Signing Off

Boring. Extra star awarded for hating Tories

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.

You 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 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

I was prepared to write this off as more generic UK trash, thinking this was going to have Red Red Wine on it and then a whole load of other useless shit. But damn. I was wrong, and my expectations were shattered! This is an amazing reggae album. I'm blown away by the musicianship, the socio-political lyricism, and the cool unique flavour of it all. Well done, lads! Proved me wrong straightaway. And I'm a better person for it, so thanks.

I don't like Reggae, especially this. The songs are all the same, his voice is lazy and his fake accent is off-putting, the saxophone solos are kinda poor a d high school level. I couldn't wait for this to be over.

This album is a testament to UB40's ability to infuse reggae with a distinctive British twist. From the first track, "Tyler," with its politically charged lyrics, to the soulful "I Think It's Going to Rain Today," "Signing Off" offers a diverse musical journey. The band's use of horns and dub-style production sets them apart in the genre, creating a unique sound that's both infectious and thought-provoking. One of the standout tracks is "King," which showcases the band's socially conscious lyrics, addressing themes of poverty and inequality. The song's skanking rhythm and haunting melody make it an anthem of resistance. Another gem is "Food for Thought," with its upbeat tempo and powerful lyrics that reflect on the struggles of urban life. UB40's cover of Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today" is a poignant, stripped-down moment on the album. It showcases the band's ability to breathe new life into familiar songs, making them their own with their reggae-infused interpretations. What makes "Signing Off" enduring is its lyrical relevance and universal themes. The album speaks to issues that remain pertinent today, such as social injustice and the human condition. The band's commitment to addressing these themes through their music has solidified their place in music history. "Signing Off" is a landmark album that ushered in a new era for British reggae. UB40's fusion of reggae with socially conscious lyrics and their unique sound continues to inspire and resonate with audiences worldwide. It's an album that stands the test of time, making it a must-listen for anyone exploring the rich tapestry of reggae music.

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 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

While not known for much more than Red Red Wine by novice reggae listeners, the music of UB40 is highly significant to most serious reggae listeners. When they emerged in Birmingham in the late 1970's with this album leading wave after wave, suddenly a new alternative to Bob Marley, Jimmy Cliff, and other early pioneers hit the scene. And while reggae is often accused of "all sounds the same", it isn't. The sound of UB40's Signing Off, the lyrics, and the overall originality of its ideas have led it to be a major stand out above many lackluster reggae albums out there in the universe. For example, the keyboard sounds that lead 'King' are unique to this song and as far as I know aren't on any other band's reggae albums to date. The waves of baritone and the tight rhythms are in constant play across the album and work very nicely together. We had this album at least by the early 1980's and it got a lot of play in the house. A lot of it is instrumental and the spare words mean that the focus here is on instrumentation and rhythm, the two things that UB40 did very well. The timing too is excellent. 'Tyler' at 1:39 is a very good example of the genius of their timing. For the record, Red Red Wine is their absolute worst song. That song is kind of UB40's Touch of Grey if that resonates.

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!

Signing Off UB40 are one of those bands that just exist and seemed to have always existed, but I’ve never been that curious about them. I do like One in Ten and Rat in Mi Kitchen, but I don’t really like their versions of Red Red Wine, I Got You Babe or I Can’t Help Falling In Love, which appeared on the soundtrack to Speed 2: Cruise Control. I liked this album though, especially on repeat listens. It’s way more dubby than I expected, I suppose easy to compare them to The Specials as a similarly multi-racial band from the same time, but rather than the uptempo, energetic punky-inflected ska this has a much more woozily atmospheric haze to it. I suppose it’s the nature of the genre that the songs have similar structures and on first listen sound alike. But after a few listens it felt like the songs started to reveal more individual character. Tyler, King, Burden of Shame, Food for Thought, Little By Little and Madam Medusa really standing out, as I started to notice some Jazzy and eastern inflections and some nice keyboard touches, like the almost harpsichord stabs on Food for Thought. The rhythm section as well is excellent, the bass and drum combination on something like Madam Medusa is great. I really enjoyed this, much more than I was expecting I would, the dubby atmosphere and slow tempo grooves are great, suiting the ideological bent of the lyrics and themes. Solid 4. 🖋️🖋️🖋️🖋️ Playlist submission: Food for Thought

