SXSW is perfect for guys like me – guys with short attention spans who often find themselves drunk, lost, happily muddled, separated from friends, and attracted to alcohol and music like Angelina Jolie is to orphanages.  So it was with little surprise that, while most of the crew actually stuck to Julie’s carefully-planned schedules and were miles away uptown, I was meandering through the sun-drenched and hipster-thronged streets of downtown Austin in search of another free cold beer and some shade.

Now it may have been just dumb luck, but I do believe that I purposefully made my way into the back patio of Red Eyed Fly to stumble upon Titus Andronicus hurriedly plugging in amps and setting up mikes while an indifferent crowd milled about.  So I was hardly prepared when this group of bedraggled guys launched into an all-out-audio-assault.   It was as if a 19-year-old Paul Westerberg (one of my rock n’ roll gods) was wailing over unpolished, bombastic, fast-driving anthems that bordered between a roided-up Springsteen and Andrew W.K. When the set finally finished and I came to my senses, I wanted to high five someone.   But sadly, as the “lost guy of the group” I found myself unable to share my glee with a crew member.  Sigh.

 “The Airing of Grievances”, T.A.’s first album, and I hope a nod to us “Seinfeld” fans, was released this past January and rocks the whole way through.  Don’t expect produced shoegaze or clever instrumentalism here. In fact, don’t expect much production at all.  This is just sloppy (and I don’t mean that as a criticism), brash music that makes you want to step on the gas, roll down the windows, and punch your car roof while singing at the top of your lungs. Just remember to watch out for pedestrians and cops.

Listen:  Titus Andronicus, “Upon Viewing Bruegel’s Landscape With ‘Fall of Icarus”