Above : TL & RX doing “The Mighty Sparrow” from the just-released ‘The Brutalist Bricks’. Not shown : bumped guest Mark Linn-Baker being restrained by NBC security.

Just a reminder, Ted Leo And The Pharmacists will perform tonight on Late Night with Jimmy Fallon. By the time they hit the screen we’ll be celebrating the release of the excellent new album The Brutalist Bricks, available to buy here.

The band also recently taped an Interface for Spinner, and with all due respect to NBC, it’s must-see:

“The Mighty Sparrow”

Click here to see the Interface performance in its entirety.

In advance of this coming Tuesday’s release of The Brutalist Bricks (pre-order it here), MySpace is streaming the album in its entirety!

If you’re going to be in New York City this Tuesday, you can catch Ted and his Pharmacists in Brooklyn at The Brutalist Bricks record release party (that is if you’re going to be in New York City and you already have tickets – if not, go here).

The band hits Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Monday (RootscollaboRootscollaboRootscollaboRootscollaboRootscollabo).

Ted Leo And The Pharmacists will play cities besides New York soon, too:

March
Thursday 11 – Cleveland Heights, OH – Grog Shop w/Title Tracks
Friday 12 - Pontiac, MI - The Crofoot w/Title Tracks
Saturday 13 – Chicago, IL – The Bottom Lounge w/Title Tracks
Sunday 14 – Madison, WI - High Noon Saloon w/Title Tracks
Monday 15 – Minneapolis, MN – First Avenue w/Title Tracks
Thursday 18 – Spokane, WA – The Blvd w/Title Tracks
Friday 19 – Seattle, WA – Nuemo’s
Saturday 20 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge w/Golden Bears
Sunday 21 – Portland, OR – Doug Fir Lounge w/Hive Dwellers
Tuesday 23 – San Francisco, CA – Great American Music Hall w/Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Wednesday 24 – Santa Barbara, CA – Soho Restaurant & Music Club w/ Titus Andronicus, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Friday 26 – Pomona, CA – The Glass House w/Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Saturday 27 – West Hollywood, CA – Troubadour w/Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Sunday 28 – Tucson, AZ – Club Congress w/ Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Tuesday 30 – Dallas, TX – House of Blues w/Screaming Females, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Wednesday 31 - Austin, TX – The Parish Room w/Screaming Females, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves

April
Friday 02 – New Orleans, LA – One Eyed Jacks w/Screaming Females
Saturday 03 – Tallahassee, FL – Club Downunder w/Screaming Females
Sunday 04 – Atlanta, GA – The Masquerade w/Screaming Females
Monday 05 – Carrboro, NC – Cat’s Cradle w/Screaming Females
Wednesday 07 – Philadelphia, PA – First Unitarian Church
Thursday 08 – Washington, DC – 930 Club
Friday 09 - New York, NY – Irving Plaza w/Obits, Screaming Females
Saturday 10 – Boston, MA – Paradise Rock Club w/Obits, Screaming Females

The planet’s best radio station, WFMU, is the middle of their annual fund-raising marathon. If you’re a regular listener to WFMU’s ridiculously diverse free-form lineup, you already know the station is 100% dependent on listener contributions to continue bringing you the most provocative music/humor/edutainment, and with their newly revised iPhone application, you have access to acres of WFMU archives in the palm of your paw. One of our favorite WFMU fixtures, Tom Scharpling, will be joined tonight by Ted Leo and longtime The Best Show On WFMU conspirator, former Seven Mary Three drummer Jon Wurster. Tom’s pitch can be found below :

The show is going to feature TED LEO and JON WURSTER in the studio. Ted is going to play songs and I know he has some crazy surprises up his sleeve. And the Wurster stuff is going to be hilarious.

The premium is called the BEST SHOW 2010 CHUMP STEAMROLLER FUN PACK. You can only get it by pledging DURING MY SHOW.

