Customer Reviews

Live: From Here to Eternity

5 star:		(62)
4 star:		(15)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(1)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Pop Kulcher Review: A mere 20 years in the making, we finally have an official live release from what was, for a brief shining moment, the Only Band That Mattered. And let's get right to it, you need to own this. Period. That said, though, there are a whole lot of downsides to this album, and I can't help but be disappointed. Among the faults:

1) While the title is merely bad, the cover art is downright terrible. Granted, in the age of the compact disc, album cover art is of decreased relevance; and the Clash (with the exception of London Calling's inspired Elvis Presley take-off) were never known for their tasteful cover art. But this is the pits.

2) The concept, while somewhat clever, ultimately doesn't work. The album is a hodge-podge of live tunes from throughout the band's 6-year lifetime, arranged not in order of performance, but based on the age of the song (i.e. moving from the oldest songs to the newest songs). Although that might work for a greatest hits collection, the effect here can be a bit jarring. Though the songs are carefully segued together to give the appearance of a single performance, they can't hide the variations in sound quality. Unlike, say, the Grateful DeaD, who meticulously recorded every performance straight off the soundboard and carefully archived each show, recordings of Clash performances (as bootleg collectors know) are a bit sketchier. So while they have cleaned up the sound quite a bit, there are noticeable changes in sound quality from song to song. Coupled with varying instrument mixes and performance quality, it all gets a bit unsettling if you listen too closely.

3) The song selection is, at best, highly questionable. Sure, any collection of this nature is going to cause disagreements among fans, but the choice here seems particularly dubious. Of the 17 songs, 7 are from the band's debut (I could list 2 dozen songs I'd rather hear than "London's Burning" and "What's My Name"), and 3 are from their weak swan song Combat Rock. That means there are no songs from Give 'Em Enough Rope, an album with a few outstanding numbers which, given that album's much-criticized production, would have been particularly worthy of live treatments. And Sandinista, the band's 3-lp opus, gets a mere one track here. Instead, we're stuck with the interminable "Armagideon Time" -- I suppose they wanted to have a representative of their reggae/dub flirtation, but it's hardly essential. So, whining aside, is this still great? You bet. Tunes like "Career Opportunities" and "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" (from the debut) and "Capital Radio" and "City of the Dead" (underplayed singles from the Black Market Clash collection) are absolutely riveting; "The Magnificent Seven" is so hot you'll never want to hear the studio version again; and "Train in Vain," while derided by the band's punk loyalists as a radio-friendly sell-out, confirms its status as one of the premier pop songs of the rock era. So, yes, by all means buy this; maybe if enough interest is shown, they'll treat us to an official release of an actual show, warts and all, rather than a flawed collection of live snippets.

I'm not usually a fan of live albums, but "From Here To Eternity" is a much-appreciated exception. Any one who doubts the Clash's greatness, needs only to hear this album. Yeah, I would like to have "Safe-European Home," "Bankrobber," and something else from "Sandinista!" on the album, and I could do without "Armigideon Time," but that's mere quibbling. The song selection is generally outstanding, the recording quality is as good as you could hope for in a live recording (strong and clear, while still sounding 100 % live), the energy is sky-high (Strummer on "Know Your Rights" or Jones on "Train In Vain," e.g.) and, to top things off, the Clash jazz their songs up just enough to make it fresh and compelling. I, in fact, PREFER a few of the songs on this CD to the originals (and I love the originals), including absolutely stellar versions of "White Man in Hammersmith Palais," "What's My Name," "Know Your Rights," "Straight to Hell," and "Guns of Brixton." I've always heard the Clash were amazing live, and this album proves it to me. Man, I wish I had been there!

I have owned all of the Clash's studio albums for roughly a decade. They are one of my five favorite bands of all time.

Many of today's so-called "punk/alternative" bands think that the way to make good music is to play louder, harder, and faster. But they are wrong. And anybody who thinks that these bands are good has obviously never heard the Clash.

The Clash is the greaest punk band, and even the greatest reggae band, of all time. They were one of the most intelligent, politically aware, energetic, and passionae bands in the history of music. And perhaps most imporantly, they were really, really pissed off. This anger helped to give a tremendous depth to their music.

This CD is their first official live release. I have never heard the Clash in conert in person, but this CD sounds exactly like I would imagine one of their concerts would have sounded like. There's an urgency to the music, as if the fate of the world depended on them playing the music with as much energy and passion as they could command. Much of the disc focuses on their earlier songs, when they were more raw and wild. Those early songs were awesome. My only real regret for this CD is that it only has three songs from London Calling, which is certainly their best album. Still, this is one of my two favorite live albums of all time, with my other choice being Velvet Underground's 1969 double live album. If you are a Clash fan, then this new Clash CD deserves to be in your collection.

This album admits to being slightly overdubbed on tracks 2,3 and 9 due to technical deficiencies. This bothers me. To me a live album should be as the audience heard it. If the overdubbed songs are really that horrendous left untouched, I am sure they could find more live clash material. Other than those three songs, the album is a gem. The Clash are one of the greatest live bands ever. I wish I were there. Listen to it and you will agree, it really leaves you wanting more. Let's all pray to the big punker in the sky for more live clash. It would have gotten the extra star if it wasn't overdubbed.

The Clash were one of the greatest of the punk bands. Their music was raw, their lyrics often angry. This is a live album, with a twist that is somewhat problematic. This is not a single live performance, but bits and pieces of live performances from 1978 through 1982. There are 17 songs on this CD, most of which are well done indeed. Any such album will leave one wondering why some things were included and others not. But that is inherent in the process.

