RockNews Album Review: Levellers – Levelling The Land (35th Anniversary Edition)

22 September 2026 Neil@RockNews

Levellers Levelling The Land 35th anniversary review

RockNews Album Review: Levellers – Levelling The Land (35th Anniversary Edition)

Who Are The Levellers?

Formed in Brighton in 1988, the Levellers have spent nearly 40 years cementing their status as one of Britain’s most enduring, fiercely independent, and best-loved folk-rock bands. Fusing traditional folk instrumentation—like Jon Sevink’s soaring fiddle—with the punch and rebellion of punk rock, the band emerged as a vital voice for the disaffected working class. Providing an incendiary soundtrack to the early 1990s, they built a fiercely loyal, tribal fanbase through relentless touring and an unwavering commitment to social and political causes, eventually founding their own landmark festival, Beautiful Days.

The New Album: Levelling The Land (35th Anniversary Edition)

Set for release on October 16th, 2026, this 35th-anniversary package is far more than a simple cash-in re-issue. Driven by a desire to rectify the technical limitations of 1991—where early 90s studio standards forced producers to strip out low frequencies to protect tiny TV and car speakers—founding member Jon Sevink and original producer Al Scott have returned to the 24-track analogue tapes. Utilising modern mixing technology to give the stereo image more space and a much-needed low-end kick, this remix finally bridges the gap between the band’s legendary, high-octane live shows and their landmark sophomore record, all while unearthing a treasure trove of long-lost demos and outtakes.

Levellers Levelling The Land 35th anniversary review – Track Listing, Length, Formats, and Availability

The release comes in two primary physical configurations designed to cater to both casual listeners and die-hard Levellers devotees:

1LP Vinyl Edition: A single vinyl record reflecting the classic 11-track sequence of the original 1991 album, wrapped in Jeremy Cunningham’s iconic artwork.
3CD Expanded Edition: A comprehensive box set featuring:
- CD1: The brand-new Al Scott remix of the original 11 tracks.
- CD2: A massive collection of 14 bonus tracks comprising period B-sides, studio outtakes, and mixes (running approximately 65 minutes).
- CD3: The newly discovered 12-track cassette demos of the entire album recorded circa 1991 (running approximately 45 minutes).

Complete Track Listing

CD1: Levelling The Land – Remix by Al Scott / 1LP Vinyl

One Way
The Game
Fifteen Years
The Boatman
Liberty Song
Far From Home
Sell Out
Another Man’s Cause
The Road
The Riverflow
Battle of the Beanfield

CD2: Bonus Tracks (3CD Edition)

B-Sides:
1. Dance Before The Storm
2. Hard Fight
3. The Devil Went Down To Georgia
4. Last Days Of Winter
5. Plastic Jeezus
Outtakes:
- 6. Liberty Song
- 7. The Road
- 8. Far From Home v1
- 9. Boatman Jig v1
- 10. Plastic Jeezus
- 11. Fifteen Years
- 12. Another Man’s Cause
- 13. Far From Home
- 14. One Way (Dance Mix)

CD3: Levelling The Land Demos (3CD Edition)

One Way (Demo)
The Game (Demo)
The Boatman (Demo)
Liberty Song (Demo)
Far From Home (Demo)
Sell Out (Demo)
Another Man’s Cause (Demo)
The Road (Demo)
The Riverflow (Demo)
Battle Of The Beanfield (Demo)
The Devil Went Down To Georgia (Demo)
Last Days Of Winter (Demo)

Availability: Fans can pre-order the album formats directly through the official Levellers web store and major independent music retailers ahead of its October 16th release date.

Track-by-Track Deep Dive (CD1 / Original Album)

One Way: The ultimate folk-rock battle cry opens the record with an unstoppable momentum, driven by an iconic fiddle hook and lyrics about personal defiance. It remains an absolute cornerstone of the band’s live set to this day.
The Game: A biting critique of political manipulation and societal structures, matching a deceptively jaunty rhythm with sharp, cynical social commentary.
Fifteen Years: A frantic, high-velocity narrative tackling systemic injustice and imprisonment, perfectly showcasing Al Scott’s renewed punch in the low-end mix.
The Boatman: An atmospheric, deeply evocative epic that builds from a melancholic acoustic lament into a swirling, full-band tempest of sound.
Liberty Song: A rousing call-to-arms celebrating freedom of expression and non-conformity, anchored by an infectious, sing-along chorus.
Far From Home: Melancholic yet fiercely defiant, this track captures the rootless desperation of youth trying to find a place in a harsh economic landscape.
Sell Out: A scathing indictment of commercial compromise and the music industry’s greed, delivered with blistering punk rock velocity.
Another Man’s Cause: A sprawling, deeply moving acoustic-led ballad that tackles environmentalism, animal rights, and human empathy with remarkable emotional weight.
The Road: Propelled by a relentless rhythm section, this track evokes the transient, nomadic lifestyle of a band forever touring the highways of Britain.
The Riverflow: A gorgeous, folk-infused meditation on time and change, allowing Jon Sevink’s fiddle work to take centre stage.
Battle Of The Beanfield: A ferocious, historically charged epic documenting the brutal police suppression of the 1985 convoy, closing the album on a furious, unforgettable high.