This may stick with me; I believe their claim to have rehearsed this album for around a year: it’s the leanest dub album I’ve heard. I’m also surprised by how heavy a dub album it is: so far, I haven’t found anything close on this list. The undersea wooziness is in place, as is the bass’s hypnotic dancing around a point, melodies skidding above and out, and there’s an intricacy to how all the different parts work together. I’d heard but never listened to “Food For Thought” before: massive, right from “Ivory Madonna”, and it encapsulates the record’s overall feel: discontented and melancholic. The psychedelic lurches of the echoes and spaces here indicate dislocation rather than bliss. My usual obliviousness to lyrical content - especially when it’s political, like here - is bypassed by this inherent uneasiness. The keyboard stabs on “King” are unearthly. “Burden of Shame” leans towards the weirder corners of surf rock, obviously in some of the theremin-like wobbles, but also in how it races towards the end. During “Madam Medusa” I started paying for attention to the percussion, especially the tip-toeing cymbals, and forgot where I was for a while - party music for the deep night. Also, the cover is brilliant. A friend had warned me UB40 would surprise me. I waited for a misstep, but it’s a tight hour.

In 1979 I drank in the Castle & Falcon, Balsall Heath, Birmingham. I remember one night a guy burst in saying "look, my cousins have made it big!" and showing everyone who would listen a newspaper clipping. UB40 had a chart hit. This album is hugely evocative of that time. I bought it, and bought another copy for my girlfriend. I later worked in an unemployment benefit office and became very familiar with the UB40 which makes up the fantastic cover sleeve. This was easily the best UB40 album and though I love the band and they did lots of good stuff over the years, this was by far their artistic highpoint. It's brilliant.

Unbelievable… had know idea these cats pumped out such great dub. I’ll be revisiting this album 100%

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.

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.

personally don't like reggae and this did not help, just entirely dull and boring

Blergh

This rating might be because I'm in a bad mood, it might be because I'm tired of this list being almost exclusively British music, or it might be the fact that reggae is my least favorite style of music. Either way, f this album.

I only know "red red wine" from UB40. Every song feels endlessly repetitive. 1 hr of this was unghhhhh

3 1 stars in a row! Just boring reggae (as most is) nothing special, it just sounds like a generic reggae album. There's even a song about weed! Oh boy! For the record I love me some THC but talking about it, making it your personality, etc has always been cringe to me. Can I please get an album that's at least 2 stars good now?

Fuck these guys.

