Ted Leo & the Pharmacists - "The Brutalist Bricks" (Matador Records)

"The new millennium is tough, for some more than others, what a ridiculous understatement," snarls Ted Leo on "Ativan Eyes," a document of economic class struggle set over bouncy pop punk from his latest "The Brutalist Bricks." The song is a catchy energetic piece of agitprop that would make a perfect soundtrack for a sunny day, even if the subject matter is nothing to smile about. Yet that dichotomy is what has defined Ted Leo throughout his career. He makes snappy addictive pop songs fashioned out of a patchwork of punk, folk, reggae, ska and Thin Lizzy-infected rock and roll. His music is like a shot of adrenaline that comes in handy during long drives or when you need that extra push at the gym, while his lyrics are thought-provoking nuggets of political and personal discourse. Leo has been called an idealist from time to time, and I often wonder if that isn't more because of the often lively disposition of his music than it is a reflection of his politics and lyrics. But then again, what else do you call a guy who has the red/black anarcho-syndicalist flag planted in the middle of his lyric sheet with the words "The Truth Is In The Garden" printed over it?

Following the somewhat disappointing "Living With The Living," it was hard not to approach "The Brutalist Bricks" with trepidation. As one reviewer wrote, it was possible that "Living" marked the beginning of the sunset years in Leo's much respected musical career. Those fears are quickly laid to rest as soon as the needle hits the groove on "A Mighty Sparrow." The song kicks off with Leo's distinctive voice calling out "when the cafe doors exploded, I reacted to, reacted to you." Soon thereafter the Pharmacists explode as well, sounding as lean and tight as ever. It's a good sign that heralds a return to form for Leo, which continues throughout an album full of solid bangers.

For the next 40 minutes, with the exception of the pleasant, but slight, "One Polaroid A Day," and the confounding "Tuberculoids Arrive In Hop," Leo and the Pharmacists lay down some of the finest pop punk in years. There isn't anything here that we haven't heard before from Leo, but that is okay. The problem with "Living," was that Leo attempted too many different individual styles of music, and in the end it came off as music tourism. This isn't to say that there aren't some great moments to be found on that album, but if I want to hear reggae I will listen to Lee "Scratch" Perry, not Ted Leo. On the other hand, if I want to hear pop punk, I can't think of anyone better to provide than Ted Leo, and provide he does with "The Brutalist Bricks." From the Oi Oi of "Where Was My Brain?" to the indie/garage/classic-rock mashup of "Last Days," Leo and the Pharmacists fully satisfy.

Two songs stand out and more than satisfy, they are goddamned spectacular. The first is "Mourning in America," which draws a direct line from the racial politics of Ronald Reagan's "southern strategy" to the "tea-baggers" and "birthers" of today. Leo's voice is at its most urgent here, while the Pharmacists play with all the requisite sound and fury befitting the song's subject matter. It is an angry and desperate piece that exposes the racism seated deep in the breast of America's right-wing, who increasingly resemble those white-hooded terrorists of old. Leo calls them out for being "long manipulated and willfully dumb." One of the great modern tragedies is that while there is plenty to be angry about, the real enemies, corporations and their bought and paid for politicians, manipulate peoples' fear, causing them to act against their own interests. So what else do you call poor foreclosed white folks who shows up to town hall meetings screaming that Obama is a Nazi for wanting to provide them with health care?

The other song is "Bottled Up In Cork," which begins with the same fury as "Mourning," with Leo singing about a "peace keeping" debate on the floor of the U.N. The song quickly turns from the political into a personal travelogue. The music bears the melodicism of a world traveller imparting insight. One gets the sense from the song that Leo loves the world he lives in, loves to explore it and loves the people he meets along the way, but that the misdeeds of Washington and Wall Street, which threatens those places and people, are never far from his mind. One line stands out in particular; "a little goodwill goes a mighty long way." If there is any expression to sum up Leo's approach to music and politics that would be it. Leo has always come in goodwill, even when he is singing about the atrocious realities of our time, and "The Brutalist Bricks" is another fine example of his agitprop pop.

"A Mighty Sparrow" live on Jimmy Fallon


"Mourning In America"


"Bottled Up In Cork"