Less than a month away from Ted Leo’s The Brutalist Bricks, the ’80s-hardcore influenced 13-track jammer that constitutes Ted and Rx’s Matador debut. “The Mighty Sparrow” is a bright and mighty opener, setting the pace for the LP’s spitfire hooks with Leo in your ear immediately, talking about exploding cafe doors within three seconds. Efficient. Download this. It’s a brasher step than “Even Heroes Have To Die,” but you’ll have to wait ’til you get into “Mourning In America” for the best dose of that pre-billed hardcore cap-tip. The track comes from Matador with a note that Ted’s signed on to do Fallon the day before the record’s out (Monday, March 8th) which makes sense because he takes his late night seriously. Plus a bunch of tour dates are scheduled. All of it is here:

• Ted Leo – “The Mighty Sparrow”Download

The Brutalist Bricks is out 3/9 via Matador. Pre-order, and see him live, or on TV 3/8 at Fallon:

03/11 – Cleveland, OH @ Grog Shop #
03/12 – Pontiac, MI @ The Crofoot #
03/13 – Chicago, IL @ Bottom Lounge #
03/14 – Madison, WI @ High Noon Saloon #
03/15 – Minneapolis, MN @ First Avenue #
03/18 – Spokane, WA @ The Blvd
03/19 – Seattle, WA @ Nuemo’s #
03/20 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge #
03/21 – Portland, OR @ Doug Fir Lounge #
03/23 – San Francisco, CA @ Great American Music Hall @
03/24 – Santa Barbara, CA @ Soho Restaurant & Music Club @$
03/26 – Pomona, CA @ Glass House @
03/27 – West Hollywood, CA @ Troubadour @
03/28 – Tucson, AZ @ Club Congress @
03/31 – Austin, TX @ Parish Room %
04/02 – New Orleans, LA @ One Eyed Jacks %
04/03 – Tallahassee, FL @ Club Downunder %
04/04 – Atlanta, GA @ The Masquerade %
04/05 – Carrboro, NC @ Cat’s Cradle %
04/07 – Philadelphia, PA @ First Unitarian Church ^
04/08 – Washington, D.C. @ 930 Club ^
04/09 – New York, NY @ Irving Plaza ^
04/10 – Boston, MA @ Paradise ^

# w/ Title Tracks
@ w/ Bleached
$ w/ Titus Andronicus
^ w/ Obits
% w/ Screaming Females