Rock Art and the X-Ray Style

rock art and the x-ray style

Track Listings

1. Tony Adams

2. Sandpaper Blues

3. X-Ray Style - Mescaleros, Joe Strummer

4. Techno D-Day

5. Road to Rock & Roll

6. Nitcomb

7. Diggin' the New

8. Forbidden City

9. Yalla Yalla

10. Willesden to Cricklewood

Editorial Reviews
Amazon.com
The Clash made their splash playing raucous punk rock earmarked by a twin chainsaw guitar attack and Joe Strummer's strained vocal barks, so it's easy to forget that they could create some lovely music. See Sandinista!'s "Rebel Waltz" and "Charlie Don't Surf," London Calling's "Death or Glory," and Combat Rock's "Straight to Hell." The boy who used to scream "White Riot!" realized there are other ways to be heard than shouting fire in a crowded theater, and there is no denying that the Clash wanted to be heard. It's a lesson Joe Strummer has carried on as he's gone from angry young man to wizened elder, and with his new album, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, and new band, the Mescaleros, he trades in the snip and snarl of punk for a loose yet powerful amalgam of blues, country, and reggae grooves. It provides a perfect canvas for Strummer's still potent messages of social insight and political critique, painted with his warm but ravaged vocal chords. Aside from the misstep of the second track, "Sandpaper Blues," Rock Art bristles with outstanding songs. On "Tony Adams," Strummer rants atop a rocking reggae shuffle, "I am waiting for the rays of the morning sun / Somebody tell me clearly--has the New World begun?" On "Techno D-Day" (as close to a Clash City Rocker as you'll find these days) he reinvigorates rock with a revolutionary agenda. The album's best cut, however, is the lovely closer, "Willesden to Cricklewood," a wonderful, wispy tune that finds Strummer waxing poetic on an afternoon whiled away with friends and family in a small town. It's a far cry from the apocalyptic vision in the Clash's "London's Burning," but no less powerful. --Tod Nelson

Rock Art and the X-Ray Style,Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros,Epitaph / Ada,Folk-Rock,Pop,Pop/Rock,Rock

Rock Art and the X-Ray Style

Average customer rating:

Absolutely amazing, as expected
Joe saw the world; made a timeless record
Someday Joe will be remembered for more than the Clash
Classic Joe
Everything Strummer touches is gold

Rock Art and the X-Ray Style
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
Manufacturer: Hellcat Records
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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Global a Go-Go
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ASIN: B00001X51J
Release Date: 1999-11-02

Tracks:

Tony Adams
Sandpaper Blues
X-Ray Style
Techno D-Day
The Road To Rock 'N' Roll
Diggin' The New
Nitcomb
Forbidden City
Yalla Yalla
Willesden To Cricklewood

Amazon.com

The Clash made their splash playing raucous punk rock earmarked by a twin chainsaw guitar attack and Joe Strummer's strained vocal barks, so it's easy to forget that they could create some lovely music. See Sandinista!'s "Rebel Waltz" and "Charlie Don't Surf," London Calling's "Death or Glory," and Combat Rock's "Straight to Hell." The boy who used to scream "White Riot!" realized there are other ways to be heard than shouting fire in a crowded theater, and there is no denying that the Clash wanted to be heard. It's a lesson Joe Strummer has carried on as he's gone from angry young man to wizened elder, and with his new album, Rock Art and the X-Ray Style, and new band, the Mescaleros, he trades in the snip and snarl of punk for a loose yet powerful amalgam of blues, country, and reggae grooves. It provides a perfect canvas for Strummer's still potent messages of social insight and political critique, painted with his warm but ravaged vocal chords. Aside from the misstep of the second track, "Sandpaper Blues," Rock Art bristles with outstanding songs. On "Tony Adams," Strummer rants atop a rocking reggae shuffle, "I am waiting for the rays of the morning sun / Somebody tell me clearly--has the New World begun?" On "Techno D-Day" (as close to a Clash City Rocker as you'll find these days) he reinvigorates rock with a revolutionary agenda. The album's best cut, however, is the lovely closer, "Willesden to Cricklewood," a wonderful, wispy tune that finds Strummer waxing poetic on an afternoon whiled away with friends and family in a small town. It's a far cry from the apocalyptic vision in the Clash's "London's Burning," but no less powerful. --Tod Nelson

Customer Reviews:

Absolutely amazing, as expected.......2007-03-20

This is one of those albums you just let spin--- no need to skip a thing. Wait-- I take it back-- there are some tracks worth playing a couple times now and then. Great for all moods and locales.
Joe Strummer will forever be so very missed. His legacy is critical to more than just rock. What an amazing person. His lyrics read like a book. "Forbidden City" is brilliant-- but then again-- so is this entire album.
Without a doubt-- a must-buy.