A pledge of 75 or more automatically gets it. In the Fun Pack:

The first ever BEST SHOW ON WFMU DVD! It’s a full-length DVD called FANTASIA IN BEST SHOW MINOR, and it’s going to be amazing. It features stuff you’re never going to believe. Here are some of the people who are going to be involved in the DVD:

PATTON OSWALT
TED LEO
PAUL F. TOMPKINS
ZACH GALIFIANAKIS
FUCKED UP
TIM AND ERIC
JOHN HODGMAN
AIMEE MANN
SCHARPLING AND WURSTER
YO LA TENGO
KURT VILE
MATT FRACTION
TODD BARRY
JASON WOLINER

And SO MANY MORE. There’s going to be puppets. Animation. Scharpling and Wurster stuff like you’ve never seen before. Travelogues from callers like Fredericks from New Port Richie, Julie from Cincinnati, AP Mike and more! Seriously – there are so many people working so hard on this thing. It’s gonna be legendary. And when the marathon is over, this thing is COMPLETELY UNAVAILABLE.

The second part of the Chump Steamroller Fun Pack is a set of BEST SHOW TRADING CARDS depicting your favorite callers and characters from the show. They are being designed by Chris Moses and Joe Allen – two guys who have done amazing jobs with previous Best Show projects – and they are outdoing themselves on this! We’re lining up artists – for starters Michael Kupperman and Brian Musikoff are on board – and they gonna be jaw droppingly great. And again, these cards will be GONE FOREVER if you don’t pledge DURING MY MARATHON SHOWS!

Last but not least, the first ever BEST SHOW BUMPER STICKER. Also awesome and also available ONLY BY PLEDGING DURING MY MARATHON SHOWS. Once the marathon is over, THEY ARE GONE FOREVER.

And as an added bonus, anyone who pledges $1000 gets something special just from me. It’s a secret. Seriously – I am not trying to be vague here but trust me on this one. I’ve got something JUST FOR YOU. I’ll make you happy with it – I PROMISE.

IF YOU ARE UNABLE TO CALL OR PLEDGE ONLINE DURING MY SHOW, I will gladly write the pledge up myself. You can email me your information – name, address and pledge amount – and I will fill it out myself. All addresses and information is completely confidential and is not sold or distributed in any way shape or form, so don’t worry about your privacy. Write me at toms@wfmu.org and I’ll take care of it.

THE FACTS:
Tuesday March 2nd between 8-11 PM EST
CALL 1-800-989-9368 or PLEDGE ONLINE at www.wfmu.org on TUESDAY MARCH 2nd between 8-11 PM EST and be counted!

(photo by Shawn Brackbill)

On Tuesday, March 9 — the official day of release for the new LP/CD/digital album The Brutalist Bricks — Ted Leo & The Pharmacists will be playing a handful of songs, new and old at Brooklyn’s Knitting Factory. After a brief intermission, the quartet will return to the stage to provide musical accompaniment for an evening of karaoke. A list of available songs will be posted at the door, as well as in advance at the new look Ted Leo.com. Might this be a rare opportunity to see Chris Lombardi performing his award-winning version of “The Wreck Of The Edmund Fitzgerald”? Probably not, but if spreading such information guarantees greater press coverage and/or a line around the block, well, we’ll do whatever it takes..

Tickets are available here.

The Mighty Sparrow (160k MP3)

(Preorder The Brutalist Bricks – get a 15% discount and a free poster)

(Photo by Matt Jordan)

“The Mighty Sparrow” is the opening track from the new Ted Leo and the Pharmacists album, The Brutalist Bricks, and it’s a burner:

The Mighty Sparrow (160k MP3)

Keep your eyes on this spot for the video of the song in upcoming weeks.

