9 January 1980: The flashest punks going tone down the frenzy but keep the excitement, adding a new tunefulness and lightness of touch
![The Clashs London Calling reviewed - archive, 9 January 1980](https://i.guim.co.uk/img/media/01f55269d46827fa81d0ca67dc8216f4c51467fe/0_144_3828_2297/master/3828.jpg?width=1200&height=630&quality=85&auto=format&fit=crop&overlay-align=bottom%2Cleft&overlay-width=100p&overlay-base64=L2ltZy9zdGF0aWMvb3ZlcmxheXMvdGctZGVmYXVsdC5wbmc&enable=upscale&s=e86f6015ddc1a5b7059cb064331fa621)
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!