Reviews (page 3 of 8)
Dubby
better than I expected. My American experience is limited to the one radio hit here (Red Wine), from another album. This is a well rounded of global flavors
I liked this album more than I expected, knowing UB40 mostly from their later, more commercial work. This is proper dub/reggae. Love it.
Really fun and interesting. 4.5/5
Por primera vez en mucho tiempo escucho un album de reggae que es más una experiencia completa, en vez de ser una recopilación de canciones Muy atmosférico y con excelente ejecucion, 8/10
I never would have imagined that the most anti-Margeret Thatcher album I'd ever hear would be from a reggae band, but it defintiely tracks. The descendents of the Windrush generation, once celebrated for rebuilding post-war Britain, have never been fans of the Tories. UB40 emerged from the British 2 tone scene, mixing reggae with ska, much like The Specials. The name UB40 refers to their unemployment forms (probably also antagonizing the Conservatives) but the album title "Signing Off" is a bold statement that this was going to be their ticket out of that lifestyle. It feels particularly subversive in a way, because they're co-opting the right's own message of pulling themselves up by their boot straps while also celebrating the socialize benefits that allowed them to do it all from a tiny house in the country. Given how popular the album was, it seems like it worked, and the legacy continues. "Signing Off" remains one of the best reggae albums produced outside of Jamaica.
A UB40 album I hadn’t listened to before, it had some great tracks
I dont love reggae music but i feel like this was a good one. The last song sounds like its been sampled somewhere else but i cant place it.
One of my aunt’s favourite albums. Feels like an audio kush-cloud hug soaked in nostalgia. Just what I needed today. 😌✨
Groove! Really enjoyed this one, and especially the instrumentals like 25% and Signing Off. Perfect weekend music, gonna listen much more!
Groove! Really enjoyed this one, and especially the instrumentals like 25% and Signing Off. Perfect weekend music, gonna listen much more!
Never listened to a UB40 album. It’s probably all the reggae rock and ska I enjoy that had me pleasantly surprised something like this came out in 1980.
I was surprised to learn this album came out in 1980. I had no idea UB40 went back that far. Reggae has never really been my thing, but I actually enjoyed this one. While I tend to get burned out on reggae vocals, I have to admit I’ve always liked dub, especially for its more experimental aspects. This album had great instrumentation, particularly the echo heavy keyboard basslines that define dub. I’ve never really paid much attention to UB40 before, but from the little I have heard, I don’t remember them sounding this good. This album had a rawer, stripped down quality compared to the more commercial sound they adopted later in their career.
Mirnija varijanta Specials što mi nimalo ne smeta. Ima dobrih pjesama, nekih koje se izdvajaju, a ostale su fine, smirujuće, ako ništa. Dobar jubilarni stoti. Samo fini ritmovi i uživancija.
As a grammar school boy I remember thinking that UB40 were a bit too 'Labour Party' for me. A bunch of oiks whining about not being able to get a job. Later on I grew to dispise 'Red Red Wine' as it was played at every party and every wedding, I just grew sick of it. Listening to UB40 nearly 50 years later, 'Signing On' is a bit of a revelation. I like the mix, in particular the bass. Some of the songs I recognise from house parties when I was at school (there were some oiks there too). In truth I was mistaken. A lot of the tracks I really liked. Mainly on side 1 and 2. Then it kind of loses its way a bit, like they had slightly too much good stuff for a single album, so committed to a double album and then got writers' block. I think if this was a single album with just the cream, then I'd give it a 5. But I did get a bit tired of it after 45 minutes. 4
Good
UB40 are a band that I’ve always known about but never really given much of a chance. And I’ve no idea why - I love most reggae that I’ve heard, and adore the ska music that game from it. I’ve listened to a few UB40 albums now and I’m pretty sure I’ve enjoyed them all. I need to spend some time listening to their greatest hits or something, because this style of music simply sounds so pleasant to my ears. It’s hard to be unhappy with this playing.
Expecting Red Red Wine but instead got a surprisingly good 2-tone/reggae album
You want to dismiss them for being posers but they're too good at what they do. Songwriting was never their strong suit but the concept works and a great vibe. Also, a reasonable argument for one of the best debut album covers of all-time. A marketing masterclass in getting you to like the band and believing in their cause without any other context.
This suprised me as I wasn't expecting the hard hitting lyrics and very listenable grooves. Liked it a lot
Vibes!
That was very enjoyable. Mostly because I was working from home and its June and sunny right now. So 4 stars for the whole bit. But there's NO WAY thats one of the greatest albums ever
“Tyler” is a commanding opening song and a worthy cause to make it the debut song of a debut album. I think that’s a fantastic way for UB40 to use their voices. As far as their sound goes, what you hear on “Tyler” is why you get for the whole thing, I don’t think anyone was expecting a lot of surprises or massive sonic switch-ups (“Burden Of Shame” did have a nice tempo increase though halfway through). Some great sax work on “I Think It’s Going To Rain Today”. “Madam Medusa” is the big, lengthy exception to all these songs - a different vocalist and delivery was super welcomed towards the end of the album. A lot of these songs are just instrumental vibes, and my personal favorite was “25%”. More good saxophone, fun sub-bass line. Aquatic-sounding reverb/delay effects. I also loved the vocal inflection when they sing ‘Ivory Madonna!’ In “Food For Thought”. I think I can sum my listening experience up with that in mind - a handful of nice vibes with some little gems here and there. Some worthy causes to sing about that I hope opened up lots of listeners like myself to learn about whatever the song subject may be. I don’t have enough context to say much about white men in a raggae band. It seems like at least early on the band was very multi-cultural and so I hope it informed their consistent authenticity and hope it helped the casual listener to get into the history of Jamaican & African American music of this sound. This was a fun and thorough listen! Soft 4
I didn’t know UB40 got some political.
