Reviews (page 8 of 13)
album #44 better than the sell-out pistols! ꩜ average track rating: 2.9/5 ꩜ favourite track(s): i'm so bored of the usa, deny ꩜ least favourite track(s): janie jones ꩜ album rating: ★★★⯪☆ ꩜ number of albums left to review: 1,045 ꩜ number of albums from the list that i agree with being on the list: 26 (+1 The Clash) ꩜ albums from the list that I would consider on my list: 9 ꩜ albums from the list I won't include on my list: 35
It's fun enough.
Fun? Repetitive?
Conocia la banda pero este disco muyy guayy
La voz no me gusta, no se les entiende nada. Es su primer disco y se nota que es caótico. Querían serlo. Sin embargo, me gusta la melodía de rock puro.
Turns out I don't like the clash as much as I thought I did But this is ok
I don't like his voice, but I like the sound/style of the songs.
would I listen again: yes It’s pretty loud and consistent across the record. I could probably only take it in small doses rather than listening to the album front to back.
The top comment on this page put it best, I think. It's alright! Energetic but well balanced. Can't understand a damn thing bro is saying but that's fine, mumbling is a vibe too sometimes. A little more musically colorful and interesting than a lot of punk I've listened to. I did already know LONDONS BURNAAAANN. It's p good, 3.
Keďže majú lepšie albumy, tak len 3*
Always liked how The Clash added some melody into the noise and rebellion of punk.
Listened to on my stereo 2.1 set up. I'm not very familiar with the work of The Clash, but I really really dig punk rock, albeit not exactly this early kind of punk rock (more of a Black Flag, Dead Kennedys kinda guy). The Clash, as I've known them as well, dance a inordinary tune with punk rock, with sensibilities and lyricism that scream punk, but songs that sonically can lean closer into other musical directions like rock and reggae. This first release, self titled "The Clash", is very much some punk rockin tunes through and through, and it's a pretty good listen, though one that couldn't exactly hold it's luster for me in it's full runtime. Although coming in right at the earliest days of punk rock, this album does not hold back from immediate woes about classism, racism, growing up in a dead end area where people burn out rather than be somebody, these classic tomes of punk find itself here, right at the starting lines. Songs are snappy and pointed, and genuinely angry, painting this picture of a troubled coming of age in contemporary London, finding yourself not fitting in with a society that seems so abnormal to your own sensibilities, whether that be your privileged race content with dissatisfaction in "White Riot", disillusionment with the global world leaders in "I'm So Bored with the USA", or annoyance with a record industry set to vampirically suck the creative vein dry in pursuit of cash in "Garageland." Yes, The Clash and their self titled release covers many bases that would be punk rock staples in the future, and they still do it with power and passion. Yet, even at it's 35 runtime, the album does not fire on all cylinders, feeling more like a testing ground for greatness rather than a mind-blowing showing. There are melodies and choruses and ideas in here that are great and keep the thing engaging enough, but there is also a rote familiarlity in song structure and lyrical ideas that can be too vague to feel strong and written out in a way that finds the lead singer needing to play catch up or slur to keep it in the 4/4 boundaries. What's funny, is that a lot of these criticisms are ones I could kind of apply to any punk rock album, even though I would say punk rock is probably one of my favorite genres, and one of the most influential in my life. So, to point it closer to the unique abilities of The Clash, I don't necessarily prefer the slower feel of this punk rock to what hardcore american acts would push towards in the 80s, and I find the singing to be a mix of grating and exciting, which gives me this push pull feel of connection with the album. It's certainly respectable, and songs like "I'm So Bored with the USA" and "White Riot" really stand out to me, but I feel the same way about this album that I feel about many full punk rock releases. Pretty good, but not amazing.
Vibrante energético
a tun listen
O álbum mais mais do mesmo de The Clash, ou seja, a nata da nata do Punk. Não tem muito o que dizer sobre destaque, pois achei tudo meio mais do mesmo, o que é de se esperar de um álbum de estreia. Um disco que foi feito em um fim de semana que novamente, não tinha muito recurso. Passa essa impressão de música meio cantada no improviso e em um porão, pois foi quase que isso mesmo. Músicas que tem a pegada com fundo protestante pois viviam nesse meio ativamente, gostei de algumas faixas como “Remote Control”, “I’m So Bored With the U.S.A”, “London’s Burning” e “Police & Thieves” que tem alguns pontos que se diferenciam, de resto acho muito simples a forma que foi feito, mas entendo que esse era o objetivo, se destacando apenas com a mensagem. Era visto como algo digno fazer um som Punk sem muita firula, e acho que fizeram um bom movimento na época sendo bem fiéis ao gênero, mas não chega nem perto de um dos melhores álbuns deles pra mostrar potencial como banda.
as a london fan... i like it!
I’m so tired…I just want to nap.
Was alright, felt pretty generic and something I wouldn't actively seek out but wouldn't change necessarily if it was on
Type of music you'll hear in the background of a Colin Furze video while he's building some underground bunker in his backyard.
i mean, it's the clash. who doesn't like the clash?
Fun album, don’t have much to particularly uplift or criticize. Great bass playing and certainly culturally significant to emerging punk aesthetics. The Clash are a cool band. Favorite track: I’m so Bored with the U.S.A.
Good not great, not bad. While certainly revolutionary for it's time, this comes off as aimless to me.
Definitely vibes and I liked it more than I expected! Not quite my taste but definitely has a particular mood that I dig, would listen again.
Musik die was will, ohne dabei etwas sein zu wollen.
Never really listen to this.. its good and I see where later bands got some of their sounds from.
Another one that feels super culturally significant, but for some reason doesn't speak to me as much as I am looking for. I think The Clash would eventually develop a genuinely interesting new and novel sound, but at this stage in the career their sound isn't quite there to me.
Good, not great.
A raw, but contained debut album for one of the greatest punk pioneers around. It's as snarky/angry as one would expect from the Clash. However, I think this lacks a certain bite that their later albums such as "London Calling" would achieve. Still a good and essential punk album nonetheless.
Another album which general style isn't really my taste. Saying this however, I enjoyed it more than I thought I would. I have never listened to an album by The Clash before, only one or two songs that've been playing on the radio or on TV. I liked the messages of many of the songs, in particular 'White Riot' and their message of inclusivity. I think it is good when a band or artist uses their publicity to spread awareness and important messages. Favourites: I'm so bored with the USA Hate & War Career Opportunities 48 Hours
Capaz es un poco agresivo para mi mood del día, pero son unos capos, las letras son geniales
sounds like all The Clash songs mashed up together. A vibe tho.
The clash is great but not my faveorite album
not my cuppa tea, i prefer music more harmonically and lyrically complex. Given that, i did like the punk/protest sentiment of all their lyrics.
Lots of sounds that I already heard, but not my style
Good
I think I expected to like this more than I did, but can't put my finger on why.
3.5 Classic solid punk. For some reason I don’t suuuuper connect to The Clash but I enjoyed listening to this.
awesome
75
It is alright. Definitely a vibe for some things but not something I'd sit down and listen to by myself.
perfect to listen to while on a walk but not my favorite the clash album, favorite song: hate & war
no es mi estilo pero me gustó
Je ne suis pas fan du son des Clash
un album muy continuo, solido, pero no es mi estilo. 3/5 cancion fav: protex blue
Возможно, в рамках челленджа с "1001 альбомом" стоит ознакомиться с дебютной работой the Clash чтобы узнать с чего начинали легенды панк-сцены. Но лично для меня... not my cup of tea. Гитарные мелодии на большинстве песен звучат достаточно простовато и не достаточно запоминающимися для меня. Вокал на многих песнях а-ля "Ramones" с вот этой вот многоголосой подпевкой мне не нравится. А где этого "приема" уже нет - те песни мне уже нравятся побольше. Вообще, с панком в моем случае ситуация достаточно интересная и странная. В подростковом возрасте я фанател по Sex Pistols и их первому и единственному альбому. Столько запоминающихся мелодий и гимнов а-ля "God Save The Queen" или "Anarchy In the U.K." А если сравнить с The Stooges три альбома которых были столь безумны, энергичны и саморазрушительны, что с ними не мог соперничать никто. Дебютный альбом the Clash же, не обладает и особо запоминающимися мелодиями, столь же сильными как у "Пистолетов" и, в то же время, не изобилует этой жестокой первобытной энергетикой как "Студжес", это просто альбом, сборник песен, из-за чего дебютник мне и не сильно зашел.
