By Mark Coleman
The Sex Pistols created a theatrical splash; the Clash were more musical. Their debut roars with pent-up fury and alienated insight; hummable tunes and taut riffs propel the jackhammer choruses. Although Joe Strummer sings like he's spitting out rotten teeth on the jaded "I'm So Bored With the U.S.A." and the caustic "Careeer Opportunities," bitter attack isn't The Clash's only mode. "Janie Jones" proclaims a heartfelt love of rock & roll; "White Man In Hammersmith Palais" and "Police and Thieves" display a deep appreciation of reggae and a refreshing lack of slumming-white-liberal attitude. The Clash is pure punk at its fiercest, and nailing that target, the group broadened its range without compromising.
The double album London Calling leaves the stylistic limitations of punk in the dust, along with phony Beatlemania. The epic title track is a sweeping, evocative anthem - the martial drumming and strummed guitars stir the spirit while Strummer breathes a foreboding sense of melancholy into the chorus. Guitarists Mick Jones detonates "Clampdown" and "Spanish Bombs" with his power chords and exuberant vocals. Jones steals the show with "Train In Vain" - his yearning voice and a great melody make this crossover hit a perfect, inevitable conclusion. - "The Clash", 1977, Epic; "London Calling", 1979, Epic.
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