Joe Strummer in a Clashback Scene : JOE STRUMMER “Earthquake Weather.” Epic *** 1/2

As leader of seminal punk band the Clash, Joe Strummer established himself as one of the greats of rock ‘n’ roll. A musician of uncommon dignity, intelligence and humor, Strummer left the Clash in 1985 and went on to appear in several movies, score two films, and tour with the Pogues. This, his solo debut LP, should satisfy longtime fans. Mind you, the musicians currently backing him aren’t quite as galvanizing as his old band mates, but they get the job done. Moreover, the social conscience and wildly eclectic interweaving of disparate musical genres here is very much in the Clash’s style.

Focusing on tales of urban violence and the quest for love and justice in an absurd world, “Earthquake Weather” combines the musical imprint of the Clash with an approach to lyric writing evocative of Dylan circa “Highway 61 Revisited.” A hallucinatory travelogue that careens from one surreal encounter to the next, “Earthquake Weather” is like an aural road movie, and Strummer’s love for American culture colors every note on the album. The pell-mell pace slows down for two lilting ballads and a traditional Jamaican children’s tune. For the most part, however, “Earthquake Weather” is a raucous rave-up.