I truly feel that this album was more organized, experimental, and overall "better" than Streetcore. Don't get me wrong, I love Streetcore and think it's an amazing album when compared to anything else, but it's just not on the same level as Global A Go-Go. And yes, I know Streetcore was release posthumous, with some songs only having one take and the like.

I think the melodies in Global are simply amazing. I love how some songs you can shake to, while others are simply "listen and chill". The experimental sound is something I always felt separated Joe Strummer & The Mescaleros from every other band out there right now, and it really shows in Global. Afro-beats, reggae, funk, folk, Spanish, it's all here!

Overall, an amazing album that any fan of Joe Strummer, ethnic-inspired music, or new music would be interested in. Period.

This is a great album. I heard Strummer's voice on the Mr and Mrs. Smith
soundtrack and remembered what a great singer he really was. I searched
for this album until I found it on Amazon bingo.

Joe Strummer was a larger than life figure in the music world, influencing countless people with the Clash, introducing many to different views and giving his all in more ways than one. The Clash fell, so did he. But like the champion he was, he rose with the Mescaleros, and created some of the finest music made since the Clash split. The culmination of the effort came with Global a Go Go. Drawing upon (obviously) world music, he's crafted his most solid album since his "London Calling," and set himself up to be the successor to Dylan and Guthrie. Equal parts rock, reggae, world, and folk, this album dares to make music again. Not the noise that you hear from many wannabe bands he inspired, but actual music, that lifted your soul, and managed to do it without dilluting any of the message. Unfortunately, it was a mark he had very little time to surpass. Streetcore, while amazing, doesn't quite measure up to Global a Go Go. And, on a completely unrelated note, the music video for "redemption song" is the only music video ever to make me shed a tear. RIP Joe.

Should be 10 stars.

Although I loved-loved The Clash (saw them in '82), I admit that, after an initial brief orientation with Joe Strummer's solo work in the '90's, I mistakenly put him aside. Big Mistake. Then Joe tragically died a few years back.

A year ago I was at a friend's place for a party and I was caught by the music playing, which sounded like Joe's voice but the music was so friggin' hip sounding. Wow!, I said when I was told it was Joe Strummer and The Mescaleros. As much of a music connaisseur as I am, at that point I felt very inadequate.

From then on, X-Ray, Go-Go and Streetcore have been permanent staples in my CD player. The remarkable thing is that they NEVER get played out no matter how many times I hear them. The combination of acoustic and electronic instruments along with punk style vocals and various rhythms is the greatest thing I've ever, ever heard in the last, oh, 10 years.

As I get a little older, I welcome mellower sounding music, especially if it has a punk soul and great lyrics. Global A Go-Go and the other Mescalero recordings are the best of both worlds and are also totally versatile. They are good for parties, chilling out, driving, cleaning the house, or just spacing out.

I typically give CD's that I like 5 star ratings. Well GLOBAL A GO-GO, X-RAY STYLE, and STREETCORE, are all MASTERPIECES in music that deserve their own category of being beyond ratings.

RIP Joe. This music will never die.

quite possibly the best CD ever made; it reflects Joe Strummer's talent for writing complicated lyrics that would make perfect sense if I was smart enough and his possibly greater penchant for writing in various styles, rhythms, and moods. He blends talent and passion with wisdom and experience; also, he has quite possibly the coolest voice ever

My father, a poet and an artist on his own right, used to say that there was a "first row "and a "second row" for artists of any discipline. His theory was that, whether it's literature, sculpture or music, people will emerge who will redefine their medium, push their artistic form beyond its present atmosphere, and then there man, many more, extremely capable writers or composers whose work was important but not seminal, not worthy of the first row. I guess my dad was speaking of what B.H. Fairchild called "the difference between talent and genius." Well I think my father's notion certainly has applied, for a long time, to contemporary popular music. I grew up touched -shaped, really- by people like Bob Dylan, Miles Davis, Caetano Veloso, Ellington, Joni Mitchell. This is the work of the first row, to be a lifelong catalyst for your times. Joe Strummer belongs in the same first row too. In some way, I feel that this album materializes Joe's lifelong vision bringing forth punk and world, accordions and electric guitars, politics and art, social justice and killer grooves. "Mondo Bongo" is a Strummer ballad, heartfelt, slow, perfect for Joe's mature voice. "At The Border, Guy" should be called "at the edge" with its Rock-n-Reggae. "Gamma Ray" and "Mega Bottle Ride" are precious stones, etched off Latin and Punk, like a working class Jimmy Buffet with something important to say. Global A Go-Go is immense fun but not a Disney ride, his politics just as radical but maturing into a sharper artistic edge.

