Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Pretty good
I recognized the sound but didn't know any of the songs. Not a bad album but didn't especially get into it.
Chill in the background.
Enjoyed this more than I expected. No where near as whiny as red red wine
There will be lots of this in this upcoming recession.
Some chill songs in there, but seemed pretty repetitive. Several of the songs were pretty dumb, I enjoyed the instrumental ones
good vibes
like most ppl, i know this band for Genuinely Abhorrent covers of classic songs that amount to reggae novelty tracks, so this decently respectable and incredibly politically charged debut was certainly a trip to learn about. im not totally convinced of it still tbh...its too long, and while this Cold And Cryptic mood that drags reggae thru the thatcher administration is kinda cool i ultimately have to be boring and say i prefer the richer and warmer and more culturally rich protest stylings of much jamacian reggae. still, there is an aesthetic to it, its all respectably played and presented (sans maybe some corny saxophone tone but i dont mind that), and theres as far as i can tell a surprisingly dense history of reggae crossing over to br*ton...im not one to speak on it, but apparently its not As garishly appropriative as it initially sounds. UB40's later hits notwithstanding i suppose. i wonder when i'll get the clash on this project!
Interesting take on reggae with a hint of dubstep in the beats. I felt like the bpm was the same on every song so they all kind of blended together. It was not a bad listen though
This was a vibe, not mad at it.
3.5
Decent reggae. No qualms.
7/10 Reggae Album that has lots of quality, but didn’t really have an impact on me. Might be willing to change in the future but as of now I muddled through the album
Pretty mellow reggae. 3/5
I learned a lot about British and world affairs by listening and looking up the references in the lyrics. This is an artwork that also serves as a snapshot of society at its time. Favorite picks: "Signing Off", "Madam Medusa"
It’s white reggae, so I get why people would dislike this, but honestly that’s pretty good. A little too slick at times, but a nice listen. Best song: Burden of Shame
Kelpo reggae! Tässä on hauska vinyylipainos jossa toinen levy in eri rpm:llä kuin ensimmäinen 3/5
Yllättävän hyvä reggae-levy. Ehkä tykkäsin tästä vähän synkemmästä menosta. 3/5
This album was fine.....feels like it would be ranked exactly 556 out of 1100. Nothing great, nothing terrible.
i do like reggae, but a couple of these songs are WAY too long.
Cool!
I always hated UB40...not for solid reason, just because of their atrocious cover of Kingston town...Now, this band and their debut album were a political statement (which I was unaware of back then). The album is an enjoyable listen, nice sax (for once), meaningful lyrics, I am signing in.
Grupo que introdujo el reggae al público masivo combinando comercialidad y calidad, además de critica y compromiso. Una dilatada carrera plagada de éxitos así lo confirma. Este debut es muy bien considerado aunque en mi opinión Labour of love sobre todo el volumen 1 y 2 es más fácil de escuchar y representativo. También sus grandes éxitos entre los que siempre se incluye la aquí publicada Food for Thought
It was okay. Ended up listening to their best of album which I enjoyed better
Quite good, one of the better reggae albums I've listened too I think the songs went on too long, it got quite samey. There wasn't much need for the instrumentals either
One must wonder what it was like to be a British reggae band. They brought the political and vibesy versions of reggae and applied it to their own situation in England. Britain really seemed to have a movement in 1980 with the popularity of two-tone (soon to be second-wave ska). I love the dedication they had to learning their instruments and being heard. This album was really put together with love and care for their personal mission. 3.5/5
White boy British reggae, let’s get into it. As I listened to this it sort of gave me vibes of if The Beach Boys decided to go reggae so I was unsurprised when I saw that they were British and not from the Caribbean. The album was solid, nothing bad, nothing amazing, just good. Made me feel a little more tropical as the snow was falling outside but not music I would seek out. Good harmonies and beats, nothing memorable though. Average album for me.
Today I learned that the awful 1980's British reggae band that did “Red Red Wine” released a really cool debut album that was super political, dub heavy, staunchly anti-Thatcherite and recorded under the most DIY conditions imaginable. These are the types of discoveries that keep me doing this project.
Gear: Moondrop Variations Artwork: 🟨🗃️🗄️ Production: 🧈😊👌 Music: 🏝️🎶🌿🇬🇧🤔💭 Rating: 🗃️🗃️🗃️/5
Thoughts before listening: 80s pop new wave white boy reggae band. I know "Red Red Wine" but I don't think that is on this album. Of course this list would have an early UB40 album on it. Review: This actually sounds more like reggae than I was expecting. I guess I was assuming pop music with upstroke guitars and some cultural appropriation vocals. That's definitely here, but it's truthfully pretty well done with some cool instrumental jam sections in these songs. 3-stars
3.5
This is a pretty good album. I feel its historical importance is based more on lyrical content than musical content, but the music is good too. The best song for me is Food for Thought. I would listen to this album again. On a side note, I wish there was more reggae on the 1001 albums list outside of Bob Marley.
