Phony Beatlemania Has Bitten The Dust5 Out Of 5 Stars
"London Calling" is one of those albums that changed all the rules for rock at the time. Filled to the brim as a double album, The Clash insisted that it be sold at a single album price. While the first two albums slipped between sloppy but angry punk and the second tried oh-so-hard to come off as a clean, big rock record, "London Calling" threw the rules and pretense out the window and let their freak flag fly. There was the blistering hard rock of the title track and "Clampdown," the reggae of "Rudy Can't Fail" and "Jimmy Jazz," the pop of "Train In Vain" and "Lover's Rock."
Above all, they decided that all their idealism was for real. The Clash directed their passion into both the music and the politics of the songs, making rabble-rousers like "Clampdown" and "The Guns Of Brixton" into fire-breathers. Their fascination with early American rock lead to a roaring cover of "Brand New Cadillac." The album was loaded with attempts to break boundaries at every opportunity, and succeeded at almost every shot. Even some of the dopier numbers ("Lost In The Supermarket" or "Death or Glory") don't detract from the album's power.
"London Calling" was a perfectly articulated - if raggedly punky - shout at the frustration that gave birth to the punk scene. Joe Strummer and Mick Jones wanted the whole rock packages; they wanted to be outlaws and revolutionary stars. "London Calling" was the best they ever managed at being that band.
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