Review Summary: An album for lovers of Crass, and not really for anyone else.
There is certainly no method to the madness. Most of this album does not even seem written. Side A contains very few written segments; Side B on the other hand, shows no sign of any planning in the instrumentation they crammed into Yes Sir, I Will. The bass, often wonders up and down the neck in any way it wants; the guitar, mostly sits in the back while it squeals and bends; the drums, are beaten to a pulp in no steady rhythm. Although the lyrics are outstanding and very plentiful, some vocals seem as if they were sung at whatever pace the singers just felt like singing.
Yes Sir, I Will is comprised of a single track clocking in at forty-three minutes and fifty-three seconds. On the digital release, the album is spilt into seven different tracks. Although this album is available on iTunes and on CD, I recommend listening to it on vinyl for full effect. The vinyl also comes with all lyrics to help you understand what Crass is ranting about. All Crass albums were made for vinyl, and I could not imagine listening to any of them digitally.
This album contains Crass’s most repulsive work; and in contrast, some of their most melodic. We witness a brief interlude actually using piano. Steve Ignorant shocks listeners during this short lived segment, with the use of clean vocals. This is most certainly a first, and unfortunately a last. The interlude is quickly and abruptly conquered by, what I can only describe as noise.
Track 4 (on the digital release), jumps back into a written segment. This is much like what you might hear on their debut: Feeding of the 5000. Similarly, this segment only last for a short period of time.
Lead vocals are constantly traded off by the three singers: Steve Ignorant, Eve Libertine, and Joy de Vivre. Covering every subject imaginable, Crass concludes their career. If you dig lyrics, you will dig this album. Many lyrics are thought provoking; but at the same time, hard to make out. That being said, a list of lyrics would definitely help in enjoying this album.
Yes Sir, I Will had great potential: lyrics are excellent, instrumentation starts off strong, and shows you a drastic, fresh change in Crass’s sound. Once Side B rolls around, they constantly jump from one odd riff to the next, rarely finding any tasty or mentionable riffs. It is odd to say that repetition may be what they are lacking here. Less impromptu could have set this album on (maybe even over) par with most of their previous work. I recommend this album to devout Crass fans. I would advise new listeners to pick up any of their previous work.
