Sandinista!

[Dennis Perrin]

Just bought the remastered CD of The Clash's 1980 masterpiece "Sandinista!" Haven't heard it in maybe 15 years, and never really thought much of it save for a few Clash-like rockers here and there -- "Police On My Back," the most direct. When "Sandinista!" was released, I was still listening to The Clash's "London Calling," which came out the year before. Now, for most Clash fans, "LC" is the album, and back then it seemed like I-don't-know-what -- The Clash had moved beyond blunt punk riffs into rockabilly, reggae and pop, and they did it on their terms, filled those forms with the rough, poetic Clash sound. "LC" really blew the water wide. Then came "Sandinista!," a three-record set that encompassed reggae, dub, gospel, children's music, early techno, early rap, calypso, classical, psychedelic. Most of the Clash fans I knew didn't know what to make of it, especially with "LC" still in our heads. Some considered it inferior. Some thought it a flawed if noble effort that went on too long. Me, I went back to "LC" for comfort. 

Well, after listening to "Sandinista!" now for days on end, I can't believe how much I missed the first time around. The thing is fucking great -- not only the varied sounds that merge and flow together, but the lyrics as well, covering topics such as death squads, US, Brit, Soviet and Chinese violence, independent music, the draft, street parties, poor children playing in the road after dark, murder for money, the Cold War (as video game), police brutality, and more. I saw some critic say that "Sandinista!" is punk's "White Album." So it is. Check it out. It deepens with each listening. 

DP
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