Man, every time I put on "Signing Off," I'm blown away by how perfectly it captures that moment in time - Birmingham 1980, Thatcher's Britain in full swing, unemployment through the roof, and here comes this multiracial band of friends making this absolutely massive sound in a bedsit using basic equipment. The fact that they named themselves after the unemployment benefit form (UB40) tells you everything you need to know about where their heads were at. First thing that hits you is that production - it's so raw and spacious, miles away from the polished reggae-pop they'd later be known for. The whole thing was recorded on a basic 4-track in the producer's house, but somehow that limitation worked in their favor. Every instrument has room to breathe, especially that distinctive UB40 bass sound. Ali Campbell's voice hasn't yet developed that smoothness he'd later be known for - here it's younger, rougher, more urgent. The album opens with "Tyler," and holy hell, what an opener. It's a protest song about a wrongly imprisoned man (Gary Tyler, look him up), but even if you don't catch the lyrics, that saxophone line is just haunting. The way it weaves around the bass... pure magic. Then you've got "King," which might be the funkiest anti-monarchy song ever recorded. The brass section is just *chef's kiss*. "Food for Thought" was their breakthrough single, and it's easy to see why. That mix of catchy melody and heavy lyrics about global inequality - it's UB40 in a nutshell. But for my money, "Signing Off" is at its best in its deeper cuts. "Little by Little" has this hypnotic quality that just builds and builds. And "Burden of Shame"? That track about British colonialism hits harder today than ever. One thing that doesn't get talked about enough is how much jazz influence there is on this record. Sure, it's a reggae album at its core, but listen to those horn arrangements on "Strange Fruit" (yeah, they covered Billie Holiday, and they had the chops to pull it off). The saxophone work throughout is more John Coltrane than Bob Marley. The political message is front and center - unemployment, racism, colonial guilt, nuclear weapons - but it never feels preachy. These were just young guys singing about their reality and the world they saw around them. It's protest music you can dance to, which is a harder trick to pull off than it sounds. What really gets me is how fresh this album still sounds today. While some political music from this era can feel dated or tied to specific events, the themes on "Signing Off" are unfortunately still relevant. Plus, that stripped-down production means it never fell into the trap of using trendy sounds that would age poorly. The deluxe edition includes the "Graduate" EP, and those tracks ("Dream a Lie" especially) are essential listening too. They show the band experimenting with different sounds while keeping that core message intact. Look, I know most people know UB40 from their covers of "Red Red Wine" and "Can't Help Falling in Love," and those are fine songs. But "Signing Off" is something else entirely - it's lightning in a bottle. It's eight unemployed friends from Birmingham creating something truly original and important. This isn't just one of the best debut albums of the 1980s; it's one of the best British albums period. If you're new to UB40, forget everything you think you know about them and start here. And if you already know this album? Put it on again. That baseline on "Food for Thought" still hits just as hard as it did in 1980. Five stars out of five, no question. They'd go on to sell way more records with their later stuff, but they'd never make anything this vital again.

Good songs, dancing music

A great reggae workout.

Mostly great

I think I'll keep coming back to this one. Incredibly soulful vocals (the lead and toasting) and dynamic interplay within a large ensemble of musicians. How they riff on a tune sometimes becomes a different song in itself. Also, sonically a masterwork in engineering. Bonus for the Randy Newman cover

Perfect!

Amazing!!

I came in expecting comfortable pop tunes like Red Red Wine, instead I was treated with fantastic dub music. What a pleasant surprise!

So grovy and chill.

Such a great album.

Caught off off guard with how they present the message in many of the songs. Hearing Strange Fruit in a reggae vibe is astoundingly listenable.

Surprisingly fantastic. Jammy in a satisfying way. It’s one of those albums where it’s hard to describe what exactly makes it great. It’s both nothing and everything. It held my attention for an hour and 6 minutes, I can’t give a much more ringing endorsement than that.

What a great choice for the sole UB40 album in this collection. I expected to hear an album of songs like "Red red wine" or "I got you babe", and instead we get a much more nuanced and thoughtful album from the ambassadors of British reggae. I'll admit that I probably wouldn't have noticed or heard the stinging and political commentary in most of the songs if it weren't for the Wikipedia and "1001 Albums" entries highlighting them, so I'm glad I read up as I listened to their mellow beats. I enjoyed much more of the album than I expected, but my favorites of the lot were "Tyler" and its critique of America's justice system, imperial failures in "Burden of shame", the Band-Aid-prescient "Food for thought", and the admittedly overlong "Madame Medusa" (I always have a soft spot for any and all songs that skewer Thatcher, and they do a great job here). I definitely have much more respect for UB40 now, even if they left their fire behind long ago.

