Here at the Send Me Your Ears studio today, we’ve been listening to the latest single from one of our favourites, 9 o’clock Nasty. Low Fat Jesus is released today, February 11, 2023.
We’ll let 9 0’clock Nasty describe what the song is about… “This is not a song about the Jesus that threw the moneylenders out of the temple. This is a song about the Jesus that welcomed them in, as long as they contributed a fair percentage of their income as rent. Low Fat Jesus is a song about perversion and gaslighting on a global scale. Let’s face facts, Disney and Coca-Cola are pretty good at branding, but they are rank amateurs next to the 2000-year masterclass of the church.”
There’s a wonderful sense of humour in Low Fat Jesus, with several lyrics to make you smile, laugh out loud or, at one point, imply a word which would most definitely make this not very radio-friendly, had they sung the rhyme.
Low Fat Jesus starts with a simple running 8s driving bass line and drums backing it up. Electric guitars join the mix and fill out the sound before the witty and shouty vocals come in and take over.
There are some superb harmonies in the choruses here, with a high-quality performance as well as an excellent choice of notes with what sounds like a suspended chord. The repeated line, “don’t do what I do, do what I say,” echoes the rather sanctimonious attitude the band are poking fun at.
We love the sections in this song, always returning to that super-catchy sing-along chorus. The stop with the long-held guitar note and implied lyric explodes into the chorus and forces you to join in. This is a song we can imagine working well in a live situation.
Ideas from our ears
A large boost centred around 60Hz would help fill add some low end to the track, making it sound thicker and fuller. A similar boost centred around 10kHz for brightness and presence. Finally, a light compressor/limiter with some make-up gain for extra warmth and volume. As always, these are just some ideas from our ears.
Final thoughts
If you’re trying to put your finger on who 9 o’clock Nasty are, this song will challenge you. Imagine Billy Idol, crossed with Ian Dury, singing lyrics by Derek and Clive with superb musicianship.