The Clash were such an amazing band that, although lumped into the genre of Punk, was much better than being just that. Instead, they were an amazing group that drew on all genres of music and incorporated them into an artistic point of their own. Drawing on a variety of musical history and great songs, they had a successful career making music that reflected the times very well. This is one of their compilations and although it goes on for nearly two hours, it is worth observing. Let’s take a listen to this album and hear what it sounds like.

London Calling – 2012 Mix is a classic song by The Clash. It begins with repeated guitar chords, thumping basslines and steady drums, launching into an excellent song about getting the people of London to wake up and smell the roses, so to speak. More importantly, this is a bit of social commentary and clever Pop/Rock music that works extremely well. A great song with some great sounds throughout, this is one of the definitive songs by The Clash. The second half has an awesome guitar solo based breakdown, complete with backward guitars that are nicely layered on top of each other. Nonetheless, an excellent tune, worth repeat listens. Great song and a must hear from this compilation. It ends with Morse code, which is different.

Safe European Home launches into a fairly straightforward piece of Punk fury. This is a raw, furious and Punk tune that is very singalong. It’s a straightforward music piece with guitars, drums and vocals. No need for keyboards or any additional production on this song, this is simple but great music. The vocal harmonies, although buried in the mix, do sound fantastic in this song. Great music to listen to, The Clash were one of the definitive original Punk music bands. The second half of the song has a quirky section with layers of vocals and instrumentation that sounds great. A good song, even if the mixing isn’t the greatest. It ends with the main part of the song concluding, leaving just random vocals and repeated Reggae style guitars, before the band returns to conclude this song. A bit weird, but very good.

Know Your Rights is a call to arms for fans of The Clash. The guitars kick this one off with vocals, with the band quickly following as well. This song is lyrically about the hypocrisy of power and how to deal with megalomaniacs. A really fine and interesting tune that is catchy, one can hear the fury in Joe Strummer’s singing here. Towards the middle is a good guitar solo section that makes this come alive even further. This is a great listening experience that is headbanging, catchy and impressive. There is a good and tasty piano part towards the end, which is really cool. Great music to listen to and something that The Clash made that is unforgettable. Excellent song.

(White Man) in Hammersmith Palais begins with a counted intro, and is a song about the systematic nature and stupidity of racism. It’s a crossover Reggae/Punk tune that sounds really great, to this very day. This is a great example of how flexible and wonderful The Clash were as a band, they could do many different styles and sounds in their songs. Nonetheless, this Ska Punk styled tune is terrific, and sadly racism is still alive today in the 21st century, and it should not be. Fortunately, The Clash were not racist. There is a brilliant and simple harmonica solo present in the middle here. The lyrics are really quite quirky and are a good stab at the music industry: “They got burton suits, huh, you think it’s funny, turning rebellion into money”. Great song regardless, The Clash deliver a left-wing sort of tune, which the group were quite famous for politically, and in a very clever way. An enjoyable song nonetheless.

Janie Jones begins with a drum part, and quickly launches into a great and timeless song. The Clash then go straight into a great song from their first album that sounds very aggressive and menacing. Really amazingly simple and catchy, the guitar riffs in this song are so good that it should be heard by many. A short snippet of The Clash’s music, just over two minutes in length. This is a great Punk tune that sounds extremely cool. A must hear from this compilation.

The Guns Of Brixton is a deep, Dub music based piece, complete with dark and heavy bass guitar. Joe Strummer launches right into it and this is the best song for those of you who like to fight the authorities. Even in democracy, there is an Orwellian nature to the life we live today, and this song points out the fact that sometimes fighting such authority is worth it. Some comical keyboard sounds are throughout with a guitar led intermission, which is definitely odd. Nonetheless, this is a really great tune to hear, even if it evokes terrorism in suburbia. Great song, however. This has a strong message throughout: don’t give up in life. A really great and underrated song. It fades out gently.