Track-by-Track Deep Dive: CD2 (B-Sides & Outtakes)

Dance Before The Storm: A high-energy B-side that captures the turbulent, storm-swept urgency of the early 90s era, driven by a blistering folk-punk pulse.
Hard Fight: A gritty, blue-collar anthem emphasising resilience and working-class grit, perfectly complementing the main album’s core themes.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia: A raucous, wonderfully chaotic cover that lets Jon Sevink trade fiery fiddle licks with absolute abandon.
Last Days Of Winter: A bleak yet hauntingly atmospheric track that dials down the tempo to showcase a colder, more reflective side of the band.
Plastic Jeezus: A tongue-in-cheek, irreverent romp that highlights the band’s lighter, satirical punk roots.
Liberty Song (Outtake): An intriguing early alternate studio take of the classic track, offering a fascinating glimpse into the song’s developmental stages before final sequencing.
The Road (Outtake): Stripped-back and raw, this studio outtake highlights the foundational acoustic rhythm driving the track forward.
Far From Home v1: An earlier studio variation that experiments with a slightly different vocal delivery and textural arrangement.
Boatman Jig v1: An instrumental-leaning, fiddle-heavy exploration that foregrounds the folk traditions inspiring the band’s sprawling epic.
Plastic Jeezus (Outtake): A loose, studio-floor run-through capturing the playful camaraderie of the band during the 1991 sessions.
Fifteen Years (Outtake): A punchy, alternate mix previewing the raw energy that would later be polished for the main record.
Another Man’s Cause (Outtake): A stripped-back developmental version that keeps the stark emotional storytelling at the absolute forefront.
Far From Home (Outtake): Another unique studio snapshot showcasing how the band tested various builds before nailing the final release.
One Way (Dance Mix): A delightfully bizarre early 90s electronic-inflected remix that leans into alternative club textures of the era.

Track-by-Track Deep Dive: CD3 (The 1991 Cassette Demos)

One Way (Demo): Raw, unpolished, and crackling with authentic cassette charm, this demo proves the song’s powerhouse melody was bulletproof from day one.
The Game (Demo): A stripped-back foundational sketch revealing how the band built the track’s infectious rhythm around biting lyrical hooks.
The Boatman (Demo): Even on an old cassette tape, this early version retains its haunting, atmospheric gravity and expansive scope.
Liberty Song (Demo): Fast and furious, this rough-and-ready run-through captures the sweat and urgency of the band’s early writing sessions.
Far From Home (Demo): A poignant acoustic-led blueprint that highlights the raw vulnerability embedded in the song’s core composition.
Sell Out (Demo): Powered by frantic strumming and raw vocal grit, this demo hits with every bit as much punk venom as the finished product.
Another Man’s Cause (Demo): A deeply moving, bare-bones recording that lets the narrative weight of the sprawling epic carry the room entirely on its own.
The Road (Demo): Driven by an urgent, rhythmic momentum, this cassette artefact tracks the restless creative energy of the 1991 sessions.
The Riverflow (Demo): A gorgeous, melodic sketch that proves Jon Sevink’s signature fiddle lines were locked in long before hitting Ridge Farm studios.
Battle Of The Beanfield (Demo): Surprisingly massive even in demo form, this rough cut builds an ominous, marching intensity that foreshadows its epic studio execution.
The Devil Went Down To Georgia (Demo): A loose, fun, and lightning-fast studio jam showing the band cutting loose between serious tracking sessions.
Last Days Of Winter (Demo): A somber, atmospheric outtake that rounds out the cassette discovery with a chilling, introspective mood.

RockNews Verdict – Levellers Levelling The Land 35th anniversary review

Thirty-five years on, Levelling The Land remains an untouchable masterpiece of British protest folk-rock, and this anniversary edition breathes sensational new life into it. By peeling back the compressed production constraints of 1991, Al Scott has given these anthems the muscular, expansive low-end power they always deserved. Combined with the incredible historical bonus material—particularly the long-lost cassette demos and rare B-sides across CDs 2 and 3—this package is an essential purchase. It proves beyond a shadow of a doubt that the Levellers’ timeless songs of rebellion, unity, and hope are just as vital today as they were three and a half decades ago. Rating: 10/10

What is your absolute favourite track from this landmark album, and will you be catching them on their upcoming 35th Anniversary tour?

Find out where they are playing HERE. Hurry tickets are selling fast!