4/5. This was a very interesting album. I think I enjoyed most of it but reggae can become tiresome after a little bit. Thankfully, this album mixed it up with some heavier guitars and electronic sounds that made it sound more like a space jam than a reggae sesh. Although some of the songs overstayed their welcome, the epic Madam Medusa felt correct. It changed up enough to take on some progressive rock sounds. I think this album will take some growing but to stay optimistic, I'm putting it at 4 because it was "cool" reggae, which is hard to do. Best Song: Tyler, Madam Medusa, Food For Thought

Not really my cup of tea (actually tea is not really my cup of tea, I prefer coffee) but I can appreciate the talent, skill and originality that has gone into this and so it gets 4 stars even though I will probably never listen to it again.

I really like UB40, especially their earlier stuff like this. Tbh I love most of the politically conscientious stuff that was coming out of the Midlands around this time. Great album.

Local and vocal. Nice to revisit and remember how much of an impact this had when it came out.

Didn’t know this at all apart from Food for Thought. Loved it

This was some very solid and enjoyable reggae.

Smooth and groovy, really good stuff, 4 stars.

Great stuff. You can really hear the care they put into their music.

I got into music in the mid 80s, so I'm familiar with their pop reggae side. This sounds quite different. It has the desperation and sincerity that their later music lacks. Favorite song: Tyler.

Nice reggae groves. Good listening while working. A little bit monotonous, but otherwise good 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars

This was a great reggae sounding album. It feels like Sublime used these guys as inspiration.

Enjoyed the music!!

Great album. Great music,timeless sound and great message, wish there were a little more vocals towards the end.

Ok, so I only know UB40 from red red wine, and I didn't have high expectations for this album. I was very pleasantly surprised. Any anti-tories are cool with me, and the sound is significantly better than i expected. Some really fun tracks

Nice vibes, cool ethos but very protracted. Did they ever write a good hook of their own?

Didn’t realize what a solid reggae band they were

I can safely say I did not expect to ever listen to a UB40 album. I know them only for the song "Red Red Wine" that used to come on the radio when I was a kid, and the song "David Bowie" by Phish. Album art goes hard with an Unemployment Benefit card -- reminds me a bit of ODB's Return to the 36 Chambers. Dub out of the gate with Tyler. Had to roll it back when the song did the first stutter step -- thought I had dropped bluetooth connection, but it is just really well executed. 12 Bar is a spacey instrumental jam. Burden of Shame is a stand out I feel like I've heard it before; perhaps as a cover? Somber song about the inherited guilt that we all have as citizens aware of our nation's sins and yet doing nothing about it. Love the spaced out, unforced atmosphere and layering in the mix. Interesting, unexpected tempo change in the back quarter when this drops into a driving dub stomp complete with bright synth, echo/reverb laden effects, and a burbling bass line. Food For Thought jumps off the page as another single of note. Has an undeniable bounce and melody that is catchy as hell. Love the use of call and response between the vocals and guitar, as well as the supporting horns. This is the kind of song I can't help but tap along to. Also features some really cool effects and percussion work toward the back quarter. I will say, this album really surprised me. I went in with Red Red Wine on my mind and was surprised to find UB40 much more somber and reflective, with some really solid technical follow through. I'm not generally huge on reggae as I tend to find many entries in the genre run together with the same sounds and tricks pulled into a mediocre slurry; however, this album is an exception. Sure there are plenty of reggae/dub tropes on display, but they are well executed and extended upon. Beautiful production makes for a smokey, spacey atmosphere that spotlights individual instrument contributions. The album runs a little long for my liking, but I enjoyed just about every aspect of this one. Very solid 4 / 5 for me.

I liked this album. Nice reggae beat with a lot of instrumental. Great for working while listening because it was a calming feel. I give it a soft 4 because I would have no problem listening to this whole album again even tomorrow.

Incredibly solid reggae/electronic fusion that is right up my alley. Great for easy listening. No extraordinary highs and certainly no low points. I could day drink at Seacrets with this album on repeat and have no issues.

Never going to complain about a nice reggae album. This was so nice to listen to and it blows my mind that this came out in 1980 with how good the production is. I loved the soothing singer and also the fact that they had full instrumental songs to melt in to. Every instrument was so balanced with eachother, especially love the saxaphone. Reefer Madness is such a groovy track to end on. Very solid 4, was sniffing 5 territory at points.

