Each Friday I pick a song–new, old, borrowed, blue–that’s been on my mind and in my ears, and write a short post about it.

This is “Jobseeker” by Sleaford Mods:

I like the idea of Sleaford Mods more than the actual songs. They’re making a clear cultural and political statement about regional England and class, and if I were inclined to write an essay I’d probably find a lot to say about them. Nonetheless, the songs leave me cold; sure, they’re witty, but wit only ever gets me so far, and musically they aren’t doing anything I’m interested in sitting around and listening to.  But I went to see them at Primavera anyway. They were excellent. The intelligence of what they’re doing shines through in performance–especially in the performance of a guy spending the whole set with one hand in his pocket, occasionally taking pictures of the crowd, and of his buddy on the microphone, and in the play and antagonism that to my ears falls flat on record, but realizes its potential when it’s live and, you know, alive.  I’m seeing them again later in the summer at another festival, and I’ll be glad to experience it again. Even if, like me, you don’t get excited by the record, I recommend catching them in the flesh to get the full effect.