• Record Label: XL
  • Release Date: Mar 9, 2010
User Score
7.9

Generally favorable reviews- based on 105 Ratings

User score distribution:
  1. Positive: 87 out of 105
  2. Negative: 16 out of 105

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  1. Oct 22, 2021
    7
    How a civil war concept album by an unknown awfully titled band become one of the strongest indie rock albums? Maybe it's the control they possess in being able to navigate grand narratives and sonic experiments whilst remaining traditional. Obviously culling influences from Connor Oberst in the phenomal 7min opener "a more perfect union " or the energetic rager "Theme from Cheers". It'sHow a civil war concept album by an unknown awfully titled band become one of the strongest indie rock albums? Maybe it's the control they possess in being able to navigate grand narratives and sonic experiments whilst remaining traditional. Obviously culling influences from Connor Oberst in the phenomal 7min opener "a more perfect union " or the energetic rager "Theme from Cheers". It's a gem of a record that despite some songs ambitious runtimes and narratives keeps it moment till the end. Effortlessly replayed and thoughtfully funny. The 14 min opus "The Battle of Hampton Roads" takes the first battle between ironclad warships and makes it a solid extremly detailed retelling involving faith lost,drunks and depressed **** A record with everything for every indie rock fan. Expand
  2. Aug 19, 2015
    10
    I can't believe this has the lowest user rating of their 4 albums when it is clearly the best one. This album is phenomenal from start to finish. The occasional violin and vocals from Amy are fantastic and exactly what the newer albums are missing. Don't get me wrong, TAOG was a great debut, but they really came into their own on the Monitor. Local Business was incredible and TMLT isI can't believe this has the lowest user rating of their 4 albums when it is clearly the best one. This album is phenomenal from start to finish. The occasional violin and vocals from Amy are fantastic and exactly what the newer albums are missing. Don't get me wrong, TAOG was a great debut, but they really came into their own on the Monitor. Local Business was incredible and TMLT is beyond impressive, but neither of those albums surpassed the Monitor in my opinion. +@ Forever!!! Expand
  3. Jan 2, 2013
    8
    Titus Andronicus come back with something big and ambitious to say with this sophomore album. The Monitor is a sprawling record about youth and angst, and something to do partially with the civil war. From the lyrics to the loud guitar to the production, this is a great record. All In All, The Monitor is an album that needs to be played as loud as you'd like, as long as it's really loud. B+
  4. Dec 26, 2012
    10
    Pop Matters said this wasn't a home run, clearly they're unfamiliar with baseball because this album is a grand slam. This album knocks it right out of the **** park into the mesosphere, everything you could want is here from solid lyrics to an epic bag pipe solo.
  5. Jan 30, 2011
    10
    7.6 overall rating is **** **** The people who gave this a negative score are all **** idiots.
  6. Oct 21, 2010
    10
    The clear-cut pick for album of the year; this manages to outdo its absolutely stellar debut album in every way, and kicks your face in for a solid 65 minutes. Patrick Stickles is a songwriter and lyricist on par with the best of them, and there is not a weak track on here. Pure Brilliance.
  7. JoshL.
    Apr 13, 2010
    10
    It
  8. Rob
    Apr 1, 2010
    10
    Messy, confused, angry, brilliant.
  9. JoshP.
    Mar 24, 2010
    10
    Epic and superb.
  10. NickR
    Mar 15, 2010
    10
    Best album of the past few years.
  11. EricN
    Mar 15, 2010
    10
    Absolutely stellar. It's hard to imagine a more raucous, fun, epic album will be released in 2010. A total pleasure from start to finish.
  12. MikeB
    Mar 13, 2010
    10
    Beautiful, haunting and invigorating.
  13. JoeC.
    Mar 13, 2010
    10
    Hard driving yet the music is tuneful and catchy, and the lyrics
  14. AndersC.
    Mar 11, 2010
    10
    This is a magnificent album. Just brilliant.
  15. HarryB.
    Mar 9, 2010
    10
    This album works so well as a cohesive concept, but not in that over bearing "I'm an art dork who makes high brow nonsense" kind of way. More in the "I have serious things to say and the only way i know how is to write a string of incomprehensibly good songs and arrange them in chronological order". This album is special.
  16. MikeM
    Mar 9, 2010
    10
    Best album of the year so far, hands down. BUY THIS ALBUM!!!!
  17. AdamR.
    Mar 9, 2010
    9
    Rock music that is completely unhinged and uninhibited. The sound of joy screaming through angst. Beautiful.
Metascore
82

Universal acclaim - based on 32 Critic Reviews

Critic score distribution:
  1. Positive: 29 out of 32
  2. Negative: 0 out of 32
  1. It's more like sloshing or spewing, as intermittent love lookbacks evoke a social despair also contextualized by fabulous spoken epigraphs from Walt Whitman, Jefferson Davis, William Lloyd Garrison, and Young Abe Lincoln.
  2. Some of the riffs are quite incredible ('A More Perfect Union'), and the general effect of the whole album is that the listener will want to weep and dance simultaneously. Simply brilliant.
  3. The Monitor, then, is a boisterous, eloquent argument that rock music need not be dumb in order to be enjoyable, moreover, that we should be questioning and analysing our heritage rather than precariously stumbling onwards. But mostly, it's just a stupendous collection of songs; one that demands to be listened to as loudly as you can possibly get away with.