9 January 1980: The flashest punks going tone down the frenzy but keep the excitement, adding a new tunefulness and lightness of touch
The Clash’s
London Calling (CBS CLASH 3) is a low-priced uneven double album that contains some excellent songs, a lot of good-natured fun, and very few dull moments among its 18 tracks. It is a massive improvement on Give ‘Em Enough Rope, which I hated for its pretension, and their stage shows of early last year, which I hated for their amateurism.
Related: The Clash's 40 greatest songs – ranked!