I never have anything worthwhile to say about reggae, but I always think it sounds pretty cool. It was also pretty neat to read about how this album was mostly recorded in a bedroom, that kind of no-fi origin is the kind of thing I love to hear about!
Had to get over the Zack Morris poster/Red Red Wine/cover of Can’t Help Falling in Love to realize that at some point, apparently, UB40 was a legit reggae band. I really dug this.
Signing Off is the debut album from UB40, the British reggae group, and is regarded as the band's best work. While the band's later work found much greater commercial success, its debut is edgier - the product of a group of young men that are angry at the world they find themselves in. UB40 made reggae in the style of imported Jamaican dub, intermingled with ska rhythms. This early rendition of the band created one of the best British reggae albums.
It has some pretty strong songs espacially in the second half.
I really thought this was cool. It’s difficult to assess music genres that you aren’t familiar with, but that you still like the vibe. But I’m going to just agree with my heart and rate this highly. Sounded like the music for Guybrush Threepwood in Monkey Island— great game with great music
Maybe it's the fact this came after a bunch of staid 70s rock, but this was a breath of fresh air. I only know of UB40 from their rather cheesy later career stuff (I can't help falling in love, red red wine), but this was great. Reggae with decent dub stylings, a genuine anger in his voice and lyrics which makes you understand why the punks got into the reggae scene. It drifts a little towards the end - some of the instrumentals get a bit samey - but I enjoyed listening and would do so again.
4/5. Don’t have a lot of experience with reggae, but I liked it, though I did skip some of the instrumentals as they do sound much the same. I liked the Randy Newman and Billie Holiday covers. The politics was very hard-hitting and thought-provoking.
Never been a huge fan of reggae but definitely haven't spent a lot of time with the genre. This was fine, it seems pretty smooth and mellow, just kind of like background music. Which nothing wrong with that, but nothing mind blowing either. Enjoyable enough.
Love their mix of reggae and pop!
Once again, I'm nit a fan of reggae, but this album had a little bit more quality then others from the list. Great opening song Tyler, few nice tracks later on, actually pleasant groove. One of the better examples of the genre.
top ten chillest funnest albums. I'm enjoying! The vibes r rly good and fun although I have to say it's all meshing together kinda.
Love it
Solid reggae album! Cool that it is a British protest record.
Very good stuff
Torn between a 3 and a 4 star but I really enjoyed the instrumentals so I’ll give it a 4. Standouts were “Food for Thouth” and “Signing off”
You know, I expected to crap on this. Not enough this being Reggae but the "Red, Red Wine" white boys' version of it? But nah, this is quite decent actually. And I stand extra corrected: legit even. No problems here, 4 stars.
Surpris8ngly good and dub heavy in a way that makes it feel like the missing puzzle piece between Marley and Massive Attack.
Went in expecting 'Red Red Wine' and came away pleasantly surprised by the catchy AND socially conscious songs. Perhaps my expectations were low and therefore easy to exceed, but definitely expect I'll listen to this again.
Cracker of an album
I have to give this 4 stars. I was very pleasantly surprised by the very relaxed sounds, having only known UB40 from their singles, which I associate heavily with the late 80's / early 90's soung. However, this album was very solid, laid-back reggae, and while it is too long, it is very good music and fun to listen to.
Ma jel ovo onaj dobar ub40 album? Ajde vidit ćemo😃jebate odličan je album, kakva šteta šta su postali
good background music
Starting the day with some cool vibes is always a good thing.
Fun
Their best and most original album by far.
Good reggae rocketed record
I was surprised to learn this album came out in 1980—I had no idea UB40 went back that far. Reggae has never really been my thing, but I actually enjoyed this one. While I tend to get burned out on reggae vocals, I have to admit I’ve always liked dub, especially for its more experimental aspects. This album had great instrumentation, particularly the echo-heavy keyboard basslines that define dub. I’ve never really paid much attention to UB40 before, but from the little I have heard, I don’t remember them sounding this good. This album had a rawer, stripped-down quality compared to the more commercial sound they adopted later in their career.
Although nothing really stands out, I quite enjoyed this and the recording (especially bass and drums) is very good!
I love the many instrumentals on here.
really like the groove of this really liked 'Tyler'
Wouldn't have previously thought I was a big UB40 fan but enjoyed this more than I expected. Really groovy and mellow reggae sounds and the sax player is great. I like the political message e.g. Burden of Shame, and the instrumental title track was also a highlight for me
A very nice surprise! I had the memory of a cheesy fake reaggae music from the 80's (think "Red red Wine" or "I got you babe"). Since then I lived in London in the 90's where I discovered a vibrant dub scene. It was a time where jazz, rock, dub, trip hop and all you could see a lot of venues musicians playing along Dj's. So I got to like Dub as well (Aba Shanti) With this is mind this album feels like a precusor and I really enjoyed the band vibes it has. I mean the album really sound like a nice jam session. So I'll give a 4, for the "historical milestone" which is maybe a tad more than it deserves.
I'm not into reggae at all, looking at the cover I thought it was going to be punk, but I was pleasently suprised by how good it was. Good instrumentation, powerful lyrics with themes weaved throughout the album, and a good mix as well.
Marvellous
Dub monstre that inspired oh so many with their per-red wine authenticity
This was pretty good. It gets better as it goes. The instrumentals are excellent. Political, anti-conservative lyrics are always a plus. It’s not the most exciting record, but I can’t hate it.
Foundational.
