Local hipster hero Ted Leo is back with his newest album, Living with the Living, and, fortunately for indie-pop fans, the prognosis looks promising, as Ted Leo and the Pharmacists seem to have found the prescription for success.
A resident of Washington since 1990, Leo seems to have found a niche by delivering eclectic albums with scathing political lyrics and catchy guitar hooks while ultimately staying true to his rock and punk roots. Living with the Living is no exception. The album features everything from reggae to Celtic-influenced rock to unashamed anti-war ballads.
Leo even dabbles in hardcore with “Bomb. Repeat. Bomb.,” perhaps homage to the district’s now-defunct underground hardcore scene (the album was produced by Brendan Canty, drummer of the legendary Washington hardcore band Fugazi), and a clear commentary on the war in Iraq. While Leo makes a noble effort with the song, it is hard to take it seriously, because his usually gentle and airy voice makes for terrible screaming. Still, the song is not a weak point to the album; somehow, it manages to become endearing with its catchy, simple chorus of “Bomb. Repeat. Bomb. Repeat. Bomb.”
The band is at its best, however, when sticking to what it knows best: poppy punk-rock songs with fast beats and catchy melodies. After the intro, “Fourth World War,” a 35-second clip of various languages, the album gets started with the power-pop song “The Sons of Cain,” perhaps the strongest song of the album.
Near the album’s close, Leo tests listeners’ patience with three songs each clocking in at more than six minutes, including the seven-and-a-half-minute epic, “The Lost Brigade.” Fortunately, the song stays diverse enough to not become boring and ends up being the climax of the album.
Another strong point of the album is “Coleen,” a song that features Leo over an acoustic guitar but also uses a slick electric solo. If anyone else were singing it, the song would feel thin, but Leo’s strong vocals make the song feel just right. “A Bottle Of Buckie” is also an album highlight, as it features an obvious Irish influence and a piccolo solo that seems straight out of a Celtic dance number.
Definitely worth the price of admission, Living with the Living features plenty of indie power-pop goodness. While it may not be as strong as some of the band’s previous offerings, particularly the classic Hearts of Oak, the album features enough diversity and plenty of content (a whopping 15 songs) to satisfy any Ted Leo fan.
For those who still can’t get enough, the band is releasing a five-song bonus disc, Mo’ Livin, to people who pre-order the album. Mo Livin’ will include a cover of the classic Chumbawumba song “Rappaport’s Testament: I Never Gave Up.” Good enough for any Leo-lover.
Contact reporter Jason Koebler at aggro@umd.edu.
