Living with the Living: Go Leo! Go Pharmacists!

Last Tuesday, Touch and Go released the new Ted Leo/the Pharmacists album, "Living with the Living." After only a week I am thoroughly enamored of its focused ferocity and lyrical content moreso than most dreck that percolates these days or rather froths forward in the bubbles of indie rock mediocrity (and mendacity). It is a protest album of the finest caliber; being such, it is a rarity, which should not be the case in these days. But, you know, these Americans...(well, I, like Bowie, am afraid of Americans). But Ted and the boys have invigorated the pivot and punch of political rock and the rhythms and rhymes coalesce majestically. One is reminded of thirties proletarian fiction and seventies Phil Lynott. Righteous, wonderful. --curley