Reviews (page 6 of 8)
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.
I feel a little conflicted listening to this on a Monday at 7:00am as I prepare for my first work meeting that starts in an hour. I've been blasting some Charli XCX and just got done slamming an espresso when I was like dang let me get going on 1001 albums as it's usually my first task to start the day. Maybe this monday morning needs UB40 more than Charli XCX? I can try that, I can chill and groove my way into the day instead of slam into it like a big green brat wrecking ball. I know this band mostly from "Red Red Wine" which is a great song but isn't on this album. After going through this one I'm kind of left wanting some standout track or some more memorable moments. I think that's what is hard for me to reckon with this genre, is that by it's own definition it is laid back, it's not going to have any wild moments and it's not going to try to "wow" you. It does it's thing and this particular thing isn't something I'm too into. It's a 2/5 for me. I'm not sure if it really needs to be on this list. Not a bad album to listen to but the songs are all just so similar and really don't blow me away.
Nice and mellow
Niet echt boeiend, maar ook niet slecht. Wel een beetje het idee dat ze Jamaicanen aan het cosplayen zijn.
Bra grejer det här.
Classic reggae. I liked it, but it wasn't my favorite I've ever heard.
Dull
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.
UB40 is always a good time. You put them on when you’re cooking or tidying up or drinking with friends. They’re always uplifting and soothing and interesting. Or, with this album, when you’re protesting the wanton cruelties of a Tory government in the UK and racial injustices across the world. While drinking. With friends. Perfection.
I don't care for dub, and this is an hour long. Probably have to be from the time and place to make it work, but even trying to actively listen I tuned this out. Maybe one day I'll see in it what others see, but I won't be returning on my own.
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.
Would rather staple my balls to my head than listen to this pish, why isn’t 0 an option ?
I'd have said 1 Buy they're getting 2 for lyrical content and subject matter.
Puoi essere politicante quanto vuoi ma devi darmi di più. Non do 2 per la cover di Strange Fruit, quella è sempre potente
mi duole dare un voto basso a un album reggae perchè anche quelli meno coinvolgenti sono sempre almeno piacevoli, ma devo essere onesta e ammettere che, per quanto mi dispiaccia, mi sono annoiata a morte.
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.
I know that this playlist is primarily set from a very Western POV. I get it, it's the music that was the most influential to the western world. It just makes me a bit sad because, while this album is fine, why am I listening to reggae from England? Surely there has to be more influential reggae album?
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.
The fault lies with me. Reggae is just spectacularly boring for me. I tapped out at song 4. I'm certain if I've heard one of these songs I've heard all 13 of them.
Classic UB40, not my bag, but good
A bong-load of boring background.
Loved revisiting this album again. I remember first coming across it during a period of my life when I was taking a deep-dive into the early work of the British new wave bands from the 1980s. The interesting thing about the punk movement was the way it served as a ground zero for much of this scene - all bets were off and all directions were open to the likes of Duran Duran, Spandau Ballet, Dead or Alive and so on. UB40 fall squarely into this phenomenon, though unlike their contemporaries who would go on to produce better (if they produced anything at all), these guys really did peak early on Signing Off. Applying punk’s DIY ethos to the reggae/dub genre was pioneering enough, but to further incorporate a left-wing social critique of Thatcher’s Britain (right down to the very name of the group) was another way in which UB40 fused the Jamaican musical conventions with a working class English consciousness. Reggae wasn’t in and of itself a marginalised genre in British culture (Island records had been aiding it into the charts for decades before), but its diasporic fan base certainly was. And this is why the notion of a multi-ethnic group of lads from Birmingham making a selection of mostly original reggae tracks condemning British colonialism and the oppression of black people the world over was particularly revolutionary. It also helps that said songs were infused with a really catchy pop sensibility that sits uneasily with its menacing dub production (a bedroom production into the bargain). Its instrumentation is quite rudimentary, but their nuts and bolts approach is more than the sum of its parts. The band’s later work would dilute much of this experimentation with their saccharine brand of reggae pop. But Signing Off is an extremely important artefact of a period of incessant revitalisation in British pop culture.
I like the idea of this album more than the album itself
I don't know want to generalise and say that reggae is boring, but certainly this album is. It's impossible to tell where one song ends and the other begins. 2.5 stars
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.
