Sleaford Mods blend fury and comedy across an album that demands re-listening and leaves imitators quaking.
No one spits rhymes with as much relish as Jason Williamson. He reads as permanently perplexed/infuriated about the state of things – both major (MAGA) and minor (dislikes puddings) – which is exactly how we like him.
The 13th album by Sleaford Mods demands re-listening. Midsong, you’ll repeatedly doubletake and rewind – ‘He said WHAT!?’ – like lyrical whiplash (eg. “Fucking toss parachutes from jizz op aircraft carriers”).
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Sleaford Mods are also funny as fuck. Check out this bit from Megaton: “‘Allo, renters, I’m in you! Ugh, I hate that sayin’. Noughties bands say it when they drive into the next town they’re playin’.”
Opener The Good Life – which reflects “a life lived under immense uncertainty, shaped by mass trauma”, according to Williamson – aptly kicks off with cackling laughter. Here, Gwendoline Christie (Game Of Thrones) represents Jason’s inner voice and is suitably terrifying – you’ll probably flinch.
“I want a big bum hole to suck me up/ WHO GOES THERE!?” – Williamson’s acting chops upgrade his delivery to untouchable during Double Diamond, which closes out with classical strings.
At the top of No Touch, Sue Tompkins (of Life Without Buildings) accuses, “You’re not miserable, you’re nice!” To which Jason responds, with his signature screwed-up face, “WHA’?”
Elsewhere: Elitist G.O.A.T. (feat. Aldous Harding) takes on performative activism over ska-inspired backing; Williams recounts a childhood incident on the harrowing Gina Was, with its playful use of güiro and glockenspiel; and Andrew Fearn’s Kill List beat throbs with menace.
The affronting Nottingham noise duo have done it again, leaving imitators quaking in The Demise Of Planet X’s wake.
LABEL: ROUGH TRADE
