Jeffrey Lewis: 12 Crass Songs (2007)

Jeffrey Lewis: 12 Crass Songs (2007)

Anarchic British punk band CRASS covered by an American in a mostly acoustic indie (anti)folk style. It's an odd paring but it works well, probably in part because punk is a feeling as much as a genre of music. Acoustic guitar, vocals, bongo drums and piano married to punk sensibilities and scathing lyrics make it one of the more unique albums in my collection.

There are times when it reminds me of primary school sing-a-longs, but that just adds to the experience - picturing the songs in an educational setting makes a kind of sense, and suggests an extra layer of unity.

The songs are the same, you'll recognise them instantly if you're at all familiar with the originals. There's an occasional lyric change but nothing disrespectful.