Sleaford Mods - Chubbed Up + [Ipecac Recordings - 2014]Sleaford Mods probably need no introduction to you, but if you have missed out on their rise, they’re a beats/words duo producing raw, stripped-back, pop-sized barrages. I like to think of them as The Fall relocated to Nottingham, attempting to form a hip-hop project and making a young Mark. E. Smith spit with rage in the process. So, whilst it’s spiky and belligerent in tone, musically its often very straight-ahead; beats and riffs pounded into the ground: “repetition, repetition, repetition”. “Chubbed Up +” physically releases a digital compilation from earlier this year - collecting up tracks from singles - and adds a couple of unreleased songs into the mix. As is the nature of these compilations, the tracks are a mixed bunch. “Chubbed Up +” probably isn’t the best place to start, for anyone unacquainted with the work of Jason Williamson and Andrew Fearn, but it contains several unmistakable high-points in their discography. So we have the holy trinity of “Jobseeker”, “Jolly Fucker” and “Tweet Tweet Tweet”, alongside less recognisable tracks and those unreleased efforts. “Jobseeker” remains a head-nodding, anthemic charge of lairy motorik - always euphoric despite its dismal tales of drudgery. It contains one of Williamson’s most memorable exchanges from the frontline: “…So Mr Williamson, what have you done in order to find gainful employment since your last signing-on day?/Fuck all - I sat around the house wanking…”. This black and bleak humour is to be found throughout the album, though always delivered with an eye for observation and detail. Fearn’s beat on “Jobseeker” is something else, too.“Jolly Fucker” is a bulletproof krautrock missile, with a payload of word association from Williamson; including my favourite: “Arrogant cunts/Ian Beale tight trunks/Tight pants/Grammar wanker/Walk the plank”. “Tweet Tweet Tweet” is one of the more colourful tracks on the compilation, with the deployment of descending male backing vocals and piano; as well as a climax thats more sung than spoken.
The rest of the re-issued tracks plough similar furrows, with “14 Day Court” stringing along lyric ideas and referencing Fawlty Towers, “Routine Dean” presenting another charged tale of bureaucracy and “Bambi” containing a particularly petulant vocal from Williamson. The draw of “Chubbed Up +” for many people, will be the three unreleased tracks. Bravely, the compilation starts with one of these: “The Committee”. This dark, grimy stomp is probably the most solid of the trio; with a rumbling bass underpinning Williamson’s stories of wannabe’s. “Bring Out The Canons” has a similar tone, albeit delivered in a more downplayed way. “Fear Of Anarchy” fills out the usual sound with brass interludes, with the vocals doing their usual swagger across the beats.
As I said above, this probably isn’t the best place to start with Sleaford Mods; but, on the other hand, if “Jobseeker”, “Jolly Fucker” and “Tweet Tweet Tweet” can’t convert you, what will? I assume that all of the original single releases are long sold-out and compounding this, the Matador 7” (“Routine Dean”/“Pubic Hair Ltd”) was only available to subscribers to their year-long Singles Club; so, in terms of collecting up rarities, the compilation is a welcome release. The added attraction is, of course, the unreleased songs and whilst they haven’t set me alight so far (Sleaford Mods always worm into my brain slowly), I don’t think any fan will be disappointed. So, another worthy addition to their catalogue and with its release on Ipecac, an indication of their growing status and appeal. It’ll be interesting to see how that works out.   Martin P
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