Joe saw the world; made a timeless record.......2006-11-03

There is beautiful music on this disk. It is one of my favorite records, praise I would not hand out frivolously. Joe's music here is rich, textured, subtle, worldly, gentle, introspective... but it is also catchy, energetic and charged. Like the Clash catalog, this album is a progression forward with musical exploration. Clash records didn't always strike gold, but you can't accuse Joe of recording the same album twice. The music on X-Ray achieves power without over using the typical "punk" techniques of loud volume, machine-gun drums (sorry Topper) or excessive angst. It's like sitting down with an older wise man and letting his experience and insightfulness dazzle you gently without explosions or exaggeration to hold your attention. There is a toned muscular confidence on this album that keeps the listener there. The music is solid. There is no shortage of ideas or over used ones like the case with Sandinista. Each song has it's own clear identity. This is the 80's album Robert Plant wishes he could have made when he was pretentiously toiling in World music and coming up dull and duller.

Put this disk in the car stereo and go for a drive. By the time "Diggin' the New" and "Forbidden City" kick in, you will already be in a great state of mind.

Someday Joe will be remembered for more than the Clash.......2006-07-17

This may not the be the best piece of music Joe Strummer has ever created--London Calling will forever be remembered as one of the most important records ever produced, and the other two Mescaleros albums are just as good--but this is my favorite.

I began as a Clash fan. They were my favorite band and London Calling was my favorite album for years. I own everything they ever made except Combat Rock, which, at first, I didn't buy because I thought it was a "sell-out" album, and by the time I realized how stupid that was I didn't really care anymore. But if I can blaspheme for a moment, I like everything the Mescaleros have done better than anything by the Clash. In fact, I like it A LOT better. That's partly because my tastes have mellowed out some, but, regardless, this is a fantastic album, as are Global A Go-Go and Streetcore.

Once you get past the opener "Tony Adams," which almost sounds like a natural next step for the clash, with its yelling Joe on vocals, the first thing you'll be shocked by is the African/world-beat sounds of "Sandpaper Blues" and really the whole album. The second thing you'll notice, especially towards the end of the album, is how much Joe softened as he aged. Songs like "Nitcomb" and "Willesden to Cricklewood" are much mellower than any Clash creation. Of course, Rock Art still has plenty of fury, which the later Mescaleros albums have a little less of, on tracks like "Tony Adams" and "Techno D-Day."

Really, Rock Art has a little of everything. It's at points angry, introspective, furious, soft, and always eclectic and always entertaining. Highly reccomended.

Classic Joe.......2006-06-29

Fans of The Clash will not be disappointed with this effort from Joe and the boys. I bought the CD on the strength of Tony Adams & Yalla Yallah downloaded a while back and the rest of the tracks are equally good :o)

Everything Strummer touches is gold.......2005-07-20

OK, I could go on and on about the man and his music but I just wanted to second the one reviewer's opinion about the title track, "X-Ray Style". I must have listened to this one about 200 times and never once felt the urge to skip it. The guy's right, I think it might be the most beautiful song Joe ever wrote, and that is saying something.

Oh yeah, the rest of the album ain't too bad either! But why are you wasting time reading this? Add it to your cart already!

OK, now back to that song again...
"I need some rock art / That don't come in no phial..."

Average customer rating:

Rock Art and the X-Ray Style
Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros
ProductGroup: Music
Binding: Audio CD

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ASIN: B00002MHSP
Release Date: 2004-01-20

Tracks:

Tony Adams
Sandpaper Blues
X-Ray Style
Techno D-Day
The Road To Rock 'N' Roll
Nitcomb
Diggin' The New
Forbidden City
Yalla Yalla
Willesden To Cricklewood

Album Description

UK pressing of the late Clash frontman's 1999 solo album.

Music:

Music

music