12 Crass Songs
General
| Jul 2008
Reviews
mike
Reviewed 2008-07-27
Reviewed 2008-07-27
JEFFREY LEWIS - "12 Crass Songs" CD (Rough Trade)
Anti-folk, folk, singer-songwriter covers of anarchist punk band CRASS'S songs. These are not straight covers. They are quirky and acoustic. This makes the political/social/anarchist lyrics stand out. On most songs, Helen Schreiner helps; often singing backing vocals and doing CRASS songs without female vocals would be odd. Think THE MOLDY PEACHES or DANIEL JOHNSTON but doing quirky acoustic version of anarchist punk songs. Songs are censored so all are fcc OK.
**1. Starts out with pretty acoustic guitar then he sings in a geeky anti-folk voice, rambling the lyrics to this great CRASS song. Some toy sounding instruments. Ends a few seconds early.
**2. Finger picked guitar and organs. Distant with sloppy group vocals. Backing female vocals throughout the track.
**3. Hand drums and strummed guitar. Great contrast between the male and female vocals.
4. Whistle, train-like rhythm, subdued. Harsh lyrics.
5. Poppy.
6. Slow, brushed drums, organ, lazy.
**7. Speedy, bass strings on guitar, male/female vocals. Classic CRASS song.
8. Poppy strum.
9. Radio sounds and accordion (?) create a drone. Multitracked male vocals. Drone throughout the entire track. Mellow almost psych.
**10. Starts with acapella female vocals. Enter male vocals. Enter plodding, electric guitar and crashing drums. I've always loved this song. Rock.
11. Funny. Starts with electric piano. Then pretty finger picked guitar for a cover of "Punk is Dead". When did CRASS write this song? 1978?
12. Hand drums, toy instruments, many voices. Sloppy.
Great stuff. -mph
Anti-folk, folk, singer-songwriter covers of anarchist punk band CRASS'S songs. These are not straight covers. They are quirky and acoustic. This makes the political/social/anarchist lyrics stand out. On most songs, Helen Schreiner helps; often singing backing vocals and doing CRASS songs without female vocals would be odd. Think THE MOLDY PEACHES or DANIEL JOHNSTON but doing quirky acoustic version of anarchist punk songs. Songs are censored so all are fcc OK.
**1. Starts out with pretty acoustic guitar then he sings in a geeky anti-folk voice, rambling the lyrics to this great CRASS song. Some toy sounding instruments. Ends a few seconds early.
**2. Finger picked guitar and organs. Distant with sloppy group vocals. Backing female vocals throughout the track.
**3. Hand drums and strummed guitar. Great contrast between the male and female vocals.
4. Whistle, train-like rhythm, subdued. Harsh lyrics.
5. Poppy.
6. Slow, brushed drums, organ, lazy.
**7. Speedy, bass strings on guitar, male/female vocals. Classic CRASS song.
8. Poppy strum.
9. Radio sounds and accordion (?) create a drone. Multitracked male vocals. Drone throughout the entire track. Mellow almost psych.
**10. Starts with acapella female vocals. Enter male vocals. Enter plodding, electric guitar and crashing drums. I've always loved this song. Rock.
11. Funny. Starts with electric piano. Then pretty finger picked guitar for a cover of "Punk is Dead". When did CRASS write this song? 1978?
12. Hand drums, toy instruments, many voices. Sloppy.
Great stuff. -mph
Recent airplay
Big A, Little A
Brownian Motion with Red West (special guest!) — Jul 12, 2017
End Results
Lost and Found — Sep 27, 2008
Do They Owe Us A Living
Emphysema For Emphasis — Sep 23, 2008
I Ain't Think, It's Just A Trick
Lost and Found — Sep 20, 2008
Walls (Fun In The Oven), I Ain't Think, It's Just A Trick
Oatmeal — Sep 19, 2008
Punk Is Dead
Lost and Found — Sep 13, 2008
Charting
2008-07-27 — 2008-09-28
| Week Ending | Airplays |
|---|---|
| Sep 28 | 2 |
| Sep 21 | 3 |
| Sep 14 | 1 |
| Sep 7 | 1 |
| Aug 31 | 2 |
| Aug 24 | 2 |
| Aug 17 | 1 |
| Aug 10 | 6 |
Track listing
| 1. | End Results | ||
| 2. | I Ain't Think, It's Just A Trick | ||
| 3. | Systematic Death | ||
| 4. | The Gas Man Cometh | ||
| 5. | Banned From The Roxy | ||
| 6. | Where Next Columbus | ||
| 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) |