Two months later the album "London Calling" gets its first (very positive) review in a Minneapolis newspaper. They may have held off until the LP was available as a domestic U.S. release
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One thing The Clash did so well was incorporating Jamaican motifs into their music. They pulled it off better than many other bands, probably because they were steeped in West Indian immigrant culture (I remember an interview with Simonon where he said they were often the only white kids in a room).
Like I can take or leave their cover of Police & Thieves, but The Guns Of Brixton is simply fucking brilliant. And I think that's really down to Simonon.
Interesting that this Rock album new releases piece has Michael Anthony’s byline. My memory was he usually was the Strib writer for Classical & orchestral instrument music. Shows in the musical details he attends to & writes of there.
Thank you very much for putting this article here! The journalist asks if this will be the Clash album with big sales in the United States, but I think that would only happen with Combat Rock, right?
I find it intriguing that the critic specifically calls out nine of the songs on "London Calling" AND IDs the person whistling on "Jimmy Jazz" but makes no mention of the title/leadoff track, which is now considered the standout song.
There's a book in how landmark albums were perceived/reviewed at the time of their release versus later on once their place in the pantheon of great records was established.
The album "Purple Rain" was a special case that way because the public perception of it was quickly colored by the film. But there was a month where music critics were reviewing the record without having seen the movie. And common take was that he'd lost his edge.
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https://www.setlist.fm/setlist/the-clash/1979/st-paul-civic-center-st-paul-mn-6bd7c2ba.html
https://youtu.be/66CCLS0do7c?si=GqlbhiZWCj3ik9tl
https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Clampdown#Personnel
https://youtu.be/lrIvLvzxV48?si=TxG7TkDyHFHeH5Ad
Thread: https://bsky.app/profile/chrissteller.bsky.social/post/3kvrr3jdu4s2e