Streetcore

Streetcore
Studio album by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros
Released	21 October 2003
Genre	Alternative rock
Length	41:39
Label	HellCat
Producer	Scott Shields, Martin Slattery, Rick Rubin, Danny Saber
Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros chronology
Global a Go-Go (2001) Streetcore (2003)
Singles from Streetcore
"Coma Girl"

Streetcore is the third and final studio album by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros. The album was completed after the death of frontman Joe Strummer, primarily by Martin Slattery and Scott Shields, and released on 21 October 2003. The album marks the band's transition from their previous genre-bending work to a more straight forward rock album, reminiscent of Strummer's early work with The Clash. The album received a positive critical reception and is generally seen as a return to form and a high point for Strummer to go out on.

Song information

Due to Strummer's untimely death, many of the vocal performances are first takes. "Midnight Jam" is completely without lyrics – instead, samplings of Joe's BBC Radio show Joe Strummer's London Calling are intermixed with the music. Other tracks, such as "Redemption Song" and "Long Shadow", were recorded with famed producer Rick Rubin, and it is unclear whether or not these tracks were originally intended to be on this studio album. Another notable track is "Long Shadow", which was originally written by Strummer for Johnny Cash.^{[citation needed]}

Track listing

No.	Title	Writer(s)	Length
1.	"Coma Girl"	Scott Shields, Martin Slattery, Joe Strummer	3:48
2.	"Get Down Moses"	Luke Bullen, Shields, Slattery, Simon Stafford, Strummer	5:05
3.	"Long Shadow"	Smokey Hormel, Strummer	3:34
4.	"Arms Aloft"	Bullen, Shields, Slattery, Stafford, Strummer	3:47
5.	"Ramshackle Day Parade"	Bullen, Shields, Slattery, Stafford, Strummer	4:02
6.	"Redemption Song" (Bob Marley cover)	Bob Marley	3:28
7.	"All in a Day"	Danny Saber, Strummer	4:55
8.	"Burnin' Streets"	Shields, Slattery, Strummer	4:32
9.	"Midnight Jam"	Bullen, Shields, Slattery, Stafford, Strummer	5:50
10.	"Silver and Gold" (cover of Bobby Charles' "Before I Grow Too Old")	Dave Bartholomew, Antoine Domino, Robert Guidry, Bobby Charles	2:38

Reception

Critical

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Entertainment Weekly	B+
The Guardian
Mojo
Pitchfork	6.9/10
PopMatters	9/10
Rolling Stone
Spin	6/10
Stylus Magazine	A−
Uncut

The album received a positive critical reception and is generally seen as a return to form for Joe Strummer that sees him going out on a high point. Allmusic wrote "Like Muddy Waters, whose final albums were among the best in his catalog, Streetcore by Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros (Martin Slattery, Tymon Dogg, Simon Stanford, and Scott Shields) sends Strummer into rock & roll heaven a roaring, laughing, snarling lion", calling the album "truly the finest, most cohesive work he did after London Calling." Mojo wrote "Streetcore is an amalgam of all that made Joe Strummer, the musician and the man, so great."

Impact

The song "Coma Girl" was performed as the opening track at Bruce Springsteen and the E Street Band's performance at the Glastonbury Festival on 27 June 2009. "Coma Girl" was also covered by The Loved Ones on their EP Distractions.

"Arms Aloft" has been covered by American rock band Pearl Jam and a live recording is featured on their 2011 live album, Live on Ten Legs. "Ramshackle Day Parade", the fifth song of the album, was featured on the acclaimed movie The Diving Bell and the Butterfly.

Personnel

The Mescaleros

• Joe Strummer – vocals, guitar, vocal samples
• Martin Slattery – synthesizer, guitar, organ, Chamberlin, tambourine, piano, Wurlitzer electric piano, Mellotron, drums, percussion, tenor saxophone, backing vocals
• Scott Shields – drums, acoustic guitar, bass guitar, percussion, slide guitar, electric guitar, synthesizer, harmonica, cowbell, backing vocals
• Simon Stafford – bass guitar, trombone, guitar, cello, cornet, backing vocals
• Luke Bullen – drums, congas, loops
• Tymon Dogg – violin

Guest musicians

• Josh Freese – drums
• Smokey Hormel – guitar
• Rick Rubin – piano
• Peter Stewart – backing vocals
• Benmont Tench – harmonium

Production

• Joe Strummer – photography, artwork
• Martin Slattery – programming, production, engineering, mixing
• Scott Shields – programming, production, engineering, mixing
• Rick Rubin – production, mixing
• Danny Saber – production, mixing
• Cameron Craig – programming, mixing, engineering
• Tim Bran – programming
• Richard Flack – programming
• Roger Lian – digital editing
• Greg Fidelman – editing
• Howie Weinberg – mastering
• David Ferguson – engineering, mixing
• Niv Adiri – engineering
• Thom Russo – engineering
• Lindsay Chase – production coordination
• Lucinda Mellor – project coordination
• Paula Woolfe – project coordination
• Art Dog – artwork
• Josh Cheuse – photography
• Jill Furmanovsky – photography
• Colin Glen – photography