Great Punk from the origins of Punk!
Pretty good
I’ve never really had a love for punk, but this is one of the better ones
It's not the music I'd regularly listen to
I don't get The Clash. Never have. It's fine, it's a 3 but not my shit.
--Janie Jones...love the drums. nice, driving bass. good, straight to the point punk --Remote Control...boring until mid song. it's fine --I'm So Bored with the U.S.A....aren't we all? great opening riff. solid-but-not-great tune --White Riot...fun guitar solo --Hate & War...nice bass groove but meh --What's My Name...bass is nice 'n' heavy here. like the attitude, too --Deny... more solid but forgettable fun --London's Burning...same punk energy but this one has a little extra oomph to it --Career Opportunities...maybe this LP should've been called " Fun and Forgettable" --Cheat...for some reason I feel like this should be a live album. nice Mick Jones solo -Protext Blue....another great opening riff. Jones doing the heavy lifting for most of this LP's run --Police & Thieves...not sure why but this feels like the first track where each band member is contributing equally. still too long --48 Hours...just let Mick do the solos, Joe --Garageland...another solid groove
Solid enough album. For sure not as great as London Calling, but a good effort. An average 3/5 for me. Not great, not bad. Standout songs were "Janie Jones" "I'm So Bored With the USA" and "London's Burning"
L'album comporte des morceaux aux refrains très reconnaissables, et qui restent en tête, avec des rythmiques punk de l'époque. Les paroles donnent envie de monter une révolution. La recette simple : une bonne gimmick de guitare électrique, une rythmique rapide de batterie, et un chanteur évoquant des thèmes récurrents et anticonformistes.
7/10
Music was cool. Vocals are so annoying.
The other Clash album was better, but its still half decent
Cool to listen to early clash! I thought the second half of the album was better than the first half. Career opportunities was my favourite.
Not their best but an enjoyable listen.
Positivt overraska over den debuten her, aldri hørt før! Langt fra det beste av Clash, men høre jo at det skal steda
Kult nok. Går litt å durer på det jevne for min del, med et par tre låter som trekker den litt opp
3/5
I've never gone out of my way to listen to punk, but every time a punk album circles around on this list, I find that I can listen through without gritted teeth and generally enjoy the experience. The band knows what they're doing. The vocals are ugly in a good rock way. I can appreciate dirty vocals and an FU attitude, as long as there's no whining.
ı see the vısıon ve abı begendım guzel
Not really a bad album, it was okay-sounding, and it was probably even an alright album back in the day, but it's just a little bit too meh for me nowadays. It's okay for leaving in the background while doing other things though.
The clash has a unique sound that is very recognizable. Not necessarily my favorite but I can appreciate their contribution to muisc
Классический, чистые британцы 6/10
Sounds a little dated now but still has a nice edge and rocks. Their song craft improves with later releases but this debut was still quite revolutionary for its time in '76.
Even though I don’t particularly like to listen to this kind of music, I think this is good. I wouldn’t seek it out, but I didn’t turn it off.
Another pretty solid early punk album. It's hard to really grasp the effect this had on the music-listening public at the time, so far removed from what was actually popular at the time and what this would've sounded like when it was a fresh new sound, but it's still some very nice stuff.
This was fine. A lot of the songs were indistinguishable from each other in my mind. Some cool guitar solos and a little more variety on the back half. Not something I’m gonna listen to again.
This is definitely a formative punk album but no album that feels quadruple its length like this is getting favorable reviews from me.
Album No. 0188 on my list. "London Calling" is one of my favorite songs of all time, I've already reviewed the respective album (4/5 stars) and occasionally listen to parts of it, but for some reason, I've never listened to many other works by The Clash. Their self-titled debut album is a good punk rock album in every sense. Its songs are short, precise, on the nose, agressive, the sound is raw and - while one can clearly hear that all of them were very well capable of using their instruments - has still little hints of dilletantism showing up here and there. Just to be clear: that's not a bad thing as it fits the genre and the intention of this quite well. I have to say though that I'm not the biggest fan of the whole thing to be honest. I can't really say what it is that bothers me. Maybe its the songs? There is indeed relatively little distinction between them. Maybe it's Joe Strummer's singing? I have great sympathies for the guy, he was probably one of the coolest and most charismatic figures in the history of rock. But I'm just not the biggest fan of his singing. I can't really say to be honest. I really want to like this better, but to me, it's a solid record, but not much more. Maybe I'll have to listen to the whole thing a couple of times more (easily done, it's really short and sweet). Anyway, I'll add "Janie Jones", "I'm So Bored With The USA", and "White Riot" to my playlist. 3/5 stars (for now!)
pretty boring
My favorite song was the Junior Mervin cover. To my 2026 ears this record sounds like bog standard punk rock, but then you see it was released in the 1970s. Makes you wonder what innovative things we’re doing today that will sound vanilla in 50 years.
I feel this genre just isn’t for me. Like I recognise it’s good for what it is though it’s not something I would ever choose to listen to (other than maybe a greatest hits package). Would probably enjoy it more live. Also, there’s something calculated about them, given that Joe was a posh boy and Paul didn’t play and was chosen for his looks. Also, strange how Strummer is revered and it’s glossed over that he started a relationship with a 17 year old when he was 26. Separating the art from the artist though or though what is the point?
Makes me wanna throw rocks
This album is fine. Maybe I just don't have an ear for it, but most songs on this sound the same to me. That said, I can imagine why this was so important to people, but unfortunately I think my taste in punk is perhaps too modern. Hate & War was the standout tack for me.
A listenable starting point for a band that would reach much greater heights, though their embrace of melodic hooks, often borderline power pop, puts them ahead of most punk outfits of the day. Strummer and Jones get most of the acclaim, but Paul Simonon's bass playing is the secret weapon, underlying the subtle RnB and reggae influences that would take centerstage on future albums. The best song, 'Police and Thieves', is a reggae cover, evidence that the band needed more time and experience to incorporate their influences in order to record a real classic.
Brilliant. Not my fav clash album but such good driving guitars and incredible drums
Not bad
Outside of Janie Jones and White Roit I found this oddly forgettable.
Quite good
This list introduced me to the Clash and LOVED London’s calling so very ready for this next instalment. It’s no London Calling, but it’s still good and a great intro to them, so works as their debut. And of course the familiar white riot. Enjoyable enough, but maybe lacking some of the variety and eclecticism that I enjoyed on London Calling. Will probably come back and listen again (3.5)
The start of greatness
I think i was maybe not in the right mindset for this album. I also don't think I like his voice, unfortunately. It's fun and energetic and interesting, but not something I'll return to. 6/10
3.5
I love classic rock. But this album felt like all the songs are very similar, at least in a production way, not lyrically.
I like it but the songs got kinda repetitive. 7.5/10
I like the clash, and they can do better
A good punk rock record, but The Clash clearly hadn't reached their peak yet. As a debut album, it's still a bit hesitant and rough around the edges. Sure, it's musically more impressive than a lot of other punk bands, since the instrumentalists are quite competent, and Strummer has a great voice. But it's also a bit tame compared to some of the angrier, more unhinged acts of the late 70s punk scene, and it doesn't add anything truly groundbreaking to an already very lively genre. Always a pleasant listen, but certainly not my favorite Clash album. London Calling is much better. 6/10
I’ve never really liked The Clash. When I was younger, during the rock-reggae revival, they became huge again thanks to that musical openness, and their later albums have always been a tough listen for me. But this is their first record, The Clash, and it’s still pure punk, raw and straight to the point. For me, it’s clearly their best one.
