Customer Reviews

3 Pak: Clash / London Calling / Combat Rock

5 star:		(6)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

The three albulms in this set may not be fan favourites (while they do contain the "hit" tracks that still see radio play), but they remain three Clash albulms, which is about a third of the influential band's total output.

The self-titled debut albulm still sounds like furious punk after twenty-five years. It's so underproduced it is possible to believe that you're listening to the demo tape of a garage band. This set includes the U.S. version of the albulm, which is missing "Deny", "Cheat", "Protex Blue" and "48 Hours", but has five other tracks, including "Clash City Rockers" and a cover of "I Fought The Law", to make up for it. So much has already been written about "London Calling" it seems unnecessary to add to it; it is the albulm of a decade. "Combat Rock" serves as the other bookend in the set, showing The Clash at their most stylized; the down-tempo experiment of "Police and Thieves" from "The Clash" has gone "Straight To Hell", and their genre experimentation goes even farther to include pop hard rock. One can hope that someday Mick Jones' mix of the albulm will see a CD press.

While we wait for a comprehensive Clash box set this package allows us to pick up part of The Clash's catalogue at a cut-rate price. But caveat emptor: these are the original Epic CD releases, NOT the remastered ones now available. I have a suspicion that the set represents a way for Sony to have cleared out stock of the older versions before re-releasing the entire catalogue. Buying the set here on Amazon means that you'll be paying roughly nine bucks per albulm, instead of twelve each. It's a good deal if you're not wild about the remastering, allowing the completist to save for "The Clash (UK)", "Give 'em Enough Rope", "Super Black Market Clash", "Sandanista" and "Cut the Crap", while the casual fan gets to add some early punk credibility to the CD collection rather than buying "The Singles".

I've owned, on vinyl, these three albums. I would agree that Sandinista is probably their best work, but also their most inscrutable (one track is recorded backwards, for example) and hardest to absorb. Buy this box set, get into the band, then splurge on Sandinista if you want more. Here, you get the arc of their best three periods--early hard punk, the reggae-influenced middle, and the post-apocalyptic, politically-charged farewell. If you want just one disc, then London Calling is your best choice, but for the price this a great deal.

Okay, that last review was so misleading I must respond. The first two albums in this collection are generally thought of as two of the greatest albums of all time. (The review I just read suggested they were second-tier clash.)
"Combat Rock" is the late clash that divides fans. The only reason to hold off buying this great set is if you'd rather own the U.K version of the first album, which is also now for sale in the states. Otherwise, this wonderfully priced set is the equivalent of finding "Sgt. Pepper," the White Album, and--oh, I don't know-- Revolverl for $25 total.

this is the perfect set for anyone who has not heard a lot of the clash. it has in my opinion their two best albums (the clash and london calling) and one album that is their most popular and would be better for someone whose taste is more mainstream and more acustumed to todays pop music. the clash have catchy songs that use a number of different styles and influences. the lyrics make you think and almost always have an important social or political message. Strummer is one of the best song writers of the punk era

I bought this last summer to get into the Clash, and had I known about the music, I would've paid the full price just for London Calling. This is for anyone who wants to listen to the Clash's first two albums in their entirety but still wants the popular tracks off of Combat Rock.

This is a great job of putting together and the debut and London Calling, but instead of Combat Rock it should have been Sandanista. Aw well, can't win them all.

The Clash is one of the great punk band even now. Their image has meaning and they have some great views.