Titus Andronicus returning to Iowa City

Whenever the members of Titus Andronicus head to Iowa City, they reminisce about the band Birth Rites.

“They were a group from Iowa City that was amazing,” Titus Andronicus singer/songwriter Patrick Stickles said while calling from his New York apartment. “We played there a bunch of times with them. I remember their guitarist used to wear a werewolf mask. They were so much fun, but I don’t think they ever put out a record.”

However, Titus Andronicus always seems to be working on a new project. The band’s latest, “The Will to Live,” is among its most hard-hitting.

A number of tremendous albums have been inspired by the death of bandmates, family and/or friends. Neil Young’s brilliant “Tonight’s the Night,” Arcade Fire’s breakthrough release “Funeral,” and The Flaming Lips’ classic “The Soft Bulletin,” were triggered by the loss of loved ones.

“The Will to Live” is the result of the death of keyboardist Matt “Money” Miller, 34, who died in March 2021.

“Much of the album is a response to Matt passing away,” Stickles said. “Matt wasn’t just my bandmate, but also my cousin. He was also my best friend and just an amazing person. He was such a significant person for so many reasons.”

But life is for the living and Titus Andronicus, performing Wednesday at Gabe’s in Iowa City, is moving on while touring behind its seventh album. “The Will to Live” is ambitious, irreverent and at times, quirky.

“I tried to make this album into a singular artistic statement like a movie or a novel,” Stickles said. “It’s like I tried to satisfy my own literary ambitions. We put a lot into this album.”

Titus Andronicus — which also includes guitarist Liam Betson, bassist R.J. Gordon and drummer Chris Wilson — recorded with a number of guest musicians. Hold Steady guitarist Tad Kubler, Tim Kingbury of Arcade Fire and E Street Band saxophonist Jake Clemons are among those who contributed to the album.

“Tad added quite a bit to a few songs, and Jake Clemons is such a great musician,” Stickles said. “He’s a phenomenal pianist. It’s such a cool thing to have friends who will come in and add to a project like this.”

Stickles has plenty of pals in the music world, but there’s often been an outsiders feel to Titus Andronicus, and especially with “The Will to Live.” “Bridge and Tunnel,” which used to bear a huge stigma for New Yorkers, and “(I’m) Screwed” are among the songs written from the view of someone on the periphery.

“I don’t know if that vibe comes from the fact that I’m from New Jersey,” Stickles said. “But I’m over any of that, since I live in Queens (and) my borough is the most diverse city in the world.”

It’s been a bit of a revolving door for Titus Andronicus, which has 19 former members during the band's 18 year history.

“But we’re keeping it going,” Stickles said. “I look at the plus side, which is that the band has been around for nearly 20 years. The band can almost vote.”

However, Stickles makes the decisions, which is probably for the best since most rock bands are lucky to have one visionary.

“I rule with an iron first,” he said. “I think it’s best that way, since when a band has too many songwriters, it makes it harder to have cohesiveness, which appeals to me. Look at Bruce Springsteen. It wouldn’t be the same if Steve Van Zandt started singing songs. This isn’t a knock against Steven. He’s great, but with Springsteen, you have that cohesiveness, and that’s what I aim for with our band.”

Unlike the Boss, who is often mixing up his set by calling audibles, Stickles and his bandmates often play the same songs every night.

“That’s fine if you see us for one night,” Stickles said. “But we recently did two shows in England, and I told the audience the second night that we’re going to do the same songs in the same order, as well as the same dance moves. I felt a little guilty.

“Maybe we should mix it up, but I never want to just play the weirdest deep cuts in a place like Great Falls, Mont., since maybe not a lot of people show up. Maybe we should make a list of our strongest songs and play them in the most impactful order. Maybe we should look back at what we played the last time we were in town so we don’t repeat ourselves.”