I only know Red Red Wine I think by these guys which isn't on here. Ready for some reggae. This is great background music and what I want in my reggae. Burden of Shame is a standout to me with that melodica. Also had to make sure it wasn't a whole new song with the key change. The end sounds like something I've heard before but can't put my finger on it. Edit: just saw on wiki it sounds like Moondance by Van Morrison. This is really some good spacey reggae music with a great collection of instruments. Solid 4 from me.

Such a strong debut! I never dove into UB40's output, and I loved this one. Very good performances throughout, thought-provoking lyrics, and great production! I feel this could turn for a great summer album this year! Standout tracks: Tyler, King, Burden Of Shame, Food For Thought, Madam Medusa, Strange Fruit 8,5 out of 10

1. 3.5 2. 4.2 3. 4.1 4. 3.7 5. 3.8 6. 4 7. 3.8 8. 4.2 9. 4.4 10. 4

Eh, it's ok. White guys singing reggae always makes me laugh. +1 stars for being from Birmingham

Even though they did not invent the ‘Dub’ genre, the debut album of UK Pop Reggae group UB40 still had enough reach to bring the genre to new ears in the UK, a big part of which were the politically charged lyrics that tied in with a lot of the politics that happened at that time. They might not have gathered the international fame they would later recieve but “Signing Off” still reached Number 2 on the offical UK Charts and even got to Nr. 1 on the Indie Charts which is no small deal for a debut record. Interestingly enough, the album consists of 2 different records, a normal 33rpm for the first 10 songs and an additional 45rpm for the other three tracks of which one is a nearly 13 minute long track. It might not go into history as one of the best Reggae albums of all time but surely as one of the most important to come out of the UK. ‘Tyler’ starts the album with a pretty interesting and groovy Reggae track that plays with the Dub characteristics like reverb and effects. The vocals come on not all that loudly mixed but still fitting with the vibe of the instrumentals. I really enjoy the chorus as it is pretty catchy and the saxophones also add a lot to the overall enjoyment of the track. Near the last third, the vocals just seem to fly out of the room with some pretty interesting effects before the song suddenly changes completely into a more groovy and danceable song before going back once again for a last part from the original song. It is pretty streched out but it’s still good enough to be considered good in my opinion. The following ‘King’ seems to pull much more from Roots Reggae with the vocal performances but still have the modern Dub in the instrumental of the track. It’s still pretty groovy and I especially like the sax parts but I don’t get why they have to change the song’s sound and structure so often before returning to the original song. It disrupts the listening experience and doesn’t help a song stick out more that wasn’t all that interesting to begin with. Quite the opposite happens because as you expect more, it doesn’t come and makes you dislike the song even more. It’s not totally bad but pretty close. With ‘12 Bar’ they just went all in on the Dub and just put a few vocals here and there but vocals that aren’t typical Reggae at all. It’s more just someone slightly singing in the background for a couple of seconds before vanishing. I do think that these few added vocals destroy a bit of the songs instrumental vibe but apart from that, there isn’t much “bad” on it, it’s just pretty boring and the “bad” parts with the vocals drag it down more than it should’ve. It’s just bad which is a shame because if it was shorter and without these few added vocals, this could’ve been quite alright. ’Burden of Shame’ is with 7 minutes the second longest song on the album and one that sounds more like typical Reggae. They also don’t really mess around with it too much even if some parts do feel a bit frustrating with the way they seem to hint to something but for the most part it stays uninteresting and plain without much making it better or worse. It’s mainly the time that make it drag down the enjoyment but as there aren’t as many bad parts, it stays at below average. They pretty much go all in on the instrumental Dub with ’Adella’ and don’t add a single vocal to it. The song might be a pretty boring one again, mainly because it just sounds so alike to the previous songs without anything new that might break out into new grounds but it doesn’t annoy at any point. It’s short enough to be tolerable in terms of length and the music is pretty enough to be okay to listen to even if maybe apart from the drums there isn’t anything that really makes for a good song. It’s just pretty average. The slow and psychedelic start of ‘I Think It's Going to Rain Today’ introduces a new song that focuses much more on vocals and lyrics than the previous one. It’s a decent and fun track with some nice instrumentation here and there