I was first introduced to Ted Leo and the Pharmacists through my Chilean indie-rock friend Carmen, who yelled at me (through text) that I hadn't heard him yet. I'd seen the high-praised reviews but it didn't seem to be "my thing." I was listening to a lot of Mogwai and The American Analog Set then and I didn't know if another indie-rock singer-songwriter with a "and the" in the band name was right for me.

I was wrong. I was so so wrong.

Ted Leo turned out to be exactly what I needed. The perfect band to start off a day (after coffee, of course). Huge load of energy, danceable melodies, speed-guitar that would make Jonny Greenwood proud, and verbose lyrics that tickle my writer's brain. I loved the band from the first song I heard, Heart of Oak's "Where Have All the Rude Boys Gone?" for it's ska-inspired rhythm and stretched-out-structure.

The new album, Shake the Sheets, due out in October, trades in the extra-credit outros and interludes of the previous albums for a more streamlined, more provocative, more exciting sound. The album passes in a heartbeat or a wink, so fast, so full, so quick, it leaves you wanting more (and more and more). Although I must admit I miss some of the more complex structures and stories of Heart of Oak and Tyranny of Distance, the songs here have a brief power like that of a short story or poem.

Ted Leo and the Pharmacists are a wonderfully fresh, wonderfully fun band that raises the indie rock flag and waves it like no other. I'd go so far as to say if you don't find yourself nodding your head and smiling to the below songs, you should go back to your Mariah Carey records. Dork.

Counting Down the Hours One of the highlights of the new album. Jovial, memorable. Be warned: Once you hear this, you'll want to listen to it again and again.

Under the Hedge A great song off The Tyranny of Distance. Almost a retelling of Romeo and Juliet. A sweet harmonious love-letter.

Bleeding Power (acoustic) This song is from Ted Leo's "Tell Balgeary, Belgury's Dead EP" while a full band version appears on the new album. This little acoustic piece showcases perfectly the stark, simple beauty of Ted Leo's voice and his violent strumming ability.

(I guess these don't work. wow, i'm late in finding this out. Um, sorry. Really.)

Yeah but nobody searches,
Nobody cares somehow.
When the loving that you've wasted,
Comes raining from a hapless cloud.

And I, myself, may look upon your face,
Disappear in the sweet, sweet gaze.
See the living that surrounds me,
Dissipate in a violent waste.

Can't you see what you've done to my heart
And soul...?
This is a wasteland now.

We spies, we slow hands,
Put the weights around yourself,
We spies, oh yeah, we slow hands,
You put the weights all around yourself.

Now...I submit my incentive is romance,
I watched the pole dance of the stars.
We rejoice cause the hurting is so painless,
From the distance of passing cars.

But I am married to your charms and grace.
Just be crazy like the good old days,
You make me wanna pick up a guitar,
And celebrate the myriad ways that I love you

Can't you see what you've done to my heart
And soul...?
This is a wasteland now.
We spies, yeah, we slow hands,
You put the weights all around yourself.
We spies, oh yeah, we slow hands,
Killer for hire, you know that yourself.

We spies, we slow hands,
Put the weights all around yourself.

We spies, oh yeah, we slow hands,
We retire like nobody else.
We spies, intimate slow hands,
Killer for hire, you know that yourself.
We spies, intimate slow hands,
You let the pace slap around the self.

-interpol.

the Bush administration lied to us again. This shouldn't be shocking or angering to me at this point, but for some reason it is. (Why?) Is it because they're finding new ways to do it? They dug up some dusty information on obvious targets and tried to take the attention away from Kerry.

In November, I'm sure this country will shout as loud as they can, "No more." No more lies, no more loopholes in a already-pock-marked system. No more political deception. It's ruining us.

On the recent episode of Bill Maher's HBO series, Michael Moore said this race is not "neck-in-neck" as the media would have you believe. Data from "Polls" can't be trusted. And neither can "news" between corporate-sponsored-smiles. This Election Day, millions of people who never would voted before (like me) will add our voices to the cry. Finally.