The Clash - Sandinista !

Are you in a hurry ? This is the kind of release you are probably able to stream for free, to buy in digital format, or on CD, from most major platforms. This is possible not to read this review but to listen to the release, not to listen to the release but to read this review, to do both, or nothing.

With this 1980 double album published by Colombia, The Clash became one of the band I listened the most, back in the late 90's and early 00's. I still do sometime. But there were a time when it was almost obsessive. This album can be seen as a musical journey in strange countries, with surprises very often, and an overall richness, in arrangements, production and writing, that makes each listening session a discovery.

Blending reggae, funk and dub influences in their punk-rock, The Clash produces here a mixture of an extraordinary diversity. Then can play plain reggae or dub, they do it right, so why shouldn't they do ? Undoubtedly, the reggae tracks are among the best ones of the album, along with the rock ones. According to my taste. Yours may differ.

But this is very possible that the spell residing in the melodies, the rhythms, the chords, has an effect on you. Beware, if so, it can be devastating. The kind of album you'll keep on listening to as long as you are still able to do.

I used to listen to Sandinista ! while driving. My life became a movie, you know, with such soundtrack, you've got the feeling to be actually living a filmed piece of art. I used to listen to Sandinista ! with a friend when I was coming to see him, and we were talking about the music, endlessly. I used to listen to Sandinista ! with other musicians from bands I was in, and I can say that this album inspired us much. I used to listen to Sandinista ! on these absolutely boring week end afternoons during the winter, having nothing better to do than to freeze in a car with a buddy, listening to good music. To be true I listened to this release a lot. And, as I said before, I still do sometime. I did not reached the point, if such a thing has to happen someday, when I cannot listen to it any more. This release, after fifteen years of intensive use, is still interesting to me.

Maybe you know this release for long, maybe you even like it like I do. If not, this is still time to face one of the biggest achievement in history of culture, a masterpiece that will emit its vibes for a long, long time.

It took years for this album to get the reputation it now has in the little world of music lovers, but I'm pretty sure this is only the beginning and that it will grow and grow and grow always more.