Like the band. Not enough good songs on this album though
4/5 Strong album, unique style which is labelled as reggae but clearly differs from the traditional genre.
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
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
Pleasant enough background music, but nothing that pulled my attention away from other things - passing traffic, for instance. It's reggae, and a smidgen here and there is plenty for me.
UB40? I need to listen to UB40 before I die?
To paraphrase 10cc, I don't like Reggae - because it is shit. Also, that reggaeification of Strange Fruit is a crime all by itself. Fucking he'll.
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.
Jesus Christ an hour and 6 mins and no red red wine in sight. This might be tough. By god I actually enjoyed this
A really good album, my favorite songs were Tyler, King and Madam Medusa.
opening track was so fun but by the end I was just bored
girl i guess 2.5/5
4/5. This was a very interesting album. I think I enjoyed most of it but reggae can become tiresome after a little bit. Thankfully, this album mixed it up with some heavier guitars and electronic sounds that made it sound more like a space jam than a reggae sesh. Although some of the songs overstayed their welcome, the epic Madam Medusa felt correct. It changed up enough to take on some progressive rock sounds. I think this album will take some growing but to stay optimistic, I'm putting it at 4 because it was "cool" reggae, which is hard to do. Best Song: Tyler, Madam Medusa, Food For Thought
The album sounds good but I find the genre of music to be a bit boring. I did enjoy the title track.
Very good - surprised!!!
This album is Profoundly boring.
This is alright, pretty boring. There's way better Reggae that should be in its place though.. 6/10 Kinda boring
Vakke så dumt denna, en del reggae
Political, I liked some of the songs a lot. Burden of Shame especially.
Don’t care for this
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.
Resident sleeper. Reggae sux
hate being the guy who says every song sounds the same, but every song sounds the same - and they all suck
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.
This was my first 'Reggae' record (although yeah a lot of people would say it's not proper Reggae) and I played it to death at top volume until the neighbours complained. The songs are still good now- real belters. I could listen to this all day (how on Earth can anyone find them 'boring'?) At the time the lyrics very hard-hitting (to me as a stupid white boy anyway). "Ivory madonna dying in the dust, Waiting for the manna coming from the west. Barren is her bosom, empty as her eyes, Death a certain harvest scattered from the skies."
Brilliant debut album by UB40.
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.
Words cannot describe how boring and underwhelming this was.
It's just some standard reggae, man. It's not even particularly good reggae...
Interesting but not a genre I enjoy
Just didn’t stick out to me
Sleepy reggae
Nice reggae album with no hits or fails. I like the cover artwork! Favourite: "Tyler" 2,5
Listened to half, but it blended into the background
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.
This may stick with me; I believe their claim to have rehearsed this album for around a year: it’s the leanest dub album I’ve heard. I’m also surprised by how heavy a dub album it is: so far, I haven’t found anything close on this list. The undersea wooziness is in place, as is the bass’s hypnotic dancing around a point, melodies skidding above and out, and there’s an intricacy to how all the different parts work together. I’d heard but never listened to “Food For Thought” before: massive, right from “Ivory Madonna”, and it encapsulates the record’s overall feel: discontented and melancholic. The psychedelic lurches of the echoes and spaces here indicate dislocation rather than bliss. My usual obliviousness to lyrical content - especially when it’s political, like here - is bypassed by this inherent uneasiness. The keyboard stabs on “King” are unearthly. “Burden of Shame” leans towards the weirder corners of surf rock, obviously in some of the theremin-like wobbles, but also in how it races towards the end. During “Madam Medusa” I started paying for attention to the percussion, especially the tip-toeing cymbals, and forgot where I was for a while - party music for the deep night. Also, the cover is brilliant. A friend had warned me UB40 would surprise me. I waited for a misstep, but it’s a tight hour.
I found this album cover quite unsettling while browsing in the '80s. Finally heard the music inside, and it's alright, a bit Specials-y and not as bland as their later pop hits. Uncomplicated dub/reggae, not really my thing but I admire the militant anti-Thatcher sentiment
Dig it, podría ser un poco repetitivo pero sonaba bien para mí como no experta del reggae, especialmente si está hecho fuera del caribe
Meh
Meh.
British reggae? Kind of cool conceptually - and I liked the saxophones - but in reality, I found it way too long and boring. Felt like a bit of a chore to get through.
