Rumor has it that the The Most Lamentable Tragedy Of Titus Andronicus will be released tomorrow, we can but hope though catch up with my review here and here and here.
Meanwhile… This is Patrick in the Village Voice:
“The album has got five acts, but it also has a parallel structure across four seasons, and these correspond to the four phases of the manic-depressive cycle,” Stickles says, his bearing at this point like that of an earnest professor. He starts at the outer layer of the album cover — blackness — explaining how it represents winter: depression, “darkness, [and] the absence of light.” Working inward, the green of spring follows, conveying the new possibility of emerging from depression but also into a more manic state (“Which is where I’m in right now, on the record,” he says).”
Stickle apparently also wants us to listen to it on a loop…
Fair enough…
18 – Fatal Flaw -From Genius: “The Lookalike has let out the Mystery Beast. As invigorating as pure freedom may feel, the nagging thought of what “She” will think of him stays with the Lookalike. The Mystery Beast may stand to represent what makes the Lookalike special that comes with a price, even destructive capabilities, which makes him hesitant to let him free.” So there is our hero, there is the Lookalike -a drug addict (“The Lookalike tries to keep his fatal flaw- drug addiction- a secret and keep up for appearance sakes despite constantly fighting an internal battle”). OK, news to me but this brilliant singalong, a joyous I thought but I guess the word is manic of huge proportions, the best song on the album and Stickles third best song ever. Probably the song of the year – A+
19 – Please – A minute plus of meh and transition, apparently his fatal is Siobhan not drugs. Hope that clears everything up before it goes any further. ABout as much a song as the Who’s “There’s A Dcotor”… also the opening to Act IV – C
20 – Come On, Siobhan – “In a past-life regression / dream sequence, Our Hero, with his own ancestor for his avatar, tries to persuade his love interest.” Where are the Cliff Notes. A not particularly good Pogues wannabe – C+
21 – A Pair Of Blue Eyes – A slow build to an explosion -this sounds like manic depression made real. This is the Pogues song though you have fooled me – B
22 – Auld Lang Syne – Performed by Eric Harm, Matt Miller, Carrie-Anne Murphy, Julian Veronesi (vocals) and Patrick Stickles (ostrich guitar and MXR Pitch Transposer) and the ringing in the new year sounds like a death knell
