Most Helpful Customer Reviews
|
|
29 of 29 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
Please do not ignore this wonderful album, 7 Feb 2001
There have been many great debut albums (Moby Grape, Stone Roses, Velvet Underground & Nico, etc), but this is up there with the best. Unfortunately, the Levellers did not make an impact on the pop charts until their next album, and as a result this LP has never charted, despite its overall sales making it go platinum. Even more than 1991's Levelling The Land, this epitomises the band's early fiddle-driven, politically motivated folk-punk style.The record begins with the four singles, all outstanding, especially the marvellous Carry Me and the idealistic Together All The Way. Elsewhere there are other great songs, such as the wistful No Change, the storming punk of I Have No Answers and the simple but hugely emotive anti-war folk song The Ballad of Robbie Jones. Best of all is the majestic England My Home, previously a b-side on 1988's Carry Me EP. This is one of the best songs the band has ever written. Only 3 Friends fails to work on record, being a song better heard live. Sadly the band's recent UK tour featured none of the songs from this album, but Levellers fans still rightly regard this as one of their greatest moments.
|
|
|
5.0 out of 5 stars
A word to the wise , 22 Oct 2008
If you are a levellers fan you should already have this album as do I. In fact, mine has actually worn out so I purchased this updated version. What you get is the original album and the 3 b-sides off (I think) the "Together All The Way" 12inch EP.
So, a word to the wise, if you don't have the vinyl EP or only have the extras on bootlegs, buy this album again, the songs are easily worth a couple of quid each.
For new comers to the Levellers, you could do alot worse than start with this record. The music ranges from almost straight forward punk, albeit with a fiddle, through one man/one guitar rants to dreamy folk melodies. The lyrics are simple (NOT simplistic!) straight-to-the-point narratives on modern life that are never lazy.
I first saw the Levs in 1990 and bought the album the morning after, from that day on these songs have stayed with me and now entertain my 2 year old daughter. Nearly 20 years on and this record still crackles with energy and has lost none of its relavance.
Go on, treat yourself.
|
|
|
5.0 out of 5 stars
Fan-fiddle-tastic, 10 Aug 2008
This one takes me back; remember listening to my old cassette version of this while working a night shift. I lent it to someone & never got it back; hope they're still enjoying it. Now hearing it again on CD & it stands up well. A fusion of personal & political, folk, pop & punk, with the fiddle playing the role you'd expect the guitar to take on. All tracks are outstanding, but I'd pick "England, My Home" as the one that sticks in my memory most - 'You gave me my birth/then you made me pay'. Says more to me about this green & pleasant land than any football ground anthem.
Along with the next LP, "Levelling the Land", still my favourite Levellers record. Recommended unreservedly.
|
|
|
|
![A Weapon Called the Word [European Import]](http://ecx.images-amazon.com/images/I/41HNXVVT3ML._SL75_SS50_.jpg)