In other news, Ted will be playing Late Night With Jimmy Fallon on Monday, March 8 – the night before release date. If you’re in or near New York and you’d like to be in the studio audience. click on the link below. Enter for a chance to win seats on the band benches and surround the stage during Ted’s performance. Please make sure you include the code “TED” in your entry form:

fallonbandbench.com

There will be another special event during release week. Once again, keep your eyes on this space. And of course, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists start their tour on Thursday, March 11 in Cleveland:

Thu – 3/11 – Cleveland OH – Grog Shop – Title Tracks
Fri – 3/12 – Pontiac MI – The Crofoot – Title Tracks
Sat – 3/13 – Chicago IL – Bottom Lounge – Title Tracks
Sun – 3/14 – Madison WI – High Noon Saloon – Title Tracks
Mon – 3/15 – Minneapolis MN – First Avenue – Title Tracks
Thu – 3/18 – Spokane WA – The Blvd -
Fri – 3/19 – Seattle WA – Nuemo’s – Hive Dwellers (feat Calvin Johnson)
Sat – 3/20 – Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge – Golden Bears
Sun – 3/21 – Portland OR – Doug Fir Lounge – Hive Dwellers (feat Calvin Johnson)
Tue – 3/23 – San Francisco CA – Great American Music Hall – Bleached
Wed – 3/24 – Santa Barbara CA – Soho Restaurant & Music Club – Titus Andronicus, Bleached
Fri – 3/26 – Pomona CA – Glass House – Bleached
Sat – 3/27 – West Hollywood CA – Troubadour – Bleached
Sun – 3/28 – Tucson AZ – Club Congress – Bleached
Tue – 3/30 – Dallas TX – House Of Blues – Screaming Females, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Wed – 3/31 – Austin TX – Parish Room – Screaming Females, Sally Crewe & The Sudden Moves
Fri – 4/2 – New Orleans LA – One Eyed Jacks – Screaming Females
Sat – 4/3 – Tallahassee FL – Club Downunder – Screaming Females
Sun – 4/4 – Atlanta GA – The Masquerade – Screaming Females
Mon – 4/5 – Carrboro NC – Cat’s Cradle – Screaming Females
Wed – 4/7 – Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church – Obits
Thu – 4/8 – Washington DC – 930 Club – Obits, Screaming Females
Fri – 4/9 – New York NY – Irving Plaza – Obits, Screaming Females
Sat – 4/10 – Boston MA – Paradise – Obits, Screaming Females

Preorder The Brutalist Bricks – get a 15% discount and (NEW) a free poster
tedleo.com
timorousme.org

Photo by Rob Scheuerman

In a mere 30 minutes, Ted Leo and the Pharmacists shall rock the house together at Philadelphia’s World Cafe Live for a Free At Noon extravaganza. If you weren’t lucky enough to get tickets ahead of time (you may still be able to weasel your way in, but I can’t promise anything), you can listen live on XPN.org, or 88.5 terrestrially, as well as on a host of stations all around the country. Check npr.org to find stations in your varied ‘hoods (as well as KUT in Austin, WBFO in Buffalo, and Vermont Public Radio) so you can tune in and rock out to jams from the new album, The Brutalist Bricks.

(photo taken from musicazul’s Flickr stream)

In the two weeks since we announced the details surrounding the March 9 release of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists’ ‘The Brutalist Bricks’ (LP/CD/digital album), we’ve been swamped with questions — some of them of the angry, hectoring variety that I associate with bad breeding — regarding the band’s touring plans.  As such, you’ll be pleased to see a very busy slate of 2010 tourism for Ted kicks off in March 11 at Cleveland’s venerable Grog Shop, with many more dates to be announced in the weeks and months ahead.

