The majority of the readers of this piece, should at least have an inkling about Brighton based six-piece The Levellers, the band have graced every music venue and festival (worth their salt) across the land in a twenty-five year career (to date). The band have regularly crossed over into the charts (twenty of the tracks featured on this compilation have charted!!), throughout their career, with their blend of fiery folk, rock and punk. Whilst their political and social commentary has received both critical and commercial acclaim, whilst paving the way for the likes of Frank Turner, The Leylines, The Roving Crows and perhaps to a lesser degree the likes of Mumford And Sons, Dry The River and the alike.
In recent years the band have continued with their heavy work ethic, constantly cropping up at festivals including the likes of Hop Farm, Lakefest, Wychwood and their own Beautiful Day festival, curated by the band themselves. During the little down time the band has had over the years, frontman Mark Chadwick has found the time to release a couple of solo albums along the way, whilst the other members of the band have also collaborated and produced on a number of other projects.
Disc One kicks off with three of the biggest guns in the Levellers armoury in the shape of Fifteen Years, Hope Street and What A Beautiful Day, each one showcasing everything that’s to like about the band, punchy riffs, contagious hooks, socially aware lyrics, fiery forays of violin and stomping rhythms combine to create a trio of long term live favourites. Hope Street still sounds as potent as the day it was released with its quiet-loud-quiet dynamic, barbed wire riffs, barrage of drums, weaving fiddle and Chadwick’s tale of social and political injustice, whilst What A Beautiful Day has that instant fist in the air upbeat chorus right from the off.
This Greatest Hits package, two CD’s and a compelling documentary serves as a brilliant overview of the band’s twenty-five years together, bringing together all their well known sing-a-long anthems, a few rarities and four classics newly recorded with very special guests.
From such an impressive opening shot the band continue to dazzle with choice cuts lifted from the entire duration of their career, including the harmonica and horn assisted Dog Train, the new wave inspired duo of Belarus (notable, particularly for the edgy punk rock riffing and pounding drums middle section) and The Last Man Alive (with it’s pulsating chorus, thunderous rhythms and spiky guitar). Whilst the likes of Truth Is highlight that folk (perhaps even gypsy) influence with it’s rolling drums, upbeat fiddle and strummed acoustics, whilst Just The One and Before The End are both sensational, quirky indie pop numbers that bring to mind the likes of XTC and Celebrate is a gorgeous acoustic ballad, complete with female harmonies, whilst Too Real is an unworldly slice of baggy indie all proving there’s much more to the Levellers than blazing violins and punky riffs.
Disc Two continues the varied waltz around the pages of the Levellers successes featuring memorable hits such as One Way, Make You Happy and a fantastic live rendition of Exodus that captures the band in full flight as well the likes of Carry Me and a explicit run though the band’s War Child offering and political tour de force, The Recruiting Sergeant among numerous others.
But perhaps for long term Levellers fans talk should all be about the four re-recorded tracks (two a-piece on each CD) featuring guests Imelda May, Frank Turner, Bellowhead and Billy Bragg, helping out and giving old classics a new twist. May gives the aforementioned Beautiful Day a celtic soul twist with her glorious voice towering over an already potent mix, Frank Turner fronts up a lovely harmony assisted, widescreen folk of Julie, Bellowhead embellish Just The One with all manner of instrumentation (horns, strings, etc) and vocalization (including name-checking all manner of alcohol beverages) on a completely bonkers yet take. Whilst the Levellers rope in fellow folk-punk balladeer and social commentator Billy Bragg on a beautifully restrained Hope Street to close a stunning thirty-five track history lesson.
Sometimes when you get a greatest hits album you wonder how they ever filled an entire disc, in the Levellers case you wonder how they managed to keep the collection down to two CDs and a DVD, this is a loaded collection of the Levellers finest moments, so whether you’re a long-term fan, a newcomer or want a handy reminder this compilation does a find job of chronicling one of the UK’s finest musical institutions.
Rhythm & Booze Rating 10
www.levellers.co.uk