Jeffrey Lewis: 12 Crass Songs

Label: Rough Trade

A genius lyricist, anti-folk musician and comic-book artist, Jeffery Lewis delivers (not quite sings) his words in a rambling, almost nervous, drawl that’s backed by racing but delicate melodies. In 12 Crass Songs, his remarkable fourth album, Lewis covers anarchist punk band Crass’s songs to preach against everything that’s wrong with the world: conformity, the church, superficiality, consumerism, Sarah Jessica Parker. Standing on Crass’s soapbox, Lewis transforms their songs, making them entirely his own. His album still slams down a hard-hitting message, but his punk sounds like it’s made in a blanket factory. Helen Schreiner’s sweet while removed vocals complement Lewis perfectly. In “Systematic Death” the pathetically familiar love story of a couple that’s “the victims of the system and its cruel jokes” unravels as Lewis and Schreiner trade off every other line. And in “End Result” it’s hard not to smile when Lewis sings, “I am a leper that nobody wants to touch … much.” (Margi)