EP REVIEW: Sleaford Mods ‘Tiswas’

Rating:

What can you say about Sleaford Mods that hasn’t been said already? The Nottingham duo speak about life on the brink and the harsh reality that life isn’t all gold tinted and a thing of beauty. They don’t pretend or hide from anything. And with that in mind they produce tracks with a clear and brutal message that draws you in.

Although, their name may turn some heads as they aren’t the usual mod fit, Sleaford Mods – or should I say Jason Williamson – is a mod by trade. But take away the original Small Faces fashion statement and there are strong modernist beliefs that runs very deep, with the idea of purity and standards in life… And this EP, Tiswas, is no exception to that.

Obviously, Sleaford Mods have never been about chunky beats or floor filler anthems; they are all about the vocals that dissect apart life. The EP’s title track, ‘Tiswas’, features on their LP, Divide And Exit, and sees Jason launch an attack on rock ‘n roll. His anger and rage can be felt a mile off as he speaks about armchair anarchic lobbyists. This is followed by ‘Bunch of Cunts’, which is really what it says; a full blooded onslaught about city life that’s been based on observations. Is conformity really a bad thing? Well once you’ve listened to this track you might think otherwise. It’s the first new track on the EP and that’s followed by three other pieces of fresh material – ‘The Demon’ is very regimented, especially with its war reference as Williamson, who often is mistaken for having an argument with himself, speaks about the leader of a war is like he is a demon.

This is swiftly followed by ‘The Mail Don’t Fail’, which reflects on how the media brainwash its audience into believing what the broadcaster wants them to believe. And sadly, Williamson believes this it’s part of modern life which is like a slow death… he EP’s last track, ‘6 Horseman (the Brixtons)’, is based on a part fictional story, but don’t let that sway you as Williamson maintains his gush of swearwords both in an angry and funny sense. In truth it’s a brutal EP that maintains exactly the true essence of modernist views. Sleaford Mods have produced an honest EP that looks at the reality of life and I don’t think you can fault them, can you?

Tiswas EP is released on November 24th via Invada Records.

Sam Lightle