Wanna be a Joe Strummer fan? Buy this record.

I never cared really for the Clash or Joe Strummer. Sure, I liked the token Clash songs, but that's about it.

Until a friend played this for me one night. The first half of this record is simply amazing. Every song is a winner. The second half isn't quite as good, but is still great. From "Global A Go-Go" I found myself purchasing the rest of the Joe Strummer catalogue. Repeated listening pushes me to start looking into some of the bands mentioned in the actual song "Global A Go-Go," and from there I've since discovered an entire world of quality, classic, Jamaican rocksteady, ska, and roots.

This record changed my life. No, really. Well, alright, just my record-buying life. What, you've never heard of hyperbole?

It really is that good, though.

Like other reviewers, I was blown away by this album. So worldly, and yet still listenable (unlike experimental world music crap by Sting or Paul Simon) Simply amazing. I won't waste any readers time by going on and on. Almost all the other reviewers already said it best. Great Album, Great Band. RIP, Joe. Watch out for the Gamma Ray!

Awaiting the release of Streetcore and as a regular listener to Rock Art etc, I thought that I should investigate Global a Go Go....Amazing, exciting, provocative and downright melodic this will prove to be one of my Playlist favourites. There's still plenty of north London wit on display as well as the global eclecticism that was setting Joe up as a valuable contributor to all that is accessible in new World Music.....the balance of street hardened sneer in Joe's voice offset by the pleading yell for a better world makes this package an inspirational sound collage. So cruel that Streetcore will be an epitaph to a voice that has been dimmed by the Creator......the musical legacy will surely attract, entertain and inspire for decades to come. A must for anybody who appreciates intelligent, beautifully crafted music

Joe strummer and the mecaleros second cd is just out of this world "pun intended" and its great to listen to with alot of contrasts between good and bad this music is like poetry and like the clash is rocking good all the way through until the last note....

WOW!

This record blew me away.

Strummer and his band shine in this release, combining the best sounds from world music, merging styles elegantly and creating a fresh new style that proves refreshing, soothing and extremely well rocking.

His legacy lives on and raises the bar on popular music so high that I fear no one shall ever surpass it.

Wonderful songs that endure pleasingly.

This cd sounds like the clash but with the musical styles that mick jones used with his band BAD. Which is a good thing. Although the clash made a great record with london calling, they were never able to pull it all together on a consistent track by track effort again, until now. Strummer as an elder statesman leading a band that plays all different genre's well has made for a nice sounding record. The anger is gone, or below the surface, and the artist comes out. Check it out.

This is the best album of Joe Strummer's solo career. It is what would have come next if the Clash had stayed together, progressing with their music and the world music influences that started with "Police and Thieves" all the way through to "Sean Flynn" from Combat Rock.
Taking sounds from all over the world, and still keeping his own style, Strummer (unlike Paul Simon, Sting, etc.) pays tribute to the music of his life travels. Whether reggae, raga's, american folk, or just plain punk, Strummer combines and melds the sounds of everything, without making it sound like the newest world music trend (listen to it over and over all you Eric Claptons/Rolling Stones/Ry Cooders).
We lost the most influencial musical voice the day Joe Strummer died. He proves with this album he still says what he feels, what he thinks and what is happening and was the only musical artist who would have been brave enough to come out against Bush, Blair et. al. and use what clout, podium, or stage to say what EVERY OTHER ARTIST IS AFRAID TO SAY.
I have listened to Strummer or the Clash at least once a week for over 25 years, never tire of it, and can honestly say this was one of his greatest achievements

Not only the last album of Joe Strummer's illustrious career but I believe his finest. An extraordinary fusion of so many genres: punk, techno, country, folk, and Latino. More textured, complex, and mature than much of his Clash material, but still has the fire that made the Clash one of the greatest rock bands of all time. Belongs in any comprehensive rock music collection.