I like reggae but nothing stood out, a coworker with more knowledge said its one of the worse albums, so im staying level
I like how it sounds, but I think it's too long
witte reggae... valt op zich wel mee
Enjoyable but maybe a little long for the lack of variety. I enjoy the hints of British synth influence in the music. (10 known/17 new)
I was not stoked to see this come up, because I just thought, “Great. White boys doing reggae.” I only knew UB40 from their ubiquitous hit “Red Red Wine,” and dismissed them as a one-hit wonder. Then the music came on. It might be white boys doing reggae, but it sounds so smooth. I was surprised how much I liked the warm sounds, the drums, the swaying I could not help. Initially a four, it dragged for me a bit be the end, and ultimately I felt it was a little too one-dimensional to sustain a 67-minute length. I also thought the inclusion of a “Strange Fruit” cover a bit of an odd choice, and their version does not hold a candle to the original. I’m going 3.5 stars, which in my system knocks it down to a 3.
I think my Dad was into UB40, me - not so much! I had a really interesting chat with someone about appropriation verses appreciation of culture in music. I was ok
Reggae. Liked it more than one of the first ones I listened to. Take it or leave it.
The percussion in the track Tyler is lush, textured, and well-mixed. Easily the highlight of the song, though I'll give props to the soulful vocals and light, restrained sax playing. The following track, King is significantly worse in every way – especially on the vocal front. From that point onward in the album, the instrumental tracks (of which there are many) are slightly better than their sung counterparts. The musical prowess of these people is definitely a sound to behold. The saxophone, as a recurring instrument throughout the album, is great. The basslines, while very simple, are fun and keep the music moving. A key issue I have with nearly all tracks here is that there's little variation of musical ideas, particularly in the rhythm section (rhythm guitar/bass/percussion), within each song. That is, a song starts with some rhythm, key, chord progression, and texture – and repeats an extremely precise set of measures over and over for five minutes. Even the melodies are suspect in this regard. The closing track, Reefer Madness, is a good example of this. It has no reason to be more than two minutes long, and even then, I'd call it a repetitive track that doesn't really get anywhere after the first 30 seconds of musical exposition. Most other tracks on Signing Off do the same thing. In addition, given the lack of experimentation with different genres here, the tracks really start to blur together sonically after the 30-minute mark. Which, unfortunately, is less than halfway through the album. Nifty album cover. 3/5 Key tracks: Tyler, Burden Of Shame, Signing Off
Solid reggae album.
British and reggae together is like mixing sun and rain...
I mean I think there was some funky beats and different sounds I haven’t heard a lot, however there wasn’t necessarily a part where I said YES this is why it’s on this list! However given that, it was good and I would listen again.
I'm not sure if I don't like dub/reggae or if I just haven't found the right stuff yet. I like Fishmans as much as any other RYMer worth their salt, but I think their dub stuff is just alright. I can only take so much of the same mid-tempo upbeat guitar strokes with the same drum grooves and, in UB40's case, this deeply goofy saxophone playing. and that's not even touching the fact that this is an LP plus an EP, running well over an hour! Signing Off has the same issue that I've had with a lot of other reggae I've tried out, namely that there's just not enough excitement in this music for me to feel all that engaged for that long. it feels a little bit like new wave, with the synths and some subtle sonic manipulations strewn throughout the band, but does every song need to be a chill-out session? can't we crank up the tempo a little every now and again? light 5/10.
Chill
Just kinda meh. on the three side of a 2.5.
Fun to listen to, but the songs sounded kind of same-y to me.
Either you like reggae or you don’t. I do. This album is good. Not great. I especially liked the saxophone parts. A bit cookie cutter though.
Huh. Love the british american dichotomy of hits and relevance and fame. See also dexy's midnight runners. I of course only knew red red wine, but these were some socially conscious mother fuckers, huh? Nice. Anyway its all midtempo reggae but competent, hard hitting lyrics and musically the medusa one, strange fruit cover sound a bit different.
not a reggae fan but some of the instrumental songs are fire
A little bloated. Starts off with an absolute masterwork “Tyler” and only slows down after that. Still quite enjoyable
# Album Name: Signing Off # Artist: UB40 # Rating: 3/5 # Comments: Pretty average album if im honest. It doesnt get out of gear. Theres some decent reggae here but nothing too much to get excited about. A bang average middle of the road album. Didnt love it, didnt hate it. # Top Tunes: None. # Would I listen to it again?
Enjoyed listening to this one multiple times. Sounds stripped back and quite raw at times. 3.5
• 3/5 • Quality songs, though none that particularly stand out • Pretty impressive and fully formed reggae sound for a new band on their first album
Why is this on here. I like ub40 but why this album
Can only listen to so much. Not terrible but I feel you need to be in the mood to want to listen to an entire album.
I was happy to listen to this once. Enjoyed the music but gets repetitive. I could see enjoying a live show.
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
🎧Pretty good reggae/dub album
Drums sound amazing, band is great, music is kinda boring tho.
Didn't mind it in the background.
A solid easy listen. The tracks all kind of blend together as one mega song. Nothing particularly noteworthy, an easy reggae listen with chill beats and vibes
I liked this album. The instrumentation is all really good especially the saxophone and the percussion. The lyrics are far more political than I was expecting from the band that brought us Red Red Wine. My favorite songs were Tyler, King, Burden Of Shame, Food For Thought, and Madam Medusa.