and a pretty neat vocal harmony both with verses and chorus. It is quite alright as it doesn’t stretch as much as songs did on the first side of the LP and doesn’t at all turn to a moment where you feel like you’ve heard it enough. There is a strong repetition but it’s not as annoying as on previous tracks which does result in a solid and listenable song. With ‘25%’ they play a bit more with atomspheric and psychedelic soundscapes at the start of the song and then slowly turn it into a classic mellow Dub track with a very calm side that for the most, does feel pretty repetitive and that very fast with the only big quality being the guitar at certain parts but only if you dig deep. For the most, it is a really sleepy and annoyingly repetitive track that doesn’t have much in terms of quality. ’Food for Thought ‘ returns to more vocals but certainly not with a lot of interesting delivery. The instrumental doesn’t have much going for it and doesn’t sound all that seperated from the other songs, pretty much the “sounds all the same” problem, and the vocals don’t add much either except being there. Luckily there aren’t many things that make the song drag down or annoying but for the most it’s just there and not doing anything with me and probably most listeners. It does get a bit more catchy on ‘Little by Little’ which has a nice hook at the beginning already which does hype up the rest of the song a bit. Sadly, the vocals aren’t all that lovely and even though I enjoy some parts of the instrumental and said chorus, for the most, the song doesn’t really get me as interested in the long term run because they don’t go back to that chorus as much as they should’ve. Additionally, the instrumental bridge does seem rather plain and boring and makes the song feel even more below average. The title track ‘Signing Off’ starts with some really weird chopped drums but slowly adds more and more stuff into the instrumental track before having certain instruments take a main stage presence like the sax, the organ and the bass before returning to a full song. Throughout it there are some interesting sonic additions but the main thing that sets the song apart are these moments where pretty much only one part of the instruments is playing while leaving others out completely. That does make it pretty interesting throughout and only some parts feel like it breaks the tension or the sound with most of them actually helping the track. The result is a pretty decent track that has some nice moments but ultimately doesn’t do a ton of stuff. The 45rpm part of album starts with the nearly 13 minute long ‘Madam Medusa’ which even though it is as long as it is starts off without a lengthy intro but right into the full on song. The song actually has a lot of qualities that go for it: a catchy and interesting chorus, some great drums that really drive the track and make it stay both groovy and interesting and the overall pretty well made instrumentation that stays basic and pretty repetitive for the most part but is really good and the few “Jam Band breaks” in between especially with the drums really help to make the song feel like the length is somewhat deserving. Even though there isn’t a lot of change and diversity within, it is somehow enough to make the song feel outstanding when held side by side with the rest of the tracks. Yes, the vocals often don’t sound as good as they maybe should’ve but for the most, the song is instrumental. At one point it does change into a simpler and more calm version of it that slowly plays the track out and even though it feels not as good as the previous, it still has its qualities and shows that for a pretty long playtime. Overall, the song isn’t perfect but it is a great one and definitely the best one on the album. 'Strange Fruit’ follows with another quite standard Dub track that right after the previous epic seems quite simple and basic. The instrumental sounds like the album had offered it before and even though the vocals are slightly better on here, it just isn’t enough to make the song stand out much more beyond a few pretty neat additions in terms of effects when the main parts of the song feel basic. The song just turns out very average without being bad at any point. Closing track ‘Reefer Madness’ plays a bit around with the melodica but ultimately stays stuck with it just being a basic Dub instrumental that even though it isn’t bad and has it’s moments just can’t do anything beyond a certain point of it which is just amplified by the length of over 5 minutes which is even for a basic song like this just too much. Yes, the instrumental is fine and it certainly has some lovely parts, like most of the album, if it was shorter, it would’ve been better. This could’ve been a cute 2 minute interlude but stretching it out like this just isn’t needed. favourites: Madam Medusa, Tyler least favourites: 12 Bar, King Rating: light to decent 5 https://rateyourmusic.com/~Emil_ph for more ratings, reviews and takes