Summerhouse.
political and yet easy listining
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
Blind album, know the artist. I dont think I've ever had a reason to listen to this band aside from Red Red Wine, and I wish it stayed that way cause this was not my thing.
2.77.
Parempi kuin bändin "hitti"coverien perusteella odotin.
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.
Fav: King Least Fav: Burden Of Shame
Great Album. Minus one star for so much saxophone!
Overall, pretty nice background album. I liked one track called “King” and the rest were largely secondary to me
Fun album overall. Very easy listening.
Some decent tracks but overall a lot of similar sounding stuff, that's just my take on reggae in general
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.
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.
Boy this got tedious. Went on and on and on.
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.
That was delightful. I didn't expect it to be mostly instrumental, or at least that's what I remember it having been an hour after listening to it on my ride home from work, but it was great and I'm definitely keeping on my phone to listen to it.
Good
Reggae. 3
Low-key and earnest, this is pleasant early UB40
Lemppari: King Vähiten lemppari: 25%
# 272 : I don't love it, I don't hate it. I think Its OK, a good collection of songs, but I probably wouldn't go back to it. Good Sax and reggae vibe. Favourite Track ; Burden Of Shame
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.
Typische 'White Reggae', smooth as fuck maar ook veilig. Deed het natuurlijk best aardig in het zonnetje bij de maandagmiddag lunch, maar dat kun je denk ik wel van elk dub/reggae album zeggen. Dat had niet zo zeer te maken met UB40, maar meer met het genre. Een uur lang aan dronende dub sounds, met hier en daar een pakkende hook. Maar naast de classic 'Food For Thought' en het aangename 'I Think It's Going To Rain Today' heeft het weinig momenten die mij even liet ontwaken uit de dub-roes. Ik had halverwege het idee dat de plaat opnieuw begon. 6/10 Highlights: Food For Thought I Think It's Going To Rain Today
Lekker zomers, goeie vibe en gelikter geproduceerd dan veel Jamaicaanse reggae-platen. Maar wel saai verder. 6/10
Nice cover art, but it's British reggae, which is strange from the concept. Nothing that contains the words reggae and England can be good. The lyrics are nice, and I bet they were important when released. In 2024, it's just flat music designed for good hip-hop DJs to create samples. I hope they enjoy it.
Loved it
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.
I don’t think reggae is for me.
4 / 10 Ya conocía a UB40, pero los recordaba más entretenidos. Este disco con canciones todas muy parecidas y de más de 5 minutos, se hace monótono y aburrido.
Reggae Dub gostoso de ouvir. Pelos reviews, vi que tem conexão com críticas à política inglesa, então as letras devem ser interessantes no contexto histórico. O som cansa na metade do disco pois, de fato, as músicas são muito iguais. Apesar de não ser um album incômodo, não ouviria de novo.
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
Unfocused, far far too long. Samey, same tempo, same chords, same production, a bit boring for a style of music that can be great A weak first effort, but probably important
It’s fine, but not the best UB40 and not something you need to revisit
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.
I wasn't aware reggae could be so bland. When I saw it was UB40 I thought I would have to listen to that annoying cover of "I got You Babe" or the pointless cover of "(I can't Help)Following in Love With You" or obnoxious cover of "Red Red Wine", luckily no, it was just some truly forgettable music, music as interesting as the form on the cover of the album.
The music is fine, but it's all the same vibe
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
they had no energy
Was kind of cool at first but the same instrumentation for an hour gets old fast.
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.
Easily their best album. Some tunes!
Never really got into UB40 but this is actually not a bad album. Might even listen to it again. One day.
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.
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
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
Day132 - if you told me this was one long song i wouldn’t be able to argue with you
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
Super!
Good British reggae - before UB40 went covers happy.
2 hours of reggae is enough for anyone
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.
As happens often while working through the 1001, this is one of those albums that you dread as it comes up. You know it's in a genre that doesn't do anything for you, and it's also from a band you have a life-long aversion to. So me giving this two stars is quite the compliment because I can appreciate it actually broke new ground as diaspora reggae, with very socially conscious lyrics to boot. And its miles removed from the boring, trite rubbish they would produce later. And yet. It's reggae, and it's UB40.
One of the best UK reggae/dub albums and by far, the best UB40 album, which says something as most of their other 80s albums are excellent as well. The (bleak) atmosphere / lyrics is typical early 80s, songs themselves are timeless.
