The Clash: London Calling (2LP) [LEGACY / COLUMBIA]

Why you'll love it

London Calling is the Clash's crowning achievement and regularly named one of the greatest albums ever made: 19 songs that blast through punk, reggae, rockabilly, ska, soul and jazz with no wasted moments.

This edition

• 2LP set, 19 tracks
• Legacy / Columbia pressing
• Produced by Guy Stevens

About the album

By 1979 punk's first wave was running out of steam, and the Clash responded by blowing the doors off. With wild-card producer Guy Stevens egging them on at Wessex Studios, Joe Strummer, Mick Jones, Paul Simonon and Topper Headon made a sprawling double album that took in rockabilly, reggae, ska, R&B, jazz and pop, and still sounded like nobody but the Clash.

The apocalyptic title track is one of rock's great openers, "Spanish Bombs" and "Lost in the Supermarket" are gorgeous, "Clampdown" and "Death or Glory" are fist-in-the-air anthems, Simonon sings his own "The Guns of Brixton," and "Train in Vain" (left off the sleeve) became their first US hit. Pennie Smith's cover shot of Simonon smashing his bass is iconic too.

Also at Kops: more The Clash on vinyl · browse Punk

Tracklist

Listen

On Legacy / Columbia, a reissue of the 1979 album.