:: Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros - Streetcore

Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros

I am always tentative when it comes to reviewing anybody that comes with the tag, “One of the most important artists of our generation”. It is made even more difficult when you are at a loss to find the magic people speak of, and fail to see what all the fuss is about. Thankfully, Joe Strummer’s final album, ‘Streetcore’, is undeniable proof of his magic and that all the fuss is well warranted. Regardless of whether you have heard of Strummer or not, ‘Streetcore’ is an album that speaks to everyone, because it is written about human experience and based in human emotion. The songs are diverse, touching on a number of different genres including rock, reggae, folk and jazz to name a few. The album includes eight original tracks as well as two covers, Bob Marley’s ‘Redemption Song’, and Bobby Charles’ ‘Before I Grow Too Old’, re-named ‘Silver and Gold’. It is in ‘Streetcore’; the third album released with the Mescaleros, that Strummer truly finds his home. The recordings are comfortable and poignant, with vocals that ache to be heard. ‘Ramshackle Day Parade’, best described as a melancholic lament that speaks of sorrow yet makes you feel strong, exemplifies this. Strummer passed away on December 22, 2002, but he has left behind an album that is much more than a parting gesture. ‘Streetcore’ is inspiration, hope and truth, and a fitting end to a great man’s life journey.