It's just to sad to think that the guy who was responsable for so much is gone. Of course many people know of the Clash but not as many know about the real impact on music that they had. Before the Clash white guys from anywhere in the world wouldn't dare to cover a reggae music like they did. Rock or punk bands just didn't cover reggae music but The Clash did. The Clash were also one of the first bands to pick up on the all black music of rap. At the time rap was still underground and listen to mainly by a black audience. The Clash came along in the early 80's and churned out 3 songs, This Is A Radio Clash, The Magnifficent Seven and Lightnight Strikes and the unnoffical birth of rap rock began. The Clash even made it onto black radio stations with their songs as well, something that was unheard of at the time. The Clash were also one of the first bands to really add politics to their music, something that punk is known for today. The opened people's ears to so many musical genres that normally they wouldn't hear. Dub, RandB, Rap, Reggae, Blues, Rockabilly, Soul...The Clash were more groundbreaking than they got credit for. Of course we also can't forget the tons of bands that formed because of them. U2 said they formed because of the Clash and even Clash enimies, The Police wouldn't have had a carrer if it wasn't for ripping off the Clash's white reggae music.

25 years later Joe Strummer is still carrying rhe punk rock torch while other fellow punkers have lost the true meaning of what it's all about. Johnny Rotten is off living in his mansion and re-uniting the Pistols for tours that cost $40-$50 to get into and MTV has their own brand of punk that just sees it all as a image. Sure Joe's solo stuff sounds nothing like the Clash did (well some of his earlier solo stuff on Earthquake Weather, which is his best solo album and needs to be re-released had some Clash sound)but Joe was just one member of the Clash! Mick Jones' band Big Audio Dynamite sounded nothing like the Clash but they still had minor success (though it was with songs that sounded like Should I Stay Or Should I Go). The album cover says Joe Strummer not the Clash just like John Lennon's albums said his name and not the Beatles. I will say that not everyone that is into what Joe because known for will like his two recent albums with the Mescaleros but name me one former punk that's kept their sound fresh and new over the years and has not sold out and re-did the same songs over and over. Joe was truly an original. Global A GO-GO to be is a good album but I really can't compare it to the last one. Both are totally different and even feature different members because the original Mescaleros line-up isn't all there anymore. The first album was basically them getting their feet wet and now with one album out of the way and tons of touring (I was lucky enough to see Joe's first U.S. show in 10 years back in 1999 in DC and it was amazing)they are now more comfortable. Yes once again people looking for The Clash will be letdown though there are hints of the Clash on this album. At The Border,Guy is pure Sandinista! and has the same feel as Bankrobber did, which is one of the best Clash songs ever. I actually think that if the Clash were still making music today that this is what it would sound like. All of the members have moved on from the pure punk sound of the early days, which actually was only featured on the first album. Joe still was hanging around the scene until his death two weeks ago and still helped out old friends and took the newer bands under his wing much like Joey Ramone did until his death in 2001. Joe Strummer is gone but like all musicians that have passed away their music will live on forever. It's even more bittersweet to think that The Clash were ready to acutally re-form for the Rock and Roll Hall Of Fame show in 2 months ( they were going to play White Riot without Topper but original drummer Terry Chimes was gonna play behind the kit)but since Joe is gone the world will never get that much needed Clash re-union. We will always have the music that Joe gave us. Joe may not be here to give us more music but we can help his legacy live on by spreding the word around about what this man did and letting the future genrations listen to what real music with real heart and soul actually sounded like. It's sad that the real artists have to be taken from us while there is so much [junk] polluting the musical world these days. We need Joe Strummer, the world needs Joe Strummer!
Thank You so much Joe, for everything!

I love this album, but i give it a 4 star rating because i was waiting for the 3rd Mescaleros album to come out and expected the ultimate. I've seen an obvious progression in his music and will miss terribly that there will be no more Strummer music. I recommend this to anyone who wants to hear Joe Strummer's message, and his voice was truly one of a kind.

