More about: Sleaford Mods

Poets of rage Sleaford Mods have today released their newest album UK GRIM, which is probably their most fine-tuned and banging album to date. In classic Sleaford's style, it's a politically driven and exciting project, providing a voice to a frustrated country, acting as a chant towards a corrupt government and sorry state of affairs. It's also a lot of fun.

When you look at the birth of punk, there are a number of similarities between the state of the UK in 1975/76/77 to now. John Lydon says in Robb Watts 'Oral History of Punk Rock':

"Early seventies Britain was a very depressing place. It was completely run-down, there was trash on the streets, total unemployment - just about everybody was on strike. Everybody was brought up with an education system that told you point blank that if you came from the wrong side of the tracks (which of course was of not much use because the trains were on strike) then you had no hope in hell and no career prospects at all. Out of that came pretentious moi and the Sex Pistols and then a whole bunch of copycat wankers after us."

I disagree with the copycat wankers bit. Bands like The Clash and Buzzcocks were all a part of the punk movement and provided their own voice, but it was the Sex Pistols who opened the door for those voices to be welcomed into the world. But where I see an opened door, John sees a carbon copy of that door which other bands opened themselves, and that's where me and Mr I Hate Pink Floyd cross wires. But the point still remains, the state of the economy and politics in the UK led to the birth of these voices of punk, it was a plethora of protest, and a symphony of unrest, so why aren't we seeing the same thing today?

"Punk bands take note..."

There are a few reasons, but the issue is empty sentiment of 'fuck the government' and 'I hate the royal family' don't go down like they used to in the 70's. We're more used to these kinds of comments now, which means that when we hear bands sing them, our response is one of 'oh yeah fair point' rather than one of 'well that is outrageous'. It means that a lot of punk bands come across as bland and as such, like anything in music, the genre needs to evolve in order to remain relevant.. Enter Sleaford's.

Sleaford Mods have a unique sound that can vary from eerie to heavy to rave-centric. It provides exciting unpredictability and means each new release is highly anticipated. Jason also understands that empty words of 'I hate the government' don't work, so he uses a more poetic approach, one still laced with fucks and cunts and the rest of it, but delivered in a way that it sounds like a manifesto over a punk track. This is the theme throughout all of their work but it has never been so refined and well presented than on UK GRIM.

The title track sets the stage. Heavy, energy, rage, catchy. It gives the listener a teaser for the next hour, a quick announcement of this is the direction we're heading in so get off now if you aren't keen. From there the band address politics, the modern DIY scene and personal gripes in a way which is entertaining and beautiful. This is the protest album we need right now, one with a clear message but an interesting delivery.

The winter of discontent might be repeating itself but Spring is just round the corner, and it's in the form of UK GRIM. Punk bands take note.

Grab your copy of the Gigwise print magazine here.

More about: Sleaford Mods