One of the most creative and energetic forces on the indie-rock scene, Ted Leo broke out with the D.C.-based Chisel in 1990. Following seven years and three discs fronting that mod/punk crew, Leo polished off the decade playing guitar with the Spinanes, fronting the fleeting but powerful Sin Eaters, and laying the groundwork for his vision of a meaty hybrid of pop, punk and populist rock.
Positioned as something of a benign, empathetic pied piper, this protean rocker packs his punchy, melodic tunes with a torrent of verbiage (a la early Costello) fairly obsessed with the brevity of life, espousing cautious optimism, activism when possible, and distrust of (if not utter contempt for) the powers that be -- all delivered with such palpable gravity that you don't have to check the lyric sheet to catch the drift.
Leo's vocals recall Glenn Tilbrook (Squeeze) with Kevin Rowland (Dexy's Midnight Runners) overdrive, featuring a precise falsetto that belies a deep-rooted passion for blue-eyed soul. Written and recorded in the pressure-cooker urgency of the 2004 presidential campaign, Shake The Sheets generally eschews the pretty stuff and varied pacing amply displayed on its predecessors, 2001's The Tyranny Of Distance and 2003's Hearts Of Oak.
With the aid of producer Chris Shaw, Leo compresses his prodigious gifts, delivering some of the most guitar-shredding, jackhammer heartpunches this side of the Jam, Midnight Oil or the Clash. The Pharmacists' live shows routinely bury the needle; this spirited flame-thrower delivers that controlled chaos to your crib.
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