Saturday 16 January 2010

Tokyo Trawler Recommendation #6 (17/01/10)

Artist: The Clash
Tune:
Death or Glory
Record: London Calling (1979)

Category:
A frowny-faced, head boppin' street strutter

You recognise* the album cover, and if you've ever wondered what all the London Calling fuss* is about, then read on. That 'Death or Glory' paints a fairly accurate picture of the 21st Century alternative* music scene shows just how far ahead of their time The Clash actually were. Confronting the issues of personal ideals versus temptation*, style versus substance and all the mistakes in between, lyricist Mick Jones alludes to* some very 'unpunk' self-doubt. Despite not being musically as complex or dynamic as some of it's LC contemporaries*, it is that rock simplicity - together with honest and 'real' lyrics - which make this song truly essential.

The Tokyo Trawler’s message to the people: Go on, the allure of that album cover (and my review, of course) is too much to resist... Give it a listen!!


To download or not to download??
4/5 (ESSENTIAL)
iTunes available: Yes
勉強のキーワード: recognise, fuss, alternative, temptation, to allude to (something), contemporary (n.)

Death or Glory URL:

3 comments:

  1. this is a familiar song to me,thanks to you!

    ReplyDelete
  2. I listened to London calling the other day and released how good and how relavent that album actually is.

    ReplyDelete
  3. Yeah, it really is - 'Lost in the Supermarket' is the perfect example of it, on so many levels!

    ReplyDelete