Ted head

We got an advance copy of Living with the Living, the new CD from Ted Leo and The Pharmacists this week. Following up a great run of righteous, rocking, and fun releases for Lookout!, the prolific and constantly touring band is continuing its ascent into The Only Band That Matters category. I like punk that's fueled by attitude and energy, but sometimes you need to hear musical and songwriting talent, which this trio has in spades. Combine the lyrics of Billy Bragg, falsetto from Squeeze, music of Thin Lizzy, and DIY spirit and ethic of DCHC, and you'll get a general idea. After a few listens seems like this album has a lot more layers and dynamics than the previous ones, and the group even breaks into a full-on reggae song.



To combat piracy, the 15 songs are split up into 90 tracks! I don't mind because all the songs are great, and I can't tell the difference when I'm listening in my car anyway. But what's with the quotes on the back? Gushy reviews from Spin, Entertainment Weekly, and The New York Times? Does that help? You'd think it was a Pearl Jam record or something. I better start write catchier reviews so they have more options next time.