Solid reggae/dub album. Very pleasant sounding, suitable for a lazy Sunday afternoon.
Nice in the background, and especially the title song left some impression.
Not bad. Technically strong and very smooth, although it somehow doesn't feel special. I've been on a reggae kick lately, and nonetheless this just doesn't do it for me.
Great album, full of punchy gems. Better than their later stuff in my opinion
I wasn't a huge fan of this one. Not bad, just not my thing.
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
It's not bad at all for a reggae meets British new wave record.
All accomplished musicians, decent songs, but reggae doesn’t speak to me at all. Having said that, I didn’t mind Madam Medusa.
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.
Through this album project I’ve learned that I’m not a big reggae fan.
I don't like Reggae, especially this. The songs are all the same, his voice is lazy and his fake accent is off-putting, the saxophone solos are kinda poor a d high school level. I couldn't wait for this to be over.
Fun album, very chill. Great bass and great drumming. The biggest problem is that a lot of the songs sound the same and get very repetitive by the end. Madam Medusa really didn't need to be 13 minutes. I enjoyed this album while listening to it, but would only listen to it again if I needed calm background music. I would give this a "high" 3.
Signing Off is alright, don't think it's as good as the Peter Tosh record we had recently, but it has its moments. Has a decent sound underpinning everything but it goes off in some weird and random directions that are sometimes interesting but far more often just distracting and don't work in the song at all. Like the last third of Burden Of Shame is terrible, like a kid playing with sound effects on their Casio ffs, and while I like saxophone, it's overused throughout. Reefer Madness is a fun closer, wish they'd have done a bit more up-tempo stuff like this earlier on in the album. Give it a 2 and move on.
This was dull. Feels quite lazy, quite repetitive, and doesn't really say much. What you'd get if you asked ChatGPT to make a reggae album, with a bit of underwhelming electronica added. 2/5.
Not my favorite reggae
This is the debut album from a British reggae band in 1980. Interestingly, these guys are most famous for their (way more popular) cover of Neil Diamond's "Red Red Wine" in 1983. I'm familiar with that cover, and it's hard to believe it's the same group. This is very much a reggae album. It's not my favorite genre, and honestly it's a bit musically boring to me. They have a little bit of an electronic thing going on which is somewhat unique, but at best it's decent chill reggae vibes, and at worst a little meh. Reggae just gets pretty old to me after awhile, by song 10 I'm just kind of over it, even though it's not bad or anything. What I will give them is their lyrics, there's some pretty powerful songs on here (though it's a bit frontloaded, and there's a few instrumentals too). "Tyler" is about a 17-year old Black American who was convicted of murder with limited evidence, "King" is about MLK Jr., and "Burden of Shame" is about the shame they feel for the atrocities that the British have committed. It's both powerful and topically varied, which is not always the case for lyrics like this. Really nicely done on their part. This seems to have been fairly popular in the UK, which is interesting given it's basically a left-wing reggae album. For me this is one of those albums that's somewhat impressive, I can see the appeal, but it doesn't really do anything major for me. Perfectly solid, but not more (and a bit on the long side at 66 minutes, I knew before it even started that we didn't need a 13 minute song on here). Also their album name and cover is pretty funny. I didn't get why they named the album "Signing Off" when it's their debut, but the cover is an unemployment form and they're "signing off" from their life of unemployment. Favorite song: Tyler Other: King, Burden of Shame, I Think It's Going To Rain Today, Food For Thought 4/30/24
I like reggae but this was not that fun
This has a lot more of a Reggaeton vibe than I ever expected from UB40, just based on my only knowledge of them being 'Red Red Wine' prior to listening to this. Anyway, it's fine and nothing too exciting for me.
Really liked it until I found out they were white
Not really my cup of tea (actually tea is not really my cup of tea, I prefer coffee) but I can appreciate the talent, skill and originality that has gone into this and so it gets 4 stars even though I will probably never listen to it again.
TIL that UB40 released music prior to Red Red Wine. That's a good cover, but it's too bad that it's what they're best known for in the US. The politically oriented songs from this album are much stronger. The wikipedia version of how they recorded this is pretty interesting. Goes to show you don't need a bunch of high-end equipment and facilities to produce a solid album. 3.4
When I think of UB40, the cover songs come to mind. I hated “Red Red Wine”. So I wasn’t so sure about this, but it’s solid. Mostly laid back reggae, but there’s some good social commentary – and with the Thatcher era starting (nod to the cover art) it has a right-for-the-time feel. Some tasty bass licks too. 3.8
I really like UB40, especially their earlier stuff like this. Tbh I love most of the politically conscientious stuff that was coming out of the Midlands around this time. Great album.
