Beware

Punk pioneers Crass continue their vinyl reissue series ‘2 by 2 And Back Again’ with reissues from Sleeping Dogs and Lack of Knowledge. Sleeping Dogs were one of only two American bands to release on Crass Records, and in 1982 their sardonic and sludgy, but politically sharp, hardcore made up the ‘Beware’ EP. They were first formed under the moniker Arsenal by the late artist, and designer of the iconic Crass logo, David King. ‘Beware’ showed the originality and potential of Sleeping Dogs, even as Crass’s Penny Rimbaud and Crass guitarist Phil Free augmented the band’s sound for the studio session. The front cover of the single featured its own striking image, courtesy of King. Sleeping Dogs disbanded shortly after, re- emerging briefly under the new guise of Brain Rust a few years later. Distorted, biting, and beat-driven, the collection is a well-researched and poignant expose of Western imperialism.