Ted Leo & The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks (2010)

I can really tell Ted Leo’s trying to sing his heart out, and while it’s somewhat endearing it isn’t exactly pleasant to the ears, unless the song’s melody is really great, like on “Me and Mia” or “Counting Down the Hours” from Shake the Sheets (2004). Because of this, your tolerance for his voice will go a long way to determining whether you like his music. If you liked his past work, I don’t see any reason you won’t enjoy this. It’s certainly a bit more inspired and cohesive than his last album, Living With the Living (2007). Most of the music on this album is straight out of the typical punk rock playbook with quick downpicking on the guitars alternated with power chords in the chorus (see “The Mighty Sparrow”) and a drummer trying to kill something on his snare drum (see most of these songs). I cant really fault a band for sticking with what’s tried-and-true. Ted Leo does this, but his music is not boring. The pacing and energy does get a bit exhausting since there aren’t the strong melodies to grab you, but that doesn’t make it boring. All of the songs sound pretty distinct, even on the first listen, which is an accomplishment. Many of them are, as described above, fast-paced rockers in which Ted howls his vocals over garage-rock-ish music. Then there are some more gritty songs, generally a bit more distorted and messy, like “Mourning in America” (good song) and “The Stick” (not so good). This style is very hit or miss because it sounds like Ted is trying to be something he isn’t. They don’t stand up well alongside his typical vocal style, which is somewhat high-pitched, sometimes (unintentionally, I think) bordering on squeaky. Then there are a couple quieter slower tunes, which provide a nice respite from his energy, such as “One Polaroid a Day” and “Tuberculoids Arrive in Hop”. I find a lot to dislike about his music but somehow I enjoy this a lot more than my opinions may make it seem. It isn’t remarkable but it’s pretty fun, which is more than enough to be worth my time. My favorite song is “Bottled in Cork” which makes good use of an acoustic guitar to provide some rhythm.

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