This is #day114 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… it's the last day of autumn 2024 (actually, the end of March 2026), as I've decided to revisit this record after feeling I rated it too low the first time. One reason is that I recently heard a couple of UB40 tracks on the radio station where I used to host a show a few years back, and the name rang a bell. Another is that today I came across a sealed copy of the band's greatest hits, a Ukrainian official edition (the kind of cassette editions I collect), and now I'm hell-bent on scoring it. It's also pretty evident how important this music was in the context of British ska, 2 Tone, and reggae. And, last but not least, I find the sax particularly enjoyable. This is a strong 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day115.
I like dub, so the more dub songs on here are the best. Such as King. However I'm far more into more out there dub. I do not care for the more straightforward reggae songs, they're just not particularly interesting. Ah wait though. Food For Thought is a genuine banger. Great sax riff. I'll have that. Decent Strange Fruit cover. Nothing annoying, generally quite good. Pushes the album up to a low 3 for me.
very reggae, not my style but definitely fun 5/10
Very similar sounding songs, though enjoyable 3/5
They had found their sound here . . . which never really changed much on subsequent efforts.
Not as bad as I thought it would be. More instrumental than I assumed. Some songs with statements, but ultimately too long
Not the best, but enjoyable.
I always forget that UB40 were based out of Great Britain. As a result, this group brings an interesting perspective to the reggae & dub genres. Not only are the instrumental tracks slick and satisfying to listen to, but there is also some piercing political commentary that one would come to expect with the subject of reggae music, this time primarily pointed towards the policies and actions of Thatcher-era Britain. "Food for Thought" is probably the hardest hitting of the bunch, focusing on famine in Africa. I guess UB40 became a bit more commercial after the success of this album, but this was a strong start for them nonetheless. Some of the backing instrumentation did feel a bit repetitive as the album goes on, but the use of the keyboard and tenor sax was certainly a unique take on reggae at this time.
This band has had some hits, and none of them are on this album. It's on brand for them, it's jazzy rock-ish. Good for me for listening in the background.
It's fine 3.4
I’m pretty sure I’ve never heard any of their songs except Red Red Wine and I Can’t Help Falling In Love With You, so I didn’t really know what to expect. I’m not the biggest reggae fan but this was a nice easy listen, though the songs feel very similar. Mostly felt like music I’d just have on in the background to mellow out to.
I don’t know exactly where this record ends but my opinion will stay largely the same I think. It does kinda pain me to not give this higher then a 3 cause I love this sound but I just don’t think the songs are that impressive. This is what I’d call a background record, and there’s nothing wrong with that but apart from a handful of tracks, this just doesn’t pull me in that greatly.
This album was acc pretty good. The songs were good and there was some super cool production stuff. Way to go UB40!
Cool reggae cmon. Surprised me pleasantly.
I'm not a huge fan of Reggae, but I am a fan of it's history. This album was a little long for me, but the saxophone and lyrics kept me engaged enough. I think I would rather listen to the Specials.
Was OK, didn't love it.
Reggae and dub recontextualized in 1980s Britian. Recorded independently in the (barely) home studio of Bob Lamb, the 8-piece band recorded the same 13 songs that they had been practicing and performing for about a year. The result is a scrappy, vibey reggae album that revels in its laid-back rhythms and politically-charge lyrics. In truth, I enjoy the dub parts more than the reggae. I think dub's production lends itself better to the atmosphere and tone of UB40. It's definitely a background album for me, but it's fantastic at doing just that.
Nice first listen they haven't changed much from their beginning
Did not like it at all.
quickly turned into background noise not bad not super interesting YNN
Nice and mellow
Niet echt boeiend, maar ook niet slecht. Wel een beetje het idee dat ze Jamaicanen aan het cosplayen zijn.
UB40 are a bit of a blind spot for me; I only knew Red Red Wine before now. Seems like they got more poppy later on but on this evidence they began life as The Specials - except where The Specials sounded like they were on stimulants, UB40 were on depressants. Anyway, the blend of politically defiant lyrics and moody, hypnotic reggae is pretty seductive. The first track, Tyler, was probably my favourite example of this. It's tempting to mark it down for the sheer length and repetition of some of the instrumental sections, but that didn't bother me too much, really.
Puoi essere politicante quanto vuoi ma devi darmi di più. Non do 2 per la cover di Strange Fruit, quella è sempre potente
Good background music for work or casual listening. I can't listen too closely because it is so repetitive. It's like every song is the same beat overlaid with a simple lyric, repeat for 4 minutes, times x songs. Boom, you made a reggae album!
Cool album but too long. The sax is good.
A bong-load of boring background.
I like the idea of this album more than the album itself
The UK reggae sound that UB40 plays here is a stop on the UK pop music evolution with a through line from punk, post-punk, and of course Ska, etc. This music isn't for everyone as the reviews here will show, but the impact this album and music have made on the 80s is huge and Signing Off is a significant part of the music history of that decade. 3.25/5
I listened to so much UB40 in high school and loved it, I don't know why I stopped but will be adding back into rotation for sure.
girl i guess 2.5/5
The album sounds good but I find the genre of music to be a bit boring. I did enjoy the title track.
This is alright, pretty boring. There's way better Reggae that should be in its place though.. 6/10 Kinda boring
I listened to this while I was working and it was very pleasant and enjoyable background music but not a single song caught my attention enough that I paid more attention to it than that.
While this is definitely in the running for my favorite album cover of all time the actual music was just some nice pleasant West Indies British reggae. Fun to hear more non bob marley reggae but other than that nothing super memorable.