I wanted to listen to this album at work, but unfortunately I had forgotten my headphones at home. Then I remembered I had a set of cheap wireless earbuds that I pretty much only use for traveling. I was seriously about to give this album a one because of how terrible it sounded. Like a bunch of drunk assholes playing on kids instruments from Walmart. Well, the earbuds ran out of batteries about two thirds of the way through so I just gave up. When I got home, I played it through my good headphones and it's like listening to a completely different album. So, let that be a lesson to everyone: LISTEN TO MUSIC ON GOOD EQUIPMENT! P.S. I threw the earbuds in the trash P.P.S. I still don't particularly like punk music
Good energy
janie jones wasn't super for me, and remote control & im so bored with the usa yess... fuck the government and usa ! Losers! (me saying this from conservative ass texas...) Now that's what I call punk! Also love that the songs are so short lmfao... it's not my genre so im not obsessed but i loved the guitars and the angst and that it speaks to everyone!!! fuck de establishment !
Some great ones in here, this album is a little 50/50 for me, love the lyrics & energy, few of the songs sound similar to each other on a full listen through although that isn't always a bad thing. Album ends with a bang on a handful of great songs though. Positives: Great riffs, meaningful lyrics, and a little reggae influence. British punk rock through and through. Negatives: unfortunately common thing in punk is that the album can feel a little flat/uniform at times. Favourite song upon listening: Police & Thieves Started/Finished: 10:30am 26/02/2026 - 11am 26/02/2026 (1 listen) Did I grow up with this one: a bit Number of albums reviewed: 5 (including this one) 1 is bad, 2 is not for me, 3 is good, 4 is great, 5 is legendary
Decent punk album
It's that classic Clash sound, but it's not really the classic Clash songs -- that's another album. It's fine but not going in rotation.
Fave song- hate & war
Police and thieves my fave
Liked: Janie Jones, I'm so Bored with the U.S.A., White Riot, Deny Added: White Riot, Career Opportunities
very yell-y. some of it is catchy, at least. given the date, probably one of the key precursors to the thousands and thousands of equally unremarkable punk eps and short lps recorded at great haste that would follow.
Great album. Solid debut.
Wish I could rate 3.5
first clash album i sat through the whole of. very good, very much what i expected it to be. can’t imagine returning much outside of a few tracks. i loved white riot, what’s my name and 48 hours
Good
The Clash is an institution. One of THE Punk bands I like the most. Still, London Calling for me is the best Clash album. Showing the evolvement also musically witha wider range of musical influences what makes that particular album little more interesting than this one. Then again, would I be able to talk about musical evolvement without this one as a base.
not bad
not what i normally listen to but london's burning is a banger tho along with some other songs!! nice background noise ig
17/02/2026 1. janie jones - like the bass :) alright! 2. remote control - again, alright! liking the guitar solo about two mins in. enjoyed it, but not mindblowing.... 3. i'm so bored with the usa - already know this one.... listening to a full album by the clash is making me realise how much more i prefer their later albums over this one lol *4. white riot - already like this one as well!! love the distorted guitar with the bass... 5. hate & war - also know this one... really like the bass... eeee forgot about the lyrics..... *6. what's my name - really like the guitar riff... reaaallly liked this one! 7. deny - really liking the ending. it was alright again. 8. london's burning - like the dial 99999 bit! and the kinda spoken word near ending.... 9. career opportunities - getting a bit samey now.... still liked it though. 10. cheat - not mad about the lyrics on this album. know punk is meant to be simplistic, but it's just a bit boring/obvious ten songs in. very idles. 11. protex blue - liking the ticking at the start and the guitar.... ok. *12. police & thieves - reaaallly liking the drumming. still love the bass :) liking the lyrics of this one more.... 13. 48 hours - alright :) 14. garageland - harmonica?? maybe would enjoy it more if i didn't have a banging headache, was definitely enjoyable to listen to, but dragged a bit towards the end and the lyrics aren't as good as i remember them being when i first got into punk music lol. from the songs i've already heard from london calling (and onwards), i imagine i'd like those albums better - but this is still a nice listen!
Pretty good. Not amazing but had goodtempo. Got a lot of work done to it. Probably good for running
fine
If there was ever an album that was exactly what you expected it to be, it was probably this one. I do like The Clash, just completely unsurprised with the contents of this album. I had London Calling like a week ago so maybe that's a part of it. This is like the exact same album but probably not quite as good. Still I gave London Calling 5 stars, sooo...
Had a rough time with the vocals and thin sound of the instruments on this one. The intention is in the right place but it feels like less than the sum of its parts.
I love the high, youthful energy that the young Clash bring on this record. The foot-tapping never stopped for me while listening to this and felt energized after listening to it. It was go-go-go from the jump. This feels like a good one to jam out to while running or lifting since it gets the juices going. Top tracks: Janie Jones, White Riot, Police & Thieves
Shalalala, shananana, bipbopbap.
Cant lie, never heard of The Clash. Guitar tones are a beaut n album is pretty solid.
You know it's a punk album when it has 14 songs and is only 35 minutes long!
A toe-tapper for sure. It doesn’t seem to have much substance on most tracks, but when it comes through—Career Opportunities—it really comes through. Probably a good dry run for what was to come?
Classic punk rock but i think theres better albums from the clash
Delightfully angry punk, anchored firmly in its place and time, but sounds dated nowadays with the grating "singing" and limited repertoire of melodies. A few bangers toward the end of the album, particularly the Police & Thieves cover.
Curti, mas não sei se ouviria novamente. Rock legalzinho
There are days for specifically designed for English rock. The gray weather outside predicted that it's the perfect time for this album. The punk roots were a fine sprinkle on top of everything else. It was a fun listen and even though it got a bit repetitive, it was still a pretty good soundtrack that made thing a bit warmer. My favorite tracks are "Cheat" and "Police & Thieves".
The start of something incredible!
A decent album with the typical Brit rock influence
Favourite Track: Police & Thieves
The album is ok, although most of the songs are very similar to each other. They have a very particular style, which I am not particularly attracted to. However, songs are short, and so the album goes on quite easily, it doesn't feel too long.
Not my favorite Clash album, but it's alright.
It's fine to listen to, nothing special, but still pleasant. Not sure why but London's Burning was probably the song that I enjoyed the most
I'm excited for London Calling to show up but this debut is pretty inconsistent. A good couple memorable songs like White Riot and Deny even if they weren't my favourites, but most of the tracks were very short, leaving no impression and barely selling me on the punk aesthetics. The vocalist didn't have the power in his voice at this point to convince me it was a passionate angry project, it sounded like fake shouting a lot of the time. Highlights: Janie Jones Police & Theives
Interesting to see the progression of the band from this to London Calling. I definitely see how early Green Day was influenced by this sound. It was a fun album, just not something that I'm particularly dying to go back to again like London Calling. Lots of catchy hooks :)
The album was okay. Not breathtaking but fun too.
Classic clash
Not the best the clash album, just the first.
pretty ballin
Just great punk, that is all
Nothing really stood out for me in this one 3
Very much a snapshot of its time, but I liked it. It may sound obvious, but this has such an “English” sound. The Clash have always bypassed me, but for what it is this is good. I expected it to be more raucous - maybe more distortion and swearing. Nonetheless, a good start to the week.
2/2/26. Meh. More British punk. 5/10
6.5/10 the lyrics seemed lack luster but the rock elements were good
A perfectly acceptable inclusion on the list that does very little for me. I suspect I'll enjoy London Calling more when it eventually comes up, but this one was a bit bland for my tastes. I recognise that this album is important and deserving of its place on this list, but the lens I'm viewing through just isn't the same as it would've been in the late 70s when this came out.
6/10 Best songs: What's My Name, Deny Genre-defining, wildly creative, incredibly influential, but like... honestly... I'm just not a huge fan of punk music. Not a fan of the punk "voice" or the brash music. I do, however, really appreciate how this is ridiculously different from other music from this time.
Not bad for late 70s punk.
I like the Clash a lot. More than just angry punk. Album was a departure from what I thought knew. Its still punk tho.