Train In Vain (Stand By Me) begins with a pseudo-Disco beat, a simple yet good sounding guitar lick and launches straight into it. This is a great song about needing someone who isn’t on your own wavelength, in a relationship. Despite that, this is an upbeat and Poppy number that still sounds really fantastic today. This was a radio staple for many years, and it does sound excellent. It covers financial issues as well, which is something rarely mentioned in today’s postmodern Rap centric musical world. Nonetheless, this is an excellent song that has harmonica towards the end here. A really fine piece of craft, worth your ears.

Bankrobber is a tale of English culture set to music. It has some deep, heavy basslines, chanting and a nice Dub/Reggae feel to it. An excellent and fantastic listening experience from the start to the finish, this sounds really good. Joe Strummer’s aggression is clearly heard here in this song. Some liquid proto-Acid House sounds are subtly in the mix during the harmony sections here, which are quirky and different. A really interesting and warped song to listen to, this is a fine and fantastic tune that deserves repeat listens. The Clash obviously was a talented band who could make some forward thinking and fantastic tunes for people to enjoy. This isn’t exactly Punk music from the era that the song was recorded in, but it is inspired by Punk music of the time. There is a weird combination of sounds and singing towards the end, and Joe Strummer and company make this tune sound like Big Audio Dynamite (pun intended). Excellent song.

Wrong ‘Em Boyo begins with a quirky organ, brass section and Joe Strummer sounding menacing. It quickly evolves into an upbeat and catchy Pop tune that is cleverly done. In any case, this tune is memorable and loveable musically. The instrumentation and sounds match the lyrics and aggressive Punk music perfectly here. The saxophone in the background in particular is also absolutely fantastic and proves that you don’t have to be Pink Floyd to make such an instrument come alive as a guest instrumentation. A fantastic song nonetheless, Joe Strummer sounds on top of his game here, as do the rest of the band. Great and fantastic music. Wonderful.

The Magnificent Seven is a longish piece for The Clash at over five minutes in length, but it sounds great from the start. It has some excellent bass guitar work, wind chimes and a slight touch of guitar here. This is a fantastic tune about slaving away at work just to get by in life. A very decent piece of music that makes more sense today as inequality is a huge issue internationally. An excellent parody of the nature of people being slaves to money and the processes behind it, this makes a lot of sense if you are a Socialist or Communist, especially as it references Karl Marx and Friedrich Engels, the creators of Communism, amongst many other individuals. Regardless, an interesting and different listen throughout. Great music here, and one of The Clash’s best songs. A really awesome and interesting listening experience. Sure, it’s rather lengthy, but it’s a great song, so no worries here. A great outro is here, and it shows that The Clash were a great band musically. A fine song.

Police On My Back begins with a guitar imitation of a police siren, and quickly launches into a superb and interesting tune about being on the run constantly from the cops. To be fair, this is not the best song on this compilation, but it does sound pretty cool for what this is. Weird music, but something that is somewhat listenable, this is an unusual song for audiences to hear. A great listening experience on some levels, even if it does sound a little annoying. The song ends with a quick fade out.

Rock The Casbah – Bob Clearmountain Mix is a fantastic version of the big hit song from The Clash. It’s a highly political song aimed at the Middle East, where the leaders banned Rock music. Not exactly a logical move by these leaders, there is much more to be said about their own actions than that of Rock musicians. Regardless, this is a fantastic and catchy tune that still sounds great. Joe Strummer is in full fury here, and he distils his own anger and energy into a passionate song. This tune definitely deserves repeat listens. A fine and fantastic listen, the music is a cry against Communist/Marxist ideals, although The Clash weren’t right-wingers either. A great vocal scream delayed here is present, as well as some weird sonic bleeps in the second half of the song. Very impressive. Although democracy is at best flawed, it is better than dictators banning music of various forms. Hence this song. It fades out well.

