He Says He Wants A Revolution

Comedian Christopher Titus issues double album of political and social material

By Michael Shashoua / Jester editor-in-chief

After three years, Christopher Titus returns with a new album, “Neverlution!,” a double CD set released June 28 in which the comedian takes on the decline of American culture with sharp, angry laments. (Titus' 2009 special was not issued as an album). For his material, Titus mines phenomenon like every child getting a participation trophy for youth sports, and a vignette about an obnoxious kid running around the DMV.

Titus is skilled at weaving his ideas and stories together and reaching back for callbacks and references to items he’s previously put out there in the performance, recorded live in Aspen, Colo. A favorite of these, for its absurdity in the service of social commentary, is his idea that we ought to have 22-year late term abortions, because someone might be O.K., but you have to make sure they don’t turn into an asshole after they’re legally able to drink.

Overall, Titus’ point of view, “Neverlution!” does veer between socially conservative – that American culture needs to get back to the standards it once had for behavior and manners – and progressive or even radical, as on the segment “Two Hour Revolution,” where he advocates everyone just stop everything for two hours to show the politicians who should be boss, and that they ought to get back to working for the people.

This double album, after such a long time (Titus undoubtedly toured regularly to develop all this material, but hasn’t turned up in films or television in the interim), finds the comedian turning back from personal material of “Norman Rockwell Is Bleeding” (see review, 7/20/08) to political or societal commentary. He has good command and presence, and strong points of view, although the trick is whether the material will bear repeated listens or whether it’s so strident and specific, that once you’ve heard and absorbed it, that is enough.