Leaves me wanting more without knocking me over. RYM: N Saved a song: N
3. A bit too punky for my taste
Sometimes you just want some music that cuts through the bullshit. No fancy solos, no flashy vocals, just head bobbing power chords and angsty lyrics. It's a simple but listenable approach!
Solid crunch with the appropriate sense of politics for it, great album but it suffers for my rating because I just don't feel like throwing it on often.
Interesting, with some really good bits, definition of a 3 for me
Sexless Pistols.
Way better than London Calling.
Okay, I love punk, and I love The Clash. I fully understand and agree that this album is genre-defining, and I do like a few songs from this album, but it gets a little boring. Well, punk songs are repetitive, so I can't say that since that's the point. Simple structure but powerful lyrics. Basically, it's a good listen, but I don't think I would listen to it whole.
パンクロックの雛形。 ニューウェーブやポストパンクといった派生ジャンルとくらべると、どうしてもジャンル自体が面白くないと思ってしまうな。 歌詞は、社会制度も環境も全く違う国の住民からすると、時代の違いというのも大いにあるが、まったくピンとこないし面白くない。
Not bad for punk
Not really a fan of The Clash, nor punk for that matter. I don't mind a bit of punk though, and this definitely fits that description. I've always liked their song "Should I Stay or Should I Go", but this doesn't have the same feel. There are some great songs here though; "White Riot", "London's Burning" to name a couple. Probably not their best work though.
Never been a massive Clash fan. Hoped an older ear might change that but it hasn't. Can't imagine this causing a ripple these days.
More British punk rock
I’m kind of surprised by the fact that I did not really care for this. It was just okay. Went in only knowing White Riot and Police and Thieves. Nothing really stood out to me besides Police and Thieves. I do like a good amount of the Clash, but guess they just did not have their footing as of yet on their debut.
Classic punk album that is rebellious and loud. I enjoyed this album but the majority of it was just fine. However, one song really stood out to me and that was Police and Thieves. Sonically the instruments had the normal sound of punk music, but rhythmically there was a reggae type groove. Just reading that, you’d probably assume that’s weird and wouldn’t work, but it absolutely does and was my favorite song on this album. Overall i thought this album was fine. I wouldn’t play this on my own, but I wouldn’t mind if someone else played it
meh? classic punk album, pero me gusta mas nitty gritty.
Good album
Good not great
It’s fun to me. Definitely not my go to genre, but it reminds me of being a kid and driving around with my mom.
Not my type of music . I listen to mellow music , vocal based . Its too energetic and raw , but gave me an oppurtunity to know more about punk genre . I get the feeling behind this genre and might listen to it off and on .
Standouts Protex Blue Police & Thieves
Like it a lot
Well they definitely got better as their careers went on Ngl not a fan of the vocals, I get they’re going for that early punk sound but it sounds more like British Ramones than anything I want to listen to. Composition itself was fine, if a little samey. Police and Thieves stood out to me a lot, I liked that one
Debut album from The Clash, recorded early 1977. British version released April 1977, US version released 1979 with additional tracks. That is the version we are reviewing. The Clash is a pretty iconic band, eventually took the mantle of punk icons from such bands as The Sex Pistols, the Buzzcocks, et al, and ran with it. Eventually became more polished, with more diverse influence, and receiving more radio airplay. Good songs on this album, though not one is longer than 3:15, and several coming in under 2 minutes. Laughed to myself you could probably play every song in their catalog in the time it took the Grateful Dead to play one show. Liked Jamie Jones, liked Remote Control, liked London's Burning, liked Garageland, really liked Police & Thieves. The rest are pretty indistinguishable. White Riot (the title) sounds like something I would be wary of identifying with, but overall songs were ok and maybe even good for a first album. I've heard it before, so no real surprises other than learning that the US version wasn't released until 2 years after the UK version. Thing is this: if you sprinkle some punk into your playlist, you're edgy and cool. If punk IS your playlist, you're angsty, you're angry, and not cool. Also, 60 punk songs in a row is actually kind of a drag. And no, that was not a commentary on Green Day, Allison. Overall I'd probably go 3 1/2, but halves are not allowed, so 3 stars.
This is old and kinda energetic
I dunno, the Clash just never quite do it for me. Its such basic bitch punk. I mean, yes I know this can happen to the pioneers of any genre but other punk from the same time still sounds much fresher. So I dunno, the Clash are meh.
Zwar ist die rohe Energie und der politische Furor der Band deutlich spürbar, doch musikalisch fehlt es dem Album an Abwechslung. Nach dem dritten Song beginnt Joe Strummers Stimme eher zu strapazieren als zu begeistern – ihre aggressive Monotonie nutzt sich schnell ab. Man merkt, dass die Band hier noch am Anfang ihrer Entwicklung steht. Die späteren Glanzstücke wie „London Calling“ oder „Should I Stay or Should I Go“ zeigen, wozu The Clash fähig waren – davon war dieses Frühwerk allerdings leider weit entfernt.
Surprised by how much I liked this one, what a fun listen. White Riot is great. Punk music is a good listen when you’re leftist
Never listened to much Clash -- punk generally not my cup of tea. But this sounded exactly like what I would have expected and can respect one of the best punk acts of all time. 3 stars for predictability and consistency, but likely won't listen again.
Good. Not my favorite.
The Clash is a band I went through a phase with in my late teens, mostly because I really wanted to appreciate them given how legendary they are in punk history. Honestly though, the tracks I’ve always liked the most from them tend to be their more disco adjacent and non punk material. When it comes to their straight punk songs, they’ve always fallen pretty flat for me.
Ballt och bra riv men det når inte helt fram för mig, hade hoppats på något mer
Trodde ändå jag hade hyfsad koll på the Clash men hade bara hört police & thieves tidigare - IG!
de e lite för rakt för mig men det blir en trea för husfriden
pretty nice album though i cant imagine them playing it and not getting the chords confused since i thought they sound pretty much alike but at the end of the day who am i right
#3 - 1089 , The Clash - The Clash 1977 Punk-Rock Well this was the first punk-rock album ever listened and I actually dig this genre pretty much in my first listen itself but I'm not sure about this album particularly , Some songs ( Polices & Thieves , London's Burning , White Riot ) were really outstanding . The Clash being one of the firsts political punk-rock band well considering their legacy & impact on other bands , I'll give one more listen to this album and their other albums and this whole genre
meh. def more my style but very one dimensional ? maybe a few more listens and i would like it more. but just based off the first one, it’s alright.
3 Definitely one you have to be in the right mindset for it to not just be cockney geezers shouting on-the-nose oi! in unison. Today, I was not in said-mindset.
If I ignore how obnoxious his voice was, I actually had a bit of fun listening to this
They sound too British
Listened Before: yes Fun, up and down punk album. Not noisy and annoying like some others (looking at you Stooges and Germs). 3/5
Not my vibe
British Punk Rock. Not-subtle punk poetry. Angry.
Great voice but boring music
I need a cigarette rn after listening this album.
Not the best Clash album but will always like their vibes
It's punk and it's interesting to read spotify's description, that they were "the Beatles" while Sex Pistols were "the Stones". I guess that makes them more accessible, and I can see that. It's gritty, but only so gritty, and some of the tunes are almost catchy.
Though I prefer their later stuff, this is punk I can get on board with.
I liked the British punk rock vibe, but the songs were all somewhat similar.
Decent. Not exactly my cup of tea but may grow on me after a couple listens. Police and thieves is a standout.
Punk is not really my genre but I appreciate their politics
I preferred London Calling personally. You can tell they have talent with this. It's a bit rougher than their later work, but it's good.
changed the punk music of the time. they eere the start of something. this album made people realize that they could make punk music but also say something important at the same time. they fought against racist and fought with the lower classes just by being themselves. not really my type of music tho
a bit repetitive, giving coming of age 80s/90s movie, good to dance around the room and shake your head to
I'm not really a punk fan, although they might be fun to see live because they are high energy. I can imagine fans liked the clash not just because they liked the songs, but that it was a statement and attitude about life. Maybe punk exists to remind us to shake up sh*t in our lives no matter occassion, it might make something worthy to remember.
