You'll spend the rest of your life trying to hard to forget that you met the world naked and screaming

...and that's how you'll leave it.

I only came across Titus Andronicus recently; hearing some songs on Last.fm got my attention. When I walked into Piccadilly Records to find out more, the album was playing. I took it as a sign and bought it without further investigation. I have not regretted this.

In their words: Titus Andronicus is a rock and roll band from Glen Rock. In the beginning, there were only three people in the band. At one point, there were eleven people in the band. Right this second, there are five people in the band. Titus Andronicus formed in the spring of 2005. Titus Andronicus' debut long player, "The Airing of Grievances" was released in April of 2008 by Troubleman Unlimited. And now it's been picked up in the UK by XL Recordings.

This is an extraordinarily good record, brimming with energy, ideas and screaming in equal measure. TA take bits of the underground rock handbook (Husker Du, In Utero-era Nirvana, Fugazi, Sebadoh) add some despairing lyrics sung/screamed in the style of Conor Oberst and some literary readings (from Shakespeare's play of the same name and Albert Camus' The Stranger) to make a joyous, ear-burstingly-loud, ramshackle pure energy-rush of a record.

Titus Andronicus like to scream and carry on at excessive volume. Titus Andronicus like songs which are fast more than songs which are slow. Titus Andronicus think slow songs are okay sometimes. Titus Andronicus never sing about love, only hate. Titus Andronicus have no hope for the future. Titus Andronicus believe only in nothingness. Everyone in Titus Andronicus was born to die. Titus Andronicus crave your approval but will settle for your utter disdain

Utter approval from me. Either 'Titus Andronicus' (on this month's Manchester Music in Gigs compilation) or 'My Time Outside The Womb' will be on my Pick of 2009... but I'll need the rest of the year to work out which 0ne makes it.

My excitement at finding out they are playing Night and Day was short-lived - it's the same night I already have tickets for Woodpigeon and The Miserable Rich. Ah well, there's always Leeds, Glasgow or London

MY TIME OUTSIDE THE WOMB
FEAR AND LOATHING IN MAHWAH, NJ

Titus Andronicus
The Airing of Grievances [BUY]