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Album Details

• Artist: Ted Leo & The Pharmacists
• Album: Hearts of Oak
• Label: Lookout
• Year of Release: 2003
• ME Rating:
• Reviewed by: dscanland on 2003-04-25

Ted Leo and his Druggists are back with their much anticipated follow-up to 2001's The Tyranny of Distance. I'm a little late with this Ted Leo character but I think I'm jumping on board just at the right time. Hearts of Oak is a perfect pop album. Ted has an amazing vocal presence and is able to pull off all the styles that he encompasses. You will notice that I compare Ted and the Pharmacists to The Jam and Elvis Costello. It's really the closest that you can come to defining this charismatic band. Throw on "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone", which is apparently a shout out to The Specials, and watch all the old Mod types come out of the woodwork. I have heard this group compared to Dexy's Midnight Runner's as well which is a good fit. Ted Leo comes off almost as a romanticist but he's got total style that is ready for the spotlight. There are elements of folk, rock, ska, punk and pretty much everything else on the album. Hearts of Oak should find its way into pretty much any indie rock fan's collection. There is something on here for absolutely everyone.

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