From the raw rage of their epochal first album to the fiery precision of this third one, the evolution of the Clash has been one of the most engrossing spectacles in recent pop music. All along they have been voraciously absorbing old styles and techniques and appropriating new ones. Although nothing on "London Calling" quite comes up to the three British singles (particularly Complete Control) the group released between their first two albums, it would take a real nit-picker to find much wrong with this two-disc set. (p. 90)
The Clash draws on nearly everything that has come before them, but without really aping anything. Reggae, which they have always worked with so knowingly, is represented here by Rudie Can't Fail, Lover's Rock, and Revolution Rock. But, on both Jimmy Jazz and Wrong 'Em Boyo, they also dig back into the r-&-b that helped shape reggae. Boyo is a classy piece of rock phrasemaking as good as the title song…. Brand New Cadillac is updated rockabilly, and the music (though not the lyrics) of I'm Not Down sounds like it could have been written by Jimi Hendrix. On The Card Cheat the group takes a few tips from Phil Spector. Yet, despite all these easily traceable influences, the Clash still sounds like no one else.
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