Fun album, very chill. Great bass and great drumming. The biggest problem is that a lot of the songs sound the same and get very repetitive by the end. Madam Medusa really didn't need to be 13 minutes. I enjoyed this album while listening to it, but would only listen to it again if I needed calm background music. I would give this a "high" 3.

This is the debut album from a British reggae band in 1980. Interestingly, these guys are most famous for their (way more popular) cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" in 1983. I'm familiar with that cover, and it's hard to believe it's the same group. This is very much a reggae album. It's not my favorite genre, and honestly it's a bit musically boring to me. They have a little bit of an electronic thing going on which is somewhat unique, but at best it's decent chill reggae vibes, and at worst a little meh. Reggae just gets pretty old to me after awhile, by song 10 I'm just kind of over it, even though it's not bad or anything. What I will give them is their lyrics, there's some pretty powerful songs on here (though it's a bit frontloaded, and there's a few instrumentals too). "Tyler" is about a 17-year old Black American who was convicted of murder with limited evidence, "King" is about MLK Jr., and "Burden of Shame" is about the shame they feel for the atrocities that the British have committed. It's both powerful and topically varied, which is not always the case for lyrics like this. Really nicely done on their part. This seems to have been fairly popular in the UK, which is interesting given it's basically a left-wing reggae album. For me this is one of those albums that's somewhat impressive, I can see the appeal, but it doesn't really do anything major for me. Perfectly solid, but not more (and a bit on the long side at 66 minutes, I knew before it even started that we didn't need a 13 minute song on here). Also their album name and cover is pretty funny. I didn't get why they named the album "Signing Off" when it's their debut, but the cover is an unemployment form and they're "signing off" from their life of unemployment. Favorite song: Tyler Other: King, Burden of Shame, I Think It's Going To Rain Today, Food For Thought 4/30/24

This has a lot more of a Reggaeton vibe than I ever expected from UB40, just based on my only knowledge of them being 'Red Red Wine' prior to listening to this. Anyway, it's fine and nothing too exciting for me.

Really liked it until I found out they were white

TIL that UB40 released music prior to Red Red Wine. That's a good cover, but it's too bad that it's what they're best known for in the US. The politically oriented songs from this album are much stronger. The wikipedia version of how they recorded this is pretty interesting. Goes to show you don't need a bunch of high-end equipment and facilities to produce a solid album. 3.4

When I think of UB40, the cover songs come to mind. I hated “Red Red Wine”. So I wasn’t so sure about this, but it’s solid. Mostly laid back reggae, but there’s some good social commentary – and with the Thatcher era starting (nod to the cover art) it has a right-for-the-time feel. Some tasty bass licks too. 3.8

It's fine. I enjoyed some tracks but during others my mind wandered.

Super chill, nice listen. Didn’t get a chance to listen to actively but had it on while running errands, need to revisit this. Great background music though

Never been a big reggae fan, so the rating is tainted by that, but it was still pretty good.

Aay mon. I’m familiar with reefer madness in the early 80s - but wasn’t aware of UB40 til the collaboration on I Got Lou Babe (which put them on the radio and the map.) Incidentally, best song on the album is Reefer Madness. A lot of the songs are political in nature and similar in sound. I get why the album made the list and liked it well enough. How can you go wrong with reggae? (2.6*s)

It's good, but it's not great. I can't put this in the same category of most 4 star albums. 3 stars

UB40 deserve to have greater recognition for this type of work than their later more MOR hits. Having said that I appreciate this album and its importance, but I don't actually like it very much.

