Music Banter - View Single Post - Yes- it's my list of favourite albums thread

jackhammer · 10-29-2008, 04:44 PM

The Clash-Sandinista (1980)

Oh what a huge sprawling mess and all the better for it. A mammoth double album. 38 tracks encompassing what i think The Clash wanted to play in the first place-anything with a guitar lick. Roots Reggae, Dub, Motown influenced Pop, Funk, Punk and even a little bit of electronic tinkering.

I can certainly see why it is as not as well recieved as some of their earlier albums. It does smack of egotism and bloated self importance. Pretension even. It also an album of big risks, genre backlash and a big pair of musical balls. It IS too long. Attention does begin to wane. Listen to the album on random. A different experience and hugely rewarding. In bite size pieces it is a masterpiece and what % of your albums do you listen to front to back consistently? 25%?

From the 60's influenced groove of 'Hitsville U.K', the exemplary Reggae/Dub of 'Living In Fame', the sassy Funk of 'Ivan Meets G.I Joe' or the upbeat rockout of 'Police on My Back' it is never less than intriguing and despite a few duds: 'Corner Soul' for example' it is still a shining example of a band not playing by the rules.

Remember the housewives edict: 'Forget the length, just feel the quality'

Ivan Meets G.I Joe:

Police On My Back:

Living In Fame:

The Magnificent Seven:

The Clash Home | The Clash Site

10-29-2008, 04:44 PM	#44 (permalink)
jackhammer Ba and Be. Join Date: May 2007 Location: This Is England Posts: 17,331	The Clash-Sandinista (1980) Oh what a huge sprawling mess and all the better for it. A mammoth double album. 38 tracks encompassing what i think The Clash wanted to play in the first place-anything with a guitar lick. Roots Reggae, Dub, Motown influenced Pop, Funk, Punk and even a little bit of electronic tinkering. I can certainly see why it is as not as well recieved as some of their earlier albums. It does smack of egotism and bloated self importance. Pretension even. It also an album of big risks, genre backlash and a big pair of musical balls. It IS too long. Attention does begin to wane. Listen to the album on random. A different experience and hugely rewarding. In bite size pieces it is a masterpiece and what % of your albums do you listen to front to back consistently? 25%? From the 60's influenced groove of 'Hitsville U.K', the exemplary Reggae/Dub of 'Living In Fame', the sassy Funk of 'Ivan Meets G.I Joe' or the upbeat rockout of 'Police on My Back' it is never less than intriguing and despite a few duds: 'Corner Soul' for example' it is still a shining example of a band not playing by the rules. Remember the housewives edict: 'Forget the length, just feel the quality' Ivan Meets G.I Joe: Police On My Back: Living In Fame: The Magnificent Seven: The Clash Home \| The Clash Site __________________ It be my music and film collection. “A cynic by experience, a romantic by inclination and now a hero by necessity.”