739. the card cheat

“Second of two in a row from London Calling, arguably the greatest rock and roll album ever. Released at the very end of the 1970s which definitely makes it the first indispensably great rock and roll album for the 1980s, because none of it was looking back. Commercial radio, of course, only played two tracks but all four sides were nigh on brilliant – the power and rage of full-on punk tempered only enough to allow everything else to burst on through. With The Card Cheat, that meant widescreen rock all brassed up and gunning for the promised land, which is again miles beyond anything Bruce Springsteen could have hoped for at the time, who I’m only mentioning here because his 1980 double album The River had no problem getting played all over the radio. And it was at least two sides too long.” (Philip Random)

(photo: Joyce Weir)
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