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Levellers Truth & Lies
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by Ben Jones
The Levellers' latest album 'Truth & Lies' is a good stab at turning a '90s phenomenon into a '00s earner. Placing their peak at the platinum selling 'A Weapon Called The Word' may still prove to be a fair appraisal, but the new album is definitely worth a listen... if not a tenner.

The upbeat opener 'Last Man Alive' provides a clear statement of the album's intent. The track is far more power pop and far less celtic dance than their previous work. Their classic sound has not been bastardised completely - there is still the excitable electric violin - but this more heavily produced release is clearly a stab at remaining 'current'. (The press release proudly states that the opening track is the group's 13th Top 40 single - where exactly in the Top 40 they neglect to add.)

'Last Man Alive' subsides to make way for 'Make You Happy', a better mix of celtic violin and vocoder-lite than the first track but certainly not up to their hit records of the past. There are no 'One Way's or 'What a Beautiful Day's here. In fact the whole of the centre section of the album sounds like a sanitised version of 'Levelling The Land' with the post production gnawing destructively at the edge of Mark Chadwick's usually resonating vocals.

Don't get me wrong, I don't dislike this album; it's just all a bit early Dandy Warhols, but not as good. More damningly it's not even up to their back catalogue. We can't honestly pretend to have expected a killer album stacked with brilliant tracks (one or two would have appeased most) and this album will have served its job if it manages to sell to just a small proportion of their huge '90s fan base. You won't get the feeling that The Levellers are about to explode back onto the scene, but this album is a very enjoyable slice of pop-folk with an occasional sneer, making this a nineties band that is still remaining within the quick-moving musical spotlight - but only just.

  • The Levellers 6 / 10
Words: Ben Jones

The Levellers - Truth & Lies

I thought I'd start (and hopefully finish) this off by stating that the Levellers are the aural equivilent of Al-Qieda and even though I've not heard this album, it will suck the balls of a thousand cancer-ridden donkeys and really, I just hope these hippies burn to death from the dreadlocks down.

:)

Re: The Levellers - Truth & Lies

Have you heard anything by this brilliantly melodic, lyrically brilliant band ??? What bands do you like then ?

Re: The Levellers - Truth & Lies

hahaha your funny !

Re: The Levellers - Truth & Lies

Levellers should shoot themselves in the foot.

I always picture upper-class twots trying to look poor who are well into this band.

Re: The Levellers - Truth & Lies

Replace "upper-class twots trying to look poor" with no-body.

The Levellers - Truth & Lies

They topped this record in 2002 at Glastonbury as well on the Jazz stage. They are still one of the best live bands in the world.

And comparing a charity supporting band of green friendly guys who have given thousands of pounds to good causes to a religious blood thirsty suicidal terrorist organisation is just ridiculous. The poster probably still has to ask his parents to wipe his ass and uses their credit cards to play online games. Get a life you uninformed imbecilic pubeless prick!

Ever heard of constructive criticism? I'll give you a clue to what that means look under 'C' in a dictionary.


The Levellers - Truth & Lies

The NME told you to hate them and you all fall into line. What clever boys you are...

The Levellers - Truth & Lies

Well I like The Levellers and I'm always right!

In fact they have offically played to the largest ever crowd at Glastonbury (well they had a few years ago) in 1992.

My ex-girlfriend also snogged the bass player!

The Levellers - Truth & Lies

Green Blade Rising is a great album, I think they have done well to carry on doing what they enjoy and not listen to the shite press they get...... good on em




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