It’s kinda all been said…

 
Album: London Calling
Artist: The Clash www.theclash.com
Label: CBS, Epic, Legacy
Release date: 14 December, 1979
Peak chart position/sales: (UK) 9, CAN Gold, UK Gold, US Platinum


Rating: 4 stars.


To be honest, the reason I haven’t blogged for nearly three weeks is because of The Clash. I got stuck on this album and didn’t know what to write. The thing is, The Clash have already cemented their place in Awesome, London Calling is widely accepted as one of the great classic albums and nothing I say is going to make that any more significant, so I nearly gave up.

However. It occurred to me that there may be other people out there who have (like me, until recently) never previously listened to The Clash and (also like me…I know, it’s a crazy world) know they should be listening to The Clash - because they’re just one of those bands that anyone with half a musical brain needs to listen to in order to boast any sort of comprehensive musical education - but wants to know why they should be listening to The Clash. So I decided to explain:

WHY YOU SHOULD LISTEN TO LONDON CALLING:


Everybody knows at least some of the songs. Even me.
The first thing I noticed about London Calling was that although I had never previously sat down to intentionally listen to The Clash, I knew almost half the songs quite well. (Without knowing they were The Clash. I know, maybe that’s a bit of a fail – but surely I get points for being familiar with them!) Such is the extent to which their influence has permeated our culture. Or maybe just my favourite radio stations – one of the two. Anyway, you may be embarrassed later in life if you don’t know the infectious reggae melody of “Rudie Can’t Fail”, or can’t recognise the raunchy horns of “The Right Profile”, to say nothing of the iconic reggae/punk fusion title track.

It’s a cultural education (music style).
One of my favourite things about music is the glimpse it gives us into the society of the era – almost a subconscious history lesson. While some accuse The Clash of spouting great political rants without actually having much of a clue, but even if they didn’t there is something to be gleaned from their self-righteous naiveté (or arrogance, depending on how you prefer to look at it). Politics aside, London Calling is full of rich subject matter from an aggressive disappointment in world issues (“London Calling”), to dissatisfaction with the treatment of youth (“Clampdown”) and a witty slap at the superficiality of an increasingly materialistic society (“Lost In The Supermarket”).

It’s a lesson in versatility and originality.
Perhaps the most ingenious part of the musicality of London Calling is the amazingly wide range of styles that The Clash managed to incorporate in one album and very often in just one song. Seriously, the mind boggles at the variety of moods, subjects and musical techniques that they successfully combined. Although they made their name as a punk band, The Clash confidently pull off pop, reggae, jazz, rockabilly and ska in a display of versatile innovation that does not readily accommodate boredom. Some of the most unlikely genre combinations, but they make it work. Kudos.

It’s good music.
Simple as that. There is quality in there.

Was there anything I didn’t like about it? Well, it’s difficult to pick a bone with a classic and really, in many ways you just have to admit that The Clash knew what they were doing and did it well. Maybe I did get a little tired towards the end of “Death Or Glory” with yet another chorus repetition in that slightly off-key vocal, or slightly restless during some long and relatively inactive instrumentals - yes, perhaps some of the tracks are a little rough around the edges. But they’re a punk band, right?! So I certainly don’t care.

Maintaining its popularity for more than three decades after its creation, this is an album that successfully embodies the meaning of ‘classic’. Just go listen, okay?

Is it worth my $$$? – Yes, yes and yes. An admirable upkeep of a high standard of original musicality…and almost 20 tracks of it! Should be an oft played staple of most music collections.

Listen to: London Calling, Lost In The Supermarket, The Guns Of Brixton