Amazon.co.uk Review
English folk-punk stalwarts the Levellers have come in for their fair share of stick over the last 15 years, with many continuously asserting they wouldn't fancy touching them with a particularly lengthy one. Much of the derision may stem from ugly social bigotry centred on the fact that they look allergic to the idea of a good sponging, but the bulk is of their own making--firstly for scrubbing up to chase radio playlists and sell-out arena tours in a misguided advance on Britpop's commercial bounty (see
Zeitgeist and
Mouth to Mouth), and secondly by becoming so anaemically middle of the road that fresh road-kill looked more revolutionary (
Hello Pig). But with
Letters from the Underground they've pulled off the ageing band's prerogative of dropping the artifice in favour of getting back to what they're good at. And they've done it with some real aplomb. It's essentially involved them throwing their classic
Levelling the Land breakthrough at a wall, sticking the pieces back together and re-firing over current political blazes. So the fiddle frazzled high-kicking of "Cholera Well" and self-explanatory "Burn, America, Burn" wreak lyrical wrath on post-9/11 aggression, "Pale Rider" taking a post-7/7 UK perspective, while the didgeridoo underpinned (yes, indeed, that icon of crustiness returns too) "Before the End" is more personal, more tender, though no less fraught. They've regained their bite, like imparting these opinions and observations is a calling they have no choice but to answer. And it turns out that's better for us all than you might have thought.
--James Berry
CD Description
'Letters From The Underground' is the ninth studio album from Brighton based outfit The Levellers. Recorded at their own Metway Studios and produced by the band themselves, the album sees The Levellers doing what they do best, combining politically charged lyrics with their unique upbeat brand of anarcho-folk punk. The free download single 'Burn America Burn' is included.
