Jeffrey Lewis - 12 Crass Songs

12 Crass Songs (VV004LP): Astonishingly transformed covers of songs originally written by the band Crass in 1978-1984, this 2007 LP is the most rare and sought-after vinyl in Jeffrey's catalogue and is also now very hard to find.

“Weird? Very… […] but it’s also downright inspiring” (4 of 5 stars) – Rolling Stone.
“The record presents Crass’s lyrics calmly, often demonstrating how sane and practical they are; it proves once again, and kind of thrillingly this time, that no
music is immune to interpretation” – The New York Times.
“Folk maverick raids anarchist commune and finds catchy tunes… Works wonderfully” – Spin
“Jeffrey Lewis’ talents appear without end… (on 12 Crass Songs he) magically makes the anarcho-rockers’ anti-establishment savagery his own, by wrapping
their barbed sentiments in his trademark mottled tea-towel warmth” – NME.
“12 Crass Songs succeeds utterly… eerily beautiful and strangely affecting” – Plan B Magazine
“He’s taken hold of any number of my old stormy favourites and breathed fresh life and fire into them. . . Man, I’m in awe of Jeffrey right now. Who’d have
thought he could have done that?” – Everett True/ Village Voice
“Quite brilliant” – (4 of 5 stars) MOJO.
“It’s no mean feat to transform such abrasive harangues into lush, tuneful folk… without defusing their righteous anger… but Crass’s intelligent and indignant
screeds could not hope for a more sympathetic translator.” (4 of 5 stars) – THE GUARDIAN.

Blang Records and Jeffrey Lewis have history: before Blang was a label, it started life as a live night at the 12 Bar Club in Denmark Street, hosting many a set of the NY Antifolk artists over on UK shores, including Jeffrey Lewis. Now 20+ years since Jeffrey first played Blang. Native New Yorker Jeffrey Lewis is a comic book writer/artist and a musician. A cult hero birthed from the now infamous antifolk movement that sprung up on Manhattan’s Lower East Side in the 90s, Jeffrey has released dozens of albums showcasing his unique blend of bleakly witty observations, scratchy, lo-fi punk and croaky folk/anti-folk, all firmly
rooted in a strong DIY sensibility.