Not many songs start with the stench from a toilet cubicle, but Liveable Shit, my favourite track off SLEAFORD MODS new album Divide And Exit does just that.
The duo are hard to pin down to one single genre. I can’t decide whether I want to call them Hip-Hop or Punk, and I don’t think they’d really give a fuck anyway. Heavily distorted vocals seep in and start us off with some typical straight talking lyrics such as “I can’t believe the rich exist, never mind run the fucking country”.
Next we have single Tied Up In Nottz; as you may have gathered, a song about Hoodtown, and with a bloody catchy bassline. The social commentary starts instantly on this one, with Jason Williamson opening the song with “the smell of piss is so strong, it smells like decent bacon”. Perhaps not the best ode to the state of Nottingham’s cob shops, but still, you’re in the mood for a butty now aren’t you?
As you get further through the album, you appreciate just how well the beats compliment the words. Abrasive drum loops and some stuttered but effective basslines really drive the songs. They manage to make some really catchy lines, just make sure not to sing “David Cameron’s hairdresser got an MBE, I told my wife you better shoot me” on the bus.
It’s a great album overall, and while we’re pretty sure the duo don’t have a number one record on their hands here, a lot of people will love it, and it shows just how great the diversity in the Nottingham music scene is. They’re clearly letting a lot out in this album, and in a strange way, you feel a sense of relief listening to this album too. Did I just call the SLEAFORD MODS therapy? Yeah, I think I did. Well, you need something to get you through this liveable shit.
Yours in Love of New Music,
Sam Nahirny x
