Ted Leo And The Pharmacists, Living With The Living

by Kathryn Durfee
07/26/2007

For lovers of classic rock, indie rock, alternative, reggae, and Irish folk, there's New Jersey native Ted Leo. With Living with the Living, his sixth album with his current outfit The Pharmacists (Chris Wilson and Dave Lerners), Leo proves to be on the path to becoming a modern rock and roll hero à la Springsteen.

Leo has been playing for almost 20 years now, and there's no end in sight. He began his career in New York clubs with bands Citizen's Arrest and Animal Crackers, then became a member and the main songwriter for the DC-based band Chisel. He has been playing with The Pharmacists since 1999 and joined Lookout! Records in 2001. Living With the Living marks his first record with Touch & Go Records.

Living With the Living, like all of Leo's work, is catchy and easy to listen to, but is also full of heart and meaning. While most pop bands sing about trite subjects, Leo sings about what is most important to him. Living With the Living speaks out against the war and the government. His lyrics are sometimes stinging, as in the tracks "Colleen:" "It's been all messed up since the very beginning / it's too late now, 'cause we're already in it" and "Annunciation Day:" "Yes, eternal peace awaits / But for now, you get eternal war / and not even the government knows what the fuck it's for anymore." Ouch. Now, I don't agree with Leo's politics, though that's true for me with most characters in the entertainment industry. Regardless, I can't deny that Leo's got talent.

Leo's past albums have received high praise from critics, and Living With the Living is no different. He has the ability to make you want to root for him, even if you don't agree. He never lets his politics to overpower good music. The songs are smart, tight, and energetic. Though the songs sound happy and bouncy, the lyrics say otherwise.

Over the course of the 15-track album, countless sources of inspiration can be heard. Nods are made to those that came before him: hints of Springsteen's "Dancing in the Dark" and "Born to Run" can be heard. Leo also pulls from his Irish heritage by including the folk sound of celtic ballads: "A Bottle of Buckie" is a love song to a friend and recalls the storytelling quality prevalent in folk ballads. And what would a political album without a little peace-loving reggae? "The Unwanted Things" sounds like a song you might hear at the beach, but it features cutting lyrics such as "And so I'm crying for the war and the dread / and I'm crying 'cause there's more ahead." One of the most catchy tunes on the album is "Bomb. Repeat. Bomb." which is sure to be a single. Placed in the middle of the album, this song shocks the listener out of the indie-rock loop and springs into a Beastie Boys-style rap/chant challenging the nation's place in the world of warfare against scratchy guitar.

As the previous examples reveal, none of Leo's songs are especially original. Indie rockers have been speaking out against the war for years. His lyrics can make you squirm, but the music is good, keeping it stuck in your head for days.

Living With the Living is brimming with confident anthems. After a few listens, I am convinced that Leo could sing about a hatred of kittens, and his music would still be a hit. The only negative thing I have to say about this album is its length. WIth 15 songs, a handful of which cross the five-minute mark, it's difficult to get all the way through the album in one sitting. Leo sends his listeners a battering ram of percussion and guitar work that comes across better in small doses.

Though I do not consider myself a Ted Leo aficionado, I have a few of his past albums and find Living With the Living to be one of his best. This record may be eclectic, but it is pure Leo: a personal and political album with tight music and catchy hooks.

Ted Leo can be seen here in Athens during Popfest, which runs August 7-11. Leo will be performing Thursday, August 9 at the 40 Watt.