Local and vocal. Nice to revisit and remember how much of an impact this had when it came out.
Didn’t know this at all apart from Food for Thought. Loved it
It's fine. I enjoyed some tracks but during others my mind wandered.
extremely boring reggae. i agree with the lyrics but they are written in such a simple way that even those annoy me. also who decided this needed to be over an hour? this shit is as long as blonde on blonde but unlike that album this has no interesting ideas. its inoffensive enough that i can give this a high 4/10 but i really dont think i needed to hear this before i died.
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.
Good songs, dancing music
Super chill, nice listen. Didn’t get a chance to listen to actively but had it on while running errands, need to revisit this. Great background music though
Never been a big reggae fan, so the rating is tainted by that, but it was still pretty good.
Competent but dull reggae. Lacking any spark to draw the listener in, which is a shame as I think it probably has something to say about 1980s Britain. Rating: 1.5/5 Playlist track: Food For Thought Date listened: 20/04/24
okuuu 6/10
Aay mon. I’m familiar with reefer madness in the early 80s - but wasn’t aware of UB40 til the collaboration on I Got Lou Babe (which put them on the radio and the map.) Incidentally, best song on the album is Reefer Madness. A lot of the songs are political in nature and similar in sound. I get why the album made the list and liked it well enough. How can you go wrong with reggae? (2.6*s)
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.
Ya mun...you need to be in a specific setting for this album. Getting baked while baking in the sun. Like the use of horns but songs get repetitive. It's good background music for a nap on a tropical island beach. It irks me that 'signing off' isn't the last track.
It's a relatively pleasant reggae album. The issue is that a lot of the songs sound the same. After a couple tracks I felt like I tuned out to the relatively redundancy. It's not a bad album per se, but does little to establish itself a something I need to hear ever again. I'm not sure if the rest of UB40 discography is the same but if this is the best entry I probably don't need to delve into much more. 2.40 stars
Seems like it is good, although I'm not that big on reggae. Will I listen to again: 10%
A great reggae workout.
It's good, but it's not great. I can't put this in the same category of most 4 star albums. 3 stars
UB40 deserve to have greater recognition for this type of work than their later more MOR hits. Having said that I appreciate this album and its importance, but I don't actually like it very much.
2.5 stars. Too long, kinda samey in places. Burden Of Shame is cool. Definitely groovy in a lot of places.
- understand the political value of this - not one i think i'd listen to much. would be good for background, maybe for painting. not saving it though. - i'm probably just not in the right mood to listen to it but 2.5/5 - they're the red, red wine people
There are some nice grooves in places but the songs meander so much. Multiple instrumental tracks are almost unidentifiable from each other, crying out for something to hold the track together - but then the vocals across the album are generally weak and uninteresting so they don’t exactly help
Only got the time to listen to it once. All the songs are better than Red Red Wine, and the album’s got some swagger and cool vibes. However, those vibes are almost similar throughout the entire album. Guess a couple more listens could make me separate the different tracks, so all in all 3 stars
он немного затянут, но в целом я прям кайфанул
Бля я понимаю что тексты круть а музыка просто ок алкоальбом: хватит регги, дайте мне текилу и веселье
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".
This was some very solid and enjoyable reggae.
Kind of surprised by this album since I only know of UB40’s annoying popular hits. I had very low expectations, which were exceeded. Still, in a world where I can satisfy my reggae needs with seemingly endless Bob Marley music, I don’t really have a need for this album in my life. It was interesting to hear though.
It’s ok. I mean, it’s all very samey reggae. I liked the overall groove but it doesn’t really change formula throughout and had me waiting for it to end.
personally don't like reggae and this did not help, just entirely dull and boring
Mostly great
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.
