This is definitely one of the most interesting albums of recent times. This is exactly what the title says: the angry anarcho-punk songs of Crass, re-worked by New York’s anti-folk troubadour Jeffrey Lewis. Crass were never the most cheerful of bands and although their lyrics can often be criticised for preaching to the converted, they are rightly one of the most influential punk bands of all time. And now their songs can be introduced to a whole new audience thanks to Lewis’s interpretations.
Whether these versions are more accessible than the originals depends on how you like your music to sound. Although Lewis’s voice is less angry compared to that of Steve Ignorant, he’s not got the greatest singing voice. Then again, neither no many artists, especially from within the folk circuit and if you can stand his nerdy vocals then you’ll find this record to be a real gem.
Unlike how he originally intended the record, these are not stripped down acoustic versions of the originals, with lots of love and care put into making these intelligent and creative compositions with lots of attention to detail in the harmonies (this record would be very different without the male/female vocals) and not just making this a great tribute record to Crass but a great record period. From the dubby-Captain Beefheart influenced Big A, Little A to the folktronica Walls (Fun in the Oven), the traditional folk arrangement of Demoncrats and the campfire sing-along of Systematic Death.
Yet, while this may not be seen as a punk record, the message is by no means watered down, with the delivery and lyrics of Does They Owe a Living? and I Ain’t Thick, It’s Just a Trick sounding just as important and passionate as Crass themselves mean. Whether you like Crass or not, these are 12 very powerful songs and these arrangements are a delight to hear. The accompanying comic strip written and drawn by Jeffrey about why he chose to do this record is a joy to read too.