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Essential Clash

The Clash - Essential Clash Audio CD

A fair review of the The Clash "Essential Clash" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all The Clash reviews here, or go back to the The Clash tabs.

Band: The Clash
Title: Essential Clash
Rating:

Release Date: 2003-03-11
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: White Riot Single Version 2: London's Burning 3: Complete Control 4: Clash City Rockers 5: I'm So Bored With The U.S.A. 6: Career Opportunities 7: Hate & War 8: Cheat 9: Police & Thieves 10: Janie Jones 11: Garageland 12: Capital Radio One 13: (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais 14: English Civil War 15: Tommy Gun 16: Safe European Home 17: Julie's Been Working For The Drug Squad 18: Stay Free 19: Groovy Times 20: I Fought The Law 21: London Calling 22: The Guns Of Brixton 23: Clampdown 24: Rudie Can't Fail 25: Lost In The Supermarket 26: Jimmy Jazz 27: Train In Vain 28: Bankrobber 29: The Magnificent Seven 30: Ivan Meets G.I. Joe 31: Police On My Back 32: Stop The World 33: Somebody Got Murdered 34: The Street Parade 35: This Is Radio Clash 36: Ghetto Defendant 37: Rock The Casbah 38: Straight To Hell 39: Should I Stay Or Should I Go 40: This Is England

Good double cd covers best of Clash
It is arranged chronogically - the first CD covers the first albums, the second CD from London Calling on. This double CD is a fairly good compilation of The Clash' best songs. I found the second CD far better than first, with a lot of great songs (London Calling, Clampdown, Rudie Can't Fail, Lost in the Supermarket, Bankrobber, The Magnificient Seven, Police on my Back, Ghetto Defendant, Train in Vain, This is England, and of course Rock the Casbah and Should I stay or Shoud I Go) and many different styles (ska, reggae, calypso, rap, disco, rockabilly, even sort of jazz in Jimmy Jazz). After listening the second CD, the first one sounds quite standard punk from a musical point of view - a not very inspired imitation of the Sex Pistols - the only song that I found memorable is a cover - I fought for the Law. In both cds the lyrics are great, though you have to listen to them in the context of the song, if you read them without music as poetry the number of allusions can sound pretentious. So I give four stars to this cd - an average of three stars for the first cd and five stars for the second cd.

A Great Compilation
Covering all their 6 albums released during 1977 till 1985, along with a string of non-album tracks and rarities. This is really a great collection og one of the most influential punk pumg bands to come out of the late 1970's.

Their selftitled from 1977 is very well represented with no less than than 9 tracks; even more if you add those from the American version of the album. Most of these songs are simple straight-forward punk-rockers, not very different from the style of the first Sex Pistols album, though thinner in production. One track though, "Police and Thieves" differs quite markedly, and this song shows that the band were capeable of more than just playing simple rock - the reggae influence would be apparent on all their following albums.

Among the early non-album tracks "Groovy Times", "I Fought the Law" and "Bankrobber" stand out.

My vinyl version of their second album "Give' em Enough Rope" has a pretty dull sound; fortunately this is not the case with the songs off the album included on this collection. My trhree favourites from the album "Safe European Home", "Stay Free" and "Julie's Been Working for the Drug Squad" have all been included here, so that really great.

Their 1979 masterpiece double album "London Calling", obviously has not been included in its whole, and several classics from the album has been left out. The songs included are all great, but I would have liked to have "Spanish Bombs" and "Lovers Rock", too.

Even harder to cover is the extended 3 records album Sandinista from 1980. The album is pretty uneven and some tracks actually do sound like rehearsals or demos. The songs included from the album are all okay; especially "Somebody Got Murdered". I miss "One More Time" and "Washington Bullets".

"Combat Rock" from 1982 was the last to feature guitarist and songwriter Mick Jones. It has a simpler, more rocking approach than their previous two, and perhaps fewer memorable tracks. "Rock the Cashbah" and "Should I Stay or Should I Go" are classics, of course.

Their final album, "Cut the Crap" from 1985 is their least successful, and it is only represented by one song "This is England". A very logical choice, since it's really the outsstanding song on the album.

A fine compilation; really made me consider purchasing "Sandinista" and "London Calling" on CD as well.

The Band The Sex Pistols Could Have Been
With just the one album they apparently changed the world (as I've said in a previous review). Sure, when you think of 70s punk music, the majority of people will call up the name of the Sex Pistols. Yes they did form a year later than the pistols, but they have given us a more quality catalogue of music than the Pistols did. They ended in 1986 but The Clash will still go down in history as one of the defining bands of that era. It wasn't just punk music, they also experimented with a bit of Funk and rap to keep the band fresh with mild success (thinking Rock The Casbah anyone?)

Anyway, this may not be the best collection in the world especially for the die hard fans. I have to admit that I'm not one of those die hard fans who likes songs the mainstream audience has never heard of. In fact I'm a member of the mainstream audience and I'm quite happy to say that this collection would take pride of place in my CD rack. . . If I hadn't already downloaded it (legally) and if I had a CD rack. Songs such as I Fought The Law and Janie Jones make the collection worth the purchase price altogether.

I would always have loved to see some form of reunion tour in the new millenium especially seeing the Pistols getting back together, but alas it was not meant to be with the tragic loss of the legend of Joe Strummer. I can only ask this of you, buy the album and savour the memories because that's all we have left.

Much more than Punk
A couples of years ago I read in every list of the best rock bands ever that The Clash were among the top 20 and London Calling was one of the best 10 albums ever. For me The Clash was Combat Rock, the album they released in early 80's (81?) that bring me back to my youth. So I began to look for more music from the group. Discovering this collection and the early recordings of the group. I have to say That I'm impressed. From the early really punk recordings like White Riot, through their evolution to post punk and pop singles like Rock The Casbah, or Should I stay or Should I go, The Clash demonstrate that They were not just THE punk group but wise composers and instrumentalists not mentioning the message of rebellion and anger about the matters of those days. The Clash ws indeed one of the best groups ever and their music stand the test of time. In this collection you'll find their most important recordings and what They were really about. .

GREAT CD!!!
This is a great collection of "The Only Band that Matters"! It has almost all of their classic material, then also documents their later years. I'm a die-hard Clash fan. It's worth reliving the glorious music of their prime, as well as some of their music from their later, admittedly lesser, years, isn't it?!? Long Live The Clash! Buy this CD; it's great!.

You can see a complete list of all The Clash discography, or go back to the The Clash tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.