Customer Reviews

Sandinista Project

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4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(1)
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This collection makes even the marginal songs on the original sprawling collection sparkle and reveals the strong songwriting underneath the sonic smog that tended all too often to engulf the originals. Especially amazing, but perhaps to be expected given that The Clash's version of this album followed London Calling, is the very American (blues, folk, rockabilly, jazz, rap, gospel, bluegrass, zydeco) elements underlying these songs, which these assorted and sometimes unknown interpreters bring out big time. Certainly some contributors push the edge (The Lothars's "The Call Up", substituting a wall of theramins (?!) for guitars on what was originallly a strong single, at least in the UK, comes to mind), but this album generally makes The Clash's most challenging effort much more accessible to the general public (i.e., no bong required but may still help) than the original. Joe Strummer would no doubt approve and Mick can weigh in at his leisure; Jimmy Guterman deserves major kudos for conceiving this project.

As difficult to digest as The Clash's original, SANDANISTA!, this tribute album, which covers all 36 songs from the 1980 three album set by The Clash, comes with all the warts and band-aids, ups and downs, of the original work. By far, the best track here, (and one of my favorites from the original album), is Wreckless Eric's, take on The Clash's stoned-out, ska-hazy, "The Crooked Beat", which takes an already bizarre but strangely calming song and turns it into ska from Mars, with obstructing clash-like sound effects cutting into it, like a fleet of flying saucers interfering with your car radio. Also completely satisfying is Willie Nile's point blank interpretation of The Clash's cover of The Equals' "Police On My Back". It's a fiery charged-up cover which knows enough not to twist that which is already perfect. Lou Carlozo's "Living In Fame" sounds like any '60's pop band forced to crash into the far future, with claustrophobic remnants of song that were once a simple melody, and Tim Krekel's "Version City", allows that song to come full circle with what it always wanted to be; an Americana folk junkie praise of railroads.

But too often, many of the songs are tiring novelty numbers that are more cutesy than interperative, and some of the lazy covers are simply bland. It's fun to hear the disco meets cold war, "When Ivan Meets G.I. Joe", as a corny country and western duet, but fun only once. And certainly something more novel could have been applied to "Mensforth Hill", which originally was a song from side one played backwords on side 5. If you're a Clash fanatic, hollowed ground is trampled upon when the climactic, war and peace mongering, "Corner Soul", is interpreted as if it were an Elton John number.

If you're that Clash fan (had all the albums, all the imports, shed a tear when Joe Strummer died), you'll stand behind SANDANISTA!, regardless how you feel about it, as you would behind an impossible, problematic brother. You'll defend it, hate it, love it, and stop just short of throwing the whole damn thing atop a book burning pile. So while this is a worthy project, (aren't all tribute albums?), it is, for me, unfriendly packaging. Designed like the original album, with a faux newspaper, (The Armagideon Times), I take exception to the smug light Seinfeld-like humor of the accompanying comic strip with representatives of two generations, (now and then), discussing SANDANISTA! in a Starbucks. And if you read the 2007 Armagideon Times Update, you may cock a pierced eyebrow and spit everytime the writer attests to generally hating tribute albums, (this is SO tribute album), and labelling side 6 from the original album as "evil", and unlistenable. It's always been my favorite side, and much more contemplative and listenable than the other 5 sides of the original vinyl.

But I digress, as SANDANISTA! is prone to make me do. This tribute album is certainly as worthwhile a listen as the original work which I once called, "London Calling's ugly sister". It opens the door again to the conflicted, chaotic follow-up to the brilliant "London Calling". It causes one to consider Joe Strummer's historic legacy, and his strange creative left turn mess of an album that is SANDANISTA! He's probably out there somewhere, still rebelling against heaven.

POSTSCRIPT, 11/2/09 - I said, "Corner Soul" is trampled upon and is interpreted as if it was an Elton John number. Funny what time does to music. It is now my favorite track on the disc. I don't know how I missed it's exceptional and haunting quality. Some amateur reviewer I turn out to be.

If Sandinista is a 3 lp release that could have made a sharp 1 lp release this tribute has the same problem. Tidy covers of the songs from the very meandering original album. I wanted to like it and can barely stand most of the songs. Have yet to go through it all but still glad I bought it. When I want tasty Clash covers there's a number out there. Just avoid, like the plague, Burning London which is wretched. But the others out there are terrific, particularly all the inexpensive Clash tributes on amazon. I bought all 3 or 4 that are under $10 each in the last 3 or so years and they are immensely enjoyable. Haven't purchased the more rare ones that are over $20 each but if they go down in price one day I'll go for it cuz tributes are, to me, extending the original pleasure, other versions of great songs. That's the real problem here, there's not a bunch of great songs on the original Sandinista album. Some classics, of course but mostly indulgence in the studio where most bands would have edited out a third to half these songs rather than release them. But, what the heck. To cover all the songs is more respectful of the album than is called for. Great idea but doesn't come off that well. The covers are generally more poppy, less punky than the Clash versions. And the funk, hip hopish early 80's new york sound influences were done better by the Clash than these well meaning bands. Nice, but no cigar.

Si eres un fan de The Clash, hazte con este disco de versiones. Algunas son muy buenas otras no tanto, más o menos como las canciones originales del triple vinilo. A bote pronto os destaco Hitsville UK por Katrina (and The Waves) y Charlie Don't Surf por The Crunchies. En general todos los grupos hacen buenas canciones y lo bueno es que no los conocía. Lo dicho, si te gustan The Clash y te interesa todo lo que se hace concerniente a ellos, no lo dudes y hazte con este cd.