Career Opportunities is next up and begins with synchronised guitars and drums. It is a simple and passionate tune that sounds great and amazing, although it was recorded in the late 1970s. Nonetheless, a song about raising the middle finger to lousy jobs and so-called career progression in a company. It is a much better idea to be true to oneself and begin a musical career instead, on the matter. The Clash do this sort of statement very well. It ends just before two minutes in length, nice and quick tune.

Police & Thieves is a six minute song that sounds interesting from the start, with a basic drum solo section, Reggae styled guitars and a great Dub Reggae styled song that sounds great. Very, very wonderful and catchy music, this is a great tune that discusses the nature of crime, without taking sides. It also refers to the Bible here, which isn’t something that The Clash would have respected too much. Regardless, this is an enjoyable and wonderful tune that for a song of this length, is pleasant and listenable. Towards the middle are some multitracked harmonies, before the verses return. A great song, there is a simple and interesting guitar solo that is closer to David Gilmour than Eddie Van Halen in its phrasing. This song is groovy, catchy and interesting nonetheless. A really intelligent listening experience, this is totally worth your time and listening ears. Some more guitar soloing is present in the second half which is melodic and impactful. Even for an extended piece, The Clash made Rock music relevant and exciting, without exceeding the 10 minute mark. A really great song. It fades out nicely at the end.

Somebody Got Murdered is a pretty out there title for a song. It seemingly samples R2-D2 from Star Wars (if you listen carefully to the sample), launching into a good song, but not a fantastic song. It’s a weird piece of music but still does the job okay. It’s a classic piece of British storytelling set to music, although this isn’t the best musically by The Clash. Regardless, it’s listenable. A good listen depicting a murder scene, it is really sad that murder happens regularly, all over the world. There is a dog barking in the background in the second half here. A weird song, not The Clash’s best. Good to hear for what it is, however. Still, it’s not great.

Brand New Cadillac is a Rockabilly styled tune. It begins with an excellent guitar riff and launches into an amazing and cool song. This is a great listen and a fan favourite from The Clash. This is a superb tune that only a Fender Telecaster can play and sound just right. The guitar work in particular is amazing, along with the rest of the band delivering a great musical statement. Short, bittersweet and fun to listen to, The Clash were obviously working on a tradition of Rock music, updated for the late 20th century. Awesome and fun tune to hear.

Clampdown begins with some feedback guitar and launches into a menacing and different tune with murmured vocals, to begin with as the band plays on. Joe Strummer then gets singing, and this catchy and interesting tune enters. An excellent and cool tune that is politically motivated and interesting to hear. Notably, if Socialist politics is not your cup of tea, then you may not enjoy this music. Politics aside, this is an excellent tune to hear. Some great bongos and muted guitars are in the breakdown here, which sound really excellent. Politicians of every kind are after power, and not much else. Beware of this if you like this song, as you will enjoy it lyrically. A really fantastic and interesting tune to listen to, it’s best to stay out of political movements of any stripe. Great song, too.

Ghetto Defendant begins with some clean guitars, Dub style basslines and has some random spoken word lyrics. This is extremely weird sounding, it’s more a sonic journey rather than a song. When Joe Strummer begins to sing, he sounds like a Punk Rock Bob Marley here. A good tune, but definitely one of the weaker songs on this compilation. Very, very weird musically. The spoken word section here is not needed whilst Joe Strummer sings away, and it is a very odd and musically forgettable listen, sadly. In any case, it’s barely listenable but shouldn’t be here on this compilation, to be fair. It sounds too weird. A fairly average effort, although the harmonica is a nice touch. You can skip this one if you wish, you won’t be missing out on much by doing so. The spoken words at the end are irritating. Ordinary sounding.

Armagideon Time begins with some weird organ and distant sounding singing, quickly launching into a great Reggae influenced tune that sounds really awesome. There are some interesting and clever sounds throughout this tune, and the whole tune is very much inspired by Dub music. It is a political song that rails against inequality and poverty. A really cool listen all the same, complete with what sounds like Electric Sitar in the background. An interesting tune, there are some metallic sounds here as well. A really inspired and different listening experience, this is a leftfield song that fits onto this compilation nicely enough. Good as a call to arms for those on the left of politics. Nice to hear anyway. It has a gentle fade out.

