The Clash: '25th Anniversary Edition'

[To understand this review, better have a look of Oasis' notice on the re-release of 'Definitely Maybe'.]

Beyond this tenner of years that largely went by like unfulfilled promises - i.e. a creative roller coaster - not few seasons later than Noel’s [Gallagher, of Oasis] impressionistic watching of ‘Star Wars’, The Clash released ‘London Calling’. It is 25 years since the milestone ode to social Armageddon Strummer and the boys saw around them.

These two albums fairly aptly demonstrate the changing face of Britain and its cultural values. The Clash were true revolutionaries who reached deep into the unknown [to masses] genres and agitated about things that mattered in the punkoid reality… Oasis’ time would be much calmer, more evolutionary, not anti-confrontational but also politically sycophantic [hanging out with PM Anthony Blair, for Noel’s sakes!] and infinitely more mainstream. ‘Definitely Maybe’ also arrived several months after Kurt Cobain put an end to Nirvana’s world domination and there was urgent need for new guitar heroes.

It is almost the same situation now - with Franz Ferdinand winning the Mercury Music Prize Award over The Streets: one reflects, dissects and criticizes while other entertains with style (over substance). The same with the new Download chart - could have anybody bet that the tweenagers could get Westlife to the top on the maiden chart to be succeeded by Natasha Bedingfield!?

Common taste rules. Occasionally, music can, in the hands of consumers, really elicit a kick in the right objection. However, not of late.

The Clash's 'London Calling' is an album all future rockers should aspire to... And, every house should have a copy.

9.3/10