Ted Leo’s “The Brutalist Bricks”

Brutalist Bricks Cover

Ted Leo says, "The cover might not make any sense at first, but if you stare at it long enough, you will go blind and then it won’t matter."

Ted Leo’s new album, “The Brutalist Bricks,” comes out tomorrow on Matador records. The album has been described by some as “peculiarly fresh,” and by me as “pretty much the greatest thing I have ever heard, ever.” Stylistically, the album follows 2007’s “Living with the Living,” but with a condensed, grittier sensibility and new energy. While the overall sound is delightfully consistent, there’s enough variety to keep things interesting, and Theodore’s songwriting really shines through. It’s a solid release that, if you are anything like me, you will play repeatedly for about a week straight.

There’s no way I can do the album justice in a few words, but luckily the album is available for free streaming on Myspace. Get into it! We’ll also be adding it to our rotation at WDCV, so you’ll get to hear it when you tune in.

Mr. Leo is currently on tour supporting the album release, and will be coming to our area around early April.

Free Music? New Pretty Lights EP

So here I am, with 70 or more pages to do of history reading when my friend Peter texts me and says “new pretty lights. some is sooo chill.” The two of us saw Pretty Lights at the Note in West Chester, PA in November and it was an awesome show.  It’s just this guy Derek Vincent Smith, and he’s from CO, but live he’s accompanied by drummer Cory Eberhard.

This text of course led to some procrastination when I downloaded the new EP on www.prettylightsmusic.com. The new EP is called “Making Up a Changing Mind.” I just finished listening to it, but so far I enjoy “Understand me now” and “I can see it in your face.”

His other albums are “Filling Up the City Skies,”  “Passing By Behind Your Eyes” and “Taking Up Your Precious Time.”

New Tunes

We will start to blog about some of the new music that comes through the music director’s desk.  Let us know what you think is good as well!