Stay Free begins with some overdriven guitar riffs, and launches straight into a good song that is about youthful rebellion and things that young people get up to. A good tune to express teenage angst in a positive way, this is a good song by The Clash that is frequently overlooked. Something that has lasted fairly well to this day. There are some very good guitar parts throughout that sound interesting. All in all, a fine and impressive listen from start to finish. The breakdown in the second half is pseudo-Disco in a way. This is followed by a cool guitar solo that works well. A very good song, and something that sounds different.

I Fought The Law is the infamous song about getting caught red handed. It begins with some pummelling drums, guitars galore and a brilliant, singalong tune that is an instant classic upon hearing it. This is The Clash for jailbirds, or for fans of Johnny Cash’s live album prison sessions. A nice guitar solo is present here, which is very cool. Just purely awesome listen, The Clash do marvellously here. Fantastic, tuneful and brilliant, this is a real winner of a song. Towards the end is the phrase, “I fought the law and the law won” on repeat. A great and inspiring listen.

Straight To Hell begins with some muted guitar parts, some intelligent feedback style melodies and a sense that this song is a good one. A very listenable tune, there are some interesting percussion parts and a melancholy mood to go. A sensual and brilliant piece of music, this is not a million miles away from the material that The Police did around this time. Nonetheless, this is a simple song, but not the greatest on this compilation, yet again. It’s listenable but not perfect. Also, the length of this song is a bit long. There is a breakdown in the second half with a 4/4 kick drum, repetitive guitars and a quick return to the verses. Pretty cool for all its faults, it is a strange listen but an entertaining one. Some of the lyrics present are very socially aware, and this piece of music is a nice match with loads of multitracked sounds. Good but not at all great.

Should I Stay Or Should I Go is one of the most popular pieces by The Clash ever. It begins with the iconic guitar riff, some awesome palm-muted playing and launches into an awesome song that is about relationship difficulties in an upbeat, melodic and Poppy way. This is the sort of music that will inspire future generations to pick up an instrument to play for decades to come. There is a great drum section throughout the chorus, before the verses return and the song itself is awesome, lively and expressive. Fine and brilliant music, this has not aged at all, which means that one can listen to this on repeat. A great Rock song that is era defining, and a wonderful listening experience. Great and enjoyable tune.

Garageland begins with a good mix of guitar parts, quickly entering into a song about rehearsing as a Rock band. Fair enough, Rock bands need to start somewhere. A short three minute tune that is rather autobiographical in its lyrical nature, this is a truly fantastic listen throughout. Brash, aggressive and to the point, there are some lyrics pointed at rich people who really don’t deserve to be millionaires/billionaires as they aren’t worth it. Again, The Clash’s lyrics are only for some people out there due to their political nature. Nonetheless, this is a nicely played and well-rehearsed tune that is very cool. The drumming in particular is great here. This is the end of the first side of the album.

White Riot begins with some industrial factory ambience, with some strange whistling sounds. Soon enough, an ambulance siren kicks off this amazing tune that sounds great to this very day. A great song about rebellion in the UK, and something that the Punks could dig. It’s just over two minutes in length and sounds ridiculously good for what it is. There is an awesome guitar solo, before the chanting resumes. Upon hearing this, chuck your PC or TV out the window. Brilliant song.

Complete Control begins with a pounding 4/4 kick drum beat and matching guitars that sound really awesome and excellent. This is another gem of a track from The Clash, and it is about contractual obligations as a Rock band. Which is pretty deep. Regardless, this is a very good listening experience and something that groups signed to record companies should be wary of. In any case, this song is quite cool. A good mainstream Punk tune, Joe Strummer puts his full-on aggressive mode on here, which sounds raging and awesome. The guitar soloing towards the end is very neat. Another killer tune by The Clash and is worth your time and ears.

