Sleaford Mods at Neumos
Sleaford Mods, the British post punk band from Nottingham, performed at Neumos very early in the evening supporting their latest release, Spare Ribs. Despite early start times, the venue was full of eager concert viewers. The duo have received much critical praise and are well known for delivering explosive performances.
Sleaford Mods has an original sound that mashes electro punk, rap and minimalist techno. Deep, dancy bass lines remain on a loop that makes your bones jiggle, creating an extremely visceral reaction. Vocalist Jason Williamson speaks into the mic as if it had insulted him, while Andrew Fearn is constantly dancing next to him singing along like a hype man. Williamson scurries around the stage, tangoing with the mic stand. Closing his eyes for the majority of the performance, sh@t talking into the microphone. The way he delivers his lyrics reminds me of an angry caricature. I can’t but help wonder, who ticked him off like this?
Their track lyrics express frustration on interacting with people that don’t have much to give in terms of connection enrichment. Also, how frustration brews when you don’t fit in to societal and classist norms. “(I wish I had the time, To be a wanker just like you, And maybe then, I'd be somewhere lovely and warm, Just like you” – Elocution)
The backing instrumental is kept stripped and weird. Spoken lines are embellished with bird squawks and “air jerks” that give a feral, caveman esqe to the performance. Initially, I couldn’t make out much of what was said because of the heavy English accent but the musical composition remained organized with the words almost always rhyming perfectly. Throughout the whole performance the crowd was fully engaged, seas of heads bobbed the whole time. Sleaford Mods keeps it weird, unexpected, and are extremely entertaining to experience. Make sure you catch them the next time they’re in Seattle for a different type of poetry.
Notable tracks: Jobseeker, Tarantula Deadly Cargo, Nudge it
Words: Allison Lynch
Photos: Sophia Barkalakis