Vocally medicore. Got a bit reptitive by the middle, but closed more strongly.
You know, when I first got this album, my first though was "Come on England. Why are you trying to do reggae? Can't you just leave it to the Jamaicans?" However, after listening to UB40's Signing Off, I realized that those were stupid questions, because this album is pretty alright. I actually had no idea that reggae has as big of an impact on British music as it does. So you know what? It's not like there isn't an argument for this album being on the list. I say let it stay. It adds some variety and is also, as I stated earlier, a decent album. The thing that surprised me the most was with the singing. I was really worried that it would be super annoying. Fortunately, I was wrong. The vocals were softer than I thought they'd be, which isn't a bad thing. I liked it. The sound was a bit repetitive, but was similarly pleasant. The writing was also alright. It's fairly political in a good way. It's not really what I was expecting, but I was pleasantly surprised by it. This album isn't really my thing personally, but I have quite a bit of respect for it. It was quite a bit better than I thought it would be. 3/5.
Nice reggae album with no hits or fails. I like the cover artwork! Favourite: "Tyler" 2,5
I’ve never been a fan of UB40’s big hits, so I was surprised that I enjoyed their debut as much as I did. The lyrics protesting racism and class inequality were a nice surprise.
Meh
Meh.
Summerhouse.
political and yet easy listining
2.77.
Parempi kuin bändin "hitti"coverien perusteella odotin.
Fav: King Least Fav: Burden Of Shame
Great Album. Minus one star for so much saxophone!
Fun album overall. Very easy listening.
I never really loved UB40's vibe, but I don't mind it that much. This album was mostly okay...but maybe monotonous at times.
Yeah, I made a big ugh face when I saw today's homework and I actively hated it for about half an hour. And then I stopped paying attention and found myself grooving to the rhythm. I was a little thrilled to hear Randy Newman's I Think It's Going to Rain Today and was a little shocked that I liked it. Food for Thought is a great little tune. Definitely exceeded my expectations.
It was ok, nothing too annoying but not too many stand out tracks either.
English Reggae, anti Thatcher and pre RedRed Wine (yuck), it's a politically strong album with a pretty good vibe.
Pleasant enough background music. Once you heard one or two songs you've pretty much heard them all, reggae lends itself to sameness.
Good
Reggae. 3
Low-key and earnest, this is pleasant early UB40
Lemppari: King Vähiten lemppari: 25%
Lekker zomers, goeie vibe en gelikter geproduceerd dan veel Jamaicaanse reggae-platen. Maar wel saai verder. 6/10
I’ve been meaning to listen for such a long time so was glad when this came up. Fantastic and timely. Raw and sound like when and where I grew up. The turmoil is in the sound. And the anger too.
I feel a bit stupid, but I never realised UB40 was so political. It seems obvious now. I enjoyed the songs with lyrics but the instrumentals were a bit dull.
DUB40
well i guess they did have a lot of time on their hands
im not too into reggae but this was solid. loved the strange fruit cover.
Encouraging to get more Raggae music. I was not familiar with anything by UB40 outside of Labour of Love. But this was an infectious vibe. While I know their lyrics are meaningful for a late 70s and 80s England, I lost focus on that quickly and just enjoyed the music. EDIT: I listened to Labour of Love later, and changed my mind. Signing off have my vibing more.
Decent
It’s fine, but not the best UB40 and not something you need to revisit
The music is fine, but it's all the same vibe
While enjoyable, this album was 20 minutes too long and too repetitive. 6/10
Hard to know what I made of this really. I don't think anyone can hate reggae music, it can happily sit in the background, but this didn't really pack a punch for me.
Meh, guess it wasn't bad but it's nothing special, sounds like all UB40
I don't really have much to say about this album, I enjoyed it at the start but it just seems to be a little too long for my liking.
Never really got into UB40 but this is actually not a bad album. Might even listen to it again. One day.
2.5
Good first album no memorable songs but has that great UB 40 sound!
I think this could be good for passive listening as background music. Unfortunately I don’t have much going on in my life rn so it’s hard to have something be the background when there’s no foreground. I think the album overall has a nice sound and good vibes, but wasn’t extremely compelling to me. Its hard for me to evaluate how I’d feel ab something as passive music bc imo “good” background music is something that you can listen to while doing something else but like I’m constantly thinking wow that’s song is so good. I felt that way ab the Getz/gilberto album. I don’t know that it’s what I would just have playing when I’m on a walk/drive but any activity of substance and that is just the most gorgeous noise to live life to. Also imo very few songs have any business being longer than 5 minutes and the Medusa song def was longer than i wanted it to be. Basically i like the energy but idk how to rate this. 6/10
I was excited for reggae but honesty I didn’t like it that much. It was just kinda monotonous. Maybe if I listened more to the words it would have been better cause the wiki said it was very political. 5/10
5/10 - If I was listening to this on the beach with a glass of wine or like a mai tai or something, this would be an 7 or 8/10 because that is the vibe. Since I was listening to this album at the gym, its more like a 3 or a 4. Overall boring and pretty repetitive. The drums are the exact same in every song I feel. If Red, Red, Wine was on this album it would've gone up a point. To average the numbers it gets a 5
Nice in the background, and especially the title song left some impression.
I wasn't a huge fan of this one. Not bad, just not my thing.
