by Nate CavalieriWith his premiere release on Lookout Records, Ted Leo makes a significant creative leap forward from the body of his substantial catalog. By fusing the punk and retro-pop elements of his musical history with a noisy affection for '60s blues-rock formulas, The Tyranny of Distance showcases some of Leo's best songwriting to date. Laden with falsetto hooks and overtly romantic observations of the world, he is able to control combinations of aggression and sentiment and focus them into highly melodic expressions of pure emotion. Leo places himself next to songwriting greats such as Billy Bragg and Elvis Costello through lyrical wit and intelligence and with The Tyranny of Distance he proves that he is one of the most creative, forward thinking songwriters in the underground. [A Japanese version includes bonus tracks.]