On their new album, “The Monitor,” Titus Andronicus blister and wail across the majority of the record.

But just when you need a respite, up comes this New Jersey band’s song, To Old and New Friends.  Piano softly introduces the song.  Lead singer Peter Stickles comes on initially with the call and Jenn Wasner (of Wye Oak) has the response in her beautiful voice.  Then at 2:15 a glorious horn is added, and layers are added, and they come farther forward and then recede, to stunningly good effect.

And the gut-wrenching dialogue between these two love-torn lovers adds powerful punch, excerpts from which are below:

“Like the time traveler who killed his grandfather, these cycles are bringing me down.
We could build a nice life together if we don’t kill each other first.
Are you just too fucked up to understand me or is it the other way around?
Maybe it’s both, and I just don’t know which is worse….

Was it the devil, or was it the lord
who gave you those words,
the ones I never heard….

If I were there to keep satisfied all of your carnal desires,
then it might be my place to say what is or isn’t forbid
So how can I hold it against you if you answer the call of the wild?
No matter how brilliant a woman, you’re only a kid….

But if you know that nobody is ever going
to suffer for you like I did
Well it’s alright the way that you live,
It’s alright the way that you live.

It’s alright now”

Torn asunder.

Titus Andronicus–To Old and New Friends

[audio:https://www.thelefortreport.com/blog/wp-content/uploads/08-To-Old-Friends-And-New.mp3|titles=08 To Old Friends And New]