The Clash (US)

iTunes Review

Released in the U.K. in 1977, the Clash’s debut was a 14-song knockout — the most impassioned, sophisticated LP of punk’s first wave. However when the album was finally released in the U.S. two years later in 1979, it was given a makeover. Epic Records excised the British release’s four weakest cuts (“Deny,” “Protex Blue,” “Cheat,” “48 Hours”) and replaced them with five non-album singles and b-sides, drawn mostly from 1978 and 1979. The reconfigured U.S. version emphasized songwriting chops over the pure insurgent anger of the original LP. Still, the inclusion of masterworks like “(White Man) In Hammersmith Palais” and “Complete Control” gives the re-release a depth that wasn’t fully apparent on the original, while songs like “I Fought the Law” and “Jail Guitar Doors” pointed toward the heroics of London Calling. Strictly speaking, the U.S. version of The Clash is a compilation, not a debut album. But while the U.K. release concisely captures a moment in time for the brilliant young lads from London, the U.S. version offers a richer picture of an ascending band’s talents.