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6 out of 10
Brighton's anarchy rolls on, now in its twentieth year and the band continue to put up several two-fingered salutes to the world with this, their tenth studio album. It's evident that time has not sapped their musical energies - indeed the first track runs at such a clip it's as if they band are in some new Olympic event, racing each other to the end of the song. Most of Letters From The Underground is like this and if you know the Levellers you'll know what I'm talking about - trademarked mosh-friendly violins and off-beat guitar riffs, not to mention the odd country stomp, with barely a pause for breath. Tracklist:
Stand-out tracks are single Before the End (), with its untypical romance, Behold the Pale Rider for its poetic take on terrorism and A Life Less Ordinary which bounces along quite insanely but still manages to show a bit of nostalgia about raves. Jon Sevinck's violin is, once again, the most memorable aspect of this album - although he saves his best riff until the intro of the last track. Mark Chadwick's vocals are more world-weary than hectoring and the whole is underpinned by the band's usual irrepressible stomp.
Not sure it'll gain them many new fans - perhaps everyone is so used to seeing war, destruction and dishonesty on television that they don't really want to hear someone singing about it as well, no matter how bouncy the tune, and it's very difficult to be a 'political band' and be any good (cf. U2, Chumbawamba et. al). The Levellers manage it, though, and could find themselves mining a profitable seam if they play more songs like Before the End - before it really is The End.
Listen: www.myspace.com/levellers
1. The Cholera Well
2. Death Loves Youth
3. Eyes Wide
4. Before The End
5. Burn America, Burn
6. Heart Of The Country
7. Behold the Pale Rider
8. A Life Less Ordinary
9. Accidental Anarchist
10. Duty
11. Fight Or Flight
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