Clash Sandinista! CD

3 LPs on 2 CDs.
The Clash: Joe Strummer, Mick Jones (vocals, guitar); Paul Simonon (vocals, bass); Topper Headon (drums).
Additional personnel: Mickey Gallagher, Timon Dogg, Norman Watt-Roy, J.P. Nicholson, Ellen Foley, David Payne, Ray Gasconne, Band Sargeant Dave Yates, Den Hegarty, Gary & Bill Barnacle, Luke & Ben & Maria Gallagher, Jody Winscott, Ivan Julian, Noel Tempo Bailey, Anthony Nelson Steelie, Lew Lewis, Gerald Baxter-Warman, Terry McQuade, Rudolph Adolphus Jordan, Battersea.
Digitally remastered by Ray Staff & Bob Whitney (Whitfield Street Studios).
Personnel: Mick Jones , Joe Strummer (vocals, guitar); Topper Headon (vocals, snare drum); Ellen Foley, Mike Dreas, Paul Simonon, Tymon Dogg (vocals); J.D. Nicholson, Mick Gallagher (keyboards).
Audio Mixers: Mikey Dread; Bill Price .
Animation: Steve Bell.
Photographer: Pennie Smith.
Unknown Contributor Roles: Davey Payne; Den Hegarty; Ray Gascogne; Norman Watt-Roy.
The Clash sounded like they could do anything on London Calling. For its triple-album follow-up, Sandinista!, they tried to do everything, adding dub, rap, gospel, and even children's choruses to the punk, reggae, R&B, and roots rock they already were playing. Instead of presenting a band with a far-reaching vision, like London Calling did, Sandinista! plays as a messy, confused jumble, which means that its numerous virtues are easy to ignore. Amid all the dub experiments, backward tracks, unfinished songs, and instrumentals, there are a number of classic Clash songs that rank among the band's best, including "Police on My Back," "The Call Up," "Somebody Got Murdered," "Charlie Don't Surf," "Hitsville U.K.," and "Lightning Strikes (Not Once but Twice)," yet it's difficult for anyone but the most dedicated listeners to find them. A few of the failed ideas were worth exploring, but even more -- like the children's choir version of "Career Opportunities" or the Terry Doggs song "Lose This Skin" -- weren't even worth pursuing. As the cliché says, there's a great single album within these three records, and those songs make Sandinista! worthwhile. Nevertheless, its sloppy attack is disheartening after the tour de force of London Calling and the focused aggression of The Clash. [In 2000 Columbia/Legacy reissued, remastered, and restored the artwork for Sandinista!] ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine
SANDINISTA! was the Clash's affirmation of their support for the Nicaraguan revolution, the movement that overthrew President Somoza and aroused the ire of U.S. President Reagan. The music was a more conscious exploration of reggae and dub music than the Clash had ever attempted. The group fought their record company to keep the 3-LP set affordable to their fans, accepting lower royalty rates so the price would be as low as a single LP.Q (12/99, pp.152-3) - 4 stars out of 5 - "...an exceptionally high strike-rate....there was real quality..."
Alternative Press (11/00, p.144) - Included in AP's "10 Essential Political-Revolution Albums"
Alternative Press (3/00, pp.74-5) - 4 out of 5 - "...This is the Clash set that will still likely enchant into tomorrow for its foolhardy attempts at awe-inspiring successes....a manageable listen..."
Magnet (p.114) - "[T]ackling dub, gospel and surf rock with the same fervor with which the Clash had already mastered punk, reggae and rockabilly."
CMJ (1/5/04, p.8) - Ranked #2 in CMJ's "Top 20 Most-Played Albums of 1981".