides of the single. Explore all pre-order options including an exclusive $10 t-shirt add-on in the Merge store (where all purchases come with a free temporary “Crass[-inspired] Tattoo” while supplies last), at your
favorite participating independent record store, or via these digital music providers.

NEW ALBUM “A PRODUCTIVE COUGH” / VIDEO / NORTH AMERICAN TOUR DATES

January 4, 2018

Since debuting in 2008, Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] has been conditioning faithful listeners to always expect only the unexpected, consistently zigging where others would zag and maintaining a steadfast dedication to fearless ambition. With the March 2 release of the new studio album A Productive Cough on Merge Records, +@ has executed the most shocking departure yet—but only if, as ever-mercurial singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles insists, “you haven’t been paying attention.”

A Productive Cough finds +@ setting aside the leadfooted punk anthems of yesteryear in favor of a subtler, more spacious approach that pushes Stickles’ soul-baring songwriting to the fore, creating a conversational intimacy between artist and audience with which previous +@ efforts had only flirted. “[+@] records have always had their fair share of ballads,” Stickles explains, “but they were always buried. Now, they are the cornerstones.”


The mission of A Productive Cough is made apparent from the first bars of opening track “Number One (In New York),” debuting today along with a blockbuster music video directed by Ray Concepcion. As a twinkling tableau of piano and dulcet horns unfolds, Stickles unleashes a merciless, unceasing 64-bar verse with subject matter as sprawling as the track’s kitchen-sink arrangement, which grows to include sparkling guitars, twinkling bells, and uplifting choral vocals as Stickles searches desperately for the strength to carry on through an increasingly violent and frightening world.

The “Number One (In New York)” music video serves as a trailer of sorts for the forthcoming 60- minute “making of the album” documentary film, also directed by Ray Concepcion, to be released February 26. Viewers will be granted unprecedented access to New Paltz, NY’s Marcata Recording, where A Productive Cough was recorded under the guidance of longtime +@ producer Kevin S. McMahon. Clips from the film will be periodically unveiled over the coming weeks at a-productive-cough.com, the newly launched site which will function as a one-stop shop for curious fans to follow the developing story of +@’s bold new era.

Also premiering today at a-productive-cough.com is a thorough and wide-ranging interview with Patrick Stickles conducted by author/musician Ryan Walsh, offering further insight into the motivations and aspirations behind the new album and its place along the winding and circuitous path of +@’s career.

A Productive Cough is available for pre-order on blue-gray Peak Vinyl which includes a jukebox-inspired 7-inch of “(I’m) Like a Rolling Stone,” a track that does not appear on the physical LP except as part of the download, its nearly 9-minute length split across both sides of the single. Explore all pre-order options including an exclusive $10 t-shirt add-on in the Merge store (where all purchases come with a free temporary “Crass[-inspired] Tattoo” while supplies last), at your favorite participating independent record store, or via these digital music providers. In addition, all +@ back catalog titles in the Merge store are 25% off through January 11.

The release of A Productive Cough will be accompanied by +@’s first-ever “acoustic” tour of the United States, which will find Stickles performing in a duo configuration with pianist Alex Molini. Find those dates below, all of which feature direct support courtesy of Rick Maguire from Pile, and don’t miss your chance to spend “a quiet evening with +@.”

TITUS ANDRONICUS ON TOUR:

Mar 07 Kingston, NY – BSP Kingston
Mar 08 Boston, MA – The Sinclair
Mar 09 Providence, RI – AS220
Mar 10 Burlington, VT – ArtsRiot
Mar 11 Montreal, QC – Bar Le Ritz
Mar 13 Toronto, ON – Great Hall
Mar 14 Detroit, MI – El Club
Mar 15 Chicago, IL – Subterranean
Mar 16 Madison, WI – The Frequency
Mar 17 St. Paul, MN – Turf Club
Mar 18 Omaha, NE – Slowdown
Mar 19 Denver, CO – Globe Hall
Mar 20 Salt Lake City, UT – Urban Lounge
Mar 22 Boise, ID – Treefort Festival
Mar 23 Seattle, WA – Crocodile
Mar 24 Portland, OR – Mississippi Studios
Mar 27 Sonoma, CA – Gundlach Bundschu Winery
Mar 28 San Francisco, CA – The Chapel
Mar 29 Santa Cruz, CA – Crepe Place
Mar 31 Los Angeles, CA – Bootleg Theater
Apr 02 San Diego, CA – Soda Bar
Apr 03 Phoenix, AZ – Valley Bar
Apr 06 Ft. Worth, TX – Ridglea Room
Apr 07 Austin, TX – Barracuda
Apr 08 Houston, TX – White Oak Music Hall
Apr 10 Birmingham, AL – Saturn
Apr 11 Atlanta, GA – Masquerade
Apr 12 Durham, NC – The Pinhook
Apr 13 Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
Apr 14 Philadelphia, PA – Underground Arts Black Box
Apr 15 Brooklyn, NY – Murmrr Ballroom

