Titles

Being the odd man out has never made things easy. Although many would pass on taking the singer/songwriter route in a tight scene composed mostly of punk and hardcore outfits, Brad Amorosino and John Miller of Titles embraced the
challenge as an opportunity to create music that was just as far from comparison as it was from the norm.

"I think being in such a small pond has been a healthy challenge for the band. It gave us a better chance to develop without a microscope, without reference," Amorosino said.

That "small pond" is the Connecticut music scene, one that strongly caters to its roots in hardcore, from the inception of the metal-hardcore gods Hatebreed to all those thereafter, leaving little space for rock wonders to take their place on stage.

Genre difficulties weren't the only things plaguing Amorosino's musical hopes. After he finished college, his band First Aid Kit broke up after a U.S. tour with Finch and Recover. Most of the band opted for more solid careers, leaving Amorosino with little else than his guitar and questions about the future.

Out of these uncertainties rose the beginnings of Titles, thoughts that would become lyrics scratched out on paper and later put to use with Amorosino's songwriting talents would become the benchmark for Titles' self-titled debut slated for a September 19, 2006 release date.

Even though Amorosino was spending his better days with his guitar and a 4-track, the project reached fruition when Amorosino scouted the talents of Miller, a friend from his days in First Aid Kit. The two began tracking songs and Titles
quickly grew into a more intense and dedicated project. Miller proved himself as more than just a rhythm addition and became an essential part of the writing process, filling in on guitar as needed. The new material embraced both the buoyant and melancholic sides of the pop music he and Miller were weaned on.

Live performances convinced the duo that their recorded sound wouldn't translate as a two-piece, so the talents of Adrian Van de Graaf and Matt Wilson were called upon to complete the group.

The end product is Titles' eponymous full-length. The album is a collection of songs about procrastination, indecision and the comfort that comes from realizing that all of these trials are fairly normal. Songs like opener "Pink Pair of Shoes" and
"Cash for Art" exhibit the outfit's impeccable cohesion of bluesy vocal cues, jangly guitars and a tightly locked rhythm section. Listeners are moved along from beginning to end with a relaxing sway. The pared down "Lab Rat" and "Empty Hotel" allow Amorosino to show off his songwriting skills and invite the audience to soak up the sincerity of his unrest.

If Titles is a look at the group's struggle to find themselves, then breaking away from the norm might have been the best decision they ever made.