Clash City Rockers begins with a melodic guitar riff and launches into another fairly average tune. Although this is a compilation of a great band, some songs present are better than others. This is a song no doubt aimed at hardcore fans of The Clash. A little pretentious lyrically, but a good song anyway. Joe Strummer knew how to articulate history and lyrical poetry in a very aggressive way. A good place to enjoy The Clash’s music, this is really catchy, despite its flaws. The drumming towards the end is quite different, but the song itself is rather dated. Good but could be done better.

Tommy Gun begins with crashing drums, guitars and feedback and a sense that we are going to hear something exciting. Joe Strummer launches straight into it and paints a picture of a murderer on the loose. The sort of person that James Bond would fight against, set to music, this is a fine and fantastic tune to listen to. The vocal harmonies, guitar parts and rolling drums match each other perfectly in this song. A very refreshing listen, crack a beer open to this tune and enjoy. Wonderful music by The Clash that sounds like a classic English story. Very, very good. It has a cool guitar solo section in the second half, before going into a set of rolling drums and loud guitars right at the end. Totally worth it, an awesome listen. It ends surprisingly loudly.

English Civil War begins with some palm-muted guitar sounds, Joe Strummer singing with a ton of irony and lyrics about events of the past. This singalong tune is a very good listening experience, and it delivers where it can. A warped guitar solo is present in this song, which makes it sound noticeably great. The Clash was no one-hit-wonder type group. Instead, they delivered fantastic music that sounds great to this very day. Worth your ears, it is over after just two and a half minutes in length. Wicked.

The Call Up begins with some drum machine styled beats, alarm sounds and military style chanting. This quickly launches into a bit of a joke song that really shouldn’t be on this compilation. “It’s up to you not to heed the call up, I don’t wanna die” is an anti-conscription message for those of you who would hate to risk your life in warfare that does not make sense to oneself. A good song, although again, it is a very political listen. A great message is here, mind you if you are up for it. If you think that war events are a mass series of propaganda, this is your song. Sadly, this goes on for a bit too long as well. With pleading lyrics and a cry for help with dealing with the call-up itself, this is a great piece of lyricism, even if the music is lame. Regardless, it’s okay as a song, but not the best of The Clash. Different, but good for what this is. It could have been edited, however.

Hitsville U.K. begins with weird organ and piano parts before some excellent and melodic bass guitar enters. It is quickly ruined by a choir singing instead of The Clash instead of Joe Strummer. What on earth? This is an extremely naff and poor effort by the group. An embarrassment in the back catalogue of The Clash, this is absolutely horrendous. It drags down the compilation by being on here. Do yourself a favour and absolutely skip this tune entirely and never listen to it ever again. A really weird and horrible listen, just absolutely appalling. Avoid. An absolutely horrible waste of time. You’ll be glad to know that this is near the end of this compilation as well. Not much else can be said here. A real drag of a tune. It eventually ends with a dramatic finish, awful.

This Is Radio Clash begins with some interesting sounds that are a bit too 1980s, quickly launching into a catchy and fun listen that has some great vocals throughout. Some funky Fender guitar work is present here as well, and there is some subtle saxophone present as well. A fantastic and dramatic tune to hear, this is something that one should put on for repeat listens. A really awesome and great listen, quite likely the most underrated tune by The Clash. Funky, cool and fresh, The Clash made some really great Pop/Rock numbers for listeners to enjoy. Wonderful to listen to, a great piece of music that simply works. Nice to enjoy, and a cool tune that needs sunglasses to enjoy it with. A fine song, it ends with some shouted lyrics. Excellent.

This is a lengthy, yet fairly decent compilation that although is not perfect, does sound extremely promising. However, you’d be better off checking out The Clash’s self-titled debut album or their 1979 album release London Calling instead of this mish-mash two-hour-long bunch of songs by the group. Should you listen to this album? Yes, but only if you have heard The Clash extensively before and are hoping to hear a good mixture of their songs over nearly two hours of listening.

The good, the bad and the ugly of The Clash.

7/10