Loving living

There is too much about this band and album to love. If you are opposed to listening to it based on the politics, I would argue that the quality of these songs is enough to let you look past the message and see this album for what it is. Living with the Living is an album that contains respect for traditions, a flair for breaking them and a boldness that could help serve as inspiration for other bands that may be too punk for punk.\nTed Leo & the Pharmacists' previous effort, Shake the Sheets, was a serious but almost playful admonishment of corruption and apathy. Their fifth album, Living with the Living, picks up where the previous effort left off as Ted Leo & the Pharmacists continue to sonically stick it to the man. \nFor the uninitiated, this is a band with both pop and punk sensibilities, but the band is by no means "pop-punk." You won't find the simple repetitive rhythms, three-chord drudgery or that pre-packaged brand of angst. What you will find is the pace of punk with variety, precision, Leo's often veiled left-wing lyricism and a genuine intensity, passion and hope for change. In addition, the worldly Leo and crew sprinkle in elements of genres ranging from soul, R&B and even reggae on Living with the Living. Leo has been able to show that one can create punk music without following the tried and true formulas that punk pioneers and practitioners live and die by. I'll put it this way: They're too punk even to be punk.\nLeo's rapid-fire guitar licks are back in full force, complete with deceptively complex drumming and just the right amount of bass added to the mix. Leo's voice also shines as he shows off his oddly appealing vocal talents. His style is intense, sincere and always well-suited to the musical backdrop against which he sings. Dynamic vocalists are hard to come by in rock music, but Ted can muster just about as much vocal ornamentation as anyone in the game. \nThe band's biggest selling points are obviously their focus, ferocity and fluidity, which translate both to the live and studio settings. Songs that the band played on its recent tour, such as "Sons of Cain" and "Army Bound," have been captured on Living with the Living with the same excitement and meticulousness that they had during the live performances. From beginning to end, the album captures the sincerity, enthusiasm and, of course, great songs from a polished band that understands the power that is inherent in music.