The Clash
From Here to Eternity: Live

THE REVIEW

I know very well that it is not polite to write about an album that has already been reviewed before. I had proposed to myself to only review albums that had not yet found a space on the pages of DeBaser. This will be the exception that proves the rule, as I cannot refrain from expressing my opinion about this album which, in my view, was literally butchered by the review of such Anarcho92.

"From Here to Eternity" is a live compilation by The Clash released in 1999 and, overall, the album represents an excellent summary of the musical career of this extraordinary British band. It is no coincidence that it is not the recording of a single concert but rather a collection of various live performances from 1978 to 1982, spread between New York, Boston, and, of course, London. In this way, the various moments of the band are well highlighted, a band that, more than any other punk group, was able to step out of its sonic shell to explore new creative horizons, branching out into genres like Reggae, Dub, or Pop.

The first tracks of the album are taken from a concert in 1982: Complete Control, London's Burning, What's My Name, Career Opportunities, etc... re-emerge from the fury of '77 with the same grit of those years with one substantial difference: The Clash from '77 to '82 matured technically and, indeed, they replay the tracks with greater mastery and precision without, however, compromising the wild and spontaneous spirit of the early years. Passing through gems like (White Man) In Hammersmith Palais and London Calling, we arrive at a decisive turning point with Armagideon Time, a reggae track where the technical versatility of the four surfaces for the first time, perfectly at ease even among calm atmospheres and offbeat rhythms. From this point on, another album begins, Joe Strummer leaves the microphone first to Mick Jones, who dives into a passionate execution of Train in Vain, then to Paul Simonon who performs the ever-splendid Guns of Brixton until arriving at the trio of Magnificent Seven, Know Your Rights + Straight to Hell, which is, in my opinion, the strongest point of the album. That's because these three tracks are completely transformed compared to their original execution; compared to the studio version, they are cleaned of all those complicated arrangements and background sounds of which Jones was a fanatic, resurfacing in a much lighter and more elegant guise. Straight to Hell, in particular, represents the true gem of the album: guitar, bass, and drums simply follow the normal chords and provide a backdrop to the incendiary voice of Joe Strummer, who performs the piece with truly rare intensity. Chills.

In short, an important album for both those who want to get closer to The Clash's world and those who already know their studio albums.