I understand that UB40 is a very left leaning, interracial, mega reggae band from a time when most of those words in that order could make an old woman faint with shock whilst her husband shakes his head disapprovingly, but this music feels anything but rebellious; I'd even say it even comes off a bit ignorant, but I know very little of the socio-economic status in the United Kingdom forty years ago, so perhaps I'm the ignorant one. It just all feels like capitalizing on others' sounds and songs to make bloopy, outdated pop tracks that you could see making their way to and through the radio waves, and spinning it to feel like you're fighting against something big and overpowering like the UK government, but in reality those within the UK government were the ones spinning the record! I think it all lines up pretty well with tha album having a cover of Strange Fruit to (basically) close out the record. Does it fit the M.O. of the band and their beliefs? Yes, undoubtedly, but a song so powerful and heartbreaking feels nothing but disrespected to be surrounded by tracks for forty-year-old hipsters to get high to, while the cover itself is already rough with its synth-heavy wubs and beachy tones. Does it all match reggae and the genre's goal? Sure, but it just feels too quaint for the subject matter at hand, and the whole record matches that issue. Throw in way too many instrumental tracks that seemingly serve no purpose in an already bloated track listing (seventy minutes? And they have the audacity to make the D-side only nine minutes long? Seems like highway robbery) and you've got yourself a record that perhaps would've done something en masse in 1980, but now just comes off in poor taste at best, purposefully malicious at worst. As for the songs themselves? They're fine, incredibly dull and repetitive, with very little in the way of getting the listener re-engageed, save for throwing one of the singles in halfway through to wake everyone up, but they certainly aren't bad songs, save for one or two. Its just a shame that something that easily could've been a random record with nothing offensive or inoffensive and been forgotten near instantly is instead probably going to stick with me due to its over zealous nature, and that will only lead to more disdain as time passes.
Smooth and groovy, really good stuff, 4 stars.
Noh tämä on reggatea mutta Britannia kuuluu (kannessa näkyykin). Yllättävästi jaksoin jopa kuunnella, vaikka yleensä reggae tökkii parin biisin jälkeen (junnaus huonolla tavalla). Oma ääni on.
Ovat tyytyväisiä siihen, että saavat jammailla omalla tyylillään - ei stressiä biisinteosta, kunhan basisti keksii hersyvän kuvion.
This list is ridiculous sometimes
Great stuff. You can really hear the care they put into their music.
Always liked their sound
I got into music in the mid 80s, so I'm familiar with their pop reggae side. This sounds quite different. It has the desperation and sincerity that their later music lacks. Favorite song: Tyler.
Nice reggae groves. Good listening while working. A little bit monotonous, but otherwise good 3.5 rounded up to 4 stars
I will never become a big reggae fan but this was ok.
This was a great reggae sounding album. It feels like Sublime used these guys as inspiration.
Decent reggae album when the leave out the synthesizer.
Blergh
A good listen.
I think I'll keep coming back to this one. Incredibly soulful vocals (the lead and toasting) and dynamic interplay within a large ensemble of musicians. How they riff on a tune sometimes becomes a different song in itself. Also, sonically a masterwork in engineering. Bonus for the Randy Newman cover
Perfect!
This rating might be because I'm in a bad mood, it might be because I'm tired of this list being almost exclusively British music, or it might be the fact that reggae is my least favorite style of music. Either way, f this album.
Amazing!!
54/1001 🌕🌕🌑🌑🌑
I came in expecting comfortable pop tunes like Red Red Wine, instead I was treated with fantastic dub music. What a pleasant surprise!
I only know "red red wine" from UB40. Every song feels endlessly repetitive. 1 hr of this was unghhhhh
3 1 stars in a row! Just boring reggae (as most is) nothing special, it just sounds like a generic reggae album. There's even a song about weed! Oh boy! For the record I love me some THC but talking about it, making it your personality, etc has always been cringe to me. Can I please get an album that's at least 2 stars good now?
I was hopeful for a minute or two that it was going to be better than I feared. The album drained all of that hope out of me.
Just not into Birmingham reggae sorry
This is Not My Thing ™
Ali Campbell's voice is real nails on a blackboard stuff for me. That aside, I struggle to believe that Lee Scratch Perry didn't record 1001 reggae albums more deserving of a slot on this.
What, no “Red, Red Wine”? But actually, and as I’ve said a lot during this project, I was pleasantly surprised by this album. I have never enjoyed reggae. I’ve always thought it was boring and that all the songs sounded the same and that it was only for stoners. While this album didn’t completely sell me on the genre as a whole, it did show me that there is, of course, more to it than my past prejudices would have led me to believe. UB40 does a fine job, especially in their debut effort. It runs a tad long at times but I’m guessing that’s not uncommon for reggae. I don’t think I’ll be seeking them or more reggae out on my own, but I’ll be less prejudiced when another reggae album pops up again. 3 stars. Standout tracks: Burden of Shame, I Think It’s Going to Rain Today, Food for Thought, Reefer Madness
Regae British from 1980 from the Red Red Wine People? Good for what it is I guess. OOOOOOH Baby I Love Your Way.