7/10 Signing Off exists in a strange stream of consciousness, with the political connotations of the lyrics, it very much seems to be a conscious record on a psychological level as much as a political level, and that’s what really draws me to the best parts of the album. Reggae as a genre has always been a structure for commentary, much in the same wat Folk and Blues music, and UB40 does a pretty decent job at conveying these themes with an introspective and melodic side, while it may get a bit redundant in some spots, I can’t help but still fall into this zone anyways. Then there’s the Dub aspect, a revolutionary sub-genre that serves to echo and elevate these sounds on a deep liminal level, which make these conscious statements ring that much more compelling. I really just think this liminal space of political thought and working class struggle really does its job, and I’m pretty interested in what more of this genre has to offer. Adding this to my “if a proletarian revolution happens” playlist next to Public Enemy, Dead Kennedys, and Taylor Swift
8/10 Not what I expected as someone who only knows their pop hits. Excellent. Pure reggae, pure vibes. An amazing snapshot of disaffected youth at the end of the 70s in Britain. Dubby bass vibes and keyboard were great. Best: Burden of Shame
Was not expecting to love this, but gosh, they were brilliant back in the day
can’t beat a bit of reggae, defs adding to the rotation
The band had a great sound and these are brilliant recordings - so lush, full, and clear. Pretty amazing that the band themselves produced something that sounds this good so early in their career. Not really enough musical ideas to carry the whole album. The instrumentals, while they sound great, kind of meander. That said, there are a handful of strong tracks - which is better than a lot of the albums on this list - and it just sounds so f#@ing great.
I have to sadly admit that my only exposure to UB40 was through their string of cover hits from the 80s, all of which I hated. I was a young kid and reggae-infused dub was nowhere near what I liked but as I'm a bit older, maybe no wiser, my first foray into what i'm learning is "true" UB40 today is an eye and ear-opener. I'm a music-first listener - always - or...almost always, but the slow chill hypnotic vibe is oddly making me pay attention to the lyrics which are powerful - great and stark contrast to the vibe. The bass playing carries so much of it, as I'd expect (they rolled off any of that high-end on the bass - took me a little bit to get used to it, now I find it essential for this reggae/dub) Only took this through the first 10 songs (Apple has one of those deluxe uber-long versions as the only version available) - really enjoyed it far more than I'd expected. Not a genre I really ever listen to and I'll listen to this again. 8/10 4 stars.
I wasn’t expecting to enjoy it as much as I did, probably because I’d only heard Red Red Wine and Rat in Mi Kitchen. I grew up in England and the influence of Carribean culture is everywhere. I even commute on a train line named after the Windrush generation!! Reggae and Dub have influenced so much popular music here that there was no reason to shy away from it. Anyway highly enjoyable. Fuck the Tories and fuck British imperialism. Favourite Tracks: Burden of Shame Least Fav Track: I Think It’s Going To Rain Today
Had pretty low expectations - and on initial listen I thought the songs all sounded the same and it was as a little bit lightweight. On repeated listens it has grown on me and it works really well as background music to work to with a decent groove and not too in your face. Lyrically its pretty interesting when you do tune into the vocals. Its a 3.5 but feeling generous so will round to 4.
On the face of it, a debut album of British reggae, by a few 20 year olds, recorded on rudimentary equipment in an amateur's flat in Birmingham, with 80s social commentary, should _not_ work. But nor should ackee and codfish, but by Jah it does. The UB40 I know is a bit of a light, commercial cover band, with hyper 80s production. It's good to discover they cut their teeth on a genuine album of originals, with some incisive social satire and authentic dub (a few throwaway tracks notwithstanding). Excellent.
Chill, but enjoyable.
Was really good. Makes me want to get on a cruise ship
Listened Before? N Like most Americans, I'm only familiar with these guys from their few mid-80s radio hits. I must say, I thought they were a novelty act.... they are not. This earlier work shows that not only are they accomplished musicians and skilled Reggae artists - they were already established for many years before they jumped the pond. I really enjoyed this groovy record. Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Food For Thought
relaxing reggae music can see why it would be popular in the 89a
This was a really fun album. Ska and Reggae are very formative music styles for me. A lot of this music influenced my worldview and kind of opened the door to other genres and styles. So naturally, I really enjoyed this. This record kind of has all of the elements that I like in a reggae or second-wave ska album. Really fun and groovy bass lines, flowy and progressive brass sections, consistent upbeats and really good lyrics. I really enjoyed this and listened to it twice!
It's honestly just a pleasant listen.
Maybe it's bc it's summer but I really enjoyed it
I went into this with the idea in my head that I hate UB40 purely based on one song. I really don't like 'Red Red Wine' at all, so I didn't think I was going to like this either. After listening to this album I can say that 'Red Red Wine' was a bit more pop whereas this is very much more reggae, and I can confirm that UB40 aren't half bad. The formula doesn't really change. The songs meander a bit much and some tracks are indistinguishable from each other (after one listen) and are just crying out for something to happen at times, but I guess that's just reggae. However, the overall groove was pretty cool, and I was enjoying it more and more with each track. I was really vibing with it come the end of the album. 'Burden Of Shame' is very good and easily the best track on here and the last couple of minutes has a very cool instrumental that I wish was the sound for the whole album. It needed that last bit to make it stand out. It was this track's 'solo.' Why couldn't more of these 'solo's' appear on the album? I actually enjoyed this a hell of a lot more than I thought I would, after audibly groaning when this appeared as my album of the day. I do think I would like it even more after more listens and familiarising myself with it a bit more too, so this is getting a fairly surprising 4 stars.
75/100. This is certainly not the best reggae album out there—it might even feel a bit too long at times. I thought so myself at first, but halfway through, I found I’d lost track of time, caught up in the groove. The music had me moving my feet and swinging my head without even realizing it. The album leans heavily on instrumentals, with vocals backing it up on just a few occasions. While the instrumentals are solid, it would’ve earned a higher rating if there were more vocal tracks to add variety and balance.
UB40 does reggae!
Enjoyed this. More dub than straight up reggae. Mix in the horns and this is a good album overall. 3.5/5 Will listen again
Not quite the UB40 I expected. Political and not mainstream, it’s very good.
Groovy music.