Tbh it's not really my sort of thing, however, I took a liking to "I'm so bored of the USA". Nearly 50 years later and I can still agree lmao.
I love the clash but this not necessary listening. sorry
I always think they're going to be more hardcore than they are 2.8
It's the clash. Pioneers of punk, but there are better bands/
6 - AVERAGE
Pretty good punk, not too special
it’s alright i wish the production was a little higher though, but i get it it’s their first album
Meh...they start to all sound similar. I know they are iconic but it just isn't that amazing in today's world.
The Clash have a far better knack for writing great songs than your average punk band. As stated by me many times before, punk rock is NOT my genre, but I can take The Clash. If any one band could change my mind, it’s them. I think it’s because their songs are not simply 3 chords and a snarl. They sound thought out and messed with to perfection. This album doesn’t change how I feel about the entire genre but it does make me like The Clash more.
This was fun punk music, but I wanted to like it more than I did. I appreciate the protest nature of the lyrics but the music itself just did very little for me. The only song I added to my playlist was Police & Thieves, and that was a halfhearted add. I know there’s Clash music that I like, so the sound just needs to evolve from here for me.
A classic punk record by “the only band that matters.”
This is so The Clash by The Clash…
Loud, fast and brash. Cool to see the early makings of the punk reggae incorporation.
Très bon, énergique et rebelle !!
This was pretty good Favourite Track(s): White Riot, London's Burning, Garageland Least Favourite Track(s): Deny
Remineszenz an die Jugend
Really good album, makes me feel like I'm a rebel in mid 70 in great Britain. Overall really energetic, rebellious and really fun to listen. Can be repetitive at time, but I count it as the band sound. Very non conforming vibes
Inte lika bra som deras förra. Som kändes som en mognare skiva, en mer varierad och rolig. Detta är närmare punk och det är i mina öron meh.
Had on the background while I coded in R. Surprisingly pleasant, mellow. Less engaging than I had anticipated, which was disappointing. Perhaps modern music and screens are in fact rotting our brains. Or maybe music has evolved, as have the times.
i’m SO bored with the usa. ( songs sounded kind of similar, but i actually thought this was quite good! 3 songs saved to liked :d )
liked it, love old rock and the clash.
Not my favorite genre of music, but definitely the type of music that I really want to get into. Most of the album to me felt very cohesive, with the only track to stand out being Police & Thieves. Deny was also memorable because they it reminded me of Diary of a Wimpy Kid. Overall, I would give this album a 3/5. Not necessarily my style, but an objectively good album.
I hate to do this to The Clash, but the songs on this album are thoroughly forgettable for me. There's nothing offensively bad, just aggressively mid. Solid 3.
we are the clash
kind of boring, all sounds so similar! I'm sensing a common theme.
some good songs but there are better punk records from the era.
Short and very solid. Groundbreaking music at the time and while it isn’t blowing my mind in 2025, it is hard to find fault with this. Janie Jones and Police & Thieves were the standouts to me.
Sounded good, a little strong for my old ears nowadays 😅
British "people" football chanting turned into heavy rock music. 3/5
- london calling on ihan sikke hyvä levy mutta tämä ei ole entuudestaan tuttu - iha hyvä levy! ei ihan niin legendaarisia tuneja ku london callingilla mutta taattua clashia on tämäkin
Propper Punk
Old school punk one of the originals, not bad at all
Oke not really my thing
Early punk album by an iconic punk band.
I know they teach rhetoric in those private schools, liek the one Joe Strummer went to. That explains the antehmic, declarative writing - Bennite rather than Johnsonian, sure, but, then, I also assumed they taught diction. I’ve always found Strummer hard to make out - no consonants and bounciing vowels. I was put off London Calling years ago by the awful sound in the middle of Spanish Bombs - “The freedom fighters died upon the he-eu-eu-eull!” But he had already done the same thing, it seems , on I’m So Bored of the USA - Bor-au-aurd. It demonstrates something like boredom - an unwillingness to find a pleasing vowel, let alone a word that fits the melody neatly. Not that punk should be neat, I guess, but this strange emphasis on boredom really clarifies something about my feelings about the Clash - the band seems to thrash uselessly within boredom, a little Lord Fauntelroy rant against career, the US, all of that - Strummer can’t finish his words, his thoughts, or his melodica phrases. Even White Riot has that same clattering trajectory, like a box of toys thrown down the stairs: “A riahovmaown.” When Buzzcocks tackle boredom on the Spiral Scratch EP, they try to counteract the malaise with humour, energy, and pop mania. But the Clash feel like they have no plan except acknowledgement of the problem, hoping someone else will take care of it. It’s unfair to suggest Strummer expects that someone else to be his daddy, as he’ll be more active in the future, but, at this point, it sounds like he’s tried nothing and he’s all out of ideas. Instead, he regresses into the rock and roll world of Janie Jones and the Garageland of the album closer: an imitative subculture, inspired by and not yet inspiring. Of the first punk bands, they strike me as the most embarraingly nostalgic - it’s no wonder they’ll go on to be a stadium act, while the other ones develop character. That said, the bits of Police and Thieves when Strummer isn’t singing are pretty nice. 2.5 I like the Clash, they were better than they let on. Here’s their famous debut! Catchy two and three minute numbers where the hook is the title of the song. Energy. Man with a funny voice. It’s just good, responsible pop music innit? It’s Please, Please Me. 3/5
oi mate you got a loicense for that
Enjoyed, some great tracks. Great early punk.
Repeat listen
7/10
I can definitely see how it influenced modern music. Fun, short listen.
Wow, did anyone stop to tell The Clash that they're supposed to be bad at writing music and playing their instruments? This album is a stain on the Punk Rock Genre.
This wasn’t bad but a little underwhelming
definitely chews but doesn't reach the same level of eatery as london calling. joe strummer is the antithesis to the 'why don't british people sing with an accent' argument
Works well as hangover cure.
This is enjoyable punk, but the songs are dumb. Punk is incredibly white and male and this is no exception. Nice music, but didn't feel it. Toss in some emotion and this is an easy 4, but without it's just a bland 3 - Punk! Strong start. More sing-y than usual - This is the pop-punk I like! The lyrics are tough to process so I'll need a 2nd listen but positive vibes so far - Okay starting to get my head smashed in by the relentless energy. Not a bad thing, just whoa - 2nd listen: Fun music, but they don't have much interesting to say.
Somehow this is the most British band I have ever heard. Just a straight shooting rock album, pretty fun. Favorite track was Londons Burning
Fun as hell. I really enjoyed Police and Thieves, like best song level like it. These songs just sound like some blokes hanging out jamming- I see the appeal to punk :)
Not the best The Clash, but still pretty good The Clash.
I liked it but it sounded a bit samey after a while
Fetzt mehr als beim letzten Mal. Nochmal positiv überrascht worden. 3,5 Sterne
it's no london calling but it's a fun one
Never been a massive punk fan but this was listenable. I maybe preferred London Calling slightly but still pretty solid
This album was okay. My first impression was a feeling like they're not really qualified to cover a lot of the subject matter that's being discussed in their songs. It wasn't all misses, I liked London's Burning and I'm So Bored With The USA, but definitely not fantastic.
Fun enough. Not my style.
Some strong bangers, but I ended up getting bored by the end.
That was fine. Some amount of irony listening to that in an office cubicle.
Love me some tuneful punk, but the songs kinda sounded the same by the end.
I WANNA WANNA BE A MALE MODELLLLL 3
lowkey liking clash
great punk rock album
Let lyt, ikke så sejt som jeg regnede med, men det var fint nok.
Jo flere The Clash albums jeg hører, jo mere fremstår London Calling (sangen) og Should I Stay… som enhjørninger i deres diskografi.
Another album which I like because I've been listening to it on and off for 25 years. It's great background music to work to. It's also a great window into 70s Britain and how a lot of people must have felt at that time. But none of these songs are actually *good* in isolation.