BANDCAMP ACLU DRIVE FRIDAY FEBRUARY 3rd

February 2, 2017

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Did you know that Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] has an official Bandcamp page? It’s true – there, you can listen to +@ releases such as The Most Lamentable Tragedy and S+@DIUM ROCK for free with an option to buy in MP3 / FLAC format. Bandcamp, upstanding company that it is, has announced that on Friday, February the 3rd, it will donate all of its proceeds to the American Civil Liberties Union, in recognition of the many terrible ways that our government is now working to violate the civil rights of so many Americans.

Merge Records, heeding this call, has likewise announced that they will donate their share of Friday’s Bandcamp proceeds to the ACLU as well – really, they’re “making a donation to the ACLU matching 100% of proceeds on Merge Bandcamp purchases,” so, same thing.

Recognizing the justness of this action, +@ hereby announces that we too will “match 100% of proceeds” of Friday’s Bandcamp purchases of +@ music. Any money that +@ might have gotten for Friday’s sales on Bandcamp will instead go to those who fight to preserve the remaining good ideas of our troubled republic.

If you notice you are a little light on +@ music that you can take with you anywhere, even strange places where you cannot access the internet, and you feel concerned and upset about recent developments within our society, then this Friday is the perfect time to act, knowing that, for once, the money you spend on rock tracks will go to a worthy cause and not towards the further prolonging of a slovenly manchild’s stunted adolescence.


Please note that Bandcamp allows you to set yr own price when paying for MP3s or FLACs – for instance, the 29 tracks of The Most Lamentable Tragedy can be had for “$11 USD or more,” so it is up to you how generous you want to be. No reason why 29 tracks aren’t worth $29 if it is for a worthy cause, right? Think about it.

+@ “S+@DIUM ROCK” CONCERT FILM +@

July 29, 2016

It was one year and one day ago that reigning rock and roll champions Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] concluded their historic five-night run of sold-out shows at Brooklyn’s longest-running active DIY venue, Shea Stadium. Today, the feverishly anticipated live album culled from these legendary performances, S+@DIUM ROCK: FIVE NIGHTS AT THE OPERA, is finally available as a digital download from Merge Records.

To celebrate this auspicious occasion, +@ is pleased to share the S+@DIUM ROCK concert film, a full-length video companion to the live album, streaming now on noted website “YouTube.” Never before has the exuberant energy and communal ecstasy of the +@ live experience been captured in such vivid detail. At last, +@ devotees can relive their favorite concert memories from the comfort of their own homes.

The S+@DIUM ROCK concert film was edited by Christopher Elia (already beloved by +@ fans for his work on the “No Future Part IV : No Future Triumphant” official video) and shot by Elia and Jeremy Aquilino (who +@ fans revere for creating the “Fatal Flaw” official video). The fearless efforts of these kings of the camera put you in the center of the action, up close and personal with the most viscerally engaging rock band working today.

“There is something I have to say about this concert film,” interjected +@ leader Patrick Stickles, unusually somber for a guy who just changed the game yet again. “Though there is one scene that depicts the act of ‘crowd surfing,’ +@ does not encourage or condone such reckless behavior at our concerts. It infringes upon the rights of those who do not consent to getting kicked in the head – people can get hurt that way. The dance floor should be a safe and respectful environment for all, and violent, aggressive behavior has no place in a progressive gathering of true punks.”

Those eager to learn more are advised to investigate Stickles’ recent interview with Brooklyn Magazine, wherein these themes and more are explored in detail. Stickles also spoke on the role the “live album” concept might play in our contemporary culture in an essay for online music publication The Line of Best Fit, another must read for anyone who likes to rock.

Naturally, the wild animal that is +@ live can not be contained by speakers or screen, so all are invited to get their tickets now for this Autumn’s “Rockers On The Road” North American Tour, commencing September 8th in Jersey City, NJ.

