Good new music week: Ted Leo & the Pharmacists deliver dependably great tunes
Andrew McCoy
Issue date: 11/6/08 Section: A & E
Troy Davis, a Georgian man on death row, is appealing his death sentence. This news riddles the Web site of Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Not very typical of a pop-punk band, but for the overtly political Ted Leo, it's fitting.
Initially a solo project for Leo, he added backing musicians in 1999 officially forming Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Leo is the sole constant member and brainchild of the band.
The current band, consisting of Chris Wilson on drums and James Canting on guitar, is the closest the band has been to having full time members.
With a voice that echoes Elvis Costello and guitar riffs straight out of Joe Strummer's arsenal, Leo fuses roots in early nineties hardcore, indie rock, and dub-reggae to create a unique sound that never loses sight of the melody.
"Leo is an immediate vocal presence with melodic gifts," said Rolling Stone.
The band's two newest albums, "Shake the Sheets," and "Living with the Living," both received admirable reviews from Rolling Stone.
"It's different. It's not something I'd normally listen to, but it's catchy," said junior Jess Dufour after listening to "Me and Mia," Leo's most popular single.
"Shake the Sheets," Leo's fourth studio album, typifies a darker lyrical sensibility. In the title track, Leo's political frustration is evident as he asks, "when will we find a chord as resonant as to shake the sheets and make us move?"
And in all of this, Leo can still write a hit. His vocal talents, which range to falsetto, shape the melodic nature of his songs. Listeners can't help but hum along even as Leo delves into darker topics.
Where Ted Leo and Pharmacists truly shine is in concert.
Known for his excessive tour schedule-taking breaks only to write and record-fans of the band know to expect an ever energized Ted Leo and the Pharmacists in concert.
Leo sings like he has a bone to pick. He belts out songs with passion equal to that of a political activist. The stage becomes Leo's pulpit; he preaches to the masses, begging them to feel as he does.
Equally as good, the Pharmacists' talent gives Leo a back strong enough to make the audience feel the closeness.
"I'm surprised they aren't more popular," said junior Christie Caravello while listening to the band. "This could be big on the radio."
In an interview with Bad Hand Writing, Leo said, "I want my music to be heard by, and I want to play to, as many people as possible. I like playing to crowds who appreciate what we do, it's why you bring it out on stage to begin with."
Initially a solo project for Leo, he added backing musicians in 1999 officially forming Ted Leo and the Pharmacists. Leo is the sole constant member and brainchild of the band.
The current band, consisting of Chris Wilson on drums and James Canting on guitar, is the closest the band has been to having full time members.
With a voice that echoes Elvis Costello and guitar riffs straight out of Joe Strummer's arsenal, Leo fuses roots in early nineties hardcore, indie rock, and dub-reggae to create a unique sound that never loses sight of the melody.
"Leo is an immediate vocal presence with melodic gifts," said Rolling Stone.
The band's two newest albums, "Shake the Sheets," and "Living with the Living," both received admirable reviews from Rolling Stone.
"It's different. It's not something I'd normally listen to, but it's catchy," said junior Jess Dufour after listening to "Me and Mia," Leo's most popular single.
"Shake the Sheets," Leo's fourth studio album, typifies a darker lyrical sensibility. In the title track, Leo's political frustration is evident as he asks, "when will we find a chord as resonant as to shake the sheets and make us move?"
And in all of this, Leo can still write a hit. His vocal talents, which range to falsetto, shape the melodic nature of his songs. Listeners can't help but hum along even as Leo delves into darker topics.
Where Ted Leo and Pharmacists truly shine is in concert.
Known for his excessive tour schedule-taking breaks only to write and record-fans of the band know to expect an ever energized Ted Leo and the Pharmacists in concert.
Leo sings like he has a bone to pick. He belts out songs with passion equal to that of a political activist. The stage becomes Leo's pulpit; he preaches to the masses, begging them to feel as he does.
Equally as good, the Pharmacists' talent gives Leo a back strong enough to make the audience feel the closeness.
"I'm surprised they aren't more popular," said junior Christie Caravello while listening to the band. "This could be big on the radio."
In an interview with Bad Hand Writing, Leo said, "I want my music to be heard by, and I want to play to, as many people as possible. I like playing to crowds who appreciate what we do, it's why you bring it out on stage to begin with."
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