Signing Off
UB40
1980
Album Summary
Signing Off is the debut album by British reggae band UB40, released in the UK on 29 August 1980 by Dudley-based independent label Graduate Records. It was an immediate success in their home country, reaching number 2 on the UK albums chart, and made UB40 one of the many popular reggae bands in Britain, several years before the band found international fame. The politically-concerned lyrics struck a chord in a country with widespread public divisions over high unemployment, the policies of the recently elected Conservative party under Margaret Thatcher, and the rise of the racist National Front party, while the record's dub-influenced rhythms reflected the late 1970s influence in British pop music of West Indian music introduced by immigrants from the Caribbean after the Second World War, particularly reggae and ska – this was typified by the 2 Tone movement, at that point at the height of its success and led by fellow West Midlands act The Specials, with whom UB40 drew comparisons due to their multiracial band line-up and socialist views. Still considered by many fans and music critics to be UB40's best album, Signing Off was reissued for its 30th anniversary in 2010 as a "collector's edition" containing bonus tracks and a DVD of the videos for the singles plus television footage of the band from the time of the album's release.
WikipediaYou can't beat a bit of Brummie Reggae. A throw back to early 1980s black inequality, three million unemployed and on the dole in Thatcher's inner city Britain. A classic album, and a great document of that era. Used millions of times, usually accompanied with grainy news footage of inner city squaller, queues at the job centre, inner city riots, burnt out cars and striking industrial union members.
I tend to like the more dubby instrumental tracks/passages here. Always a fan of deep prominent basslines. It's okay but wouldn't be my first choice for reggae, etc.
i can only imagine that in the 80s the united kingdoms was resplendent with reggae norm macdonalds putting unique and terrible white boy flows on reggae
UB40, political motivated lyrics influenced by their folk singing families. Formed whilst signing on, Ali Campbell was glassed in the face and his eye popped out, with the compensation he bought a drum kit for the band. They drank the rest of the cash in the local pub. Now split due to disagreements about money Ali and Astro tour signing the hits whilst Robin Campbell his brother is suing Ali, what a shambles. Great songs that tell a story of the social struggles of the 80s in reggae.
Eh, it's ok. White guys singing reggae always makes me laugh. +1 stars for being from Birmingham
Did not realize UB40 sang political messaging, so a bit more respect to them. I'm not a huuuge fan of Reggae but as this goes it's pretty good. Reggae is kind of nice background music for me. It all is groovy and easy listening.
I loved the sax added to the reggae vibe. I thought that was cool and unique. Otherwise it was awfully redundant. I could have Listened to the first 30 seconds of each song and still gotten the same experience musically
Later UB40 is very annoying. Early UB40 as seen here has a few decent songs but is mostly forgettable.
I don't get reggae, never did. But at least with Marley, I get that he's the real deal and a pioneer. UB40 just sound fake and lame. This is what I imagine my personal hell sounds like. F
If it is not Bob Marley, the appeal to reggae is hard to feel. While the songs and styling are certainly reggae, this foray into pop puts a clear line of demarcation between pop reggae and reggae as a culture. The positive and well-earned critique is that UB40 does reggae really well as a song and musical style. The sounds and pop infused elements make for a different yet acceptable take. However, and perhaps this is the differentiator of what Bob Marley gave us vs. what other reggae artists have done is that there is a measure of heart and soul in the cultural significance of Bob Marley that we truthfully need to consider not holding other reggae artists accountable to. As objectively as possible, UB40's "Signing Off" is a good, well executed reggae pop album if the listener is into it for the sake of reggae... and pop. The sounds are clean and the groovy elements are all the signature expectations that one might have listening to reggae, but with more pop. For this review however, the premise is based on whether or not this album is a prerequisite to the afterlife, and that is difficult to really justify here.
Love the vibes of the album. Need to throw it into my reggae and ska rotation.
