My favorite thing about the underground music scene during the 1980s is the regional rosters which developed within independent labels. Many cities had a distinctive sound and scene which locals were proud and passionate about. Being a music fan during the mid to late 1990s did not have the same impact because the internet made the world a much smaller place and it became a lot easier to access independent music regardless of where it came from.

I grew up in New Jersey and, largely in reverence toward the earlier label-based scenes, have always felt an extra bit of passion for bands that come from the area. I still feel a tinge of excitement when I discover a great band and find out that they are from my home state and make no mistake about it: Titus Andronicus is a great band.

When Pitchfork named The Monitor ‘best new music’ earlier this year, I had never heard of Titus Andronicus. I listened to a few clips but nothing stood out to me and they dropped off my radar. When they were announced as a band at this year’s Pitchfork Music Festival, I dutifully picked up a copy of their album but did not spend very much time with it. I missed their performance at the festival but was interested to read article after article extolling great compliments upon their performance. A few weeks later, I saw a video of their festival performance of “A More Perfect Union” on Pitchfork.tv and was immediately enthralled by the infectious passion and energy it contained.

Over the next three days or so, I listened to The Monitor in its entirety about five times. It is incredibly addictive and undeniably fun. I feel a clear Springsteen influence mixed with a love for punk and 80’s American Indie.

> No, I never wanted to change the world, but I’m looking for a new New Jersey
Because tramps like us, baby, we were born to die

The album, in fact, has a very American feel in general probably because of the Civil War theme but regardless of how it got there: rocking out to it is coupled with an added sense of patriotism.

Despite my apprehension towards using the word ‘passion’ so many times in this review, it is so exceptionally appropriate that I cannot avoid it. This album has soaring passionate melodies, passionately chanted chorus and unhinged vocals which just serve to amplify the fervor. It does not let up at any point during the album, Titus Andronicus seem to mean everything they say and they want you to know it.

The historical theme has caused a few critics to compare this album to the untouchable In the Aeroplane Over the Sea but I personally find this comparison pretty weak and fairly lazy. What The Monitor achieves is completely different in scope and, for that matter, execution. The record is a battle cry:

The enemy is everywhere
But no one seems to be worried or care
That the enemy is everywhere

Though I am not yet one hundred percent sure what the battle is for, I look forward to listening more so that I can find out.