Ted Leo and The Pharmacists - Hearts of Oak

"I consider myself a perpetual English major, but I also get into bar fights." - Ted Leo That seems like a pretty apt quote to start things off with. In fact, a majority of the songs on Hearts Of Oak embody that statement. Intelligent, fun, smart, indie rock songs backed by a powerful force of sincerity and.. well.. catchiness. Fortunately it's a catchiness that's not contrived and packaged for TV or radio, it's a catchiness that comes from the songs being well crafted. When writing this I found myself at a loss at how to properly describe just how this album sounds (and that's my job!). It's got a lo-fi feel to it. It's catchy. It sometimes features whistling, cowbell (or wood block), or cello. Songs like "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?" and "Bridges, Squares" feel like you've heard them a million times after hearing it halfway through (not cause it's contrived, but because it's just that catchy). "The Ballad Of Sin Eater" is the most thrashed out punk-tinged track on the album, which is good for the most part but does have a mildly annoying repetitive chorus. "2nd Ave, 11am" forces you to nod your head, and once you know the words, forces you to sing with it. But even that doesn't do it total justice. Nor does it even fully describe it. Hearts Of Oak will make it into CD players across America for the summer. It embodies the feel good times that most people associate with summer, without being contrived or even attempting to be anything - it's just a damn fine upbeat album. [www.lookoutrecords.com]