Big Audio Dynamite: No. 10, Upping St.

Big Audio Dynamite: No. 10, Upping St.

CBS Records

1986

Format I Own it on: Vinyl & Compact Disc

Track Listing: 1. C'mon Every Beatbox  2. Beyond the Pale  3. Limbo the Law  4. Sambadrome  5. V. Thirteen  6. Ticket  7. Hollywood Boulevard  8. Dial A Hitman  9.  Sightsee M.C!  10. Ice Cool Killer  11.   The Big V  12. Badrock City

I originally owned this album on cassette tape...Actually, when I think of the word cassette tape, this is the album that pretty much comes to mind...It was probably one of my most listened to tapes..As I spin this disc I can practically see the tape cover w/ the big red block letters on the side...

...and the big "Nice Price" sticker on the front...

 I like this album!  Mick Jones and Joe Strummer work together again, as Strummer co-produces the album and  co-writes most of the tracks. Everything seems more streamlined, and the songs are stronger, if not as immediate. For fans of the Clash who haven't made the jump into Big Audio Dynamite, I'd say this is a pretty good place to start, since it 's the album that bears the most similarity to that band...Some of this sounds like it could have come straight from side two of "Sandansita!"

The album is off to a good start with "C'mon Every Beatbox," where Eddie Cochran  is updated as dance-punk..."Beyond the Pale" follows and is actually the song that sets the tone for the rest of the album; it's  full of these types of  darker, more thoughtful anthems,  culminating in  "V. Thirteen" which just might be the band's single best track....The song has this cold-war, high-tech, dystopian kind of vibe that has Jos Strummer's fingerprints all over it...Even though Mick sings it, I can't help but hear Joe for some reason...Note: The vinyl version has a much different and in my opinion, inferior version of "V.Thirteen"...The CD/Cassette version is much leaner and more powerful...

The album also sports a bit of a South America influence in its first half, with "Sambadrome" and "Limbo the Law." I don't know why they didn't explore that influence much after this album...It's really appealing and suits them well, and album closer  "Sightsee MC!" is so big and awesome that I can't stand it. Those industrial-size drum machine beat and those "So, Who Else Wants To Be a Millionaire?" synth hits are so powerful for some reason...Rap-rock that doesn't make you want to puke!

The CD and cassette versions end with a few instrumental remix tracks. To be honest, I usually shut this off after "Sightsee MC!" but listening to them, they're not so bad...If you're into the band for the vintage drum machines and samples, then you might get something out of them...

Let's check out "V Thirteen" by Big Audio Dynamite...Enjoy...