Jeffrey Lewis - Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 16/9/2008

  by Helen Tipping

published: 21 / 9 / 2008

intro

Helen Tipping is riveted by American singer-songwriter and artist Jeffrey Lweis's blend of Crass covers, politics and comic book stories at a show at the Brudenell in Leeds

Jeffrey Lewis is headlining a sold out night tonight at the Brudenell with his band, which consists of his brother Jack on bass and David Beauchamp on drums, with guest vocals and keyboards from Helen Schreiner for the songs that were featured on his recent '12 Crass Songs' covers album. The first song features a guest appearance by support band the Wave Pictures, before the rest of the band join him. Lewis' own songs are witty and incisive, and he freely admits to making his own additions to the Crass songs he performs to bring them right up to date. He also makes them more accessible, as Crass weren’t the easiest of bands to listen to for many people. In an age where the political performer is considered unfashionable, Lewis seems to be bucking the trend by gaining a following on both sides of the Atlantic. Not all his songs are political by any means – many are forays into surrealism, as are some of his comic book stories. The first one he uses during this gig and which he shows us has private eyes in disguise and saxophone sex, and he hasn’t even written the ending yet. Later we are shown the 'History of Communism Part 5' which is on Korea. Where will he go from here ? The photographs that accompany this article were taken by Neil Bailey exclusively for Pennyblackmusic.

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