I've had this since it was released, and was convinced that it
was not nearly as good as Rock Art and the Xray style. Joe's
VERY UNFORTUNATE death promped me to re listen, and add a review.
What I hear is an artist more determined, much like Peter Gabriel, to embrace the many diverse musical sounds that fill our
world. At the same time, Joe has a story to tell about a
variety of topics. In one of his last interviews, Joe indicated
that he was tired of The Clash overshadowing his work given
that he still had alot to say. This album is proof that Joe
was as vital when this was released as his day's with the Clash.
I only hope that the recordings for the 3rd Mescaleros record
find their way out.

With the news of Joe Strummer's passing, my heart has skipped a beat...The frontman for the only Band that Mattered has joined Joey and Dee Dee in Punk Rock Heaven. When I get the nerve to listen to the old Clash stuff and his more recent work, I will cry, sing along, and celebrate the life of an individual I saw as a hero. He passed at least knowing that the Clash gained the respect they deserved by being inducted into the Rock 'n Roll Hall of Fame. Thanks for all the memories Joe! RIP.

Former Clash frontman Joe Strummer delivers the goods (with his boys The Mescaleros). Not since the days of The Clash have we seen Joe in such fine form with his music. He has come into his own distinctive sound, and maturity in Joe has produced some brave new sounds for him. The result? We get the folk rock song: "Johnny Appleseed", the ethnically diverse: "Bindee Biaghee" and a reminescent taste of what the Clash could sound like today with "Coolin' Out". By the way Rolling Stone Mag. featured an article in its Dec. 2002 random news column that Mick and Joe were seen rockin out together at a November charity benefit in London. They played some great old favs like: London's Burning, White Riot, and Bankrobber. I really wish these guys would just put there differences aside and get back together (hint, hint)!! They don't need to do the same exact music as before but we'd all love to see what they could come up with now. Anyway kudos to Joe and his boys for a job well done on "Global A Go-Go". Do yourself a favor, and pick up a copy. There are no regrets.

I'm amazed at all of the psuedo-intellectual reviews of this CD. I'm 47 yrs. old, and have been absolutely ensconced in every genre of music since I was about seven (7 yrs. old); bottom line---I'd trade everything to be / have the creativity of Joe Strummer. There's really not much else that can be said...

I bought this 2001 album -- along with Rock Art And The X-Ray Style -- just two days before 9/11, so in the days following the terrorist attacks, Joe Strummer was just about all I listened to. But while Rock Art seemed mostly escapist to me, Global A Go-Go grew more poignant with each listen as I dug deeper into Joe's "one world" vision. In the song "Global A Go-Go" (which features harmony vocals by Roger Daltrey of the Who), the former Clash frontman sings of taking over the world's airwaves and using music to bring all kinds of people together: "Bo Diddley's in Finland Station, Sun Ra's in Omaha, the Skatalites in New York City ... Good hip-hop in Islamabad." "Bhindi Bhagee" is virtually a celebration of diversity, as Strummer dicusses food and musical styles with a stranger. I also love the wry commentary of the rollicking "Johnny Appleseed" ("If you're after getting the honey, then you don't go killin' all the bees") and the funky "Cool 'n' Out" ("God sure baked a lot of fruitcake, baby, when Adam met the Eden lady"). My favorite track would have to be the lush "Mega Bottle Ride," about a depressed lad who finds a cure for his "blues" -- not in drinking or dancing, but in an amusement park ride.

Of course, Strummer and his ragtag band of talented multi-instrumentalists continue to do interesting things with their music. Even more so than Rock Art, Global captures the unself-conscious eclecticism of Clash classics like London Calling (1979) and Sandinista (1980) without actually trying to re-make those records. Joe and the Mescaleros perform a lovely, 18-minute version of the traditional "Minstrel Boy"; new member (and onetime Clash collaborator) Tymon Dogg brings his violin into the mix, most memorably on "Johnny Appleseed," "Bhindi Bhagee," and the folk-based ballad "Bummed Out City"; and tracks like "Shaktar Donetsk" and "Mondo Bongo" find the band delving deeper into world music. There are only a couple of clunkers here: "Gamma Ray" has a humorous lyrical conceit (a paranoid nutjob blames the world's ills on the title object), but it doesn't hold up for 7 whole minutes; "At the Border, Guy," also 7 minutes but less funny and with a more monotonous melody, is even more tedious. These missteps aside, though, Strummer shows us that "mature punk" needn't be such a scary thing if it still has something interesting to say musically and lyrically.
P.S.: Joe -- bless his heart -- dedicates this album to the late Joey Ramone (of punk heroes the Ramones).