I was prepared to write this off as more generic UK trash, thinking this was going to have Red Red Wine on it and then a whole load of other useless shit. But damn. I was wrong, and my expectations were shattered! This is an amazing reggae album. I'm blown away by the musicianship, the socio-political lyricism, and the cool unique flavour of it all. Well done, lads! Proved me wrong straightaway. And I'm a better person for it, so thanks.
Not bad.
2.4
Pretty chill, their sound is kind of dated and doesn’t stand the test of time unfortunately. Red Red Wine came out way before (1983) and could argue that was their peak. Production is kinda mediocre and every song on this album is hardly distinguishable from the next. How tf is this top 1000?? This list is whack
Bien
Enjoyed the music!!
Great album. Great music,timeless sound and great message, wish there were a little more vocals towards the end.
Ok, so I only know UB40 from red red wine, and I didn't have high expectations for this album. I was very pleasantly surprised. Any anti-tories are cool with me, and the sound is significantly better than i expected. Some really fun tracks
I had never heard this, their first album, before. I enjoyed it!
Já, þetta var skárra en ég óttaðist. Eins og margoft hefur komið fram er reggae ekki að gera neitt fyrir mig, en þetta er meinlaus og áheyrileg tónlist og ágætlega flutt. Söngurinn sleppur fyrir horn. Tæpur þristur.
In a nutshell: mellow protest album influenced by reggae and ska. Sounds more ambient dub than mainstream reggae. Always appreciate a DIY/made on a shoestring album. It’s unfortunate that the variety in the backing beat is missing. Overall: 4/10
I found this album had very similar sounds across the songs. Couldn't get into it this afternoon.
Genre: Rege Instruments: 3/5 Modern Translation: 1/5 Dance Potential: 1/5 Listening Location: Commute to work Heard it before: No Favourite Song: NA Made me feel: I liked the start of this album, then I realised every song is the same theme and sound. Every song is about race and wealth inequality and has heavy-hitting lyrics. Considering the beat, I would've liked to hear one song that wasn't doom and gloom. Silver lining: instruments include Saxaphone.
like many, my only experience with UB40 is Red Red Wine, so getting to hear more of their library was nice. not my favoritrle, but not bad either. I'm hardly a Reggae expert so I couldnt say if its great or not, but I enjoyed it for what it was.
I love UB40 but this was some forgettable reggae.
Not the worst reggae I've ever heard.
Inoffensive
Mellow vibes
So grovy and chill.
not for me
dosadnjikavo 2/5
Pretty good. Nothing super exciting though
Nice vibes, cool ethos but very protracted. Did they ever write a good hook of their own?
Didn’t realize what a solid reggae band they were
I can safely say I did not expect to ever listen to a UB40 album. I know them only for the song "Red Red Wine" that used to come on the radio when I was a kid, and the song "David Bowie" by Phish. Album art goes hard with an Unemployment Benefit card -- reminds me a bit of ODB's Return to the 36 Chambers. Dub out of the gate with Tyler. Had to roll it back when the song did the first stutter step -- thought I had dropped bluetooth connection, but it is just really well executed. 12 Bar is a spacey instrumental jam. Burden of Shame is a stand out I feel like I've heard it before; perhaps as a cover? Somber song about the inherited guilt that we all have as citizens aware of our nation's sins and yet doing nothing about it. Love the spaced out, unforced atmosphere and layering in the mix. Interesting, unexpected tempo change in the back quarter when this drops into a driving dub stomp complete with bright synth, echo/reverb laden effects, and a burbling bass line. Food For Thought jumps off the page as another single of note. Has an undeniable bounce and melody that is catchy as hell. Love the use of call and response between the vocals and guitar, as well as the supporting horns. This is the kind of song I can't help but tap along to. Also features some really cool effects and percussion work toward the back quarter. I will say, this album really surprised me. I went in with Red Red Wine on my mind and was surprised to find UB40 much more somber and reflective, with some really solid technical follow through. I'm not generally huge on reggae as I tend to find many entries in the genre run together with the same sounds and tricks pulled into a mediocre slurry; however, this album is an exception. Sure there are plenty of reggae/dub tropes on display, but they are well executed and extended upon. Beautiful production makes for a smokey, spacey atmosphere that spotlights individual instrument contributions. The album runs a little long for my liking, but I enjoyed just about every aspect of this one. Very solid 4 / 5 for me.
