Chisel

8 AM All Day (Gern Blandsten)
by Nik Rainey

These boys about the town called malice (D.C., that is) tend to get pigeonholed as all mod cons, but they’re not absolute beginners – their multi-faceted jiffy-pop keeps ’em away from the numbers. Ted Leo’s voice plays around in the upper registers which that precious English rose Pete Shelley can’t quite manage these days. His speed-twitch guitar sets the house ablaze like vintage Wedding Present, and the fluid rhythm section cracks like Eton rifles, swift as any of their brethren in the city. These guys sure can jam.