I currently have:
London Calling
The self-titled one
Combat Rock
I just pick up Combat Rock, and feel kinda burned by it. What other albums by the Clash are really good?
I recommend Give 'em Enough Rope.
The Story Of The Clash, Vol.1 is worth checking out, as is Sandanista!, though if you don’t care for Combat Rock, you may not like the latter as much, as stylistically it’s all over the place, with a lot of reggae and dub influences.
FWIW, I thought Combat Rock was a pretty great album, but it took some getting used to.
I think Sandinista blows, but first album (I have the U.K. version) is really good. There’s also a “Singles” collection out there that has some excellent stuff on there, especially if you don’t want to weed through all the half-baked ska on some of the albums.
I say Give 'Em Enough Rope–if you only pick up one, that is.
You should pick up Sandinista! and then violently throw it to the ground and stomp on it.
Give 'Em Enough Rope is the only other crucial one.
Mainly for “Safe European Home”, easily the best Clash song ever, IMHO.
Black Market Clash - Cool EP. My favorite cut is a cover of Toots & the Maytalls “Pressure Drop”.
I second Black Market Clash- one side is nice and punky, and the other side is English rocksteady/dub.
Combat Rock, aside from the overplayed songs, grows on you. The last song cracks me up. “And I was gripped [snap], by that deady phantom.”
I’d avoid Cut the Crap-- something didn’t work out right on that one somehow.
If you like the Clash, then also think twice about getting any Big Audio Dynamite. I can’t stand the stuff.
Yeah, Mick Jones wasn’t around… So instead we got a whole album of Joe Strummer’s velvet voice.
It all depends of which incarnation. The first album, This is Big Audio Dynamite ruled my bedpost. But once Don Getts left, and Jones took the group in a more house-ish direction, things began to emit sucking sounds.
I quite liked their live album From Here to Eternity. I think they just released it last year or the year before.
Speaking of post-Clash stuff, you might check out Strummer’s Gangsterville. Also, he did a turn as lead singer for the Pogues, and had a minor hit with them, entitled (I think) “Tuesday Morning.”
Also, if you’re gonna be a Clash completist, check out Strummer’s acting in the film Mystery Train.
Annie Lennox did a great job on a Clash cover, Train in Vain. Really worth a listen.