Album Reviews

- by Nate Hennon

For starters, Ted Leo is excellent. His catalog is underappreciated and should be a part of every rock, indie, punk and pop music lover’s collection. Ted has a charm to his voice and a stage presence that is an odd mixture of perfectionist and DIY Punk Rock Troubadour. If you have not seen Ted Leo live, I suggest you do. Alternatively, if you can get your hands on his Third Man Records solo album from 2011, I also advise you to get that and listen to it. Often. It is uncanny how much power a man blasting through his catalog unabashedly in a Nashville warehouse can change your attitude about musicianship and make you want to start collecting vinyl. Ted Leo has this ability.

Secondly, I found Ted Leo's latest album, "The Hanged Man," incredibly moving and nearly perfect. By funding "The Hanged Man" through crowdfunding, Leo gained the ability to take his career in a bold new direction. It is hard to say if this album meets expectations. Then again, if you look at Leo's career, it is hard to expect any one thing from him. Instead of pumping out the power-pop and punk fusion music he is known for, there is a gloomy and dark feel to “The Hanged Man.” Leo has tackled dark and daunting themes in his work before, but always with a ferociousness of upbeat riffs and beats. "The Hanged Man" lives in the darkness. There is an intense melancholy in Leo's voice. One that is hard to shake off. Once you start to read interviews or articles about Leo's life since 2011's "The Brutalist Bricks," you see why this album had to come from a deeply emotional place. A place Leo has not explored musically in a long time, if ever.

Because the album is a solid piece of work, I am finding it difficult to focus on any one song. This album needs to be listened to in its entirety, every time. At least the first few dozen times or so. By bookending the album with "Moon out of Phase" and "Let's Stay on the Moon," Leo takes the listener on a journey they are not prepared to take. I admit once I heard those first drony guitar chords I was unsure if I wanted to listen to the rest of the album, but once I completed all 62 minutes, I started it over.

The biggest downfall of this album is its heaviness. Even though I recommend listening to "The Hanged Man" in its entirety every time you wish to hear Leo's dulcet tones, you will need to take some emotional breaks. I have yet to get through all 62 minutes without a few moments of silent reflection and empathetic recalibration. The moody elements of "The Hanged Man," particularly in "Can't Go back," "The Nazarene," and "You're like me," consistently hit me in the chest. These songs are great, but if you have any hint of sadness swirling around, you will have feelings that rival Elliott Smith, Morrissey or Bojack Horseman.

Track listing:

1. Moon Out of Phase
2. Used To Believe
3. Can’t Go Back
4. The Future
5. William Weld in the 21st Century
6. The Nazerene
7. Run to the City
8. Gray Havens
9. Make Me Feel Loved
10. The Little Smug Supper Club
11. Anthems of None
12. You’re Like Me
13. Lonsdale Avenue
14. Let’s Stay On the Moon