Decent collection of the slightly unique rocker's material does not work for me as an excellent album but merely as an appetizer to pursue Leo a little further for the few tracks when he does truly excel. And those three or four tracks that just absolutely kill their competition happen to be the ones that continue on at breakneck pace, substituting the album's majority of melodic and vocal floundering for subtle and concise touches which aid to obliterate with a catchiness that all but overshadows everything else.

Ted Leo is great.
This is a great, great album.
If you are to buy any album this year, or any year, buy this one and you will be a very happy, contented person.

You've read the Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson comparisons and it's true, Ted Leo SOUNDS like a rockin' out Joe F-in' Jackson. There is a really fresh energy about this album, not at all taking away from the influence of its predecessors. I would say, personally, the album starts with "I'm A Ghost". I really couldn't get into the first two tracks that everyone else likes ("....Skyscrapers..." and "...Rude Boys...") for some reason, i find myself clicking forward. Stand out tracks are "The High Party", "Hearts of Oak", "Ballad of the Sin Eater" and "Tell Balgeary, Balgury Is Dead", but the rest of the album is great. If you enjoy JJ and EC, you won't be disappointed (and I can't say I really like Thin Lizzy, sorry I don't hear the comparison AT ALL).

This album came out almost three years ago (Feb. 2003), yet it still sounds as brilliant today as when it was released.

Ted Leo is a veteran of the indie rock scene, having experimented with hardcore, punk, and folk. He has roots in both the New York and D.C. scenes, and had made a name for himself with the band Chisel before going solo.

You always know what you're getting from a Leo album. I don't mean that in a bad way. The albums are far from predictable. But you can always count on guitar rock that with intelligent lyrics that will remind you of Elvis Costello and the Clash, with a bit of Thin Lizzy guitar flourish. As far as modern acts go, Leo is similar to Fugazi, but with more pop sensibility, much like Spoon or The Hold Steady.

This album opens with a short intro track followed by a flurry of guitar rock songs with a pounding rhythm section. "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?" is a tribute to the Specials. "I'm a Ghost" and "The Ballad of the Sin Eater" sound like classic Costello with a modern twist. Perhaps the best track is "Bridges, Squares," where Leo departs from his typical formula and plays a more laid back, narrative song.

If you're a fan of good guitar rock that will remind you of classic British punk, this is an album you should definitely pick up.

Damn right. This CD is one of my utmost favorites. I saw Ted Leo and The Pharmacists on Conan singing the song "Where Have All The Rude Boys Gone?" and bought this the next morning. It is so ingenious and uplifting I listen to it all the time. "The High Party" will knock you on the floor with its old school feel. This is a definite must-buy for any Ted Leo fan or anyone who loves great music.