I liked this album. Nice reggae beat with a lot of instrumental. Great for working while listening because it was a calming feel. I give it a soft 4 because I would have no problem listening to this whole album again even tomorrow.
Incredibly solid reggae/electronic fusion that is right up my alley. Great for easy listening. No extraordinary highs and certainly no low points. I could day drink at Seacrets with this album on repeat and have no issues.
Never going to complain about a nice reggae album. This was so nice to listen to and it blows my mind that this came out in 1980 with how good the production is. I loved the soothing singer and also the fact that they had full instrumental songs to melt in to. Every instrument was so balanced with eachother, especially love the saxaphone. Reefer Madness is such a groovy track to end on. Very solid 4, was sniffing 5 territory at points.
I only know Red Red Wine I think by these guys which isn't on here. Ready for some reggae. This is great background music and what I want in my reggae. Burden of Shame is a standout to me with that melodica. Also had to make sure it wasn't a whole new song with the key change. The end sounds like something I've heard before but can't put my finger on it. Edit: just saw on wiki it sounds like Moondance by Van Morrison. This is really some good spacey reggae music with a great collection of instruments. Solid 4 from me.
its alright, nothing mindblowing. 2.8.
Such a great album.
Caught off off guard with how they present the message in many of the songs. Hearing Strange Fruit in a reggae vibe is astoundingly listenable.
Not crazy about it but it's not that bad.
Such a strong debut! I never dove into UB40's output, and I loved this one. Very good performances throughout, thought-provoking lyrics, and great production! I feel this could turn for a great summer album this year! Standout tracks: Tyler, King, Burden Of Shame, Food For Thought, Madam Medusa, Strange Fruit 8,5 out of 10
1. 3.5 2. 4.2 3. 4.1 4. 3.7 5. 3.8 6. 4 7. 3.8 8. 4.2 9. 4.4 10. 4
Who on Earth hears Randy Newman’s “I Think It’s Going to Rain Today” and thinks dammmmn this needs a reggae treatment?
Meh 2/5
I’m usually open to bands that had and influence on the ska/dub scene, but asside from the beats , I found the album itself forgettable 2
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 would've given this 2 stars, but I knocked a star off for it being a double album. Bore me with a single album, not a double, you cunts!
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.
As a lover of Red Red Wine, I thought this was going to be bops on bops. But it didn’t do it for me. Almost all skips.
Okay, but nothing great
more a 3.5, solid album not as catchy as some of their other work
This project is making me realize I know one or two songs from groups and never listen to any more of their stuff. UB40 is one of those groups. It's fun expanding my music knowledge. I enjoyed this album and will listen to more of their stuff.
Chill reggae album, not bad
Not bad, but not really my thing. Probably wouldn't choose to listen to this, but if it happened to play... I MIGHT let it continue
Reggae is not my jam, but I'll give them credit for their anti-Thatcher messages! Fuck that bitch.
I love reggae like the English beat, but this is just too slow, consistently.
Did not like, could handle one song…
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
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.
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.
Very monosyllabic. Sounds like the same song over and over...
Tyler // Madam Medusa //
This is the album that made me appreciate UB40, but it's also an album that bothers me a bit because the album shows so much potential that the band left behind to make hits. This album though, it's stunningly good. This is one of those albums that's so powerful, it burns itself into your consciousness. It's the best thing UB40 ever made. The album has an intense sound, full of haunting arrangements and a persistent undercurrent of anger. All this is punctuated with well-placed dub effects and a clever use of saxophone. The lyrics are unabashedly strident, unsettling, scathing. This is heavy stuff, much of which is still relevant today. The instrumentals are moody and rough edged, but create an essential flow that helps temper the weight of the other songs. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): Food for Thought, Tyler, Burden of Shame, King, I Think It's Going to Rain Today, Signing Off, Reefer Madness, Strange Fruit, 25%, 12 Bar, Madam Medusa, Little by Little, Adella
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…