My first introduction to Joe Strummer was in 1981 at the Rolling Stones concert at JFK stadium in Philadelphia. I was there of course to see the Stones, and halfway through the warm up presentation, Joe Strummer asked the audience if they wanted the band to leave the stage since he had just been hit in the face by an orange -- I think I was too stoned to notice whether the music merited such as response.

For some reason, I never got into The Clash, I obviously was not very sophisticated about music during high school and college in the 1980s. Fortunately, this album made me stand up and take notice. After 2 listens of Global a Go-Go, I went out and purchased London Calling, which is now one of my favorites.

This CD topped every expectation I had of Joe Strummer. This is world music at its best, very accessible, stands up over time,
always interesting. One of the best albums of 2001, I just can't figure out how it did not get more recognition.

I was fortunate to catch Joe Strummer's appearance in Brooklyn in April, one of the best shows I have ever seen. The band was tight, not only playing tunes from the 2 Joe Strummer & the Mescaleros, but also playing Clash tunes -- the encore was a cover of Lou Reed & The Velvet Underground.

This is a keeper I will listen to for a long time.

I'll keep it brief. probably the best album i've heard in years. Strummer can keep anyone interested with his thoughtful lyrics ... but the music adds the final touch, showing all round brilliance!!

Previous reviews are accurate. It's an album that is a bit more focused on various rhythms and sonic texturing than melodies, in comparison to Xray Style. The ability to meld so many styles into his (their) own is pretty amazing, this is obviously a manifestation of Joe's "rebel music" philosophy. I love (on both albums really) how there are little snippets of breakbeats and drum machines, except thankfully no amateurish electronic sounds made this album - unlike Xray Style. The one song I don't like, or understand, is the "gamma ray" from Indianapolis. Anyone? Actually, the main things I wanted to add to the other reviews are 1) Tymon Dogg's violin work is amazing, especially that staccato stuff on "Bummed Out City," and 2) it's got Roger Daltrey on it!!!! I knew that backing vocal could NOT be Joe ("Please, don't let that voice be Joe... that's not you, is it Joe?"). Open the liner notes - Daltrey!! What a weird collabo. Anyway, cop it.

Strummers third solo album, (lets not forget "Earthquake Weather"), takes us for a wild ride with a swirling blend of ethnic percussion,folk, reggae, and celtic music. Joe doesnt loose his message of freedom in all this, and his cool savvy Clashish style remians. Maturity is a blessing for Joe, who is the only member of the Clash brave enough to still be "Cool-N'-Out". Way to go Joe! I gave this album 4 stars because I still have a hard time understanding the lyrics to some of his songs, (I think he uses his own language), and Minstrel Boy was an intersting idea,(esp. since Joe sang with the Pogues), however I felt like it could've been shortened, and yet still would've made it's impact on the album. All in all, Global A Go-Go's music was Strummers best yet, and I look forward to his next album.

This album is as good as the last Strummer album, although I agree that it is not quite as melodious. Borrowing rhythmic motifs and stylings from the music of other cultures, Strummer continues to demonstrate his musical versatility and his uncanny ability to translate these traditions into his own unique sound. What's especially nice is that the old Strummer/Clash front man that we have always known and loved does not get lost in the newly-acquired stylings - through it all, Strummer has a knack for keeping the old punk-rock edge and making the music meaningful. I'm Diggin the New- don't know about you!

This album really grows on you. I Wanted to give it 4 1/2 stars.

still worth a listen,but its hard to get into,maybe needs more time than 2 months.a few decent tracks,but goes a bit off the wall at times,but im sticking with it and hope that the next one gets better,the jurys still out joe

What a great CD, particularly because it's so full of Strummer's wisdom and humor. The instrumentation is nicely complex and ensures that this cd can be listened to over and over again. I wasn't a fan of too many tracks on the last cd but this one is so solid that I'm excited for the future of Strummer's solo career. There's no one like him and it really shows why on this cd.

