this site has seen a lot of crass lately and its not deliberate, to be honest i didn't expect i would be doing much on the band as they have split up for years now and i didn't expect to receive new records or a book about them now, especially as they all came so close to each other it seems.
but before i forget myself i had better review the LP.
The record starts with two songs (called- 'heart throb of the mortuary' and 'i cant stand it'- hey! the same name as a 1977 'punk' record by Lloyd Grossman!) which i assume make up the '77' year track's marked as the demo's first song's because they are utter rubbish. like two bad tracks recorded using cardboard box drums and no bass amp and lifted off a copy of 'bullshit detector' but they provide a laugh and an insight into crass' early sound.
this sound can also be heard on later demo's and its a more 'standard' style of rock'n'roll that disappeared almost totally from the bands sound, apart from the funky bass lines and the odd guitar solo (i loved crass' bass lines, the one in 'punk is dead' is a belter, thinking of it gets me humming it for days). being demo's, some of the song's sound like a rehearsal run-through and with other songs they sound like they were trying something different.
with side two you get the feeling that the songs were recorded at a certain close period to each other and there are some good tracks, some the standard run through others a bit different.
all in all this is a record for crass fans, and it has some of crass' best known song's on it,
plus there is the extra joy of a 'new' crass record without the EMI logo on the back cover
(always a pleasure).
those hearing crass for the first time via this LP will i doubt never listen to them again, but a crass fan will only want to get the legitimate recordings out to compare sounds with the demo's, some are that well recorded,this is an LP recommended for all crass fans. and if your not sure about the band then don't risk trying them with this LP as interesting it is to fans.
as for the cover, it seems that getting good enough look-a-like art was too much trouble so the designer went for the traditional punk cover route and did a montage, the open out cover just looks like a big advert for the record, and we see the band in photo's on the cover as well (quite small mind you).
for crass fans i give it 9 out of 10. and for those who can take or leave the band- dont bother!
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