It's been three years since their last album came out, but critical acclaim for their latest effort Letters From The Underground proves that the band have been using their time wisely.

"It's a brilliant record, so we're all very happy at the moment," says singer and co-founder of the band Mark Chadwick. "We don't always feel like that either. There have been a couple over the years where we've thought 'Ah well, we've finished it now, it can't be changed'."

The album's opening track Cholera Well sounds like the band are performing live at a rowdy hoedown, but while there are similarly loose, good-time songs elsewhere on the album, Burn America, Burn stands out like a beacon.

Is this the highly politicised band's attempt to tell the world what they think of the US?

"We're not asking people to set fire to America or anything like that," says Mark. "It's more a song about people who are willing to go into their schools and shoot their classmates or teachers and Burn America, Burn is something some of them have said in videos shown on the internet after they've done those terrible things."

In an age of throwaway pop and indie bands singing about debauched nights out, Levellers' serious lyrical statements stick out even further than they used to.

"The world isn't getting any better, is it? Let's face it, so there should be more people out there talking about what's going on," he says.

"There's a tremendous amount of apathy in modern music lyrically.
We come from the '80s, and the ethic back then was to make your songs about something important or clever, and not just about girls and drinking. I want some fire in people's bellies."

The band are now preparing to play a benefit in aid of The Big Issue, one of the causes close to their hearts.

Tickets for Levellers' appearance at Bridlington's Musicport Festival on October 17 are on sale now.