The CD begins with "Complete Control" and ends with "Straight to Hell." Let's take a look at a sampling of songs.

"Clash City Rockers" features raw guitar work and a strong rhythm section backing primal vocals. This is a compelling piece of work.

Another fine work, "I Fought the Law." The key recurring refrain:

"I fought the law
And the law won."

At another point:

"I needed money and I had none.
I fought the law and the law won."

This is a classic outlaw song. Some overdubs occurred with this song back in the studio to correct technical deficiencies in the recording of the concern version.

One of my favorite Clash tunes is "London Calling," with its familiar and dramatic opening chords. This is a political song, including railing against "phony Beatlemania." A typical line:

"London calling to faraway towns
Now that war is declared--and battle come down."

Something very different in "Train in Vain."

"Say you'll stand by your man. . .
Stand by me."

A more sentimental song (albeit hard rocking), very unlike "London Calling" or "Guns of Brixton."

Then, the chilling "Guns of Brixton." A hard-edged song, with raw vocals and instrumental work. Telling lines:

"When the law breaks in,
How you gonna go?
Shot down on the pavement
Or waiting in death row."

This song typifies the hard-edged punk of The Clash against established authority.

Finally, a more personal (but still rocking) song, "Should I Stay or Should I Go." Another intimate relationship song.

"Should I stay or should I go?
Tell me now
Should I stay or should I go."

Despite the many rough, political songs, here the work is about staying with your partner until the end of time (if the answer to "Should I stay" is yes) or be set free (if the answer is no). The music is typically Clash raw.

So, the rawness of these live performances is terrific (despite the weird premise of different performances from different times). The sound is more primal than on the albums (where the sound is pretty raw itself). This is a must listen for fans of this group.

I absolutely love the clash. i am too young however to have seen them play but what i would do to have been at just one clash concert. this album is the closest ill ever get to being at a show and i love it. it has most of the good songs but then again its impossible to get all the good ones on a single cd. my only reason for not rating this cd a 5 is that it has only 17 tracks and is missing some of the great ones like police on my back, clampdown, or washington bullets but it is a great cd. if you havent often heard the clash live you should get this album. it is a new experience from the studio versions and shows the clash at their best, in concert. CLASH FOR ETERNITY.

I thought I was gettin old because I have been finding less and less excitement in new rock and roll music. Then I got this CD and it reminded me what good rock and roll really is! The majority of the 90's music will rank right up there with the majority of the 70's music: dull and uninteresting. It's ironic that a Clash CD brought music back to life for me at the end of two incredibly boring decades. These guys were truly the only band that mattered.

Although the Clash are the greatest and most influential band of the last 30 years, for some reason there has not been an official live album released. Until Now. I saw the Clash in Manchester in 1981 and it STILL remains the most powerful set I have ever seen. For those of us who were fortunate enough to witness them live, this CD works for bringing back memories of great music played with unbridaled passion. And for those who did not see them, I can tell you, you have not been shortchanged.

The recordings are top quality and the atmosphere of the crowds really add to the songs. Joes' voice is, as usual, all over the place - that's not a criticsm, that's what makes him unique. Mick's vocals on SISORSIG are a revelation, which enhances the song tenfold.

I am delighted they have decided to release this, I just wish it would have been a double.

One of those albums that is so great, that sometimes when I listen to it I get chills. I don't prefer all of the live tracks over their studio recorded bretheren, but man, what a show. Probably my favorite live album of all time that has only recently been contested by a classic Talking Heads live album (that Rhino had the brains to release). That, or Stop Making Sense. Then again, I don't think anything can beat the live version of 'Straight to Hell.'

Mind-bending coolness. BUY IT!!!

Sure, it's yet another attempt to suck the wallets of Clash fans dry, but its a pretty good record, and long overdue.

What makes this disc shine are the live versions of their early material, some of which was very poorly produced. The Jamaican feel of "Clash City Rockers" and "White Man in Hammersmith Palais" really come through here and both are 500% better than the studio versions on _The Clash_. I would have appreciated a live version of "Police & Thieves" as well.

Mikey Dread (who produced much of _Sandinista!_) toasts over top of "Armagideon Time" giving it a quality of transcendence equal to or greater than the "live" studio version on _Black Market Clash_. "The Magnificent Seven" kicks an incredible amount of butt too, much more than the funkier studio version, which is still great in its own right.

Joe's sense of humor really shines through as well, a great gift for those of us born too late to experience the young Joe live. This is most apparent on Capital Radio and Joe's sardonic delivery on "Know Your Rights".

There are several mediocre tracks here though, too. "Train in Vain" is much too fast, although Topper very obviously tries to slow it down during the intro. It has a very spontaneous feel that makes it worth hearing nevertheless. The inclusion of "London's Burning", the blatant Sex Pistols rip-off (homage?) "What's My Name?", and "City of the Dead" is questionable. "1977", "Groovy Times" or "Pressure Drop" would have been much better. "Should I Stay..." is much too fast too (coincidence?), and lacks the nastiness of the studio version, one of the few bright spots on Combat Rock.

Paul's menacing vocal on the studio version of the "Guns of Brixton" was brilliant on London Calling, but it is just terrible here. I mean really, really, REALLY bad. It makes me cringe to think about it. I love Paul, but the man should not be allowed within 25 ft. of a microphone.

Still, overall, it is a must-buy. One final complaint: Terry Chimes gets screwed once again. He plays on close to half of the tracks yet fails to get his picture in the booklet. Topper was great, but Terry, we love you too!