Jeffrey Lewis - 12 Crass Songs
by Mark Rowland
published: 5 / 9 / 2007

Label:
Rough Trade
Format: CD
intro
Superb folk reworkings of songs from anarcho-punk group Crass' back catalogue from New York-based musician Jeffrey Lewis
As the sweet opening chords to ‘End Result’ float out of your speakers, it’s hard to believe it’s a cover of a song by anarcho-punk band Crass. All of the 12 songs on ’12 Crass Songs’ are, funnily enough, by Crass, but Jeffrey Lewis has broken the songs right down and built them back up almost from scratch, rendering them unrecognisable (apart from the anarchist statements within the lyrics). As well as lush, Sufjan Stevens like arrangements (albeit less dense) on songs such as ‘I Ain’t Think, It’s Just a Trick’ and ‘Where Next, Columbus?’ the album features country-blues shuffles (‘Systematic Death’), deadpan 60's beat (‘Banned From the Roxy) and classic Lewis arrangements (‘Do They Owe’). These folked-up versions of Crass songs make you wonder if it’s the quality of the songs themselves or Lewis’ arrangements that makes this album good, but one suspects it’s a bit of both. Either way, Lewis deserves kudos for being able to make anarcho punk sound both pretty and fun.
Track Listing:-
1 End Result2 I Ain't Thick, It's Just A Trick
3 Systematic Death
4 The Gasman Cometh
5 Banned From The Roxy
6 Where Next Colombus?
7 Do They Owe Us A Living?
8 Securicor
9 Demoncrats
10 Big A, Little A
11 Punk Is Dead
12 Walls (Fun In The Oven)
Label Links:-
https://twitter.com/RoughTradeRecshttp://roughtraderecords.com/
https://www.facebook.com/roughtraderecords
interviews |
Interview (2008) |
![]() |
Mark Rowland talks to New York-based musician and comic book artist Jeffrey Lewis about his new covers album, '12 Crass Songs', which re-invents the anti-authoritarian rants of 70's anarchists Crass as a collection of indie-folk songs |
live reviews |
Brudenell Social Club, Leeds, 16/9/2008 |
![]() |
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 |
digital downloads
most viewed articles
current edition
Sarah Cracknell - InterviewDouglas MacIntyre - Interview
Jann Klose - Sugar My
Jimmy Webb - (With support from Ashley Campbell and Thor Jenson), Cadogan Hall, London. 27/5/2022
Jarvis Cocker - Good Pop Bad Pop - An Exhibition of Objects and Keepsakes of Jarvis Cocker
Dwina Gibb - Interview
Loop - Interview
Rolling Stones - Anfield, Liverpool, 9/6/2022
Tom Newman - Interview
Simply Red - La Marina, Valencia, Spain, 7/6/2022
most viewed reviews
current edition
Def Leppard - Diamond Star HalosLucky Ones - Slow Dance, Square Dance, Barn Dance
Various - Heroes & Villains – The Sound Of Los Angeles 1965-1968,
Dave Stewart - Ebony McQueen
Gabi Garbutt and the Illuminations - Cockerel
Emile Sande - Let's Say For Instance
Bonnie Raitt - Just Like That...
Soup Review - Go and See
Girls At Our Best! - Pleasure
Norah Jones - Come Away With Me: 20th Anniversary Edition
Pennyblackmusic Regular Contributors
Adrian Janes
Amanda J. Window
Andrew Twambley
Anthony Dhanendran
Benjamin Howarth
Cila Warncke
Daniel Cressey
Darren Aston
Dastardly
Dave Goodwin
Denzil Watson
Dominic B. Simpson
Eoghan Lyng
Fiona Hutchings
Harry Sherriff
Helen Tipping
Jamie Rowland
John Clarkson
Julie Cruickshank
Kimberly Bright
Lisa Torem
Maarten Schiethart