It's not bad at all for a reggae meets British new wave record.
Although a good album to put at the beach and chill while letting it run. It really is just an album for that. Pretty good reggae from some English whiteboys who had a strong influence from Bob and made great music with little ways to get more reggae music back in England and they managed to stay loyal to the real thing. Too much dub in this album and gets boring after a few songs if listening deeply to it. Fun good album good music but not great although it was innovative for Europe and groundbreaking at the time.
Something new and good. Not an expert on reggae but i enjoyed it.
As far as BrittRaga goes I'm not at all familiar with UB40 (but I do like The Specials). They sound pretty similar and I enjoyed this album. The heavy dub-vibes surprised me a lot (wow, 1979). Very strong bass lines, cool incorporation of keyboard sounds (something no other reggae was doing), and good use of horns create a very likable set. I will be revisiting this one for sure.
Прикольные чуваки, у меня их альбом какой-то на виниле есть. Ну не у меня, а у бати когда-то давно он появился. Чилловая музычка, британский взгляд на регги. Хз, помните Madness? Это было чутка попозже конечно, и они играли ска (доебаться тут можно даааа), но звучало более мейнстримно и как-то притягательно. Не, как бы, это всё ещё пиздатый чилловый регги, под него прям самый кайф зачилливаться. Вайбит. Но слегка достало к концу осмысленного прослушивания. Типа мысли вроде "так я слушал это уже вроде".
Signing Off is a collection of chilled out reggaeton jams. It's enjoyable while it's on, not particularly standout in any sense but it has been nice to hear a genre shift for a change.
I like reggae songs, but a full album is a little hard to take sometimes. Still, pretty good!
This album was too long, but UB40’s particular brand of slow burning reggae was pleasant to listen to. This is another album of its time lyrically as well with its criticism of British imperialism and 80s economic policies.
more a 3.5, solid album not as catchy as some of their other work
Reggae is not my jam, but I'll give them credit for their anti-Thatcher messages! Fuck that bitch.
Interesting album. Liked a couple of tracks specifically, (tyler, madam medusa, strange fruit) but not much my thing overall
Good reggae but just wasn't feeling it. Could have been that cold and rainy weather doesn't mix well with reggae.
Pretty solid reggae album! UB40 was a band I had heard of due to them being on the outside of the British Punk movement in the late 70's and 80's. I particularly enjoy the "punkier" reggae songs from this era, but there are some great one on this album none the less. Overall it's a pretty chill album, and I would have to imagine this band was influential to the modern ska movement.
Highlights: Tyler 12 Bar This was an easy album to listen to. Nothing ground breaking but a solid album. I liked the softness of the sound and the general vibe they created in the studio. Not sure if I will come back to this but I wouldn't rule it out.
I mean its kind of just like every other Reggae album right?
3.5 maybe? Good stuff, a little long but overall a good listen
Genuinely can not tell if I like this or not. I like the lyrics and the melodies are great. Those damn upbeats though…
Fan of Dub and UB40, but this album is lacking. He somehow champions dub structure with pitchy, straining vocals that get irritating see: Tyler and Burden. Burden is a great example of the complete change that can happen, back half much better than front just from an energy standpoint. Some classic ‘80 sound textures too. Adella is great classic dub, oh wait, no vocals… I’m sensing a theme. This just dragged on.
It's fine, nothing fancy.
Was ok, better than id expected not just cheesy covers.
Not bad, feels tainted (in my head at least) by association with the later top of the pops rubbish that gets played all the time.
Decent. Its not great, the whole album kind of drags on and becomes 80s ska background music like youre in an episode of some bbc thing or maybe miami vice. Not that I mind, but its not great. 3/5
Near the end, I thought, "yeah this is about as expected - I like reggae influences and a little reggae but a whole album is too much for me." Unfortunately, this was actually about halfway into the album and I still had thirty more minutes left.
Some solid dub grooves such as King, Burden of Shame, and Food for Thought. Also some Cringy pop songs like I think it’s going to rain today
Reggae más bien lentillo. Ni fu ni fa.
C'était une super musique de fond. C'est pas trop un compliment normalement, mais c'est positif dans ma tête.
very enjoyable but blends together and into the background 3.3
I can't remember where I heard them referred to as Jahwaddywaddy, but it rings uncomfortably true. This is actually more dubby and political than I expected, and both of those things made me like it more than I expected to.
Not bad, all kind of the same
Good
Deze oude UB40 bevalt me wel eigenlijk! Niet zo gladjes als de latere dingen die ze gemaakt hebben.
Een beetje reggae op z’n tijd is niet verkeerd, al zal ik dit van de puriteinen geen reggae mogen noemen denk ik.
Fun reggae album. The problem i have with reggae is that i can’t differentiate between the songs unless i concentrate on the lyrics. I spun this whole album while i was working on a project and didn’t realize that the album had started over and was on track 6 before i looked at the clock to see how much more of the album was left. Not many “bangers” on this one but i will definitely spin this album again.
Exactly what I expected from UB40
Was prepared to like this less than I actually did. Pretty enjoyable listen overall.
Not usually a fan of reggae or ska, so UB40 has been off my radar since that, Red Red Wine song (ugh!) was on the airwaves. Listening to their debut, it's evident the band is skilled and has a knack for writing songs and lyrics I can agree with. The music is fine, but often reggae is boring and so repetitious it's hard to take after a while. Signing Off was a good listen, but I prefer it as background music.
