'MOUTH TO MOUTH'
(12-track album/ CHINA RECORDS/ 1997)
By far and away their most commercial album, 'Mouth To Mouth' introduced me to the wonderful world of The Levellers, even if this album in particular wasn't truly representative of their roots.
While Jon Sevink's extraordinary fiddle melodies do stealthily pepper most of these tunes, this album is essentially a vibrant pop-rock stable of anthems. All albums this Brighton band had unleashed previous to this one had been true folk-punk-rock affairs, and those LPs that they've released since (including the far more subdued 'Hello Pig' and, more recently, 'Greenblade Rising') haven't been buoyed by the wondrous vibrancy of this set of tracks� so all the more to make the most of 'Mouth To Mouth' if you prefer your songs as anthemically spirited as possible.
Opened enigmatically by their chart-hit 'Dog Train,' the hand-waving splendour of 'Beautiful Day' immediately proceeds to ensure that if you want to sing along, the chances to do so are plentiful. 'Far Away' and 'Chemically Free' are two of the most lilting and poignant tunes, with 'Captains' Courageous' one of the most upbeat (along with Beautiful Days' classic strains), before 'Too Real' astounds, as it closes the album cleverly commenting on a widespread willingness to liken drug addiction to a woman: an addiction that's perilously too close for comfort most of the time� 'Here she comes - the great leveller� do you love her more than you love yourself?'
While the majority of these tracks might initially seem to be innocent enough, most have darker themes embedded within. 'CCTV' - while being an uptempo sing-a-long of sensationally catchy proportions - does in fact chronicle the lack of personal freedom on the streets of England's towns and cities. Sure, the presence of Closed Circuit Television is essentially there to 'protect' the public, but - with cameras constantly rolling overhead - you can feel spied upon to such an extent you wind up suppressing living life to the full and having a laugh at risk of offending 'Big Brother.'
To bring down the pace, there are a few magical 'folk'-inspired moments in 'Rain And Snow,' 'Elation' and 'Sail Away' to add dynamism to the grand 'Mouth To Mouth' package, and should the Levellers' career ever be judged around this one album of theirs alone, rest assured - this is nothing short of an ear-pleasing masterpiece in every last respect. And no home should honestly be without a copy.
(Steve Rudd)
(Why not go see THE LEVELLERS for yourselves?
They're playing at 2004's fab 'Beverley Folk Festival' in June!)
Click here for details.