I liked this one quite a bit. I'd always thought of UB40 as the Red Red Wine band, which is fine, but I don't love it. This has a cooler feel to it, with some very nice bass and saxophone, the latter of which I don't normally associate with reggae. I'm not always in the mood for reggae, but when I am, I could definitely see putting this album on, as well as exploring more of their catalog.
Early UB40 is quite proper British reggae. Redundant? perhaps but it's still very enjoyable.
I like the British Reggae sound of early UB40 with a little dub reverb, some saxophone, a hint of ska,… kind of timeless.
I really enjoyed this one. UK style reggae done really well. Good stuff, will listen again.
pretty good reggae sound, enjoyed it for reggae, might listen again.
4/5
Oh, the memories come flooding back. Good old Brit-Reggae, before the schmaltzy cover versions arrived. Well worth a listen.
So... Before they became internationally famous for their reggae versions of all sorts of standards--most of them cheesefests of utterly catastrophic proportions, except maybe "Red Red Wine" and "Kingston Town"--it turns out UB40 wrote their own songs. And even that they sounded good, and like a hackneyed, watered-down version of Jamaican music. And all of that even allowed them to find commercial success in their native Britain. Call me surprised. The only cover to be found in this debut is their rendition on Randy Newman's "I Think It's Gonna Rain Today" on side two. It's far from being the most interesting track in the album, but I guess that's where UB40 realized that making covers of other people's songs could pay off in the long run. Maybe they felt they were not that good writing their own tunes. Or maybe they just went for the easiest cash grab as the eighties went by... If that's the case, that's a missed opportunity because the band had the potential to become so much more on an artistic level. "Food For Thought" is an immense song, for instance, so moody, so evocative... "Little By Little", also found on side two, is almost as equally awesome. And on side one, "Tyler", "King" and "Burden Of Shame" are pretty good as well, and their topical lyrics also bring something interesting and even moving to the table. Too bad that most of the rest, which goes from lesser cuts to drowsy dub soundscapes that can't be as crazy and ample and sweeping as the ones of Lee "Scratch" Perry, kinda hurts the album's flow... The last track, giving its name to the LP, is surprisingly hectic and lively for a dub instrumental, though. I always have a sweet spot for albums that nicely build up in its last run of three or four tracks, as this one easily pulls off. And then, after the main LP, you have a quite striking EP as a bonus, with the long jam of "Madam Medusa", another topical cover (Billie Holiday's "Strange Fruit"), and another interesting instrumental with a greasy synth for its foundation. Just as in the LP, there is something definitely gritty in the production values. Somehow, you really see it was made in the grey landscapes of urban Britain. Which soon eliminates its derivative aspect on first glance, not to mention any accusation of that album being nothing other than soulless appropriation of Jamaican music. At least to my ears. Never thought that I would include a UB40 album in my own list. I'm almost done with this project, and some nice surprises are still coming up. That's pretty cool. 3.5/5 for the purposes of this list of essential albums, rounded up to 4. 8.5 for more general purposes (5 + 3.5) Number of albums left to review: 14 (plus the 80-ish extra LPs listed on this app, included because different past versions of the book have mentioned albums that have since been dropped in subsequent editions) Number of albums from the list I find relevant enough to be mandatory listens: 424 (including this one) Albums from the list I *might* include in mine later on: 253 Albums from the list I won't include in mine: 313
Nice
Glad to hear that they did more than red, red wine.
gostei demais
Fantastic debut and an inspiring source for all dub oriented projects
An absolute pleasure. Laidback reggae in the reverb-heavy dub style with great grooves. I love the instrumental jams but there are some songs with politically-minded lyrics too about oppression and living under British rule. I didn’t know UB40 was like this. I could definitely jam to this one some more.
Classic reggae. I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite I've ever heard.
While "indie" nowadays means "indie rock" on any record label, UB40 were the first on an independent label to have a Top 10 single in the UK. Both A-sides are on this album (King / Food For Thought) and both still sound mighty fine. There's a good few other great tracks too, but while the instrumentals are pleasant, they don't add much to the overall package. There's a shorter 5⭐ album here.
For some reason, I always thought UB40 was a reactionary middle-class band, that played safe and uninspired white-man reggae without any edge or substance, but this album proved me completely wrong. Scathing attacks on political and social issues paired with a proper 'back-in-the-beat' feel of Reggae music. I was pleasantly surprised by this album and ended up enjoying it much more than I expected.
If you asked me if I liked reggae I’d probably have said not really - but this was REALLY good. Makes you like it the more you listen to it.
Labour of Love was one of my favorite albums in the 80s. I'd forgot about UB40 by the time Spotify came around. I had no idea they originated as a dub band. Very pleasant surprise.
Classic UB40, not my bag, but good
I had thought that UB40 was some generic British pop from the 1980s. Instead it turned out to be good quality reggae instead. First positive surprise in this 1001 album challenge!
When I saw an album by UB40 and clicked it and saw Red Red Wine which is the only song most American's (myself included) know from UB40 wasn't on the album, I was expecting this to be slog to listen to. I was pleasantly surprised to be giving this a 4 star rating as I was expecting 2 at most.
4/5 Strong album, unique style which is labelled as reggae but clearly differs from the traditional genre.
A strangely calming accompaniment to a very stressful outing. I got into it! Brought down by Madam Medusa, a 12 minute song which really did not need to be that long
Jesus Christ an hour and 6 mins and no red red wine in sight. This might be tough. By god I actually enjoyed this
Very good - surprised!!!
