This is the first Lowest of the Low recording not to feature original bassist John Arnott who left the band in 2002.
The re-jigged lineup featured Dylan Parker replacing Arnott on bass and long time collaborator Lawrence Nichols (harmonica, keyboards and vocals) joining the band as a full-fledged member.
The great thing about it was Stephen had a solo project during that period of time as well, so he had done a lot more writing on his own then he had previously done with The Lowest of the Low and then I had the Rusty Nails, so we kind of had all these influences that we could bring in that were new... We weren't jettisoning our old Lowest of the Low sound, but there was all this other stuff we learned in the meantime put into the stew.
"[4] Exlaim Magazine gave it a positive review saying: "Sordid Fiction is a sharply constructed, contemporary folk-punk record that the bands fans will surely embrace.
Tremendous force, melody and raw wit are displayed in abundance, and as always the lyrics serve as bullet-points for the state of the world, filled with salient, autobiographical observations on life, love and ill-timed comeuppances.
"[6] Ultimately, the band was disappointed by the response to the album, and blamed their new label, Maple Music, for part of the problem.