REVIEW: Levellers, Levellers
- Bob Gajarsky
One of the surprise acts of 1991 was England's Levellers. The latest effort from the band is their eponymously titled third album, Levellers.
Despite the band's reputation as a political band, lead singer Mark disputes this claim. "We're not political at all", he counters. "We're anti-political. We say 'Don't listen to institutions. Make up your own minds up about everything, including music.' And our fans do."
That they do. Despite resentment from the British press (because of the band's refusal to "kiss up" to certain reporters), the Levelling the Land LP managed to go gold and yield a flurry of hit singles. The most popular track, "One Way", went to #1 both on the U.K. Indie and Alternative Dancefloor charts. Several of their United Kingdom shows sold out three months in advance of their scheduled performance.
So, how is the new album? The first single, "This Garden", doesn't sound quite like anything the Levellers have done before. Luckily, it's been getting played on alternative stations around the country, with an irresistible hook of sitar-like guitars and soothing chorus. "Broken Circles" bears more than a passing resemblance to "Liberty Song", which appeared on the Levelling the Land album.
Even when the Levellers slow down the pace a notch, they can produce solid material. "Julie" and "The Likes of You and I" at points almost sound acoustic. Unfortunately, "Julie" drags out for a full six minutes, when three-four would have been more than sufficient.
Overall? The Levellers rock a bit more than on their past albums, and speed up the tempo from their last effort. Their fan base will appreciate this latest effort, and the live show is an event worth seeing. But, unfortunately, Levellers isn't the standout effort anticipated from the five men from Brighton, England; it's just another adequate album with a couple of rich songs. Recommended for those with a love of music such as the Alarm or Black 47.
