REVIEW: Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros, Rock Art and The X-Ray
Style
Joe's last recorded work was in 1985, a brief flurry of activity which was the sum total of his output since the ill-fated final Clash lineup of bassist Paul Simenon, Joe and three clones - a sad coda to the noble story of Punk's other great band. Whilst his old sparring partner and guitarist Mick Jones went on to be a major success with Big Audio Dynamite during the 80s, Joe was content to remain out of the limelight.
By his own admission during this time Joe has been sitting out his contract with CBS. His quarrel with the record company mirrored that of George Michael but Joe lacked the means to buy himself out of the contract. Now that he has emerged to record again, naturally expectation is high of the most charismatic rock singer of his era.
This album is best compared to the more experimental work that the Clash released - for example on the second and third discs of the triple album set Sandinista (1980), and the second side of Combat Rock (1981)
Joe returns to his Clash era reggae influences for the opener - "Tony Adams" which doesn't refer lyrically to the soccer defender of Arsenal and England fame. It is a strong opener, with Joe's voice still evidently in good shape. His vocal style on this CD ranges between the raw anger of tracks like "Tommy Gun" and "London Calling" and the more introspective 'old man' style of works like "Garageland", "Call Up" and "On Broadway".
"Sandpaper Blues" is a fast-paced mix of African chants and synth - but really a rock song with techno tendencies. Elements of hiphop are also here, but as with later Clash works, different styles are merged into each other so that no single influence can be recognised as dominant.
"X Ray Style" mixes some social comment with scattered references to other familiar Clash themes such as guns and rockabilly. Joe is accompanied by acoustic guitars and backed by furious bongos.
"Techno D Day" is a humourous take on big dance events, with the appearance of our hero as a reserve D J at a techno version of Omaha Beach. Of course military imagery is another theme the Clash frequently returned to. This is rock music albeit with techno elements. The vocal again is very strong, with Joe very much on form.
"Road To Rock n Roll" is a descendant of "Four Horsemen" from 1979's seminal London Calling, a little more relaxed than its predecessor, ambling along as Joe tells of rock's pitfalls. The words of the title appear rather too much - it's repetitive and a little too long.
"Nitcomb" must be the first rock song to mention the perennial curse of 90s parents - headlice. Joe would be aware of this unavoidable affliction, having as he does a young daughter. This lovely, mostly acoustic track surveys futility, litter and decay both at home and in the streets. The nitcomb in question seems to be intended for removing human 'lice' e.g. himself.
"Diggin The New" starts with rock riffing that recall the glory years of Joe's career, and has a fine Clash chorus which affirms a place in the present "You gotta live in this world". This song is closest to what most buyers of this album would probably most like to hear from Joe, but to his credit he is determined to challenge musical boundaries with this music, just as the Clash did with London Calling, Sandinista and Combat Rock. therefore there are few concessions to punk roots on this album. The Clash were always the most eclectic band of their time and it is this eclecticism which Joe displays here.
"Forbidden City" is another fine midpaced rock song concerning injustice in China and the Tiananmen Square massacre - at one point sampled gunfire is heard.
"Yalla Yalla" boasts not only a puzzling chorus but a fine slowpaced techno melody which is an excellent accompaniment for Joe's great singing - as Leftfield's "Open Up" was for Johnny Rotten. Its theme is the toughness of an urban life relieved by the freedom given by cars and rap and dance music. The Clash's old stamping ground of Ladbroke Grove even gets a mention.
"Willesden to Cricklewood" is set to a gentle breakbeat and is a charming piano and keyboard tune describing the landscape of leafy North London. This is a surprising end to the album, almost pastoral by Strummer's past standards.
This album contains the variety as you would expect from a man whose career spanned punk, reggae, hiphop, rockabilly, synthesizer experimentation and even gospel. Joe's voice is as inspiring as ever and conveys both anger and warmth in equal measure. He is not content to retread his old glories, and continues his eclectic musical path to great effect.
