"tej leo (?), RX/ Pharmacists" the concept: obscuring identity on one level to avoid pigeonholing. The name definitely obscures, but I think the pigeonholing will happen regardless. The concept is in direct opposition to finding listeners.

tej leo (?) is actually Ted Leo, former front man for the band "Chisel." Now he performs sometimes solo and sometimes as guitarrist for "The Spinanes." He has been a member of many local bands since 1989, including "Citizens Arrest," "The Sin Eaters" and "The Secret Stars." His stint with "Chisel" lasted seven years. Don't try to figure all of this out.

"Call Off The Invasion/Flydocious Invasion" is just over a minute of samples repeating, "Get ready for. . ." It's more irritating than anything else. "The Pharmacist vs. The Secret Stars (version to decline)" reminds me most of "Pink Floyd's" album, "The Wall." The song opens with a couple of deep guitar strokes. Leo's vocal is monotone over the soft, but rumbling, guitar strumming. The recording quality is a bit muddy, but intentionally so. The song ends in feedback and runs directly into "Walking Through." Skips, repeats and the phrase "I used to go to church," form the intro. An Elvis Costello influenced guitar line obliterates it. Leo even sounds a lot like Costello on this song. Drumbeats are muffled. The tune is later obliteated by the piled samples and the repeated phrase "Never do what you ought to."

"The 'Nice People'," reminds me even more of Costello. Leo's guitar licks are forceful and sure. Initially, I didn't like the song because of all the electronic crap done to Leo's vocal, but the writing here is good. It's an excellent song in disguise. "Mr. Annoyatron Brown" recalls "They Might Be Giants," but has a tej leo (?) punk twist. The vocal tracks on "The King Of Time" are often overpowered by the music, but their fifties do-wop style makes them endearing. It's a punk distortion rockabilly music fest.

The song, "(version: to decline to make some tea)," reprises the refrain from "The Pharmacist vs. the Secret Stars" for an interlude just over a minute long. It ends with the sounds of someone washing dishes. Echoed samples and percussion form the backbone of "Soon Dubward." It's an eerie and invigorating excursion into a mechanical world of music. Guitar notes on "Set You Free" often sound like Leo is tuning up, not playing a song, but somehow they all fall together to form a whole. It's not easy on the ears, but there's definitely a purpose here. The vocal is nearly smooth by comparison, but by hitting a few off notes, he makes everything mesh.

"Northeast Corridor" is bare sounding because it's just Leo and his guitar. The song, surprisingly, is full sounding. It's all that's needed here. He presents a softness not found in the other, more doctored songs. He sings: "And you can't tell everyone everything/ And not everyone wants to hear everything anyway. . ."

"Lui Prima Mobile" is more samples, maybe forty seconds long. "Friends In Bands " isn't much longer - about a minute and a half of punk, Beatles-like, screeching guitar and vocals. There's a blues guitar influence on "Head In The Freezer." It's energetic and much like early Beatles or Stones with a punk edge. It contains the awesome line: "We're caught in a wedge between 'we' and what you want of me. . ."

Ironically, "(version: to decline to take a shower)" again reprises the second track, but this time with only vocals coming from a shower. "Congressional Dubcision" is funny. Dubs of piano, drum, guitar and samples begin and end abruptly, seemingly without regard for how they fit together. It's the music congress would make if they voted on each piece. It's also long as hell and monotonous, but that just makes it work better as musical irony. Yet another reprise, "(version: whisper: courage)," utilizes female vocals. It's only twenty-eight seconds long. You won't miss it, though.

"SM 11:11/ The Trumpet of the Martians," is over six minutes of synthesized noise that often sounds like the Martian lasers from the movie, "War of the Worlds." It's totally whacked out and ambitious as hell, but you won't want to listen to the whole thing. "'(none)'" begins as so many songs do, with the echoed voice of an operator stating the time. The intial vocal sounds as though heard through a telephone. Beyond that, it's a pretty good song about self doubt. The vocal is varied and exciting over a nervous guitar line.

Silence introduces "Out of Step '88," followed by distorted spoken word about the projected demise of vinyl records and the twelve inch single. The speaker has doubts that it will come to pass. Historical ideas and images phase in and out, overlapping.

Ted Leo's main influence is punk, but this album reads more like an art film's music score at times. It reminded me a lot of what I saw in my college film class. The songs are often an experiment into sound and dubbing. This makes them interesting on an intellectual level, but not necessarily what you'd want to listen to on your way home from work, or while cleaning the apartment. Hide it if you're having a party, but don't ignore it if you're a punk fan.