Feel like ive listened to this one before. Not my cup of tea but respect it
This is about as pop as I want my rock to go. Right now, 2025, a lot of this sounds like a commercial success, eager for mainstream radio play while maintaining classic grit. Rebel vocals with class, an obvious appreciation for the genres that built rock and roll. In fact, this often feels like a take on punk that didn't really go popular for at least another decade or two, maybe I'm just confused by how fresh it feels. Impressive as I might find this, I still would've appreciated the full listen more in my teens. I feel like my tastes have shifted and I have a preference for more elaborate rock compositions. 3.3/5
just ok i think. police and thieves is my favourite the clash song but the rest sort of blended together
1001 Albums Vol. 0004: The Clash ============================================================ Introduction: Three albums in a row from the 70's. I'm not complaining though, I think that the greats that I've heard from this decade and amazing. I can't personally speak about this album, however. I have heard of The Clash as a band and have heard some of the most popular songs, yet I had no idea that a self-titled album even existed. I have a pretty broad idea of what this album will sound like based on songs I've heard like Should I Stay or Should I Go or London Calling, however. From my research, I've found that this self-titled album was The Clash's first release. It was released all the way back in 1977. I've found that every song off of this album was recorded in the span of three weeks. For a band that formed not even a year prior, that is pretty dang impressive. This album's main genre seems to be punk rock. This isn't my favorite genre by any means, yet I am someone who is able to enjoy almost every genre is songs are well-written enough. Despite being the band's first album, it also served as their breakthrough into popularity around the United Kingdom. Despite this, the album actually wouldn't be released in the U.S. until two years after it's initial U.K. release. Surprisingly, the track listing on the U.S. version of the album is different from what is presented on the original release. Songs such as Cheat and Deny were replaced. The U.S. version actually seems to have added more tracks than it removed as well. For the sake of this review, I will be listening to and reviewing the original while putting the U.S. version in the background. If I truly feel like it, and I probably won't, I may someday come back and edit my review to include those five tracks, yet I am not doing it right now. I already won't finish my review by the deadline. I'm currently on a busy schedule and have my project paused so I can review this album over the course of a few days. Anyway, with all that said, let's get into our third back-to-back-to-back album from the 1970's. ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 1: Janie Jones - This track is vastly different from everything that I've heard so far. The song provides a very quick melody that just screams punk rock. There isn't really any better way to describe the melody other than it screams punk rock, in fact. If I had to, I guess I would say it gives off skater energy as well, yet this is something that I would say about a lot of punk rock. In terms of what has been explored regarding punk rock in the years after this release, this melody sounds extremely, extremely generic. With that said, I won't be too overly critical if this album sounds generic in our modern world since this was released nearly fifty years ago. Of course most albums released this long ago will sound a bit dated in out modern world. I won't be overly lenient if a song sounds generic either; however, as this factor does somewhat play into the creativity of a song. It plays a small part in how the song has aged as well. The generic melody aside, this song still manages to sound unique through one standout factor: the vocals of the singer. I was not expecting a voice like this based off of what I've heard from The Clash before, yet it isn't bad at all. The carefree-like vocals of this song perfectly fit the energetic tone this song gives off. They just generally fit what I imagine someone's voice to sound like if someone described them as a "punk" as well. The vocals of the singer are simply perfect for this genre of music, there isn't really any better way to describe it. The melody along with the voice combine equally well with the meaning of the song. The song speaks of someone who has a very tough work-life. They love when their work hours end since they get to become stoned, live in his carefree rock and roller persona and so on. On top of this, the song served as a commentary on what working in the 1970's Britain allegedly felt like. This commentary is obviously irrelevant nowadays, yet it still adds some extra charm to the song. All of these factors combine into a song that doesn't overstay its welcome by any means at all. In fact, I wouldn't have minded if this song were just a bit longer. Also, like everything I've heard up until this point, the production is pretty damn good. Overall, this song is a great way to start this album off. Hopefully it manages to continue the high-energy while creating diversity in each song over the next thirteen tracks...yeah this one has a lot. Janie Jones Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 2: Remote Control - For the most part, this song managed to keep up the energy the previous gave off. I would argue that this song leans a bit more towards power pop than punk rock, yet there are clear signatures of punk rock in this song as well. The melody of this song is much slower and more downtempo than the previous. It allows for a more dynamic sound in the song, yet I would argue that this actually isn't a good factor. The slower tempo sounds a bit weird with what we have just come from, a very fast and typical punk song. Variety is absolutely okay in albums, yet like I said above, this song almost sounds like an entirely different genre from the previous. The melody presented here is very basic yet again, yet this isn't entirely a bad thing. It does get a bit repetitive by the end, especially because of how short the verses and choruses are, yet it's not too bad. The melody is still pretty enjoyable. The vocals here are pretty much the same, yet the sound a bit more relaxed than the previous. This minor relaxation matches the power pop sound of the song, so this isn't a bad thing at all. The lyrics on this song aren't the greatest thing in the world. They remind me a lot of something that I would see from The Church. They're a bit too vague and a bit too sporadic for me to really piece anything together with. This may have a small part to do with the fact that I wasn't alive or living in the U.K. at the time of this album's release, but I can't piece much together. I only point this out since there are some clear references to London in this song. Nevertheless, I can pick up that this song is clearly about some form of manipulation or being treated unfairly. I had to look the meaning of this song up. Through this, I found that it was apparently a critique by the band at the music industry and their treatment of artists such as them. This critique seemed to be especially be pointed at their label. This may explain a bit of the song's vagueness, yet I still don't excuse it. This song can also reflect on the control and oppression of governments, businesses, and those in power as well. Overall, despite this song being worse than the first in almost every way, I still like it. There isn't really much more to say than that. Remote Control Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 3: I'm so Bored with the U.S.A. - This is yet another song that is a bit dated in some of its topics, yet I can relate to it on a more personal level than the previous. We will get back to that later. For now, I guess I'll state that the melody and overall tone of this song jumps back into the zone of punk rock. It gives off a similar skater vibe that the first song does. The chorus has a similar dynamic as the first as well, the many voices of members joining in at one time in an anthem-like way. In fact, I would say that there are many similarities between this song and the first. With that said, there are enough differences to make this song still sound distinct as well. Like I said in the first song, however, I won't be too overly critical if songs sound minimalistic or similar due to two factors: The Clash was one of the first punk albums ever made, and minimalism was a trait of punk rock at the time of this album's release. That said, the songs still sound similar regardless. The vocals are pretty on point with punk in this song as well, much more than the previous song. The song's lyrics are pretty on point as well. They are a bit vague, yet they discuss the boring nature of the U.S. media in the 1970's. This is definitely something that still remains relevant nowadays, maybe a bit less so than in the 70's, yet this is something that is very subjective as well. There are a few lines that I don't like as well such as the line that references Watergate. The song could have felt just a little more timeless had they simply broadened their reference to presidential scandals in that line. This is definitely something relevant in the modern media as well. With that said, this song is still pretty good in many regards. I'm so Bored with the U.S.A. Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 4: White Riot - Well, this song automatically gains some praise from me after just my first listen. The song sounds very punk-like, has very carefree vocals, all of the stuff we've heard before. It has a very basic, minimalistic melody as well, all of the stuff we have heard before. The melody itself is still pretty appealing while still managing to sound different as well, all of the stuff we've heard before. That being said, where this song shines most is within its lyrics and meaning. The song was meant to be a protest song for the oppression against the Black community in America. This song has nowhere near as much relevancy nowadays, yet that does not matter at all. In my opinion, a song of this nature is still timeless due to the amount of change it was calling for in both the U.S. and around the world. The best way I can describe the timelessness of a song with this sort of message is using Bob Dylan as an example. It would be weird not to call his protest songs timeless despite the clear decline of racism over the years, wouldn't it? This song's lyrics are nowhere near as poetic or effective as Bob Dylan's ten to fifteen years before the release of this album, yet I still massively appreciate them. This is another song where the style of punk and the vocals mix perfectly with the song's meaning. The descriptions of White people joining in with Black people to riot is simply perfect for a song of this nature. Overall, this is another extremely strong song off of this album. I would argue that it is the best so far. White Riot Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 5: Hate & War - This is the weakest song off of the album so far. It's the first song that I would say feels a bit directionless at times. It feels as if random elements get added to the melody at random times that didn't need to be added at all. The melody itself has a much slower pace than the previous few songs as well. I doesn't border power pop like the second song, however. That being said, much like the second song, the vocals are much weaker and less punk-like. I would say that they sound a bit too soft for the subject matter being described in the song. The slowness of the song contributes to this overall odd feel that the song gives in correlation with its disturbing subject matter. My interpretation of the song is quite literal to its title, it's about someone who is serving for their country and is being taught to hate every other country but theirs. There do seem to be some descriptions of the horrors they have witnessed as well such as a house falling down. That being said, I have done some research and found that this song was apparently supposed to be a representation of the struggles the working class in London faced in the 1970's. I personally see no correlation. This may be because I wasn't alive in London during the time, but I have no idea how this song can possibly mean that. We've already heard a song with the exact same meaning but just...better in pretty much every way. Overall, this is definitely the weakest and most forgettable song off of this album so far. Hopefully this doesn't become a pattern in the album. Hate & War Score: 7/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 6: What's My Name - This is another song that I would only describe only as good. It's the shortest song we've heard so far, clocking in at around a minute and a half. This isn't necessarily a bad thing, yet it makes the song feel extremely forgettable. This forgetfulness is only exaggerated by the fact that this song's melody is pretty generic as well. The melody is much less inspiring than some that we've heard before as well. There's simply barely any dynamic to it, and this is honestly saying a lot because of how basic punk was at the time. The chorus is very uninspiring too. The up and down vocals while the word "name" is exaggerated is just unpleasant to listen to. The vocals are absolutely on point here, however. The lyrics are pretty on point to. While the lyrics are a bit vague, it is meant to describe the journey of discovery we all go through in our adolescent years. This journey, of course, comes with a lot of angst and anger with the world. Punk rock is simply a genre that mixes well with the feeling of angst, individuality, strangeness, and so on. This mix may be due to the fact that the genre isn't mainstream, yet the feeling is still present regardless. Overall, despite me having many problems with this song, I still believe it to be pretty good. It is absolutely the weakest we've heard so far, however. What's My Name Score: 7/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 7: Deny - This is yet another track that I would consider to be only good. There isn't really anything for me to state about the melody and vocals that I haven't already explained in previous songs. The melody is pretty basic while the vocals are perfectly on point. I can't keep saying this for the second half of the album. Something that I do find a bit interesting is that this song starts with the chorus before the first verse. This is something that songs such a White Riot did as well, yet I still think I should mention it since I really don't have anything else to mention regarding the melody. Anyway, I guess I'll now jump into this song's meaning. The song is a clear reference to someone, probably the main character's girlfriend, who is lying about ceasing her use of drugs. There are some clear themes of denial in this song as well which add a bit of depth to its meaning. Other than that, there isn't really much else to say regarding this song's meaning. The lyrics are pretty well-written and the theme of drugs fits well with the carefree style of punk rock, yet there really isn't anything else to say. We've been on a streak of songs that I would consider simply good at best. I'd argue that this is even more boring than having a bad song in the mix. It feels as if the album is staling out a bit. I do believe this song is a bit better and more complex than the last, yet I don't consider it to be by much. Hopefully this trend doesn't continue throughout the entire rest of the album. Deny Score: 7/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 8: London's Burning - This was a pretty good track. It was certainly better than the previous three tracks. The melody of this song is simply more well-written that the previous three. The way the vocals work around it too is just simply better than in the previous three songs. The short guitar solos on this song help elevate my opinion on it as well. The instant scream of "London's Burning!" is another great addition to the song. It managed to instantly capture my attention because of its chaotic tone and the way it was sung. Like almost every other song, the vocals are pretty spot on. The lyrics have a similar meaning to that of I'm so Bored with he U.S.A. They speak of the monotony and repetition of day to day life in London. This theme may tie back into previous songs which complained about the life the working class had. Despite never having been to London myself, I can relate to some of the lines in the song. I can particularly relate to the second verse from the trips I've taken to extremely urban areas of the U.S. Overall, this song was an extremely pleasant and fun listen after the consistent "good" at max quality of the previous three. I'm surprised that this album has still managed to sound unique in pretty much every song despite punk rock being so simple at the time of its release as well. There are still six more tracks left on the album, so hopefully this uniqueness can continue. London's Burning Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 9: Career Opportunities - This song is quite a weird one. As of currently, I am in between giving it a seven or an eight. This song is definitely better than anything the streak of sevens had to give, yet it still feels around the general quality of them. The song has a pretty fun and simplistic melody. The vocals are on point as well. There's a unique segment during the song's bridge in which the song utilizes a fading echo effect for the singer's voice. I've listened to this over the course of three days, so if I can remember correctly, this is the first song to utilize this sort of effect. This is something that may have been done before, yet I know for a fact would be used in many punk rock anthems in the years to come after this song. Besides that, there isn't much else to say about this song musically. Lyrically, this song is pretty good as well. It speaks of career opportunities, obviously, yet it speaks of them in a negative light instead of positive. Many songs on this album were written to represent a problem either the U.K. or the U.S. were currently facing. This song is no different. It tries to convey the idea that so many job opportunities being presented to those in the U.K. was actually a negative thing. It tries to convey that useless opportunities, such as a coffee worker at the BBC, were being offered simply to hold off protests. This is something that is somewhat relevant nowadays, yet its relevancy has decreased significantly. This decrease in relevancy obviously originates from the current rise of A.I. There are so many employers who will limit job opportunities as much as possible so that they can shove as much money as possible into their pockets. Sad but true, while extremely selfish, this is simple human nature. Overall, after reflecting more on this song, I've decided to give it an eight. It's definitely the weakest eight I've given on any song I've heard from this site so far, yet it's still barely worthy of it. Career Opportunities Score: 8/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 10: Cheat - This track is absolutely inexcusable. Its melody is decent and its vocals are absolutely on point, yet its meaning is absolutely garbage. Any listener of this album should be smart enough not to listen to this message, yet it is still absolutely garbage. It straight up tells the listener that cheating in life is the solution to one's problems. One could argue that this is simply the lyrics mixing with the carefree and rebellious nature of punk rock's sound, yet this doesn't excuse that the message is absolutely trash. If anything, listening to this song's message will cause even more problems for you when you're in jail and having God knows what done to you by your mates. This is an example of a message that mixes well with the genre of music but for all the wrong reasons. The song also tries this weird air-flow-like effect that would be heard in something like arena rock in the 80's. This song is just weird. I can definitely see why it was cut from the U.S. release of this album. Cheat Score: 6/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 11: Protex Blue - Where the last song had a straight up bad message, this one has a straight up meaningless one. This entire song is meant to a reference to condoms and their use. That's literally the entire point of the song. Does this kind of message fit with the overall edgy and quick sound of this album? Yes, it somewhat does. That doesn't mean that it's good at all, however. I really don't like this song's lyrics either. Quality wise, The lyrics are about on the same level as other serious songs. To me, this feels a bit stupid considering the theme of the song. I feel that the band should have went all in if they were going to make a song this crude. I understand that it was 1977 and the world was much more censored back then, yet that doesn't excuse this song in the slightest. I seriously don't understand why this wasn't just an outtake. The quality of the music itself is slightly worse as well. The beginning of the song has a few seconds of nothing, the vocals are a bit too fast to