I think this CD is great. Infact, I think it's better than Rock art and the X-ray style. If you're reading this review, I don't need to tell you who Joe Strummer is... and I probably don't need to tell you that he's been exploring all sorts of music genres as of late. What you probably wanna know is, "Are these songs any good?" Well, in my opinion, yeah! First of all, the opening track, Johnny Appleseed is catchy as hell. It could easily be a hit on the radio. (Although no radio station will ever play it) And the electronica inspired Cool'n'Out is as rock'n'roll as any Clash tune. I also like Bhindi Bhagee, Gamma Ray, and Mondo Bongo. The CD kinda loses steam towards the end there....but it's still pretty good. It's worth the money. So buy it fool!

I have been a Strummer fan since I found the first Clash import singles in the East Village a long time ago. I will listen to anything he does--I even have his soundtrack albums--but nothing prepared me for this album. It's intense, textured, full of passion and wit--and anger--and blends musical styles together so well that it creates a new unique sound. In a sense, it is as breathtakingly unexpected as London's Calling was in it's time. (He's not kidding when he said "Global", by the way.) This is 'mature' in it's depth of feeling and it's sharp observation. Some of the best work he has ever done.

Even though the music is good, I hate this album because it doesn't sound exactly like the Clash. I had very specific expectations for this album, I wanted it to sound exactly like the Clash, especially their first album, especially the UK Version, but the "music" on this album bears little to no resemblance to the way I expected it to sound in my head. I am so sick of "art."

In the US at least, the spectre of the 1960's still prevails as the last important era in music. Yet many of these artists dried up creatively by the mid-1970's, and have since made do with nostalgia tours and mediocre albums. Across the pond, by contrast, the punk and post-punk generation is still making quality music, all while ignored by the American music establishment. Billy Bragg, Paul Weller, Joe Strummer, Lloyd Cole, Elvis Costello, and the like are still full of ideas and great tunes. This album is indicative of this.

The cd lives up to its name - it pulls in influences as discrete as reggae, Celtic, and even Hindi (in Bhindi Bhagee). But it's not a parody of world music (like, say, John Tesh's One World cd - wait a minute, why am I mentioning Joe Strummer and John Tesh in the same paragraph?); it's still Joe, with his cigarette-molded raspy voice, and his knack for great music. The Mescaleros are in fine form, and from the first song (Johnny Appleseed - great straight-ahead rock song) to the almost-18-minute long Minstrel Boy (which doesn't bore you - it mesmerizes you) you'll enjoy this album.

...

The 17:00 min. version of "The Minstrel Boy" is worth price of admission alone. People who cut it down are obviously not familar w/the songs' history nor Joe's intentions by including it.

Here is a sample of the old Irish tunes' lyrics:

The Minstrel fell! But the foeman's chain Could not bring that proud soul under The harp he lov'd ne'er spoke again For he tore its chords asunder And said "No chains shall sully thee Thou soul of love and brav'ry! Thy songs were made for the pure and free, They shall never sound in slavery!

A comment on war? the freedoms music provides? a politcal comment by Mr. Strummer? All of the above?

Why don't you listen again, and use the 17:00 you consider "fluff" to think about it, Mr. Edward Saboley?

Kind of hard to define Strummer's music, as he's got so many influences---but the thing is, he's never overpowered by his influences--he always sounds like Joe Strummer. I think this album is comparable to Rock Art, in the tone and direction of the songs. I think there's a bit more depth and soul to the SOUND of this one, though, with a greater emphasis on ethnic percussion and instruments really filling things out nicely. Something that's coming through on his solo albums, starting with Earthquake Weather, is a warmth, humility and wistfullness that wasn't ever at the forefront of his music with the Clash. Man, combined with his years with the Clash, if Joe keeps putting out an album like this every few years, he's going to have one of the most impressive bodies of work in the history of rock music.

Oh, as far as the 17 minute closer----Joe has done his share of songs clocking in under 3 minutes--give him a break! I thought this was a very nice piece, that would not have sounded at all out of place on a Pogues album.