UB40? Cool, IB46. Now that we know each other, let me say that I didn’t know this band had even made a record that didn’t have “Red, Red Wine” on it. I mean, it makes sense. Just never crossed my mind. I didn’t hate this. In fact, there was one song I even listened to twice. (“Food for Thought”) The whole thing sounded good enough to make for decent background music, and while it’s not something I’d ever reach for when I actively want to listen to something, anything… I can kind of wrap my head around how this would have made an impression in 1980. And, yeah, the OG fans who were into this then must’ve hated the turn to radio friendly reggae a few years later.
Honestly being one of the greatest reggae bands of all time coming from England just shows how music has no borders. Good album.
Pretty good album but nothing I would really go back and listen to. 2.8/5
alright alright alright
Good but repetitive
King was a nice track, and Food for Thought. Some good instrumental sections too, but overall fades too much into the background to be great.
Not big into reggae but I enjoyed this much more than I thought I would.
Ska came before reggae
i love two tone and ska but never listened to this record, crazy how different this is from their later hits highlights for me - a killer randy newman cover and the 13 min song bitching out maggie thatcher
go white boys go actually very groovy, i dig the political messaging
This is a reggae album. Probably has some strong social-political commentary in it. Sounds mostly like any other record of this genre. Weird fades in and out and skips on some tracks. Wasn't impressed.
I have to trust this was influential at the time comparing of other reggae I've heard, this is not very interesting, but still OK a lot of dub elements, so this was released after dub techniques became very widespread could not hear the lyrics too well, so cannot judge them like the cover
Both reggae and electronic music easily get monotonous. So what happens when the two were combined? Yay, an hour of the same beat! The instrumentals/production are good in some places though.
The only song I previously heard by UB40 was "Red Red Wine", which is not on this album. This album was pretty decent reggae, many instrumental songs, as well as an interesting cover of "Strange Fruit". Overall pretty good
plus dub que je pensais. bien aimé 7.5/10
Nothing here really stood out other than the cover of "Strange Fruit," but (macabre subject matter aside) the album was pleasant enough.
Fun reggae
This was okay. I found it a little boring compared to the other reggae albums I’ve heard so far. I liked the instrumental tracks more than the ones with singing. “Reefer Madness” was the highlight for me.
I don't really do reggae, but this is a super chill time.
Very good. Not a fan of reggae
Not much of a reggae guy
Personally not my sound but it's a fun listen
Pretty bland and basic reggae. Not enough anger and to many frills. Overall an enjoyable listen, but not remarkabke.
Always fun.
I never listened to much by them expect what was on the radio. Pretty interesting.
A windswept debut, with wind removed, likely for the best. It lends a quiet gray to the proceedings, and the yellow of the cover makes an appropriate pairing. The dub that's there is highly internal and reminiscent of much electronic music to come. A clear transitional in that, but less than moving somehow.
Ska, i like the sax.
Genuinely surprised this makes the list and I don’t remember it from when i used to browse this book back to front for years, but here we are: a record I’ve never listened to. I hate UB40 and always have. red red wine, to me, is one of the worst songs to ever become a hit. That all said - this was pretty passable reggae, captured the Jamaican music in the UK vibe well and has good production, but other than the opener, is pretty forgettable - my favorite tracks being the longer dub ones.
Swearing off UB40 for life after hearing Red Wine way too many times it took me a bit to work up to listening to this. On listening I heard a solid dub/reggae album that included a couple of tracks I had no idea were UB40. Plus it was punk as @#$* in places. My only issue was it dragged a little and my interest wanted by the end
Didn’t really do much for me. 12 Bar was the one song I liked.
🤷 Feels like a 3? I liked parts of it?
Good regae, but not spectacular
Everybody knows that expecting a wealth of different sounding musical styles from UB40 tends to leave you disappointed. The band has always been a one-trick pony, even if they have mastered that particular trick quite well. The best track ist clearly the opener Tyler; the rest is easy-enough-to-listen-to reggae; not bad, but nothing to write home about. 2.5/5
Okay reggae
3.75
very chill
Not too bad at all. Started off very strong with the first track, then cooled off a bit due to lack of variety. The sax player in particular needs to learn some different riffs. 3 glasses of red red wine out of 5 🍷🍷🍷
Reggae más bien lentillo. Ni fu ni fa.
Good solid reggae album. Great jamming, not something I would listen to alot as I'm a huge reggae listener, but the jams on each track were great.
3,5/5
Me gusta para tenerlo de fondito haciendo tarea peor no es mi top, podría estar escuchando otra cosa de fondo tbh xD
Having never seriously listened to them before I was blown away by how much substance this band had behind their music. Easily being thrown into my rotation
If I could, I'd give this 3-and-a-half. Enjoyable listening but inessential. Not urgent enough. Maybe the knowledge of what was to come overshadows the actual record.
Singles: --------------------------------- King / Food for Thought (#4 UK) My Way of Thinking / I Think It's Going to Rain Today (#6 UK) 3.5
J’ai aimé le mélange de jazz et de reggae, le fait qu’il y avait beaucoup de pièces instrumentales
I've had a bad run so far with these albums. This is better than I imagined, but it plays like reggae elevator music. I was surprised at how passive and non-intrusional these songs were. Seemed like there were a fair amount of instrumentals, but it's reggae without the swag. Perhaps the issue is I am not a fan of UB40's music, but one can see why they needed to file for unemployment benefits if this is their best effort.
