Green Blade Rising [Import]

Editorial Reviews
Album Description
The UK alternative rock act's tenth album (including compilations), their first since the 2000 release, Hello Pig. 11 tracks including the first single, 'Come On'. Eagle/Hag Records. 2002.

Tracks:

Four Winds
Falling From The Tree
Pretty Target
Come On
Pour
Aspects Of Spirit
Wild As Angels
Believers
A Chorus Line
Not What We Wanted
Wake The World

Album Description

The UK alternative rock act's tenth album (including compilations), their first since the 2000 release, 'Hello Pig'. This Eagle Records release adds three bonus tracks, 'Gallahad', 'Come On' (Video) & 'Wild As Angels' (Video). 2003.

Customer Reviews:

Suppose they declared a revolution.............2004-07-08

Suppose they declared a revolution and nobody came? Of all the LEVELLERS albums(except Moulth to Moulth which I have'nt heard) this one is the most revealing, though perhaps unintentional.
Throughout most of the albums lyrics there is an underlying sadness, reflections on "the Cause" being either lost or forgotten.
Take the tracks 'Four Winds'and 'Wake The World' for instance. On 'Four Winds' you hear "The music that now fills the street Falls to the rhythm of marching I find no comfort here Not in this Or any other year". On 'Wake The World' it resounds with "You were right when you were young Could you ever see it all come undone You were brave when you were young Would you ever believe it could all come undone". These are great songs nontheless, it's just that there's a inherent reality check now to the LEV's "take it to the streets" music.
In the track 'Pretty Target' the focus is less the downtrodden commoner/everyman, but perhaps a potential lover who's smitten the songwriter "I won't let you down You're such a pretty target for this world to kick around" and then the reality check line "I smoked the world Drunk dry the sea Was devoted to my mirror which I could never see Then you came along so prettily And in the twist of a year I was living in a dream"
There are countless examples of melancholy disdain throughout GREEN BLADE RISING, but the music still rocks strong. The only track I wish was excluded from this cd is 'Wild As Angels'...I agree with another reviewers assessment, it's a pop tune that does'nt belong here.
The cd title GREEN BLADE RISING is a kinda misnomer.The call-to-arms title with appropiate artwork does not support the behind-the-lines cynicism of their wonderful folk-rock sound. So, with this cd the LEVS have matured somewhat, and that mercurial entity called (amoung other things) Wisdom is slowly bringing "reality" one step closer to the surface....and we all know that a GREEN BLADE RISES best in fertile soil.

Probably 4.5 stars really, but as I'm a massive fan, it's 5.......2004-01-12

Another great album from one of the world's most under-rated bands. There are some absolute gems here; some of the finest songs of the past few years: 'Four Winds,' 'Falling From The Tree,' 'Come On,' 'Pretty Target,' 'A Chorus Line' and 'Wake The World.' It's a shame that DJ's no longer seem to play their music, as people obviously have no taste anymore. Radio would be much better if Levellers featured as much as the over-hyped and over-rated likes of Robbie Williams and Texas, amongst all the manufactured pop drivel and gangster-rap that easily influenced teenie-boppers seem intent on listening to these days.

A couple of the songs, such as 'Not What We Wanted' and 'Wild As Angels' are slightly weaker, but still good enough. 'Wild As Angels,' although a decent number, misses the mark really, trying to be a 'pop' song, but failing to sound as good as the likes of 'Just The One' or 'What A Beautiful Day.' But on the whole this is still brilliant stuff, and much recommended if you like folk mixed with heavy rock.

They even manage to sound like Oasis on 'Pretty Target,' as it's the heaviest and possibly best song here, complete with an excellent guitar solo.

This isn't as good as Levelling The Land, or maybe even Hello Pig (from an innovative perspective), but it's on a par with Levellers, Mouth To Mouth and Zeitgeist, and it's better than A Weapon Called The Word. Well worth getting anyway.

Thier getting better for each year........2003-06-30

I'm a big music fan and this is the best album that it's ever made. Believers, Aspects of spirit, come on, Four winds, Wake the world and Falling from a tree are allready classic Levsongs for me. If this album got some airplay in US the Levellers would become realy BIG.

didnt live up.......2003-06-25