Awesome, a classic imo and so chill Didn't know they were british but knowing this list it checks out
Wow. Creo que este ha sido la mayor sorpresa hasta el momento. Yo tenía la impresión de una banda de reggae que hacía cosas pegajosas, no tenía idea que tenían semejante declaración de principios y tremendos rolones. Hasta voy a conseguir el vinil, está verguísima esto.
This is fantastic, had always written off UB40 as a pop-reggae group but this is very roots/dub orientated.
Unbelievable… had know idea these cats pumped out such great dub. I’ll be revisiting this album 100%
Debut album of the most successfull reggae band in the world. Perfect! Must be listened.
I like how this group brings forward political statements especially songs about truth during the time this was written.
4.5/5. Very cool sound effects and backstory behind album + band name. 👍
One of the best things about @1001_albums_gen is reading the backstory of the albums - because this is a fabulous, non-covers debut album i'd never heard. They locked themselves away for a year learning instruments to play - and it's fab!
this is nice pure fucking vibes mm mm mmmmm a very long album but i listened gradually throughout the day and it was so lovely i can’t really fault it
Very cool. I would describe this style as the prog-rock of whatever umbrella genre this album belongs to.
Super chill reggae sounds, love it! Don't think I'd have checked this one out without this, so I'm really glad!
I had no idea that prior to being the house wives' favourite reggae-lite pop band UB40 were a politically charged reggae behemoth. The music on display here is rudimentary, it's clearly a band still learning to play, but the album is all the better for that. The rough around the edges feel provides an authenticity that you're not getting with Red, Red Wine! There's a soulful, sax driven, feel to the album that makes it much more than a straight up derivative of Jamaica's dub legends. I absolutely loved this album which I did not expect.
How can a band making this political, interesting, honest album filled with Dub and other fantastic rhythms make such rubbish afterwards? Madame Medusa, Food for Thought, Burden of Shame, King, Tyler, album is full of true classics. This one deserves the full 5 stars!
Reggae klassieker, de remaster vond ik ook wel goed. Plaat die bij de favorieten kan.
This is pretty enjoyable, actually. I hadn’t ever heard of them, but I do like reggae.
I really like the UB40 vibe. There are some good songs in the mix, and the tail end of the album really fines a nice groove. In the middle there is a slight sameness... i'll still round up a little bit since i like the sound.
I’ve never listened to their music aside from red red wine. So we’ll see, I’m not the biggest reggae fan. So far it’s actually been quite enjoyable. Very groovy. I wish red red wine was on this album
Pachecón, que así describirlo, tratandose de reggae, es una redundancia. Me gustó el toque de sax. Canción favorita: Madam Medusa, porque sí está mareadora. Mood: hiperfrito
7/10. Might even have been a bit higher, it felt a little bit more interesting than some of the other Reggae albums we've had.
i like this one! some of the songs aren't that notable but it's still fun to listen to the album lol
Super white boy reggae from the Campbell Bros et al. Highlights are "King" a great reggae version of "Strange Fruit" (I wonder what Billie Holliday would have thought?) and "Food For Thought" Lovely time educing sounds
Nice hearing their early stuff, actually, rather than the hits that have been crammed down my ears since childhood! Plus one star out of Brummie pride... Fave track - "Tyler" was a great opening. "Reefer Madness" was fun, too.
Super horn section, classy reggae riffs, such a great group, I loved it.
Really liked this album! I don't listen to enough reggae so I'm glad to know of this band
Great melodies, loved the way they incorporated jazz ska and reggae a reggae classic! Main Critism was it was two long :(
Just-right reggae, with squeaky clean beats and perfectly balanced tempos, nary a note goes wrong.
Never really knew anything outside of "Red Red Wine" from this band but the whole album is pretty chill. I think I've always wrote off reggae as stoner music but I should give it another chance because I really liked the entire album.
Takes me back. the 80s were a great time for reggae and ska to hit the mainstream.
I really enjoyed this. They were doing it long before I knew about them...
Really didn't want to like this. In my memory, UB40 is Red Red Wine, and The Way You Do the Things You Do. This album was not that. I really enjoyed these songs, front to back a very enjoyable album, I'll definitely add some of these tracks to my playlists.