S+@DIUM ROCK : FIVE NIGHTS AT THE OPERA will be available as a 12” vinyl record beginning September 9th. Pre-order the physical edition now at the official Merge Records site and receive a download code for the full album.

Find all upcoming +@ dates below.

+@ TITUS ANDRONICUS “ROCKERS ON THE ROAD” TOUR DATES :

8/23/16 – Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
9/8/16 – Jersey City, NJ – WFMU Monty Hall $
9/9/16 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts ~
9/11/16 – Richmond, VA – The Camel ~
9/13/16 – Durham, NC – The Pinhook ~
9/14/16 – Asheville, NC – The Mothlight ~
9/15/16 – Nashville, TN – High Watt ~
9/17/16 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn ~
9/18/16 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa ~
9/20/16 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger ~
9/21/16 – Austin, TX – Barracuda ~
9/22/16 – Dallas, TX – The Loft ~
9/23/16 – Norman, OK – Opolis ~
9/24/16 – Columbia, MO – Rose Music Hall ~
9/25/16 – Iowa City, IA – The Mill ~
9/27/16 – Madison, WI – High Noon ~
9/28/16 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge ~
9/29/16 – Detroit, MI – El Club ~
9/30/16 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace ~
10/1/16 – Atlanta, GA – Project Pabst
10/4/16 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall ^
10/5/16 – Portsmouth, NH – 3s Artspace ^
10/6/16 – Rockville Center, NY – Cannon’s Blackthorn ^
10/7/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel ^
10/8/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel ^

$ – with Bueno
~ – with A Giant Dog
^ – with Happiness

+@ “ROCKERS ON THE ROAD” TOUR DATES / “69 STONES” LIVE VIDEO

June 22, 2016

Through their perennially punishing tour schedule and tireless commitment to the satisfaction of their fans, noted rock group Titus Andronicus [hereafter +@] have become revered as one of the most consistently exhilarating acts to trot the modern stage. With the imminent release of the live album S+@DIUM ROCK: FIVE NIGHTS AT THE OPERA (available digitally 7/29 and physically 8/5 from Merge Records), that reputation will only continue to swell.

Today, +@ throw yet more fuel to that fire as they reveal the dates of this Autumn’s “Rockers On The Road” North American Tour. Following a special “sneak preview” on August 23rd in Washington, DC, the beloved band will work their strange magic across the United States and Canada, commencing in earnest on September 8th at WFMU’s Monty Hall in Jersey City, NJ. +@ will be supported on select dates by up-and-coming Texan rock crusaders A Giant Dog as well as Happiness, a new Rhode Island quartet featuring members of Deer Tick, including erstwhile +@ guitarist Ian O’Neil.

To celebrate their continued dominance, +@ are sharing a video excerpt from the S+@DIM ROCK concert film, which will be made available to view in full in conjunction with the live album’s July 29th digital release. Following the rapturously received medleys “I Lost My Mind”/”Fatal Flaw” and “Sun Salutation”/”No Future Part V,” fans can now further whet their appetites with the previously unreleased “69 Stones.” An outtake from 2015’s smash rock opera The Most Lamentable Tragedy, “69 Stones” is a loping, country-inflected ditty taken from the all-new, fully electric arrangement of the opera’s fifth act, which comprises the B-side of S+@DIUM ROCK. This lost jewel will create a fuller picture than ever of the story which captured the hearts and minds of so many.

“69 Stones” is a song about, “the weight that we all carry and the biological imperatives which keep us carrying it year after year, however arduous the task may seem,” explained +@ singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles. “The same urges which keep our animal friends on the hunt motivate we humans too – perhaps this is also what keeps +@ on the road, compulsively rocking as we will do.”

Find below all the dates of the “Rockers On The Road” North American Tour, along with the lyrics of “69 Stones.”

