What Are You Listening To?

[CRAZY-HORSE]

"CUT THE CRAP" THE CLASH

released in 1985 minus Topper Headon and Mick Jones, this to me was Joe Strummer's debut solo set.
the music is ladden with the usual reggae and funk beats and Clash power chords that we'd come to expect,and which Strummer and co. had mastered in the previous 7yrs.
for the most part the lyrics are either boring or sub-standard by the Clash's high standards. with that said though, i still enjoyed listening to Strummer's gravelly vocal performances through the 12 album tracks and the 1 bonus track that now is on the cd version of the album.
the choruses are full of the chants we expect of the Clash's music, but they lack the killer punches of aggression of their previous albums.
i think Strummer needed Mick Jones to bounce off whilst writing and with no Jones around, the substandard quality of the songs is reflected throughout the whole album, mick Jones was the melodist in the Clash, as McCartney was to Lennon in the Beatles.
i really think Joe Strummer should have cut his losses and the crap and not have released this album as it does nothing for the bands legacy, especially when the best song on the album is 'do it now'-the b-side to the single 'this is england.
the album reached #88 in the US and #16 in the UK, the single ' this is england' #24 in the UK

I DO NOT LIKE THIS ALBUM

best track: do it now
worst track: play to win

tracks:

1....dictator*
2....dirty punk*
3....we are the clash*
4....are you red...y**
5....cool under heat*
6....movers and shakers*
7....this is england** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ROj_1R36lX0&feature=fvw (audio/lyrics)
8....three card trick**
9....play to win*
10..finger poppin'*
11..north and south*
12..life is wild*
13..do it now*** http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oXueLwHvoKU (audio)

3s-1
2s-3
1s-9

rating 1.4