Whilst the video confronts the misleading and deceptive tactics used by the media to marginalise the vulnerable, the track blazes with anger and urgency and its lyrical concerns are unvarnished and unambiguous.
“Everybody needs those three things, it doesn’t matter where you’re from,” says singer / guitarist Mark Chadwick. “It’s something that we all crave. Why does anybody want more roof than anybody else, or more food than anybody else, or want to kill anybody else’s family. It doesn’t make any sense.”
Also the opening salvo on the new album, ‘Food Roof Family’ sets the scene for an album where the Levellers are fearless in tackling the big subjects, with an insight and invective that could make Peace the most relevant album of 2020.
Its 11 electrifying songs are a charged reaction to a world that seems to be teetering on the edge of madness and self-destruction. The environment is buckling under the weight of humanity’s disregard, right-wing demagogues are spreading hatred and fear across supposedly civilised nations, and society and culture is trapped in a death spiral that’s playing out in real time across social media.
“The album is about the state of the world and our state of mind,” says bassist Jeremy Cunningham. “It’s the most anxious-sounding record we’ve done in a long time. It’s the way the world is. We’re just reflecting it. It’s an album of now.”
Peace arrives almost eight years since the Brighton band’s last album of original material, 2012’s Static On The Airwaves, though the band – completed by Simon Friend (guitar/vocals), Jon Sevink (fiddle), Charlie Heather (drums) and Matt Savage (keyboards) – have been far from idle.
During that time, they’ve toured the world multiple times and released 2018’s acclaimed We The Collective, which featured acoustic versions of several classic Levellers songs and was their highest charting album in more than two decades.
Having long been, and remaining, one of the best live bands around, their shows are an integral part of what the band do, and they have now announced an extensive UK and European tour starting this month, taking in double nights at some of their favourite towns and cities.
Over the years, the band have worn many masks; most self-made, some imposed upon them. But while their status has evolved over the decades, the basic humanity underpinning their music has remained constant.
Now on the upcoming tour the band are partnering with local homeless charities in each town and encouraging fans to bring items along to donate whether it be a hat, coat or toiletries and more. The Facebook events page for each gig will have a list of anything specifically needed which can be accessed here.
This has stemmed from Charlie and Matt working with the group, Sussex Homeless Support. This has included raising at their Beautiful Days Festival last year as well as continued support throughout the year, from taking part in the World’s Big Sleep Out in Brighton to helping at a local Street Kitchen, making a massive donation from their concert at The Brighton Dome and producing badges to raise funds for SHS.
This sense of positivity that the band possess is brought to life by the album’s striking artwork of a vivid phoenix painted, like all of the band’s covers, by Jeremy Cunningham.
Now in 2020 and 30 years since they announced themselves with ‘A Weapon Called The Word,’ the Levellers have created their own self-sufficient world. The fire that fuelled them 30 years ago has never extinguished and now with Peace, that fire burns brighter than ever.
LEVELLERS 2020 UK TOUR
FEBRUARY
12 Bury St Edmunds, The Apex SOLD OUT
13 Bury St Edmunds, The Apex SOLD OUT
14 Falmouth, Princess Pavilion SOLD OUT
15 Falmouth, Princess Pavillion SOLD OUT
16Falmouth, Princess Pavillion SOLD OUT
26 Brecon, Theatre Brycheiniog SOLD OUT
27 Port Talbot, Princess Theatre SOLD OUT
28 Blackwood, Miners Institute SOLD OUT
29 Llandudno, Venue Cymru
MARCH
01 Liverpool, Grand Central
19 Guildford, G Live
20 Norwich, Uea
21 Margate, Dreamland
APRIL
29 Sheffield, Leadmill SOLD OUT
30 Coventry, Empire
MAY
01 Holmfirth, Picturedrome SOLD OUT
02 Holmfirth, Picturedrome SOLD OUT
13 Hastings, White Rock Theatre
14 Frome, Cheese & Grain SOLD OUT
15 Aylesbury, Waterside Theatre
16 Southampton, O2 Guildhall
JUNE
20 Birmingham, Digbeth Arena - A Beautiful Day Out with guests
27 Bristol, Harbourside - A Beautiful Day Out with guests
AUGUST
21-23 Devon, Beautiful Days Festival
OCTOBER
07 Eindhoven, Effenaar (Nl)
08 Amsterdam, Paradiso (Nl)
09 Koln Gloria, (De)
10 St Niklaas, Casino (Be) SOLD OUT
11 Depot, Leuven (Be)
NOVEMBER
04 York, Barbican
05 Dundee, Fat Sams
06 Stirling, Albert Halls
07 Edinburgh, Liquid Rooms
08 Aberdeen, Lemon Tree
18 St Albans, Arena
19 Scunthorpe, The Baths Hall
20 Manchester, Albert Hall
21 Manchester, Albert Hall
DECEMBER
03 Lancaster, Town Hall
04 Nottingham, Rock City
05 Nottingham, Rock City SOLD OUT
Tickets are on sale now and available HERE.