Vakke så dumt denna, en del reggae
Nice and chill and conscientious at the same time. I wasn't expecting to like this too much, but it was a pleasant surprise. Just below 4 stars for me but I'm gonna round it up. UB40, you be 4 stars
Overall it’s a very nice record. I was very sceptical because of the first song’s lyrics not flowing so well, the ”who are we to tell it’s not so” rhyming so with so. Luckily that’s the low point of the record and there are some exceptional songs especially the few instrumental tracks and “food for thought”. Really good for a debut
"Signing Off" is the debut album by British reggae band UB40. The album was an immediate success in the UK (reaching #2 on the charts) with "its politically-charged lyrics in a country with widespread public divisions over high umployment, the policies of the newly elected Conservative Party under Margaret Thatcher and the rise of the National Front Party. Their reggae and dub-influenced rhythms reflected the late 1970's influence in British pop music of West Indian music introduced by immigrants from the Carribean after WWII." That says it all. The album was well-received critically. A large drone sound fades into a slow reggae beat and a sax in the album opener "Tyler." Lead singer Ali Campbell's emotional tenor matches really well with the music. Right off the bat, their lyrical intentions are clear as they tell the story of a black boy 17-years old convicted of murdering a 13-year old white boy without any real evidence including lacking the murder weapon. They add more horns to the first single "King." Nice harmonies. He's questioning MLK's followers after his death and their mourning and actions. The band covers Randy Newman's "I Think It's Going to Rain Today." Echoing vocals, horns, reggae guitar and sultry harmonies. A song about racism and compassion for fellow humans. "25%" has an bigger horn section and fast drums. They do a fair bit of instrumental parts on this album which I quite liked and this song had a nice one. "Food for Thought" adds a seductive vibe. The band publicizes the famine in Nothern Africa while we celebrate Christmas and its gluttony. Oh, there might have been a song and movement on this a few years later. This is the first ime I really dug into UB40 and this is a really good album. The music has that reggae base and they add to it with horns, different harmonies and various percussion. They weren't afraid to go all instrumental in a few songs. Campbell has a nice voice fitting well with the music and the "politically-charged" lyrics. I can't say anything about the other UB40 albums but this one is a keeper and worth a listen. It's sad; some of these issues have unfortunately gotten worse or at the very least, not improved since 1980.
Brilliant debut album by UB40.
Dig it, podría ser un poco repetitivo pero sonaba bien para mí como no experta del reggae, especialmente si está hecho fuera del caribe
Reggae mon
I bought this album when released contrary to Reggae not being a go to genre of mine and that it was very overtly political. On the first point Reggae was everywhere in 1980. Probably not purist Reggae but more like ‘white mans’ Reggae caused by the TwoTone label explosion. Thing is it got me personally trying to seek out more traditional Raggae and got me into artists like Prince Buster, Linton Kwesi Johnson, and Judge Dread. The album is full of political references serving as an education but also as a platform for UB40 to sound off about their political persuasions which doesn’t always sit well with me. On the other hand I do accept I have the choice not to engage with them at all if I don’t agree. But a lot of what they sung about is very cutting and not in line with my own politics. As a footnote where would we be now without Madam Medusa? Leaving all that aside I loved the sound of this album and playing it today was again a joy. Despite some of the lyrics the music is uplifting and gets you moving. This was by far the best UB40 album. I didn’t care much at all to what followed as the sound went more pop and mainstream. 4/5 30/7/24
I saw UB40 and groaned, imagining songs of red wine or sappy duets. Instead, this was a dub/ reggae treat of unimagined quality. The only track I knew was Food for Thought, everything else I'd never heard before by this band.
As I am most and too familiar with UB40's version of "Red Red Wine," a song that always sends my adrenaline glands into fight or flight mode, I was glad to hear an album that goes back to their roots and give me a better appreciation for the group. A very relevant and listenable album.
Album 464 of 1001 UB40 -Signing Off Rating : 4 / 5 Haven't heard anything from UB40 in a long time. Pretty much forgot they existed. Good album. Needed a little reggae this morning.
Reggae from Birmingham hating on thatcher is always worth a listen
Hard to believe the UB40 that made this is the same UB40 that topped the charts with saccharine cover versions of ‘Red Red Wine’, I Got You Babe’ and ‘I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You’. Sell outs much? There’s maybe a few too many instrumental tracks on this album, but by and large ‘Signing Off’ is largely excellent with sharp, politically charged lyrics, and crisp production. Another unexpected, but pleasant surprise then from the 1001 albums generator.
Their debut album, mostly originals. Clean, tight sound from the get-go. Excellent songwriting.
I was glad to see some reggae on here, although this is not quite the pick I would have liked. Great, but I may say that I prefer some of UB40s later stuff. Love the deep and prevalent bass throughout this one though.
First time for me for this album. Liked it a lot. I think this has aged very well.
This one surprised me. From a cultural view, it made me proud of the multicultural place that England used to be. Birmingham reggae as a working class response to thatcherism is a delight. On a musical note I found it to be very pleasant and well done. Good tunes angry lyrics, some real heart and quality. Well done and fuck the Tories.
Whole lot of saxophone in that ska. Very enjoyable
Easily their best album. Some tunes!
Good music takes you somewhere. In this case, it's the top deck of the No 24 bus, halfway down Butts Road in late summer 1980. The sun is shining, I'm on my way to the sports center to run a 1,500m race (poorly) to try and impress my girlfriend, before returning (caked in failure) on the No5 bus, all the while, listening to these brilliant tracks on my Panasonic portable cassette player. Food for Thought, Burden of Shame, King, Tyler and Little by Little.....songs that have a place on any playlist and an album that deserves it's place on this list.
Good vibes
This was a lot better than I was expecting after I saw "British reggae band" in the Wikipedia description. Pleasantly surprised, loved the relaxed sound and will definitely be listening to this some more
Enjoyable, authentic and the brooding ambition of youth before success made them forget what would, ultimately, make a good record.
The best of British reggae
Good British reggae - before UB40 went covers happy.
Released a year or so into Margaret Thatcher's lengthy stint as prime minister, this is a cracking debut album of left wing reggae songs. I wish there was more like this in the charts at the moment as a similarly right wing government folds messily. It's been a long time since I last played this record but it really takes me back. The songs are all strong both musically and lyrically.
