Joe Strummer and the Mescaleros "Yalla Yalla" Mercury Records MERCD523/562 351-2 (22:37)
Yalla Yalla (6:59)
The X-Ray Style (live summer 99) (4:32)
Yalla Yalla (Norro's King Dub) (7:01)
Time and the Tide (4:05)
This is the first UK single from the first new Joe Strummer (ex-Clash) album in 10 years "Rock Art and the X-Ray Style". The 4 tracks (wow, not 3!) include the album version of "Yalla Yalla" and 3 b sides. "Yalla Yalla" is heavy on acidic synth beeps, programmed beats and dub effects and bass line making it the most dub and electronica oriented song on the album. Norro's "King Dub" mix strips away chunks of the vocals and does little else to the original, which makes it too bare bones and boring compared to the album version. It's unnecessary really. "The X-Ray Style" was recorded live somewhere in 1999. It's a pretty mellow song centered around gentle hand percussion rhythms and guitar noodling. It's fine but pales in comparison to the tighter, more polished album version. "Time and the Tide" is the reason to get this single. This is an oddly beautiful and atmospheric song ... skittery, often off beat drums, smooth harmonica and acoustic guitar lines and an almost ambient interlude. This *should* have been on the album. But, that would make this single completely unnecessary now wouldn't it? Get it only if you want that track ...
Strummerville
Joe Strummer
and the Mescaleros at Hellcat Records
Where did I get this cd? - from a local Best Buy.