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Shake The Sheets
by
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Shake The Sheets Image
Metascore
79

Generally favorable reviews - based on 24 Critic Reviews What's this?

User Score
8.6

Universal acclaim- based on 19 Ratings

  • Summary: The latest stripped-down, somewhat political rock effort from Ted Leo was produced by Chris Shaw (Dashboard Confessional, Bob Dylan).

Critic Reviews

Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 20 out of 24
  2. Mixed: 4 out of 24
  3. Negative: 0 out of 24
  1. Splendid
    100
    A strong contender for album of the year, Shaking the Sheets is a masterpiece of fucked-up mod pop: political but not preachy, insistent yet never twitchy, respectful but never blatant.
  2. PopMatters
    90
    If Shake the Sheets lacks the subtle, nuanced excursions of its predecessor, it's redeemed by an urgent, unrelenting focus.
  3. Paste Magazine
    80
    Leo’s vision has crystallized. The songs are shorter and tighter than anything he’s seared onto tape, and his complex melodic phrasing arrives pitch perfect.
  4. AllMusic
    80
    Using only guitars and drums, the Pharmacists whip up a powerful mix of wild abandon and subtlety that is a perfect backing for Leo's vocal dexterity and clanging guitar heroics.
  5. New Musical Express (NME)
    70
    Firecracker mod-punk and allegorical political cut-and-thrust. [5 Mar 2005, p.51]
    All this publication's reviews
  6. Pitchfork
    70
    The most Chisel-sounding record he's released as a solo artist, returning to stripped-down arrangements and, on "The Angel's Share" and "Little Dawn", his fascination with repetition.
  7. Uncut
    60
    Power pop without the escapism. [Apr 2005, p.105]
    All this publication's reviews

See all 24 Critic Reviews

User Reviews

Write a Review
Score distribution:
  1. Positive: 13 out of 13
  2. Mixed: 0 out of 13
  3. Negative: 0 out of 13
  1. JenniferL
    Nov 18, 2004
    10
    Ted is a golden god.
  2. danc
    Oct 25, 2004
    10
    me like. It really doesn't get much better than this.
  4. MichaelS
    Oct 14, 2006
    10
    9.6 I cannot wait for his next one.
  5. HopeL
    Nov 20, 2004
    10
    i have not heard any other of their albums... so i cant compare... but i thoroughly enjoy it.
  6. DouglasV
    Mar 1, 2005
    10
    Oh Geez Heard something about this guy. Listened to the older albums. It took this one for me to get it. It could be that he nailed it (still Oh Geez Heard something about this guy. Listened to the older albums. It took this one for me to get it. It could be that he nailed it (still my opinion), but his older stuff sounds better after listening to this. Best little known album of the last year or so?… Expand
  7. LelandR
    Oct 12, 2005
    10
    Great album, some amazing stuff on here
  8. markf
    Oct 29, 2004
    8
    This album doesn't seem as great to me as "Hearts of Oak", but an interesting idea has popped into my head concerning it. The songs are This album doesn't seem as great to me as "Hearts of Oak", but an interesting idea has popped into my head concerning it. The songs are not repetitive at all, but somehow almost every single song seems to flow into the next one effortlessly. I might actually have given this a 9 if there were no pauses between the songs. The music and lyrics have the traditional Ted Leo urgency, but because each song is an integral part of the organic entirety of the album, fewer songs seem to "stand out" than on earlier albums. There are no duds to be found, but what do you think? Does any of this make sense? Oh, if you don't know anything about this band, make sure you get one of the albums, pronto.… Expand

See all 13 User Reviews

Awards & Rankings

85
#85 Best Album of 2004

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