Tuesday
Dec042007
JEFFREY LEWIS - 12 Crass Songs
Tuesday, December 4, 2007 at 05:18PM 
From Lou Reed to Jello Biafra, Gordon Gano to Dylan, sometimes the most effective messenger of discord is an off-kilter, atonal voice. Comic book artist Jeffrey Lewis knows he's not the greatest singer and he uses this to his advantage. No fancy trills get in the way of his caustic lo-fi folk attacks on fake punks, crappy club promoters, and basically everything Republican. These 12 Crass Songs are indeed full of cuss words, but this album is hardly just a bunch of lazy swearing. Lewis is a clever and very funny lyricist who's always sure to back up his shock tactics with a well-put point.
Reader Comments (2)
Just a little clarification, folks: The title is literal: The 12 songs on 12 Crass Songs are songs by Crass, the iconically anti-iconic UK '80s anarcho-punk collective, basically the british equivalent of the Dead Kennedys. (Some of the lyrics are updated here and there, apparently.) If you've heard any of his other work, you'll find it's fairly different - kinda more in the Kimya Dawson anti-folk vein. I'm not quite sure I've gotten the point of the album, but knowing that should change your hearing of it a little bit.
And so you're right. Not so familiar with the old Crass material myself so thanks for the tip. Is my face red! Nice work on the book by the way, Carl. The SS crew is happy for you. It seems like the best one in the series in a long while.