Celtic post punk

Australian review on the release there of Defending Ancient Springs: “Scottish new wave folk meets Cleveland post punk”. Elder describes Leven as a mature songwriter who has left punk excess behind and embraced folk, the men's movement and serious lyric poetry, and places him between Van Morrison, Mike Scott, Yeats and Heaney – a modern, unvarnished Celticism of pain, alcohol, poverty and industrial ruins. He praises the juxtaposition of sweetness and abrasiveness, the shared vocals with David Thomas (“Paris Blues”) and, in particular, the eccentric version of “You've Lost That Loving Feeling”. Overall tone: clearly positive, the best album since Fairytales For Hardmen.