Spare Ribs

UKでカルト的人気を誇る泥酔中年パンク・デュオ
スリーフォード・モッズ最新作発売決定!!

労働者階級や社会に対する不満や怒りをDIYなラップトップ・パンク・サウンドと強烈な歌詞に乗せて英国でカルト的人気を誇るジェイソン・ウィリアムソンとアンドリュー・フェーンによる中年パンク・デュオ、スリーフォード・モッズが待望の最新作を〈Rough Trade〉よりリリース!
UKで初登場10位を記録したベスト盤に続く6作目となる本作『Spare Ribs』はロックダウン最中に3週間かけて地元ノッティンガムのウェアハウスで録音され、新鋭パンク・アーティストのビリー・ノーメイツを迎えた先行シングル「Mork n Mindy」に加え、メルボルンのパンク・バンドで同じく〈Rough Trade〉に所属するアミル・アンド・ザ・スニッファーズのエイミー・テイラーも参加。
新型コロナウイルス危機においての英国政府の無頓着な対応に象徴される政府の利権意識に対する2人組の憤慨が爆発しており、「エリートにとって人の命は消耗品なんだ...俺たちは常に"Spare Ribs(代わりの肋骨)"という状態にある」と語る通り、彼らの比類なきドライなユーモア・センスで政府を痛烈に批判し、抵抗の姿勢を貫いた快作となっている。

On Spare Ribs, Sleaford Mods prove once again that theyre capable of not just surviving but thriving during difficult times. Largely written and recorded during the COVID-19 global pandemic, its songs are very much of the moment -- and what a moment. The paranoia and claustrophobia always lurking around the edges of the bands music only feel more urgent and relevant on Out There, where the disease (whether its COVID or hypocrisy) lurks around every corner, and Top Room, which telegraphs the frustrations of families piled on top of each other in lockdown in its itchy beat and every time Jason Williamson exhales, oh, f*ck this. Aside from an international health crisis, the continuing fallout of Brexit and Boris Johnsons tenure as Prime Minister provide plenty of grist for Williamson and Andrew Fearns mill. Short Cummings, a bass-heavy rant against Johnsons former Chief Adviser Dominic Cummings, was actually written months before he came under fire for breaching lockdown, reaffirming that Sleaford Mods awareness of politicians hypocrisy borders on the prophetic. While Fearn and Williamsons traditional minimalism still has a lot of impact -- Elocution and I Dont Rate You rival anything on Divide and Exit when it comes to ire and fire -- they spend just as much time on Spare Ribs branching out. Considering its title, the album is musically remarkably meaty by their standards, especially when compared to the bare-bones sounds of works like English Tapas. As on Eton Alive, the extra melody, color, and humor on these songs goes a long way towards animating their music. Glimpses brightness approaches new wave, but like a fresh coat of paint on a crumbling building, it only makes the rot (in this case, consumerism) Williamson observes stand out even more starkly. Likewise, the punchy bass and synths on the title track give an extra weight to the duos observations about the pandemics earliest victims. However, the albums biggest change comes with the inclusion of two female guest vocalists who are more than capable of holding their own against Williamsons rasp. Amy Taylor of Aussie punks Amyl and the Sniffers helps him take on the poseurs on Nudge It, while Billy Nomates lends her soulful style to the spooky Mork & Mindy, a look back at the bad old days of Williamsons childhood in the 1970s and 80s that makes for one of Spare Ribs standouts. Sleaford Mods capture the feeling of being holed up with a lifetime of memories in haunting fashion on Fishcakes, which combines some of the albums richest imagery (asbestos acorn trees hang high) with some of Williamsons most melodic vocals. Even at the albums bleakest, Sleaford Mods never sound completely beaten down. Not even a global pandemic and repeated lockdowns can crush their spirit, and Spare Ribs feels like a hearty, timely, and well-deserved two fingers up to the powers that be. ~ Heather Phares