1001 Albums Summary

Easily one of the greatest albums of all time. Rarely can something be so politically poignant while retaining its musicality. Other musicians can succeed for a song, but The Clash succeed for the entire runtime of this project. It includes what I consider to be one of, if not the greatest song of all time, Spanish Bombs. Spanish Bombs offers such an interesting look into how the world may have understood Spain as its brutal dictator died, and democratic reforms took over. Even today, Spain is celebrated as a beautiful tourist attraction. The Sagrada Familia is a must-see location in Europe. But it wasn't that long ago, it was damaged by artillery fire to pave the way for a brutal Fascism, which killed millions. This album lets us remember the sacrifice of the Anarchists and Communists who gave their lives in a desperate attempt to preserve the liberty and lives of so many Spaniards. It begs us to act in our modern day, as far-right governments move closer and closer to totalitarianism.

This is the first album that has a 10 minute song Ive heard that truly earned those minutes. Thus project's biggest pull is without a doubt it's instrumentation. Such creative guitar turns what could be basic into something so interestingly complex. The lyrics, while simple on the service, offer a wide breadth of analysis that leads to a much deeper experience than at first listen. The biggest flaw is definitely the singing, but even this isn't a negative by any means, it's simply not on the level of everything else.