Solid reggae/dub album. Very pleasant sounding, suitable for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Great album, full of punchy gems. Better than their later stuff in my opinion
I love the political album, opposed to the usual love songs we get. This album did everything it set out to do; raised awareness, caused uproar, and brought us some nice jams. There are steps that could have been taken to ensure their impact would be more effective, but as it stands, this is still a killer album. 4/5
I would have signed off UB40 to the iffy excesses of 80s pop reggae but this is an actually good reggae record. Shhh - I can’t believe I’m saying that. It’s akin to the Specials and Madness and the rest of the 2 Tone greats - Red Red Wine it’s not.
он немного затянут, но в целом я прям кайфанул
The first and only good album of UB40. Listening to the inspired music and great lyrics. It's hard to image how this could end in the boring and heartless music they started to make just a few years later.
Chill reggae album, not bad
Very nice instrumental reggae. I need more of this in my life 4
I'm not a huge fan of white boy reggae but this was a good listen. It kept my attention and my foot tapping
The schaalian empire has invaded my mind once again.
I'm a newbie with dub but I love everything I've heard. This is very cool. It has a bit more structure and traditional musicality than most dub I've heard. Plus I love the themes of worker rights and government corruption.
Downloaded 1 song.
It's reggae, but with a hazy, jazzy twist making it perfect fodder for a summer afternoon. The dark undertones from the political commentary add rather than subtract, and I like the otherworldly feeling created by the sparse arrangements.
I had this on vinyl and really enjoyed listening to it again. Far preferable to their later work.
Political and moving
I liked this, but I was also charmed by reading the backstory of the recording of this album, which probably adds at least a point. Good lyrics and tone, and I thought it sounded great for an album that wasn't even recorded in a studio.
I remember listening to this back in the day. It’s quite good.
An excellent debut album! Love the cover! It's great that it went platinum in in the UK, especially with the socio-political nature of the songs. I'm surprised at how many I recognize. "Tyler" and "Food for Thought" are my favourites. They make me forget about Red Red Wine!!
Early UB40 is vastly superior to the shmaltzy commercial sound of their latter records where they did Neil Diamond, Elvis and Sonny & Cher covers :( Although I think their second album Present Arms is their best, their debut Signing Off is quite good. The two best songs here are Food for Thought and the driving ska beats of Reefer Madness. When this was released in 1980 Britain was going through some tumultuous times due to the misguided policies of the Iron Lady, and their social conscious music was very relevant and hit harder than their contemporaries such as the Specials, English Beat and Madness. It's a shame that UB40 only got one entry on this list while tossers such as Morrissey/The Smiths got 6!!!! So this gets an extra point for the mis-carriage of justice.
Ild school reggae. Cool
I really enjoyed listening to this album. Especially towards the end, the album becomes very groovy and musical.
In the UK, despite huge commercial success UB40 enjoy an absolute dog-ass reputation amongst 'serious' music fans. And it's easy to see why - stuff like 'Red Red Wine' is lowest common denominator drivel. And this...sounds like a completely different band. Okay, not so different; we're still in the realm of reggae here - but this sounds like a proper dub album, with some highly conscious lyrics and no little craft. Tracks like 'Tyler', 'King' and 'Madam Medusa' are great - the latter day incarnation of UB40 is night and day when compared to material of this quality. I also liked '25%' because it sounds like a slowed down version of the Men Behaving Badly theme. With trepidation, hesitation and a good degree of havering, I'm giving this four stars.
Was great. Could listen to this any time.
It's really good, but by the end I had enough reggae! 3.5
en tied' miks odotin etttä tämä olisi ollut early new wave post punkki PUNKKI AAH AAAAAAA PUNKKI OPISTI VITTU JALKAA AAAA miksi tuntuu... tuntuu... tuntuu niin voimakkaalta...... *nostaa penkistä 80kg x3* juma lauta.... from now on... call me....by my real name.... punkkimies.... food for thought
A really strong debut, including the instrumentals. The third listen did it for me.
This was one of the first albums I started listening to of my own volition as a 12-13 year old, so I can't pretend to review it neutrally. I can accept the criticisms made here, but it still resonates for me.
Before they became the poster boys for a dreadfully watered down brand of roots reggae, UB40 could be considered somewhat close to a resemblance of the real thing and, on this bracing yet slightly off-kilter album, they offer up an image of themselves and Britain that borders on the edge of the flame that boils the melting pot. From the arresting and captivating Tyler onwards (along with imaginative covers of Randy Newman and Billie Holiday), UB40 maintains the listener's attention and one couldn't help but think what would have been had they continued beating down the 2 Tone path. Alas, such thoughts will remain just that but at least we have Singing Off. Favorites: Tyler, King, Burden of Shame, Adella, Food for Thought, Signing Off, Madam Medusa, Strange Fruit.
Good reggae! Good sound
Awesome reggae album, and for a band I only new for a few singles, this was a reminder to not judge bands by just one song. Even if most of the one hit wonders we have seen on this list didn't pan out, here is a great example of one that did.
ok
Much better than I expected. Great vibe, excellent lyrics. The only thing I can really fault it for is getting pretty samey over the long stretch of the album.
Pretty good Reggae, although a bit long for my tastes.
I didn’t actually finish this, but soothing
The fear and dread I felt when reading the band name for the album today was off the charts. So imagine my surprise that it wasn't immediately terrible. I listened to the entire record without a hard cringe. But I might've had the volume down low initially, so I listened to it again! UB40 you were just a British reggae band who laughed their way to the bank with a terrible but popular song. I've maligned you ever since without listening to your other work. A surprisingly solid record.
Uh. So I am completely surprised. What I know of UB40 is Red Red Wine. This album is nothing like it. Rich, complex sounds are matched with socially conscious lyrics.Burden of Shame is a standout. An excellent new find!
Solid and substantive with decent amount of swing besides. There's some rock-steady in the ska-ness here. "I Think It"s Going to Rain" is best cut, but "Tyler" and "King" and "Strange Fruit' also strong. All the moods and vibes and resonances are right on.
