Search - Crass :: Best Before

Classic

Amazonian | San FranciscoSan Francisco, CA United States | 01/13/2007

(5 out of 5 stars)

"If you don't own their singles (long out-of-print, and collector's items), Best Before gives you a soaring survey or some of the band's best tracks. This anarcho-punk sounds quite different than your standard issue '77-style tracks (Clash, Pistols, Lurkers, etc.) in its martial rhythms and political content. At times (as with track like "Nagasaki Nightmare"), it even veers into challenging post-punk. But the level of power and invention is often mesmerizing.



Some time ago, I played their brilliant "Bloody Revolutions" on college radio. In the background, I heard two of the programmers whisper, "Oh, that's really awful," almost like disapproving parants. I realized quickly that casual listeners hearing snippets wouldn't be able to appreciate the radical nature of these songs. These tracks aren't alternative top ten fodder. Rather, each is an individual statement that requires active listening - and then everything opens up to the listener, and it's hard not to feel goosebunps. "Sheep Farming in the Falklands," released after Britain's Falkland's war, is an excoriating satire on territorial ambitions - maybe the toughest ever recorded - and their followup was nearly banned.



Most punk these days tries to be catchy. Crass's work here is certainly memorable, but also also powerful, and deeply human. It has those kinds of peak moments other bands only dream of."

Not bad, but.....

mr. debaser | 12/13/2003

(4 out of 5 stars)

"this cd isn't bad, makes a nice addition to a music collection already including some Crass. i would've liked other versions of some the songs....but hey!"