Track by Track is a recurring feature offering artists the opportunity to dig into every song on their latest release. Today, Titus Andronicus break down their new album, The Will to Live.
New Jersey rock collective Titus Andronicus have returned with their seventh album, The Will to Live, on Friday (September 30th). Three years after the release of An Obelisk, the group’s latest effort wastes no time getting in your face with a grandiose array of heavy and emphatic instrumentals, which only amplify the thought-provoking and poignant songwriting.
The Will to Live doesn’t wait to establish itself. Titus Andronicus make it a point of diving in head first without warning, yielding a product that grips listeners off the rip. The seven-minute runtime of “An Anomaly” is far from long-winded, as frontman Patrick Stickles’ absorbing lyrics of God and the Devil sang with his raspy vocals are just as captivating as the powerful guitar solo halfway through.
The dynamic talent of Stickles is best exemplified with “Baby Crazy,” a meteoric-paced track that sees the frontman give a bleak yet realistic, sincere synopsis of the world around him. Rather than fail to rise to the song’s hurried tempo, Stickles matches it, adding even more weight to a promptly-delivered poem.
The liveliness of The Will to Live is its strength, as the energy of Titus Andronicus never manages to falter throughout the project’s anthemic tracks. The incorporation of saxophone on “Give Me Grief” adds a shade of blues to the punk sound established on the record. And with a verse from the band’s former drummer, Eric Harm, “Give Me Grief” is a moment that couples past and present.
Amid a global pandemic and a politically-altered climate, there’s much on the minds of many, and Titus Andronicus addresses the thoughts of many. The angst felt throughout is palpable thanks in part to the effort’s focus on crafting a thematic project. With a cerebral approach to its songwriting united with bombastic and ambitious production, The Will to Live encapsulates 2022, a perfectly-timed release that may provide answers to those in need.
Titus Andronicus are currently on the road in support of The Will to Live, with the first gig of the tour taking place tonight (September 30th) in Carrboro, NC. See the full schedule here, and grab your tickets now via Ticketmaster.
Below, give The Will to Live a spin, and check out Stickles’ exclusive breakdown.