3/11/2010     Cleveland       OH      Grog Shop
3/12/2010     Pontiac         MI      The Crofoot
3/13/2010     Chicago         IL      Bottom Lounge
3/14/2010     Madison WI      High Noon Saloon
3/15/2010     Minneapolis     MN      First Avenue
3/19/2010     Seattle         WA      Neumo’s
3/20/2010     Portland        OR      Doug Fir Lounge (21+)
3/21/2010     Portland        OR      Doug Fir Lounge (all ages matinee)
3/23/2010     San Francisco   CA      Great American Music Hall
3/27/2010     Los Angeles     CA      Troubadour

4/4/2010      Atlanta         GA      The Masquerade
4/5/2010      Carrboro        NC      Cat’s Cradle
4/7/2010      Philadelphia    PA      First Unitarian Church
4/8/2010      Washington      DC      930 Club
4/9/2010      New York        NY      Irving Plaza
4/10/2010     Boston          MA      Paradise

“Even Heroes Have To Die” (192k MP3)

(preorder ‘The Brutalist Bricks’ from The Matador Store)

A few months ago, we not-so-casually mentioned the addition of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists to the Matador roster of Talented & Good-Looking Artistic Persons.  Admittedly, it was the bog standard Matador signing announcement.   Obligatory mention of Ted’s impressive back catalog.  Citation of Ted as one of our all-time favorite live artists and songwriters.  Oh-so-predictable references to Chipotle and Trump Realty.

Of course, that was before we heard the new album.  And make no mistake, ‘The Brutalist Bricks’ — available on LP, CD and via all popular digital storefronts March 9, 2010 — is one of those career-defining, “can you believe what you’re hearing?” kinda records that makes most other activity the day you first play it nearly impossible (in other words, we’re suggesting you shower before you open the package).   Recorded through 2009 at Brooklyn’s Seaside Lounge, ‘Bricks’ could be the most confident, kinetic and varied work in Ted’s canon, and considering his body of work until now, that’s no easy claim to make.   If you’ve seen Ted/Rx at any point in the past year, you’ve probably heard a few of the songs before, but the final studio versions pack a considerable punch. And here’s a punch to tide you over (we’d prefer you pay for the full beating) :

“Even Heroes Have To Die”  (192k MP3)

Upcoming dates :

(Ted Leo & The Pharmacists)

Wed, Dec 2nd – Philadelphia PA – First Unitarian Church
Thu, Dec 3rd – Washington DC – The Black Cat
Sat, Dec 5th – Cambridge MA – Middle East
Sun, Dec 6th – New York NY – Bowery Ballroom (sold out)

Thurs, December 10 – Spain – Madrid – Primavera Club ‘09
Friday, December 11 – Spain – Barcelona – Primavera Club ‘09
Saturday, December 12 – Spain – Barcelona – Primavera Club ‘09

Ted Leo (solo):

Mon., December 14 – UK – Brighton – Engine Room (with Dillinger Four + Hard Skin)
Tues., December 15 – UK – Canterbury – Bramleys
Weds, December 16 – UK – London – Brixton Windmill
Thurs., December 17  – UK – Kingston – New Slang
Fri., December 18  – UK – London – Grosvenor (with Wat Tyler)

Ted Leo -website, MySpace,  Twitter

(photo by Jody VB)

We’re a very fortunate bunch of people over at Matador Records & Filmworks.  Not only do we get to work within a stone’s throw of a Trump construction site (and a Chipotle!), but we’re also associated with our favorite artists-on-the-planet, some of whom we were crazy, sick fans of long before the opportunity to put out their records was even discussed.   And that’s the context in which we’ll gladly announcing the signing of Ted Leo & The Pharmacists, with a new full-length album tentatively schedule for release in early 2010.

Though a succession of releases for the Gern Blandsten, Ace Fu, Lookout (and most recently) Touch & Go labels, Ted has established himself as one of the best songwriters breathing, regardless of genre. For the sake of argument, however, we’ll testify that Leo’s marriage of modern punk with classic pop is always subject to revision and reinvention — if we weren’t confident that you’d be blown away, there’d be no need for this conversation. The Pharmacists’ fantastic recordings have been supported with kinetic performances on big & small stages  around the globe, and next year should be no exception.

The new album, as yet untitled, was recorded throughout 2009 at Brooklyn’s Seaside Lounge. Art and further details to follow.