The Essential Clash demonstrates once again why the Clash were so much better than any of their punk peers. It is the lasting irony of punk that while the effects of the movement continue to resonate decades later, most of the actual music has dated badly--there is no reason, other than the most desperate nostalgia, why any sane person should wish to subject themselves to the tuneless inanities of, say, Sham 69 or the Lurkers. Even the great singles of the Sex Pistols, perhaps because they encapsulated the time so perfectly, can do little more than remind the listener of 1977. It is a sorry reflection on the period into which this fine double-CD collection has been released that the Clash sound more and more vital from the apocalyptic foreboding of "London Calling" to the resentful sulk of "I'm So Bored with the USA". There is simply nothing wrong with any of this. When Clash frontman Joe Strummer died, aged only 50, in late 2002, much was made of the political conscience he had brandished throughout his career. While he deserved some kudos on this front, it should be remembered that appearing a great thinker in comparison to other rock singers is no great accomplishment. Appearing a great rock singer in comparison to other rock singers is rather more impressive, and this collection is an irrefutable case for the genius of Strummer and the band he led. --Andrew Mueller
Review by Stephen Thomas Erlewine
Some would argue that if you only wanted two Clash discs in your collection, you should skip this 40-track overview and pick up The Clash and London Calling instead. No matter how transcendent those two albums are -- and they are among the very greatest popular music of the 20th century -- that overlooks the fact that the group had many, many great songs not on either album, including "Safe European Home," "Stay Free," "Bankrobber," "Rock the Casbah," "Straight to Hell," "This Is Radio Clash," and "Should I Stay or Should I Go," to begin with. That's where this 2003 compilation comes in. It fills in many of the gaps between those two records, while summarizing The Clash and London Calling well, providing a first-rate overview of the greatest punk band. It's not quite perfect, however: some great singles and B-sides fall through the cracks (notably "Gates of the West," "Jail Guitar Doors," "The Call Up," "Armagedion Time," "The Prisoner," "Protex Blue") and the Sandinista! selections feel nearly as haphazard as the album itself. Nevertheless, this does provide the best, most extensive and logical overview of the band yet assembled, and it's worthwhile not just as an introduction, but as a terrific listen.
|
