Hear Both Tracks From The Pop Group and Sleaford Mods' Split Seven-Inch Release

The split seven-inch has always been punk's underground weapon for uniting fans in new ways, chaining together potentially disparate passions on one collaborative release. And the medium couldn't lend itself better to the two bands in question.

One, The Pop Group (above), were venomous and rhythmic pioneers of that late 70s, early 80s, post-punk sound; the other, Sleaford Mods, are an angry duo from Nottingham who've spent the last six years injecting that stormy spirit back into the UK music agenda.

The resulting seven-inch features "Faces to Faces," a savage alternate cut of a track that features on their new album, and "Nations" from The Pop Group's comeback record Citizen Zombie. But instead of wasting anymore time describing either, we decided to seize on the whole concept of a seven-inch—that both bands fucking love eachother—and asked The Pop Group to tell us why Sleaford Mods are untouchable, and vice versa.

Hear both tracks here and read their words below.

The Pop Group on Sleaford Mods: "Dispensing verbal street justice, Sleaford Mods are the best band since The Clash. Them and the Grime Merchants are telling it as it is, like ‘The Message’ by Grandmaster Flash for the British Projects, the real new town neurotics. The voice of the wind howling through the concrete canyons, these sink estate saviours sound like a suburban suicide as the sirens provide the soundtrack. Trained in urban warfare, Jason spits a thousand miles an hour against the cancer of politicians selling fake sincerity and kissing babies on their ghetto safaris. My mother was a pramface. THIS IS OUR REALITY."

Sleaford Mods on The Pop Group: "Whenever a band comeback is announced the knives come out. Expecting The Pop Group to go away and age gracefully shouldn't have even been on your cards. With the recent album they've danced around the cynics and sideswiped all expectations producing a classic record in the process. There's no obvious rehash of any past glories, just a new twist deeper into the unexpected. Sager, Smith, and Catsis can still outgroove people half their age. Mark Stewart's voice booms above the beat decrying the global state with both valid paranoia and utter disbelief, which is best captured on "Nations" which features on this seven-inch. Like the Sleaford Mods track it simply asks: 'What the fuck is going on?'. No-one ever has an answer."

The Pop Group and Sleaford Mods release a split seven-inch on Monday June 18th through Freaks R Us.

Catch The Pop Group on tour:

May
5th Brighton The Haunt
6th Norwich Arts Centre
8th London The Dome, Tufnell Park
9th Sheffield Plug
10th Glasgow CCA Arts Centre
11th Liverpool Kazimier

June
12th Birmingham Supersonic Festival
21st Ramsgate Ramsgate Music Hall27-29 Glastonbury Glastonbury Festival

Catch Sleaford Mods on tour:

May
14th Norwich Waterfront Studio
15th Manchester Academy 2
16th Leeds Brudenell Social Club
23rd Brighton Concorde 2

June
4th Sheffield Leadmill
5th London Koko
27th-29th Glastonbury Glastonbury Festival