Titus Andronicus are an indie rock band which formed in Glen Rock, New Jers… Read Full Bio ↴Titus Andronicus are an indie rock band which formed in Glen Rock, New Jersey, United States in 2005. They consist of Patrick Stickles (vocals, guitar), Julian Veronesi (bass), Liam Betson (guitar) and Eric Harm (drums). The band takes its name from the Shakespeare play Titus Andronicus. Titus Andronicus is known for their energetic folk/punk/indie sound (tinted with hints of New Jersey rock and early rock 'n' roll) and their use of lo-fi production.

Their debut album, The Airing of Grievances, was released on the Troubleman Unlimited record label on April 14, 2008 to many positive reviews. The album's loud, heavily distorted guitars are influenced by shoegaze, while the lyrics and song titles are references to various books and other forms of entertainment (such as the album title, from the Seinfeld episode, "The Strike", about Festivus). The Airing of Grievances was reissued on January 20, 2009 on XL Recordings.

The band's second album, The Monitor, was released on March 9, 2010 through XL Recordings to wide critical acclaim, and was cited as one of the best indie albums of the year.

The band has a sizable list of former members, the latest of which, Amy Klein, left the band on October 24, 2011.

No Future Part Two: The Days After No Future
Titus Andronicus Lyrics

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Oh, I recall the last morning
The sun would rise on the race of man
After which, it was clear, nothing would be the same again
When called to answer for their crimes
The only response that they could find
Was that it seemed to be a good idea at the time
Now the sun in the sky has turned to rust
The rivers are running red with blood

And the cries of the helpless are never, never enough

And those of us who were still alive
Were rightly afraid to go outside,
When VuBu said, "This isn't shoegaze, this is suicide."
Then they came with torches and pitchforks,
Carrying guns, clubs and sharp swords,
When the loudest voice I ever heard said, "It's over."

It's over
It's over

"And I, too, felt ready to start life all over again. It was as if that great rush of anger had washed me clean, emptied me of hope, and, gazing up at the dark sky spangled with its signs and stars, for the first time, the first, I laid my heart open to the benign indifference of the universe. To feel it so like myself, indeed, so brotherly, made me realize that I’d been happy, and that I was happy still. For all to be accomplished, for me to feel less lonely, all that remained to hope was that on the day of my execution there should be a huge crowd of spectators and that they should greet me with howls of execration."

Overall Meaning

The lyrics of Titus Andronicus's song "No Future Part Two: The Days After No Future" are a commentary on the consequences of humanity's actions and a bleak prophecy of the apocalypse. The beginning of the song paints a picture of the last morning, an apocalyptic event that changed everything for humanity. The consequences of humanity's actions are shown as rivers turning red with blood, and the sun turning to rust, indicating the destruction of nature. The lyrics suggest that humanity brought upon its doom upon itself as those who committed crimes see it as a good idea at the time. It is an indication that humans do not realize that their actions have consequences and continue to cause harm to the planet, and it is only when the apocalypse hits that they realize their folly.

The second verse shows the immediate aftermath of the apocalypse, with those who survived being afraid to go outside. The reference to shoegaze by VuBu could be seen as a metaphor for people having their head down and not paying attention to what is happening around them or being absorbed in their own petty concerns. The torches, pitchforks, clubs, and sharp swords mentioned in the verse symbolize the chaos and anarchy that has taken over in the aftermath of the apocalypse. The final lines of the song, "It's over, it's over," suggests that humanity has reached the end of its journey and that there is no going back from the destruction they have wrought.

Line by Line Meaning

Oh, I recall the last morning
I remember the last morning

The sun would rise on the race of man
The sun would rise on humanity

After which, it was clear, nothing would be the same again
After that morning, everything changed

When called to answer for their crimes
When asked to be accountable for their wrongdoings

The only response that they could find
The only answer they had

Was that it seemed to be a good idea at the time
It seemed like a good idea at that moment

Now the sun in the sky has turned to rust
Now the sun looks like rust

The rivers are running red with blood
The rivers are filled with blood

And the cries of the helpless are never, never enough
The cries of the powerless are not heard

And those of us who were still alive
Those who survived

Were rightly afraid to go outside,
Were scared to leave their safe places