Good homogeneous reggae
Saxamaphone sounds good.
Interesting to see another UK Reggae pop/rock album on here after The Police album but I expect it not to be the last one. This is a first for me in this genre since starting the list and I do find it to be a unique sound but a very pleasant one at that. The issue, however, that I do have with these albums is they tend to not sound too unique when comparing song by song. The Police are an exception due to the wider rock incorporations into their music but I did find this UB40 album to drag on a bit. Don’t get me wrong the majority of instruments were great and I loved the brass instruments introduced but some of the tracks made this album way longer than it needed to be, those being the instrumental tracks such as ‘Adella’ and the 13 minute ‘Madam Medusa’ where when it comes to a sound like this I don’t think there’s a need for this empty space. Honestly I think I might be being a bit too critical on it as it is a great sound I just think for an album it doesn’t really give me what I want an album to be, it’s more just a nice groovy collection of songs. So did I like this album? Yes. Did I love it? No. Do I think it should be on this list? Yes, and that’s the most important thing as I wouldn’t have given this sound a try otherwise.
I enjoyed this one!
I think its really easy to scoff at this. White guys going reggae. However the debut is not bad and its heart was in the right place. Later stuff was dogshit however. 3.
A side of reggae that I'd never been introduced to before. Not as enjoyable as the traditional thing, but not terrible. Maybe a little slow and boring at times. The vocals were a little soft, too.
That was the most soothing protest record I’ve ever heard. I recognised none of the songs (even the covers had an alien feel to them) but they were all very pleasantly bip-boppy.
I'm not generally a reggae fan but this album was not half bad
I genuinely have no idea how to feel about this album. It's almost like a ska band's take on reggae at some points, which sadly can drift into being elevator music-adjacent. But the instrumentals are far too sophisticated for that at the same time. Lyrics/vocals are nothing to write home about. Favorite track: Madam Medusa
A really interesting album - of course very British in its politics and its music. I enjoyed this. Something about the sound of the dub and the horns and the lyrics.
I liked the upbeat reggae of the whole thing. Not sure I'll remember any of it, but it was enjoyable at the time
Not bad, I like the dub kinda vibe the most. Instrumentals pretty good and dig the Anti-Thatcher anger. Yeah fuck the Tories!
Not a reggaton fan. The musicianship is really competent, but it's not my cuppa.
I saw UB40 at a festival in 2015 and they sounds pretty much how I remember. Decent background music but probably not something I would choose to actively listen to. 3/5 because I have a soft spot for the punk agenda
Surprisingly enjoyable
Not for me
I am not much of a reggae guy. I would give it two stars but I feel that would be unfair.
A good album, couple of songs I knew in this one but they're all listenable and I would def play again.
A great reggae album with some verve to keep its downtempo arrangements moving along. Appreciated that each song had a distinct melodic feel to it, rather than one major key mush some albums in this genre tend to become.
Reggae relaxant amb molts instrumentals i la primera vegada que s'escoltava la veu i sentit melòdic tan característic de l'Ali Campbell. Res especialment memorable, però agradable de sentir i alguns temes destacables
I wasn't particularly moved, but it was a really solid album.
Liked it more than I expected. Much prefer this sound to their big songs, albeit is quite repetitive after a while. Decent background music but no rush to return
The perfect accompaniment to my strike day commute involving a bus, tram and tube. Started off quite nice before becoming increasingly monotonous and when I started to wonder when it would end there was still half an hour to go. Made me want listen to Sublime who I think do this sort of ska a lot better, though that's probably fighting talk in Birmingham or Coventry or wherever these guys are from.
Not really listened to UB40 before, was surprised to learn the singers doing reggae are white guys. I didn't dislike it but so many of the songs blended together. It's all abit too samey. Highlights were "Food for Thought" and "Little By Little".
cannot believe that these men are british. they know they fucked when they released this album. good one, but not the greatest one.
I like raggae, but after listening to a few songs in a row they all start to sound the same
I like the concepts this album tackled. Definitely edgy especially for the time. It was a little long though and while I do enjoy the tenor saxophone in my reggae music, it just felt repetitive as time went on. Which is fine because it was good, but I need more of a switch-up musically. Decent album overall.
Better than expected… But still not my thing.
6/10. bueno pero cmo monotono/no risks. en vdd el reggae en gral lo encuentro medio monotono/parecido asi q en vola es pq no me gusta tanto el generou.
White boy reggae. I never associated reggae with the peace & love weed smokers. It was always a political genre for me. I appreciate the political lyrics and themes present here. The dub-influenced instrumentals are pretty cool too.
Du bon reggae pour vrai, avec un beau son dub. Intéressant d'entendre ça, beaucoup plus typique du vrai reggae que Red Red Wine.
Very chill reggae. Not really for me.
A bit samey. Thundering bass. Food for thought is very good.
