Local Business

Never anything less than exhilarating, Titus Andronicus’ previous album _The Monitor_ was underpinned, loosely, by the concept of the U.S. Civil War. As a recurring theme, it served not only as a vehicle for lead-singer Patrick Stickles’ at once despairing and sardonic ruminations on a meaningless world, but also as a means of unifying the New Jersey group’s angst-fuelled punk-rock -spawned on debut _The Airing of Grievances_ – into a coherent work of art.

What is most immediately noticeable about _Local Business_ is how much more stripped-back it seems. Startling in its candidness, the opening couplet (“Okay I think we’ve now established everything is inherently worthless/And there’s nothing in the universe with any kind of purpose”) points at a skin-deep distillation of Titus Andronicus’ very essence in all its idiosyncratic glory – a band seeking to make its defining statement.

In terms of sound however, _Local Business_ marks Titus at their least abrasive, and while embracing a more tuneful, radio-friendly sound on “In the Big City” and “(I am) the Electric Man”, these tracks actually provide the record’s high-points – the former nothing short of life-affirming in its wry, cutting depiction of modern alienation. Yet, unfortunately, too much seems to occupy an unmemorable middle ground between such soaring highs and the lo-fi intensity of the previous two LPs. As a result, the songs frequently come across as less passionate, less vital – even somewhat pedestrian. The track “Eating Disorder”, for example, just doesn’t possess the memorable hook needed to fully engage the listener with Stickles’ personal torment, while the closing repetition of “Spit it out!” comes across more crass than heartfelt and sincere.

Though _Local Business_ certainly isn’t short of its thrills – particularly the wave of crashing guitars and harmonica which complete “Tried to Quit Smoking” – there’s a sense that many tracks could just have easily come from any standard punk-rock outfit. More pressing is the feeling that Stickles’ wit and insight is wasted on the lack of momentum that characterises a great deal of this album. Coupled with the absence of any real overarching, unifying theme, _Local Business_ often feels unfocused, and although such a lack of purposefulness is in many ways fitting, given the notions of absurdity that pervade the record, for a large part Titus Andronicus are uncharacteristically underwhelming.