The Clash (U.K.) = Maximum Rock & Roll
R. Conroy | Pittsburgh, PA | 12/10/1999
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Unlike most hipster types, I had never owned the British edition of this LP until this CD re-issue. As much as I love the American edition (with the 1977 and '78 singles), this is even better--both in re-mastered sound quality and content. The re-mastering is amazingly clear without compromising the ragged intensity of the band's attack. The U.K.-only songs ("Cheat", "Protex Blue", "48 Hours",and "Deny") are among their best and, quite frankly, make a lot more SENSE in the context of this release than on Super Black Market Clash; the other classics ("Janie Jones", "Career Opportunities", "Police and Thieves", and the original 7-inch version of "White Riot", among others) are as both as propulsive and as melodic as ever. More than any other band, The Clash managed to be both a great punks and great rock and rollers, and this debut is their definitive statement. In short, this is one of the fifteen or twenty most essential records ever--BUY IT! You'll regret it if you don't."