Bests & Worsts Reviews from Amazon

The album that changed my life. In 1980 I was 17 years old living in Seattle--a total 70s rocker when I saw London Calling in Tower Records. It had the coolest cover I had ever seen--a black and white photo of Paul Simonon smashing his bass on stage. Something just clicked in my brain and instead of buying the latest Aerosmith album, I bought London Calling and at first the Clash were a total shock to my Led Zeppelin soaked system. Now in 1980, American rock radio consisted of songs that consisted of a really cool guitar intro, 1rst verse, chorus, 2nd verse, chorus, a really bitchin solo by Jimmy Page, Michael Schenker, or Ted Nugent, the 3rd verse, and the chorus. Usually the song was about partying, chicks (and sex), or enchanted forests and castles and such and if the song didnt sound like this we hated it. And here in my innocent hands was a record about revolutions, fascists, junkies, race riots, nuclear destruction, gangsters, rude boys, suburban alienation, consumerism, and Montgomery Clift for Gods sake! And all of this was played in all different styles--ferocious punk with snarling vocals, rockabilly, jazz, ska, and reggae. It totally blew away my perception of what rock music was supposed to be. (I became more aware of the world and what was happening politically thanks to the Clash) This is one of those rare records that never lets up from beginning to end and is truly packed with with some of the Clash's greatest songs. Their cover of "Brand New Cadillac" is just smokin rockabilly, "Rudie Can't Fail" is irresistable reggae rock, "Clampdown" is just pure Clash style punk with angry lyrics and a thumping rhythm, "The Guns of Brixton" features Paul Simonon's bass as the lead instrument (and his vocal) and the result is a very cool reggae number about racial violence, "Wrong Em Boyo" reworks the old song "Stagger Lee" into a catchy ska workout. There is also the ultimate Clash song, "Death Or Glory", which is a culmination of everything the Clash are. It is a kind of merging of their early punk thrash with the more sophisticated arrangements they were growing into at this point. About a gangster trying to settle down it opens with Joe Strummer's raspy voice singing, "Now every cheap hood strikes a bargain with the world and ends up making payments on a sofa or a girl" Rock and Roll doesn't get any cooler than this. London Calling is a band brimming with confidence--they can do anything--a band at its absolute peak. This is essential for anyone who loves rock and roll and has a sense of history, of where influential music was created.