Sleaford Mods : English Tapas
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Sleaford Mods : English Tapas

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Sleaford Mods are unavoidably themselves: punk-rock laid bare, lean-muscle, restless and writhing. Jason Williamson’s sing-speak punk poetry is spat out in such a utilitarian way that – at first – you wonder what business the songs have being so damn good.

The truth is that the Sleaford Mods have the recipe: the songs are hooky-as-fuck, they’re executed with fierce conviction and given the all-important balance by adding liberal amounts of caustic humour. The band have been full-time musicians for years, and in the past they’ve expressed concern about losing touch with truly working class concerns, however, English Tapas shows no signs of this.

Opener Army Nights is a chant-worthy evisceration of the kind of lads who head out on the town getting “spannered” and is a good indication of the record’s lyrical tone. Considering it has been released in the wake of Brexit, one might expect larger concerns to dominate, however it seems Williamson is far more comfortable focusing on the minutia. Write about what you know. English Tapas is at times chilling and morbid, never maudlin, often funny, and always engaging.

By Luke Fussell