Ted Leo And The Pharmacists — The Brutalist Bricks

New Jersey's Ted Leo is one of this century's most overlooked songwriters, and the outspoken vegan and his band make their Matador Records debut on this sixth full-length.

Punk remains at the roots of everything Leo and his talented sidemen produce, but the '70s influences that have often crept into their music are back again — particularly on "Woke Up Near Chelsea," which also features some country guitar licks. "Tuberculoids Arrive In Hop" is an entirely acoustic number and fades away to the hum of crickets and other nature sounds.

"Bottled In Cork" is a bit lighter than most and may be the catchiest of the 13 songs on the record. "One Polaroid A Day" is more soulful and a little slower, while "Where Was My Brain?" is delivered in rapid-fire punk style and includes the album's title in its lyrics.

If you've liked what Ted Leo And The Pharmacists have done in the past, there's no reason why you shouldn't develop a deep appreciation for this album. Leo isn't afraid to take a stand with his words, and the powerful music accompanying them helps his messages go down easy.

I wouldn't rank The Brutalist Bricks quite up there with 2007's Living With The Living or 2003's Hearts Of Oak, but those were great albums. This one is good by the band's previously set high standards, and that should still make it a contender for one of my top 10 or 20 albums of this year.

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