Track Listing

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. Pale Rider
8. A Life Less Ordinary
9. Accidental Anarchist
10. Duty
11. Fight Or Flight

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #2734 in Music
• Released on: 2008-08-11
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .22 pounds

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.

Customer Reviews

BACK TO FORM
Having been a Levellers fan for a number of years and not being too enamoured by their last few albums I was in two minds whether to purchase this album or not.Wow am I glad I did this is the Levellers back to their stomping best,in my opinion the best Levs album since Levelling The Land.
The album contains a host of tracks that surely will become live set regulars.The albums a must buy it now with no hesitation.

Overrated on Amazon
I think that most people who write reviews on Amazon either usually love an item or despise it. Others in the middle usually can't be bothered to critique an unremarkable work, simply because of indifference. Well, forgive me for being the only person to not rate this album 5 stars, but I think it would be misleading to potential listeners to leave it that way.

Now, I've been a big Levellers fan for 15 years (yawn...) have seen them gig, still regularly wear a T-shirt, eat lentils, have dreads etc. This album is pretty good at first (though not of their early standards) then dips in the middle and only recovers for the final track FLIGHT OR FLIGHT. Their single, BURN AMERICA BURN did nothing for me except to highlight the shoddy student-quality lyrics that are littered throughout the album. BEHOLD A PALE RIDER is another prime example of cringworthiness, which is a shame because the duet nature of the song could have been something really special.

One good thing about the album is that the violin is definately given more of a central role which is it's saviour. It's much better than Truth & Lies, but I would highly recommend the GREEN BLADE RISING album for what, to me anyway, felt more of a true return to form.

Also, Letters from the Underground is a very short album (36 minutes long.) I bought the Special Edition 2 Disk set which adds another 6 minutes of good acoustic tunes to the running length. The Levellers have often been disregarded in "real" crusty circles as disingenuous and this is highlighted here. For a band that harps on about injustice, greed and environmental degredation I am appauled that they have put a mere 6 minutes of track on a CD that will never biodegrade, when they could of had these tracks as part of the 1st disk. As suspected by many for too long, The Levellers have succumbed to shrewd marketing to grab a few extra quid out of the public instead of making environmental concerns their top priority. Lads, I'm dissappointed with you...

Back to business
Not in a long time have I taken to an album as quickly as I have with this. This is the Levellers at their very best. Classic folk, punk and rock merged into a beautifully executed and politically powerful wonder.

After hearing them perform a few of the tracks live I knew it was going to be good, but I never expected this gem. It is a true delight to listen to, each and every song fantastically crafted and recorded with so much passion and emotion.

In recent albums I've been slightly concerned that their music was becoming overproduced. This album strips the music down to its raw basics and really shows off the virtuosity this band encompasses.

If you're new to the band you'll love it, if you're obsessed with them, you'll love it. There is something here for everyone, from the extremely punkish Burn America Burn to the epic and heart-wrenching Behold The Pale Rider (which to my delight is sang by Simon, something I thought was missing from the last album).

In my opinion there is not a bad thing about this album and it gives credit to the passion that the Levellers have put into their music over the past decades. If it keeps on growing on me like it is now I daren't imagine how obsessed I'm going to be with it by this time next week!

Buy this album now, you won't regret it, I promise!