Still sounds fresh, still has plenty to say as an album. That's more of a comment on the shitty state of the UK, 43 years since the original release. I love the space that the songs have to breathe. Music needn't be complicated.
I loved this
Totally unexpected sound here, this is one of the very few dub albums on the list. There is a lot of depth to the record, and is definitely not a novelty. I really liked this.
I'm glad I listened to this as o don't think I knew UB40 beyond RRW.
I knew nothing about this artist before but I really enjoyed it. It was definitely more of a "sounds happy but the lyrics paint a much different picture."
Nostalgia attack for me. This was a major part of the soundtrack of my first year a college. Listening again for the first time in decades, I'd forgotten just how beautifully put together some of these tracks are. Too much deadwood to give it a 5, but thoroughly enjoyed it.
HL: "Tyler", "King", "I Think It's Going To Rain Today", "25%", "Food For Thought" Enjoyable - listened to it piecemeal over the day, so it had longer to "stew" mentally. It also was interrupted by more calls/messages than usual, so I re-listened to portions after midnight, or when I usually listen to these albums. The issues raised in the lyrics didn't really register with me until the re-listen, since the first time I was too busy chilling out to the summery beats & icy synths. The album cover, aka a literal UB40, should have given it away sooner though
It is good progressive reggae music. It has a good message behind it and is groovy as hell. A good listen!
Really interesting, much better than the poppier stuff they did later on.
Always known UB40 for their cheesy hits, but this debut's really good. Atmospheric, slow, intimate, often psychedelic, and coherent with a mix of pop tracks and more impressive instrumentals. Some really blew me away, and I honestly didn't mind the hour length even if it did repeat itself quite a bit.
Heat
A little more than an hour of solid dub reggae, no complaints here. Wubba lubba dub dub
Svängig reggae med härlig bas och superb trummis. Synthen de använde är distraherande dålig men allt annat är jättebra
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.
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.
Quite funky and jazzy, better than I would have thought. Listenable.
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
Some easy reggae. Burden of Shame is great. Madam Medusa is also a bop.
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.
Lekker zomers. geen hits, maar da's zeker niet erg
Rating: 8/10 Best songs: Tyler, king
8/10 nothing spectacular but that’s still a super fun reggae album
Pretty good. Very easy and enjoyable to listen to.
4.25
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.
Hell yeah
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
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.
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.
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 really enjoyed this. They were doing it long before I knew about them...
Takes me back. the 80s were a great time for reggae and ska to hit the mainstream.
Lovely bit of reggae-dub to chill out to.
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.
It's a chill Reggae album, has some fine ass tunes. 4/5
Just-right reggae, with squeaky clean beats and perfectly balanced tempos, nary a note goes wrong.
Great melodies, loved the way they incorporated jazz ska and reggae a reggae classic! Main Critism was it was two long :(
Really liked this album! I don't listen to enough reggae so I'm glad to know of this band
Top albumpje met een paar klassiekertjes erop
Better than expected- good tunes good politics
Jako opuštajuće, zrači nekom srećom
I don’t always go sniffing for reggae, but this was very relaxing
Super horn section, classy reggae riffs, such a great group, I loved it.
Epic raggae background
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 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
Excelente disco de reggae para ambientar y para disfrutar.
Amazing songs, great production, a little long
Some quality tunes on this album.
Great album and one I will play again. Way ahead of their time.
Cool instrumental reggae. Very chill.
Nice chilled reggae, good background music
Enjoyed listening to this one 👍
i like this one! some of the songs aren't that notable but it's still fun to listen to the album lol
8/10 nice music
Great!
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.
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
J’aimbien aime le regea . Un bon vibe et de bon musiciens !4.25
GOOD REGGAE!
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
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.
This is pretty enjoyable, actually. I hadn’t ever heard of them, but I do like reggae.
Very enjoyable reggae
Reggae isn’t for me. It’s ok, you can have it on in the background. 5/10
Chill reggae album.
Okay album - but I like the Spotify radio based on the album so I'll probably keep it in my library. 3/5
Socially conscious reggae music with dark undertones. I guess I expected reggae to be more upbeat, but this wasn't that. It was very instrumental, lots of saxophone and repetitive beats. I would almost describe it as atmospheric, too.
not my style
++: 12 Bar, Burden of Shame, 25% +: Tyler, Adella, I Think It's Going to Rain Today, Food for Thought, Signing Off, Madam Medusa, Strange Fruit, Reefer Madness +-: King, Little by Little 6,7/10
More enjoyable than I expected.
Jazzy Reggae. I know it might seem like they are posers but they do seem to understand the point of Reggae. Music that is up beat but can have a message. UB40 seems to get that. 3
I think if you’re in the mood for this it could be 4 stars and if you’re not it’s like a 2. The album on the whole feels awfully redundant with the same reggae time signature used for multiple songs. Lastly nothing really stood out to me here which kinda added to the “ok these are all just reggae songs”…
This reggae pop is not my thing but its nice enough
Very beachy album Is this a protest album? Songs starting to sound the same. Lyrically, very interesting. Strange Fruit is haunting, lyrically, but musically, decently upbeat. Definitely an interesting album.
Good
too long, too white, band's name sounds like a cheap suncream brand. But I do love dub!
Signing Off - UB40 While Signing Off captures a distinct historical moment, the LP ultimately lands as a somewhat middling experience. There has always been a slight hesitation or disconnect when it comes to reggae music that does not originate natively from Jamaica, and this record does not quite break through that barrier. However, the instrumental charm of "Adella" is a genuine highlight that stands out from the rest of the tracklist and earns the album some well-deserved credit. A decent but ultimately passable project. 3/5
I would like it a lot more if I was on a beach… but I’m not. 2.7
3/5
More reggae and ska than I expected. I don’t hate it
Pleasant. Resonates today. Feels difficult to be proud to be British...
