Since their second album The Tyranny of Distance (2001), Ted Leo & The Pharmacists have been playing guitar driven politically motivated lyrical pop sounding jams. Throughout the decade, they have reached musical highs with their 2003 effort Hearts of Oak and one of my personal favorite albums Shake The Sheets (2004). It was songs like "Me & Mia," "Counting Down the Hours," The High Party" and "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone," that pulsate the ears and immediately attract the listener to Leo's riveting guitar work and songwriting prowess.
At some point, Leo cranked everything out of proportion with the unbalanced and drawn out clunk sounding Living With The Living (2007). Besides a couple songs, Leo seemed to jam pack a million things into one album that is far too long and muddled together with pretentiousness and verbose lyrics. The album closer "C.I.A" is the only true redeeming quality from this lackluster effort.
A new decade might have brought Ted Leo & The Pharmacists most complete and well rounded work. The Brutalist Bricks, released on March 9 puts it all together and is a continuation of what Leo does best. It is sharp sounding pop numbers with a splice of punk from start to finish with Leo delivering on almost every track with some of his best lyrics. Leo strums his signature guitar sound on each track with blistering fury. The opening track "The Mighty Sparrow" lets the listener know whats in store with Leo bursting forth "When the café doors exploded, I reacted to, reacted to you." It is a return of what Leo does best. He is able to bring forth a sense of passion and frenzy while his lyrics remain poignant and evocative.
The albums first half is fast paced that present classic sounding Leo tracks like "Mourning in America and the albums first single "Even Heroes Have to Die." There are the best examples of what Ted Leo, Jersey pride and all, is about. Catchy sounding melodies and bouncy guitars.
It is the middle of the album that Ted Leo takes his music to the next level. The stretch of songs "Bottled in Cork," Woke Up Near Chelsea" and "One Polaroid a Day" are the bread and butter of the album and it presents some of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists finest work. "Bottled in Cork" will immediately become a favorite with Leo repeating the melodious chorus "Tell the bartender I think I'm falling in love."
"One Polaroid a Day" presents a rare gruff sounding Leo substituting his usual falsetto, on a bass driven banger about the fleeting highlights of someones life "But in the time it takes to turn the cameras on, you can keep on clicking but the moments gone." He executes this change of pace flawlessly.
The five songs that conclude Brutalist Bricks are above average sounding works from an accomplished and mature songwriter. The two that really stick out are "Bartolomeo And The Buzzing Of Bees" and the album closer "Last Days."
While I feel this falls just short of Shake The Sheets, Ted Leo & The Pharmacists return to prominence with their most well balanced and musically diverse album. There is a heart and soul in Brutalist Bricks that was absent from his previous album Living With The Living. Leo brings a focus and new energy in delivering his usual pop/rock numbers that he first introduced in 2001. A new decade and an invigorated Ted Leo is just what I needed.
Overall Rating: 3/4
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