I think, as Americans, we often think of reggae from anywhere but Jamaica as poser music. But that's an ameri-centric view that's almost offensively dismissive of the Jamaican diaspora's impact on British culture. Reggae and ska (the original stuff, not the Cali-ska, third wave trash from my youth) took root in the UK in a way that they didn't in the US. The diaspora and the music it brought changed the game and created brand-new, uniquely British genres like Jungle, House, Dub and, eventually, Grime. You can feel its impact in UK punk bands even. The Clash's "London Calling" album wouldn't exist without British reggae. Anyway, all that to say, I don't have a problem with a bunch of lads from Birmingham making reggae. Especially when it's this good. Does it have the raw edge of Marley's reggae? No. But, then again, comparing every reggae album to Marley seems a bit unfair. The songs are excellently composed, well-performed, and the recordings are damn near immaculate. The lyrics are thoughtful and thought-provoking. I wish there was about 60% less saxophone but I'll let it slide this time because it's just part of the genre. Overall, a pretty great album.
Ub40 luisteren terwijl je aan het fietsen bent op een maandagochtend in de gietende regen geeft je toch nog een beetje een warm gevoel...life is good en het is maar regen.
way more dub than i was expecting. i've no idea what it is about UB40 but i have a soft spot for them and this album almost validates my soft spot. the lack of credibility the more poppy cod reggae brings is easily counteracted by their debut dub album.
Easily 3.75 stars. I had a copy of "Labour of Love" just like everybody else but admittedly have never heard any of UB40's non-cover song work. This came off as a pretty genuine dub record. If I had to pick a reggae band from Birmingham, Steel Pulse would still stand heads and shoulders above IMO, but this was pretty good
This album didn't have any of the traditional Labour of Love UB40 tracks that I'm used to, but I enjoyed it. It's amazing that this is a British, and I love the origin of their band name, too.
Listening to this today on the original vinyl I bought second hand in about 82, complete with bonus 12" disc. What a fine album this is, the most successful bringing together of new wave and reggae, perhaps the reggae equivalent of what Gang of Four did for funk. This and its follow up are just great, but from then on its a tale of diminishing returns, awful covers, awfuler collabs, fallings out and ultimately two UB40s touring simultaneously. Never let 'I got You Babe' stop you listening to this. In their defence they went bust several times and covers are a way to get a hit quick and money in. As a Brummie, whose local has a plaque commemorating their first rehearsal, it hurts that they didn't go onto fulfil the promise of the first two albums, though what do I know, they sold 100 million records. Most of which are Red Red Wine or I Got You Babe.
Some easy reggae. Burden of Shame is great. Madam Medusa is also a bop.
I enjoyed this although I'm not sure I could pick out any song in particular as a favourite. Was all fairy samey but very easy to listen to in the background. Much less pop sounding and far more dubby than I expected, which was a nice surprise. Need more dub on this list. Will be listening again
One of the great things about this list is hearing bands in before they became schlocky 80s ballads. Prime example here. This was miles better than Red Red Wine. More interesting instrumentally and lyrically.
Very laid back, expertly-performed reggae. None of the jam sessions are too long, and it seems like every instrument gets a chance to shine with some lead parts. Love the basslines. Occasionally things get so mellow that the music seems to fade into the background. Still, great stuff.
For me this just kept fading into background reggae. Good but not engaging. My regard for political lyrics is not what it once was.
Had not heard of this band but I think I liked them by the end. Where it got weird for me is when the onligitory 80's synths combined with the soulful reggae grooves.
good, but not really my kind of music. i can appreciate what they were doing tho.
A true classic of British reggae, before they went the pop-reggae route (which wasn't that bad, IMHO).
No, pues no, me doy cuenta una vez más de que el reggae no es para mí. Si bien, de pronto tiene una vibras muy chill, muy buenaonda, me parece un bucle y espero en algún momento una variación o algo que "explote". Es personal, pero bueno, supongo que para los fans del género, debe ser un gran disco (espero). 7/10