Crass was the beginning of the entire anarcho-punk movement. This was their first release, orginally released on Small Wonder records. The label wouldn't press the first track, Reality Asylum because the workers refused to press a 'blaphesmous' song, so it was replaced with two minutes of silence titled The Sound of Free Speech. The record was pressed at the minimum number of copies, 5,000 (hence the name) but was "some 4900 more than we thought we'd sell". The records actually sold incredibly quickly.
Although the musical quality of the record is questionable, the songs still are catchy if you can get used to the sound. The lyrics are amazing, and it's hard to appreciate Crass without having the lyric book in hand or else knowing most of the words. Overall, Crass certainly isn't for everyone, but this is an amazing release by an amazing band. Although it's not the best in terms of musical skill, this is still a release worth listening to. |
