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By 1985 the wheels were starting to fall off the Clash wagon. Topper Headon had been sacked due to his increasing unreliability due to heroin use and Mick Jones had sensationally been fired in mid-1983. Brought in to back up the remaining Strummer & Simonon was Nick Shepherd & Vince White on guitars, and Pete Howard on drums. Unfortunately, the 5-man Clash provided an unfitting swansong for one of the greatest British groups ever. Spurred on by an increasingly more involved Bernie Rhodes (Clash manager), Strummer & Rhodes penned a set of new songs with largely a more disco-punk feel. The downside of this was that virtually all of them were awful.
Cut The Crap suffers from an incessant drone of sound effects, popping electronic programmed beats, poor, unintelligible lyrics and badly conceived 'terrace chant' choruses. To pan Cut The Crap in its entirety would be the easiest thing to do as the songs are sub-standard, with very little let up. In fact, it is odd that the band claim 'We are The Clash' even though after listening to the record even the most die-hard Clash fan would have to concede that they are blatantly not, and will wonder if this would have been the resulting album had Mick Jones not been fired.
However, there are a few letups amongst the main. 'Dictator' starts the album off promisingly enough with a nice vocal hook, before descending into an annoying disco-punk tune. 'North And South' is a good song which mainly succeeds due to its tempo being brought down, allowing the song more space to breathe than the rest of the records incessant programmed loops. Cut The Crap's saving grace though, is by far 'This Is England'. A slow traipse through a Conservative Britain that seems to be getting dimmer and dimmer. Strummer's lyrics are at their best here ("I got my motorcycle jacket but Im walking all the time") and their poeticism hark back to songs like 'Straight To Hell' (from Combat Rock). Somewhat ironically, 'This is England' is probably one of the best Clash songs.
Cut The Crap is really for completists only or those wondering what The Clash did next, especially as 'This Is England' is also available on The Essential Clash compilation.
| other reviews of this album |
Nagrarok (1)
Just forget about this, will you?...
Drbebop (1.5)
It’s crap, alright...
sugarcubes (2.5)
“North and South” is a brilliant song and you should listen to it. Anyways, I wanted to put that...
Wanderlustforlife (2)
Cut the Crap is the ” Black- Sheep “ of Clash Albums. It has been demonized by critics and fans...
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Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off
good review , this is probably clash's weakest album, the absence of Jones and Headon show, but i agree This is England is a great songThis Message Edited On 01.28.06
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
Kudos for actually reviewing this. This is an embarassment for the band, and should be taken off the shelves. I can say theres only about three good songs tops on this album, and that's not saying much. The Clash will forever be forgiven for this album,
but it's still crap.
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Alright review, check your grammar though. Also, you might want to edit your review some. Your second paragraph is only two sentences. Still, good first effort.
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
Well, they certainly did cut the crap with this one. They cut a whole album worth of it. This Is England is the best song on a bad album, I agree. But not one of the Clash's best, IMO. It just sounds that way next to all the poo.
Pity they didn't know what to do after the success of Combat Rock and the departure of Jones. I'm sure they could of come up with something fiery, as I have heard a live bootleg of this Clash line up and they could really tear it up. A sad end to one of rocks all time great bands. Nice succinct review, btw. Short, but to the point.This Message Edited On 01.28.06
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well, i haven't listened to this one in a loong time, but i used to hate it as a kid (i liked every other clash album). the fact that it is the only non-compilation clash album i DON'T own should count for something.
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
This is obliously not a good album. There are a few songs on it that aren't bad, for instance "This is England". I am what I consider a die-hard Clash fan. I have all thier albums, and all of Joe's solo albums. Joe Strummer is my hero. With this album there is no Mick Jones or Topper so that is what brings the wuality of the album down a lot, plus Joe was heading in another direction. Good review.
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Nice review, my man. Short and sweet.
Unfortunatley for the Clash, this album is just... I don't even know what.
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Ugggggh.
| | | Album Rating: 2.0
This is England, Dirty Punk, We are the Clash, North and South are the only really strong tracks here. I do, however prefer this album to Combat Rock.This Message Edited On 03.27.06
| | | Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off
[quote=pint of stella]I do, however prefer this album to Combat Rock.[/quote]
no way, but i guess its opinion
| | | Album Rating: 2.5
i agree with pint of stella but i dont like the song dirty punk but this is england is great song because the lyrics are well put together
| | | Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off
Three Card Trick is actually quite a good, upbeat song. It can't save this though...
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"This is England" is what I would consider the only decent song on here.
| | | Album Rating: 3.0
wow I like the clash a lot, i have the US album, London Calling, and Combat Rock..........does anyone dare me to listen to this one? because i have never heard it and maybe it will destroy what i like about them.
| | | Album Rating: 2.0 | Sound Off
^ Why did you rate it a 3 if you haven't heard it?
It seems you don't have Give Em Enough Rope or Sandinista, which are both great albums, though the latter may take getting used to. But get those albums before this one, if you can even find it, but downloading works I guess.
And this should not change at all if you like them or not, because this isn't really The Clash; It's more of a Strummer/Rhoads album, and just poor production and circumstances ruined it. This is only for completists, but if anything, download 'This Is England', and if you like that download Three Card Trick.
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This album is that bad? Im slowly getting into The Clash, and have saved this for the last. Should I avoid this sucker?This Message Edited On 12.28.08
| | | Album Rating: 1.5
This is The Clash???
Okay, think of this, someone tells someone to listen to this great, punk band from '76.
What happens if he/she starts listening to this album in particular???
He/she may get the wrong idea... Anyway, I'd consider this just a tiny mistake in their curriculum. Keep listening to London Calling!
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in 85 i was like "damn, nigga, whats good with this" and then the clash told me to cut the crap and i did.
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Dude, how the hell is this Number 74 for 1985 if it averages 1.7? LOL
| | | Album Rating: 1.5
Only reason this isn't a 1 is because This is England kicks ass. Also, the title of the song We Are Clash is almost offensive.
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