I'm sure it's great for an smooth 80's reggae fan, but not for me
I don't think I was in the right headspace to fully enjoy this one. I need to give it another listen as I think that there's some real magic on this if I give it more attention. So it's a 3+*
I’m slowly triangulating my reggae taste, for the most part this was pretty good, didn’t stand out very much, but a couple of the songs (”Signing Off”, “Reefer Madness”) are long instrumental pieces that I thought were really cool and engaging
This album broadened my horizons on what reggae could be. Silky smooth with the sax. Relaxing in a way.
This is the debut album by British reggae band UB40. It was an immediate success in the UK, making the band one of the more popular reggae bands at the time, and the album has remained one of the band's best. Signing Off is an almost perfect debut album and a cool British take on reggae. It has a mellow sound, but the political lyrics still pack a punch. I really enjoyed this chilled out album and would recommend everyone to give it a listen.
This was good background music
Better than I expected - it's early UB40, so quite moody and not popularist white boy reggae Plus, Food for Thought, immense
white reggae
a lot of this album dragged on. i enjoyed the sound of it but it got pretty monotonous after the halfway point
I've heard of UB40, but never delved into their stuff before. This is my second reggae album in a row (yesterday I had Bob Marley). Unlike Bob's sound, this has more pop sensibilities to it, and the saxophone is a great addition to the overall feel of the album. This album deals with some pretty heavy topics about racism, politics, and poverty. I enjoyed this album, but not as much as Bob Marley's album. This record had a lot of instrumentals, experimentation, and drawn out solos throughout, whereas Bob Marley kept his album on track and tight, which is why I liked it more. Favourite songs: Tyler, Burden of Shame, Little By Little, Food For Thought Least favourite songs: Madam Medusa (13 minute song that just felt too long and drawn out), I Think It's Going To Rain Today 3/5
this was better than i expected. easy to listen to.
A little redundant but overall a pleasant listen.
Bit boring after a while
Decent enough tracks. Not my cup of tae but not bad.
A little long
not very diverse
3,5/5 Best song: Food for thought
2,5/5 Nicht mein Genre Etwas monotoner Reggae Krine Zeit deswegen zum einschlafen
3/13, 23%
3, nice vibes
Starts off strong but gets a bit stale throughout. Definitely great background music pretty chilled out but not something I'd listen to on a regular basis
Good background music.
More like, "UB white boys singing reggae," am I right?
Pretty good, wasn't expecting to like this one.
Pues me gustó tanto como me puede gustar el reggae. Buena instrumentación, buenas canciones. Mi único problema es que no he encontrado un reggae que me vuele la cabeza pero seguro es mi tema con el género. La mejor es Burden of Shame.
En mi radar UB40 era solo una banda de Reggae que había hecho covers famosos. No estoy totalmente lejos de la realidad, pero siento que tienen mucha legitimidad como la banda que hizo y ha hecho el reggae británico desde que empezó a sonar y no lo ha soltado. Eso no quita que el género no me encanta, pero sí sentí mucho más gusto por el disco de lo que imaginaba inicialmente. En especial me gusto Tyler, la que abre el disco, que habla de un negro víctima de un juez blanco. Me parece interesante por la época y porque la mitad de la banda son hombres blancos, pero aparentemente muy conscientes de cómo estaba (y sigue estando) el pedo.
A great sound.
This album as a whole is much better than the one ‘Red, Red Wine’ song of theirs that I know.
huh, I didn't know there was a pre Red Red Wine UB40. Not bad. Some chill, reggae vibes. Socially conscious lyrics about being ashamed to be British. Ok UB40, you're alright...
It's reggae, I like reggae
Une voix sublime à la texture R'n'B gâchée par des instrumentales reggae (?!).
Robert vient donc nous proposer un album de 1h pleine de reggae. Il n'a donc surement pas lu nos multiples critiques à l'encontre de ce style musical absolument minable. Comme pour chaque album de reggae, la proposition artistique s'adresse uniquement aux adolescents déscolarisés, souhaitant mener une vie "à la cool". On ne cautionne pas et appliquons donc un 3/5 cher payé.
C’est cool et c’est bien fait. Je me tanne rapidement par contre. Les tounes se ressemblent trop.
Pas mon genre habituel, mais j'aime bien les pièces dub. Ça s'écoute bien, mais encore une fois, c'est un peu trop long. Je préfère cet album aux reprises qui ont faites le succès du groupe. Pièces préférées: Signing Off et 25%
Well that took me back ! No, not the music, the UB40 form ! That was very familiar when I worked for the UBO. At the time I wasn’t keen on Two-Tone but I enjoyed this. High 3*
Better than expected!
Better than expected, some nice dub reggae. Always like a bit of melodica so this went down well.
It is an interesting take on reggae for sure. Much more spacey and jazzy than the usual style which I enjoyed. The lyrics are potent political sentiments, but a bit too simple (often just a few lines over and over). 6/10
Reggae za picke? Malo mi je dosadan album al je okej za pozadinsku glazbu.
Album je dobar kad ga slušaš u pozadini onak, tako mi se sviđa. Međutim vjerujem da je dost dugačak za ovaj žanr, a i ovakih ima slučajeva kolko ti polje široko.
Pretty well put together but that sax got a bit droning at times, hit the high note every once in a while son!
I do enjoy me sociopolitical songs and this is a great debut. So much to unpack here. Faves: Tyler, Reefer Madness
Decent music, I will give them another listen and check out their other albums to make a long term judgement whether i like it or not.