Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks

After a hit or miss previous album (2007's Living With The Living), Ted Leo and his Pharmacists are back with a new full length, The Brutalist Bricks, due out on March 9th. Bursting out of the gate with the aptly titled "The Mighty Sparrow" and a lyrical hook of "When the cafe doors exploded, I reacted to / Reacted to you," it's clear that age is not about to slow Leo down anytime soon. From there, Leo gets angry on the tightly wound "Mourning In America," showcases the power of catchy vocal harmonizing on "Ativan Eyes" and "Even Heroes Have To Die," and manages to write an accidental love song with "Bottled In Corked." Just like he did on Living With The Living, Leo also experiments a bit on Brutalist to great success, using a heavy dose of acoustic guitars, handclaps, and even working in a post-punk track ("Where Was My Brain?"). The Brutalist Bricks is more than just another great addition to Leo's stellar discography, it's a powerful statement that shows that he's just as creative (if not more) than he was at the start of his career. If this is the kind of music that Leo is releasing eleven years after his first record, just imagine what he'll be doing five or even ten years from now.

DOWNLOAD: Ted Leo And The Pharmacists - The Brutalist Bricks [Matador]
Recommended Tracks: "The Mighty Sparrow," "Ativan Eyes," "Even Heroes Have To Die," "Bottled In Cork," "Where Was My Brain?"