That’s a huge slice of happy nostalgia right there. All the better for the lack of cheesy cover versions that were to come later on. A high 3 stars.
Reggae I don't think can be bad
Favorite Track: Reefer Madness
I found it pleasant to listen to, quite atmospheric dub. Seems UB40 started off as a decent band but the quality then deteriorated in their later works.
Good album - didn't write anything at the time of listening so no further notes.
★★★½
Me empezó gustando mucho, Tyler es un temón, pero después se aburre y me hizo dejarlo de fondo. Me gusta la onda igual. 3 estrellas.
Fine for the right setting. Not earth shattering.
I was pleasantly surprised with this one. Really good musicianship and nice to see them showcasing that they have a lot more to offer than the overplayed Red Red Wine. This definitely grooves in the right setting, but a little too long for my tastes.
Was shocked not to hear red red wine. These guys did other stuff? Not great but very listenable. 2.75
Actually quite like this, just struggling with the length (that's what she said). Solid chill listen. 3.5/5
Just ok — a number of tracks sounded too similar.
I'm a fan of UB40 and this album contains a couple/a few classic tracks. However, although I like the instrumental tracks indiviually on this album, there were too many for my liking (sounded a bit samey).
80s reggae. Debut. Political.
Great first album. Favorite tracks were Tyler, Burden of Shame and Madam Medusa, even though that last track ran a little long. UB40 had such a great light reggae sound.
a veces pienso que debería escuchar mas reggae, pero la verdad es que si me canso un toque rápido :/ si me gustó tho, guarde un par
Way different than I was expecting based on what I’d heard from them before. I like it but it could definitely be 20 minutes shorter.
The most repetitive album since Houmous & Chutneys ‘Here We Go Again’ 2.5 8/13 Food For Thought
I like their reggae blend sound. This was quite a good album. I enjoyed it.
What a jam
Better than I expected.
Good easy listening music, just a bit boring
5/10 Best songs: Burden of Shame Okay, to be entirely honest, I find this album musically repetitive, with many tracks lacking lyrics or repeating the same one line over a tropical reggae beat for 5 minutes. That being said, the song Burden of Shame (and Tyler, somewhat) comes close to rescuing this album from complete blandness. The political lyricism this album is supposedly known for is at its peak in this song, and it works really, really well. Unfortunately, one track can't save a dull album from itself. I think this band has the makings of something absolutely incredible, but I don't think it's shown in this album (contrary to its apparent popularity at the time).
It wasn’t bad, but after a while it starts to all sound like the same song
I find it hard to believe this is a must listen Reggae album? There’s nothing wrong about it and it is a pleasant listen but you’re telling me this is something I have to listen to before I die? There’s gotta be better Reggae out there. I get UB40’s greater cultural significance to Reggae but really, nothing better? Nothing more experimental? What am I missing?
It's alright I guess
So…. Well, it was better than expected. But not good enough to get me to 4 stars. It could be in the background far too easily. 3 Boolean: yes, glad to hear before I kick it
Reggae just doesn't do anything for me. It's just there, I can listen to it as background music, but trying to actively listen is boring. This album does nothing to change my opinion. It's not bad, just boring.
ok
I like the instrumentals on this album better than other reggae albums I've heard. The music is pretty chill but some of the lyrics are dark; it's a fascinating juxtaposition.
Pitkästä aikaa reggaeta. Täytyy kuitenkin todeta, ettei UB40 ole mikään The Wailersin tasoinen pumppu. Tämä levy on liian pitkä, mutta parhaimmillaan se on aika hyvä.
7/10
A nice reggae album from UB40. I had only previously listened to a couple of UB40 albums, so this was a nice addition. Lots of purely instrumental stuff, making for good background music while working on projects.
Very samey but very fun
This started off being much better than I'd imagined (admittedly my preconceptions were based on Red, Red Wine). But really, there's only so much saxophone a man can handle. Having said that, I took the time to listen to the lyrics, and any enemy of Thatcher is a friend of mine, so they gain a lot of credit there.
...
Jeg synes faktisk den er ret fed og et interessant eksempel på jamaicans indflydelse på UKs musik. Synes måske dog at Strange Fruit coveret var lige friskt nok
Reggae is a little too samey for me. It did take me back to being in the Carribean walking past all the food stalls and gift shops but I wouldn't seek it out. Very solid at what it is though.
At first, I was going to give this album a 4, but then I realized that just about every song did the same thing, which was to get really exciting like halfway through the song. At first, I loved that, but then every song did that and I got bored of it.
While this isn't exactly my style of music, I did really enjoy this one. It's super chill and fun to listen to. I think it is a bit long, I was kind of ready to move on after half an hour or so. But I could definitely see myself throwing this on in the future to have on in the background while doing other things. And I don't get the hate for reggae that comes from outside Jamaica. I mean It's just adding different flavors. People don't get so upset about all the British invasion bands playing blues, why would they be upset about this? Makes no sense. I like the more instrumental songs better. I'm a little too young to get the full effect of the problems with Margaret Thatcher so a lot of the lyrics just kind of washed over me. 3/5
This is a fine reggae album. I enjoyed it overall, but nothing really stands out from track to track. There’s nothing bad here, but it also doesn’t leave a lasting impression.
Been a while since I have listened to reggae! Nice!
Кажется, я послушал дважды. Но все равно не помню. Не хочу слушать в третий раз.
I didn't find this all that profound. Not bad, but not what I was expecting. I thought it would have more energy.
A solid album, nothing spectacular, but easy to listen to on a drive.
Best reggae album on this list so far but nothing major stands out to give more than a 3
This was good. I expected the jolly, glossy, bland commercial reggae which they have been known for, but this being their first album didn’t have any of that. It’s an honest and solid album prior to the band’s popularity increasing. That’s my assumption anyway. I enjoyed it.