Only got the time to listen to it once. All the songs are better than Red Red Wine, and the album’s got some swagger and cool vibes. However, those vibes are almost similar throughout the entire album. Guess a couple more listens could make me separate the different tracks, so all in all 3 stars

Kind of surprised by this album since I only know of UB40’s annoying popular hits. I had very low expectations, which were exceeded. Still, in a world where I can satisfy my reggae needs with seemingly endless Bob Marley music, I don’t really have a need for this album in my life. It was interesting to hear though.

Always liked their sound

I will never become a big reggae fan but this was ok.

Decent reggae album when the leave out the synthesizer.

A good listen.

What, no “Red, Red Wine”? But actually, and as I’ve said a lot during this project, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I have never enjoyed reggae. I’ve always thought it was boring and that all the songs sounded the same and that it was only for stoners. While this album didn’t completely sell me on the genre as a whole, it did show me that there is, of course, more to it than my past prejudices would have led me to believe. UB40 does a fine job, especially in their debut effort. It runs a tad long at times but I’m guessing that’s not uncommon for reggae. I don’t think I’ll be seeking them or more reggae out on my own, but I’ll be less prejudiced when another reggae album pops up again. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Burden of Shame, I Think It’s Going to Rain Today, Food for Thought, Reefer Madness

Regae British from 1980 from the Red Red Wine People? Good for what it is I guess. OOOOOOH Baby I Love Your Way.

I had never heard this, their first album, before. I enjoyed it!

Já, þetta var skárra en ég óttaðist. Eins og margoft hefur komið fram er reggae ekki að gera neitt fyrir mig, en þetta er meinlaus og áheyrileg tónlist og ágætlega flutt. Söngurinn sleppur fyrir horn. Tæpur þristur.

like many, my only experience with UB40 is Red Red Wine, so getting to hear more of their library was nice. not my favoritrle, but not bad either. I'm hardly a Reggae expert so I couldnt say if its great or not, but I enjoyed it for what it was.

I love UB40 but this was some forgettable reggae.

Not the worst reggae I've ever heard.

Mellow vibes

not for me

Pretty good. Nothing super exciting though

its alright, nothing mindblowing. 2.8.

Uh..Ackshually, IB42.

I found this album cover quite unsettling while browsing in the '80s. Finally heard the music inside, and it's alright, a bit Specials-y and not as bland as their later pop hits. Uncomplicated dub/reggae, not really my thing but I admire the militant anti-Thatcher sentiment

Through this album project I’ve learned that I’m not a big reggae fan.

Signing Off is alright, don't think it's as good as the Peter Tosh record we had recently, but it has its moments. Has a decent sound underpinning everything but it goes off in some weird and random directions that are sometimes interesting but far more often just distracting and don't work in the song at all. Like the last third of Burden Of Shame is terrible, like a kid playing with sound effects on their Casio ffs, and while I like saxophone, it's overused throughout. Reefer Madness is a fun closer, wish they'd have done a bit more up-tempo stuff like this earlier on in the album. Give it a 2 and move on.

This was dull. Feels quite lazy, quite repetitive, and doesn't really say much. What you'd get if you asked ChatGPT to make a reggae album, with a bit of underwhelming electronica added. 2/5. 

Not my favorite reggae

extremely boring reggae. i agree with the lyrics but they are written in such a simple way that even those annoy me. also who decided this needed to be over an hour? this shit is as long as blonde on blonde but unlike that album this has no interesting ideas. its inoffensive enough that i can give this a high 4/10 but i really dont think i needed to hear this before i died.

Competent but dull reggae. Lacking any spark to draw the listener in, which is a shame as I think it probably has something to say about 1980s Britain. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: Food For Thought Date listened: 20/04/24

okuuu 6/10

Ya mun...you need to be in a specific setting for this album. Getting baked while baking in the sun. Like the use of horns but songs get repetitive. It's good background music for a nap on a tropical island beach. It irks me that 'signing off' isn't the last track.