Jeffrey Lewis, 12 Crass Songs
Joe bought the new Jeffrey Lewis record the other week. It’s Jeffrey Lewis doing cover versions of twelve Crass songs. Crass were an English anarchist punk rock band that formed in 1977. Liking the album we decided to track down the original Crass versions of the songs. Crass were a riduculuos band. Their songs consist of leftist rants in a six-form poetry style. While other punk acts merely postured, Crass were the real deal: angry young men (and women) sticking it to the man, taking on the establishment. They were angry about absolutely everything in an endearingly juvenile way.
Jeffrey Lewis makes the tracks into something altogether more palatable and updates some of the lyrics for a contemporary audience. My favourite changes being on the lyrics to ‘I aint thick, it’s just a trick’:
Standards and values on the living room screen, Sarah Jessie Parker acting mean. She’s got it all that’s what they want you to think but if you read between the lines you’ll see the missing link. She’s just a puppet in their indoctrination plan - be link me girls and become a real man. Live to the full, always act flash. Don’t use your brains when you’re body makes a splash.
I think this album maybe a modern classic, or at the very least a highly recommended curiosity.
Crass did rant, but they were anything but juvenile. In fact they represented a high water mark of punk: a band with lyrics sharp enough to cut somthing with. The fact that Lewis did the covers means that we can actually understand all the lyrics and get inspired by them. In fact, he really makes these songs his own,and for that this album is a classic that has yet to have its day.