Ted Leo And The PharmacistsThe Brutalist Bricks
Matador Records [2010]
Fire Note Says: A warm welcome back to Mr. Leo!
Album Review:
It is only fitting that the first thing you hear on opening track "The Mighty Sparrow" is Ted Leo's revved up vocals tearing out of the block. On the groups six studio record, this energy is expected but The Brutalist Bricks finds the band in a good place, as they have settled in with their new indie label Matador and a songwriting process for Leo that comes off much more laid back. What you almost will immediately notice here is that this record is less politically charged then the Rapid Response EP [2008] or Living With The Living [2007], which lets Leo show off an excited fire that is not necessarily driven from being pissed off. Not only does this mind set steer the songs on The Brutalist Bricks but Ted and the band offer up some new experiments to keep things fresh. On "One Polaroid A Day", Leo takes on a much lower vocal octave that is paired with a mid-tempo pace, while "Tuberculoids Arrive In Hop" has more of a solo singer/songwriter vibe. The key factor on what really makes The Brutalist Bricks so strong is its complex song structures that interweave with the indie pop-punk that The Pharmacists supply. These quick changes on a dime and intricate guitar, vocals and power chords all form another extremely solid and enjoyable record that represents what Ted Leo does best, while giving you an album that never dulls!
Key Tracks: "Even Heroes Have To Die", "Bottled In Cork", "The Mighty Sparrow"
Bands With Similar Fire:
The Dismemberment Plan
Spoon
The Jam
Ted Leo And The Pharmacists: Rapid Response [EP] [Fire Note Review 10/7/08]
Ted Leo And The Pharmacists: Living With The Living [Fire Note Review 3/29/07]
Official Ted Leo Website
Ted Leo MySpace
Ted Leo Facebook
Matador Records
-Reviewed by Aidan Rox
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