hear, especially if you don't have lyrics right in front of you, and the melody itself is pretty weak as well. It borders something that one would hear for an action scene in a children's show at certain points. This was another song that was cut for the American release of the album. I can definitely see why. This is definitely the weakest off the album so far. Protex Blue Score 5/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 12: Police & Thieves - This song was an extremely nice listen after the previous two. In fact, I would say that it's one of the best on the album so far. Musically, I find it to be the most well-written song so far. The bass is extremely loud, groovy, well-played, and mixes well with the other instrumentation presented in the song. It especially works well with the slower tone of the music this song has. There is some extremely nice production on this song as well. The vocals being layered to the back towards the end of the song, the overlapping guitars during the song's bridge, the first guitar solo, all of it is extremely nice and well-recorded. Despite a much different pace with the song, the vocals are pretty much exactly the same, if you're not considering the "Oh Yeahs" throughout the song. This is a small detail throughout the entire song which add to the groovy feel that it goes for a lot. Fortunately, the lyrics actually have a serious meaning behind them in this song. When I initially listened, I believed this song to simply be about violence between police and criminal groups, yet the song is actually comparing police forces to criminal groups. This comparison was originally made by a singer known as Junior Marvin. Yes, this is a cover song. Marvin made this comparison for a variety of reasons. Corruption, overuse of lethal force, violence, and so on motivated him to write this song. This is something that definitely still holds true now, yet I'm not the best person to speak on it by a long shot. I'm the kind of person going on Youtube looking for good cops getting bullied by Karens, not the exact opposite. Despite this, I still believe this to be a genuinely great and complex song by The Clash. Police & Thieves Score: 9/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 13: 48 Hours - This is yet another song that I really don't have all that much to say about. The melody is extremely simplistic, the vocals are on point, yeah, yeah, yeah. The lyrical meaning is pretty simplistic too. It simply talks about the rush of the weekend and trying to experience as many thrills as possible in that short time frame. This is something that The Allman Brothers spoke about in Stormy Monday, yet their lyrics were so much more relatable and well-thought in that song. The melody of that song was just better too. I personally don't thrill-seek during my weekends, so this song isn't relatable to me. I do understand why they had to put such a theme into the song however. The concept of thrill-seeking simply fits the genre of punk rock really well. That being said, this song still isn't that great. I've said this many times: punk rock was pretty simplistic at the time of this album's release; however, this song feels as if it does nothing new. It feels exactly like filler, that's the best way I can describe it. 48 Hours Score: 6/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Track 14: Garageland - This is a weird track, and I mean that in a good way. The melody is pretty similar, yet some of the instrumentation in this song is weird. There's a harmonica that plays halfway through the verses which completely threw me off when I first heard it. On top of this, the verses are delivered by the singer in a much more natural, regular voice. While a bit weird, these two factors add a bit of uniqueness of the song, so I'm not complaining. Other than those two aspects, this song sounds pretty much the exact same as everything else we've heard so far. Lyrically, this song is pretty good as well. To me, it sounds as if The Clash are acknowledging their basic sound by constantly calling themselves a cheap garage band. That being said, they're also stating that they know their worth something within the music industry, they know that they are something. That's just my interpretation though. I looked it up, and apparently this song was meant to be a jab at some reviewer who called them a garage band. Both meanings are fine for me since they both kind of say that The Clash acknowledge their worth. Anyway, this song is on the weaker side. Not worthy of a six, though. Garageland Score: 7/10 ------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------ Conclusion: Christ! This was one of the shorter albums that I've gotten so far, yet I have spent more time reviewing it than any other album. This obviously stems from the fact that it has fourteen tracks, yet it also stems from the fact that I reviewed it over the course of five damn days. Anyway, enough about me. This album is a bit weird. There are some great tracks on it, yet the majority of tracks I listened to I consider to be a seven or below. I'll put that aside for now, however. For 1977, the production on this album is pretty good. This production value especially shines on one of the album's best songs, Police & Thieves. I consider the vocals of this album to sound pretty dang bad, yet extremely great given the genre that The Clash was going for. Like I said in my review of the first song, the vocals just scream someone who you would associate the word "punk" with. Musically, this album is absolutely not the greatest. This shouldn't come as a surprise; however, because of the general simplicity of punk rock, especially at the time of this album's release. That being said, despite the album lacking the greatest melodies, I would still consider every song's melody to be pretty unique and distinct from one another. It doesn't simply sound as if I'm listening to the same song over and over with a different title. Where this album absolutely shines, however, it with its lyrics. Most songs on here have a pretty bold and brash meaning that target big companies and challenge the norms of day-to-day life. There are a few songs which I consider to have terrible meanings, yet they still at least have the vibe and the kind of message you would hear in a punk rock song. Overall, while this is not something that I would really ever see myself revisiting, I still appreciate it. I acknowledge that it sounded much ahead of its time in 1977 simply because of how new punk rock was, I acknowledge that part of punk rock is being as simplistic and D.I.Y. as possible, and I acknowledge that this album is a bit dated too. It's not perfect by any means, yet its still something that I acknowledge to be good. While I know for a fact that I will hear some punk albums that I consider to be better way down the line, this one was a pretty good listen. ============================================================ The Clash Score: 7/10 Song Average: 7.4/10
Good, important 1st album. They obvs get more refined
Generally not a fan of punk, but the clash feel more poppish punk if that's a thing, and I don't mind it. I don't love it, or generally seek it out, but it's not repulsive either. 3
The songs are quite samey. Its not bad, but not my style. None of the songs jumped out to me, and I can't see myself listening to it again.
Great energy, so much fun. I personally have always disliked the tempo of The Clash.
well it’s definitely the clash
This album started off so strong, but as it went on I felt like it was a little hot and cold. Some song connected with me in a big way and some just fell flat. Best Track: Police & Thieves
Honestly kind of a vibe. Punk isn't my main genre of interest but the melodies are earworms and the musicianship is actually pretty good. Some pretty rad guitar solo. The drums are genuinely one of the highlights of the tracks minus the content of the lyrics. Good lyricism throughout. The vocals, while not great, serve the songs rather well. And genuinely give the tracks character. Pretty good. Added 2 songs to a playlist.
Mais um pra lista, mas não desgostei
Very beach boys like, understandably
Listening late, early rating
Nothing to rave about. Good tunes but all very similar sounding.
Fairly good punk stuff, not nearly as good as London Calling but still some solid songs on here
Okay but a bit too samey-sounding. I prefer their other records. 3 stars
A 4 or a 3
Not for me
Definitely prefer this to London calling
Not something I’d listen to everyday, but appreciate the influences it had on other artists I like. The Clash continues to speak to the same political environment we’ve had for the past 40+ years. Would I listen to again? Maybe
Cool classic punk. Gotta love it
This album feels a little lifeless and lacking energy. I mean, it definitely tries to be energetic, but every song here, for some reason, sound like everyone was a little tired while recording it. This is probably a quirk of the recording, but this album sounds way too clean for what it tries to do and therefore lacking detail. It's not not enjoyably, through. It certainly isn't on the same level as London Calling (although I'm not a massive fan of that record either—it's not the most consistent thing ever, in my opinion), but it's still fine. It's just a little bare-bones and not as exciting as it probably should've been.
Not bad.
L'instrumental est excellent, mais sérieusement, les voix....
Good collection of punk songs, but its no London Calling, and if London Calling is a 5, this can only be a strong 3
Closer to 3.5
I like the Clash … but 14 songs in a row by them was a bit much. All kinda blended in to one big song
Classic clash
Favs: I’m so bored with the U.S.A; Police & Thieves; Cheat
Did not love the vocals, but appreciated the lyrics and instruments. Favorite songs: Tommy Gun, White Riot
Aware of The Clash and their incredibly important position in music history. There is no other singer like Joe Strummer. This album is neat. Good riffs, strong bass lines, not much I'd go back to. I already love Police and Thieves but the rest of the album is good punk.
המון המון אנרגיה ורוח מרד כמו שאופייני לקלאש, בנוסף לשילוב די מגניב של כמה שירים שונים אבל עדיין לא מעוצב עד הסוף בשלב הזה
It was a little repetitive for me. I don't really listen to punk, but this was a good introduction. Standout Songs: Hate & War, What's My Name, London's Burning, Career Opportunities, Police & Thieves (loved the bass line).
Pretty fun listen, just not super my type of music, would give high 3 if possible
oi you got a license for all that british
Low 3. Comically British album
Repetitive …2.5
Not as amazing as I’d expect given how famous they are.