Levellers | Static on the Airways
Levellers | Static On The Airways The Levellers' new album sees the band in as militant a mood as ever. "Static On The Airwaves" portrays a continent in crisis. The first single, "Truth Is", was inspired by the impressions which the British outfit gathered on visits to Athens. "The politicians and bankers have dumped all the burdens on those at the bottom of the pile," says singer Mark Chadwick. "They're now paying for the havoc caused by others." The Levellers are still angry. The Brighton-based folk-punk band are unrivalled in their commitment to the principles of liberty as they doggedly pursue the fight for equality, understanding and freedom. No other musicians occupy such a hard-edged position on capitalism, display such a rabble-rousing approach in their lyrics and music. But this is only one side of "Static On The Airwaves". Where there is injustice, there is also hope: "We've got a lot of different stories on the album, and most of them are told from a highly personal standpoint," says Chadwick of the album's general tenor. "They are real stories about real people, and there's hope even in their darkest moments." The Levellers have also made strides on a musical level. They remain a folk-rock band, of course, and "Static On The Airwaves" is a folk-rock album. At the same time, the increased use of keyboards nods in the direction of 1980s New Wave or electronic influences. The harmonious backing vocals come more to the fore. The tempo has been slowed down and the harmonies frequently seem more thoughtful.
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