MOG

I am a huge Ted Leo fan. I love Shake the Sheets more than almost every other album in my music collection. Hearts of Oak and Tyranny of Distance get me excited beyond belief. I recently received all of Ted Leo's earlier work both with the Pharmacists and with Chisel and love almost every song on every single album. I even enjoy the shitty recordings on the One AM Radio/Ted Leo split that actually turned some people off from Ted. I have seen him twice, and will be seeing him again this May, and have not yet been disappointed with a performance.

In fact, Ted had yet to disappoint me. Up until two weeks ago.

I rushed out to Newbury Comics on the day Living With The Living was released, and was psyched to find out it came with a free EP with 6 more songs. 6 more! That was 21 new Ted Leo songs for me to sing at the top of my lungs with my windows down! 21 new songs for me to learn, and love, inside and out!

I tore off the cellophane. I ripped open the CD case. I frisbeed the CD into my CD player, and I listened.

The first thought that came into my head was, "This is okay." I had heard Sons of Cain both live and in pre-recordings, so I knew the song a bit and already knew I liked it.

Next song.

Where's the energy? Where is the Ted I used to know?

Next song. Next song.

I found it hard to listen to a song all the way through. Each song had that specific Ted sound, but they were all lacking energy and sing-along-ness.

I could go into more detail, but I'm just getting depressed. I was let down by Ted on this release. Okay, I understand that he's getting up there, and by the time you're pushing 40, your sound should mature. But I feel like he took a step back. Sure, production is better, but I feel that some of these songs are akin to the sound of Tyranny or Hearts... not quite up to Ted's full potential, but still decent nonetheless.

I don't know. I can't bring myself to listen to it over and over like I did with Shake the Sheets. But I probably should. It will probably grow on me. I hope it will grow on me. Ted holds a special place in my heart, and I don't want him to lose it to other bands (say, Modest Mouse, who I couldn't care less for until their newest album... which I cannot stop listening to).

Living With The Living did not meet my high, high Ted expectations. But, maybe someday it will. I'm hoping after seeing some of the new songs live on May 4, I'll have a favorite like Counting Down The Hours that I'll be able to sing at the top of my lungs to while sitting in the parking lot of CVS.