+@ TITUS ANDRONICUS “ROCKERS ON THE ROAD” TOUR DATES :

8/23/16 – Washington, DC – Rock and Roll Hotel
9/8/16 – Jersey City, NJ – WFMU Monty Hall ~
9/9/16 – Philadelphia, PA – Theatre of Living Arts ~
9/11/16 – Richmond, VA – The Camel ~
9/13/16 – Durham, NC – The Pinhook ~
9/14/16 – Asheville, NC – The Mothlight ~
9/15/16 – Nashville, TN – High Watt ~
9/17/16 – Birmingham, AL – Saturn ~
9/18/16 – New Orleans, LA – Gasa Gasa ~
9/20/16 – San Antonio, TX – Paper Tiger ~
9/21/16 – Austin, TX – Barracuda ~
9/22/16 – Dallas, TX – The Loft ~
9/23/16 – Norman, OK – Opolis ~
9/24/16 – Columbia, MO – Rose Music Hall ~
9/25/16 – Iowa City, IA – The Mill ~
9/27/16 – Madison, WI – High Noon ~
9/28/16 – Chicago, IL – Bottom Lounge ~
9/29/16 – Detroit, MI – El Club ~
9/30/16 – Toronto, ON – Lee’s Palace ~
10/4/16 – Boston, MA – Brighton Music Hall ^
10/5/16 – Portsmouth, NH – 3s Artspace ^
10/6/16 – Rockville Center, NY – Cannon’s Blackthorn ^
10/7/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel ^
10/8/16 – Brooklyn, NY – Market Hotel ^

~ – with A Giant Dog
^ – with Happiness

“69 STONES” LYRICS :

Sixty-nine stones, sixty-nine stones
I’ve been carrying sixty-nine stones
All my life, I am bound to roam
And I’ll be carrying sixty-nine stones
I’ll be carrying sixty-nine stones

The will to live is an awful curse
Upon an earth that’s just a lot of dirt
Whenever it is that yr getting hurt
That’s just the will to live doing its work
It puts the mold on food that’s old
It turns an insect straight into an infestation
It pushes the weed up from beneath concrete
But hey, what can ya say, babe?
We all gotta eat

It makes its blessed home
Wherever teeth rip flesh from bone
It’s the prize of the survivor
Behind the eyes of hungry tigers

That will to live won’t leave me alone
Feels like carrying sixty-nine stones
Feels like carrying sixty-nine stones

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+@ “SUN SALUTATION”/”NO FUTURE PART V” OFFICIAL LIVE VIDEO

June 3, 2016




With their triumphant May 2016 North American Tour now complete, esteemed rock band and tireless road warriors TITUS ANDRONICUS [hereafter +@] find their already sterling reputation as the USA’s premier live rock and roll attraction less disputable than ever. Now, with a light dusting of European dates about to commence, they are ready to be crowned the most exciting live act in the world.

What better time, then, to reveal another video from the hotly anticipated new live LP, S+@DIUM ROCK : FIVE NIGHTS AT THE OPERA, available July 29th (digital) / August 5th (physical) from Merge Records? +@’s legions of devoted fans have already marveled at the previously shared video for “I Lost My Mind”/”Fatal Flaw,” and, today, we see a second serving slopped onto the plate in the form of “Sun Salutation”/”No Future Part V : In Endless Dreaming,” two more selections from last year’s most acclaimed rock opera, The Most Lamentable Tragedy [hereafter TMLT].

Rather than a rote recitation of these beloved TMLT deep cuts, the acapella hymn “Sun Salutation” and the piano/vocal ballad “No Future Part V” are presented here in all-new, fully electric arrangements, sure to shock even the most studious of TMLT scholars.

“'[No Future] Part V’ was originally conceived as a mid-tempo alt-rocker in the vein of bands such as Everclear,” +@ singer-songwriter Patrick Stickles explained, writing from the dizzyingly elevated 19th floor of Barcelona’s Princess hotel, as the band prepared for their third (non-consecutive) appearance at the prestigious Primavera Sound Festival. “Considering its place in the rock opera narrative, however, coming at the point where Our Hero is most completely alone and disempowered, having revealed himself as the sole architect of his sorrowful fate, the bleak, spartan arrangement we hear on the record was only appropriate. In the live concert setting, we are not so beholden to the aesthetic parameters demanded by said narrative and we free to rock in accordance with the original vision.”

By the time you read this, the ravenous cheers of the Primavera crowd will already have faded to distant, precious memory, but fans in the UK and attendees of Porto, Portugal’s Primavera NOS Festival still have a chance to witness the ecstatic experience of +@ live in advance of S+@DIUM ROCK‘s imminent release. Find all upcoming European +@ dates below.

TITUS ANDRONICUS :

June 5th – Edinburgh, UK – Summerhall
June 6th – York, UK – Crescent
June 7th – Leicester, UK – The Cookie
June 8th – Cardiff, UK – Gwdihw
June 9th – London, UK – Tufnell Park Dome
June 11th – Porto, PT – Primavera NOS Festival

PREORDER S+@DIUM ROCK NOW