Ted Leo: Punk Rock Without the Mohawks and Combat
| Published 11/03/04

Graphic by: Doni Neel

Part of Ted Leo?s success comes from his exceptional taste in music, which permeates his sound just enough to give him his own unique style. Leo cites influences such as Elvis Costello, the Jam, Thin Lizzy, the Pogues, the Who, Stiff Little Fingers and the Clash. These are bands that tried to communicate a message with their music while still maintaining a "pop" element, writing songs that were catchy and endearing.

It?s truly hard to pin Leo?s music down in one spot, and valid comparisons are tough to come by. He definitely has his own sound, and in my opinion is one of the best songwriters in rock music today. Intellect shines through at all times, and while most songs have some kind of political tone, it?s not clich? in the least. The guitar work, the vocals, the lyrical aspect and the songwriting itself are all exceptional. Though it may be hard to embrace at first, it has to be easier to handle than the Ataris, Simple Plan or whatever it is that kids are calling rebellious music nowadays.

Going into depth about an album and its individual tracks is a tedious process; I avoid it as often as possible. If you want to check this stuff out, "legal" mp3s can be obtained from www.lookoutrecords.com and www.tedleo.com.