release date: Nov. 1985
format: cd
[album rate: 3 / 5] [3,16]
producer: Jose Unidos (aka Bernie Rhodes)
label: Epic Records - nationality: England, UK
Track highlights: 4. "Are You Red..Y" - 7. "This Is England" (4,5 / 5) - 8. "Three Card Trick" (4 / 5) - 11. "North and South" (4 / 5)
6th and final studio album by The Clash. Yes, this is officially the last studio album by the British punk rock pioneers, The Clash, but to fans and with all due respect to the original line-up, the last 'real' release was Combat Rock (1982). After that, things completely fell apart for the band. The band's drummer, Topper Headon, was expelled from the band as he failed to stop his (heroin) drug addiction, and in 1983 Strummer and Mick Jones (fellow-founder, co-writer, guitarist, vocalist) failed to work with one another (Strummer / Jones signature is one regarded on par with Lennon / McCartney), and bassist Paul Simonon and Strummer ended their co-work with Jones by writing and sending a notice to the press informing that Mick Jones was no longer part of The Clash. With three brand new band members, Cut the Crap was an attempt to return to their original punk-rock roots that brought them fame. However, the heavy production sound, the simple chorus chants, and the bold use of drum machines and synthesizers (allegedly, added to Strummer's scarse demos) could not obscure the fact that good songs were missing. The album has three, including one exceptional, fine Strummer tracks (co-written with Bernard Rhodes, manager), but all in all, it's not a very good album. Before the release, I remember hearing the track "This Is England", and I thought "Wow, this sounds great!!", and I was really looking forward to the new album, but the four highlights (from a 13 track album), are all you get on this one. The reception was not good. The press criticised the music, and fans ignored it, and in early 1986, less than half a year after the release of what had been intended as "a return to basics", The Clash officially disbanded.
Mich Jones had already embarked on the Big Audio Dynamite project founded in '84, Paul Simonon joined Havana 3.A.M., and Joe Strummer found work as an actor before finally initiating a fine solo career.
[ allmusic.com 2 / 5, Blender 1 / 5 stars ]
