More Specials

Feels like some elevator music, but an elevator in a weird fever dream that never really ends, but there is a fun dude dancing in the elevator with you so it’s okay.

"guys you are pretty normal, you might wanna change your band name"

The specials were my first album I got when we starting this adventure before we made the group. And let me tell you I did not need more specials

This album really surprised me. It's different from anything I usually listen to and very different from anything else I've heard from this list but it goes hard. A lot of it has a 50s or 60s vibe but you can tell that it's from the 80s which is very cool to hear in the 2020s. I also like how it goes from being very upbeat and happy to rather dark and morbid by the end of the album. Enjoy Yourself is rather upbeat for the dark theme and it's fantastic. Then Man at C&A has warnings of a nuclear attack but is still energetic. I love the saxophone on Hey, Little Rich Girl because of course I do. Do Nothing features a strange piano part that gives an otherwise upbeat song a minor sound and a TROMBONE SOLO! Pearl's Cafe continues the trend of depressing lyrics with a cheery musical background, this time complete with a cheesy glockenspiel. It almost feels like carnival music (a carnival with people singing "it's all a load of bollocks"). But I would say that Stereotype is when the album really loses its cheerful disguise. I Can't Stand It continues this and International Jet Set ends with a plane crash leading into a much darker version of Enjoy Yourself to close off the album. Favorite songs: Enjoy Yourself; Hey, Little Rich Girl; Pearl's Cafe; Sock It to 'Em, J.B.; I Can't Stand It Least favorite songs: None Strong 8/10

Some of the reggae/ska moments are chill and groovy, but then it hits moments where it feels like it's Happy Birthday To You level music.

Awful, serious ordeal to listen to the whole album.

A deceptively casual title and cover photo frames this hugely inventive collection of songs. A joyful mix of ska, music hall, lounge and witty social commentary with a dash of dub and Goldfinger. As usual, I'll marvel how diverse, interesting and skillful "pop" bands used to be when I was young. So accomplished, they hadn't even written "Ghost Town" yet! I'll also take the opportunity to crown Terry Hall the King Of Fey (unless "Virgins and Philistines" awaits us?) - an all-time-great vocalist/songwriter dispensing absolute bangers in various styles consistently his whole life, from "Stereotype" here through many other '80s greats (look 'em up), Vegas (a secret fey classic), the best (non-football) Lightning Seeds song and a bouncy Arabic-y collaboration with Mushtaq. What a talent, sadly missed.

Not my style... but listening nonetheless Suffering through this Don't like Not my style "I can't stand it" is nearly unlistenable. The female harmony is f*cking awful.

Impossible not to get moving to the Specials.

The Specials- More Specials (1980): 7/10 Starts off on a bouncy ska sorta tone and continues to fuse many different genres throughout the album, utilizing many different instruments. Really weird, but in a good way. Probably not something I’d listen to in my spare time, but definitely a fun and interesting one time listen.

Not 1 star bad but it's maybe a 1.5 for me so will lean on the generous side. Didn't click much at all.

This is one of the worst bands I've ever heard. fuuuuuck it just sucks. This is the second album of theirs on this list so far, and neither of them is even worth wiping your arse with, let alone pretending it's "must hear before you die" material. 0/5.

Brilliant. So proud to be from Coventry and to have grown up in this era

Why has it taken me over 40 years to hear this gem? About half of the 21st century's music is influenced by this album. It's of its time, yet harkens strongly to the future. I thought Ghost Town was an outlier, but you can hear them building up to it. It's taken me nearly 50 years to realise what I need in an album - variety, but with an overarching connection. So many albums become boring, I'm thinking of famous ones like Exile On Main Street, and almost every electronic album. Then we have some that vary too much - psychedelic music springs to mind. This is why classic bands like Queen, Beatles, Led Zep, were able to release so many great albums: they instantly sound recognisable, but provide a dish of varied ingredients. Dammers nearly went too far - International Jet Set, but this is a great, skilful, sometimes funny, almost apocalyptic joy.

Brutal.

Never listened to this is full. Pretty solid all round album with some real classics in the mix

This had the playful wobbliness of great dub, frequently surprising toylike sounds, and the sort of inventiveness that comes off as utterly free while born of hard experimentation. There’s a sour, sometimes nasty tang to the lyrics, which is era-appropriate, as is the Latin American burst on Holiday Fortnight.

Baffled by some people giving this one star. I don't normally worry about opinions that differ from mine, but... eh? Anyway. I love The Specials. No, the singers don't sound like they could audition for X Factor. Thank goodness! Can people not hear the tight band, the wonderful cross rhythms in the bass and that punchy brass? All fronted by a laconic, grumpy Midlander and his mates, having fun but despairing at what's happening aroung them in Thatcher's Britain (and oh gawd, it got far worse), and/or making wry observations; I chortled more than once. My family are from Coventry, and I was 12 when this came out, so I'm biased. But surely, it's great isn't it? Did I mention I love The Specials? Their debut was maybe better, but this is ace.

So that's what "real" ska actually sounds like! I can get down with this.

Almost done with the album. This was just a fun listen. It's a bit trippy but I like it. I'll rate either a 3 or 4.

Not quite up to the standard of the debut album, but a good album nonetheless. Diluted a little by the variety of styles but still an enjoyable listen.

Diverse album, with just a solid set of tracks. Very fun, and I could see it growing on me for sure.

Wild time. Album was all over the place and just a lot of fun. Favorite tracks: “Man at C&A” and “Sock It To ‘Em”

I remember seeing the Specials on the Warped Tour in 1998. For several of my friends, it was one of the most important things that could ever happen - apparently they didn’t tour much then or something. They didn’t really grab me at that show, but I wasn’t much of a ska fan then. I’m still not, if I’m being honest. This is a pretty good album, but it’s unlikely I’ll revisit it.

3.5 That was an interesting first listen. It started off with “Oh, ska. Nice!” and ended with “Wait wtf just happened?” It felt like a trip that started out all nice and fun and ended in a weirdly scary place. Can't say I didn't enjoy it though. I'm a sucker for horns.

Nr. 130/1001 Enjoy Yourself 2/5 Men At C&A 2/5 Hey Little Rich Girl 3/5 Do Nothing 3/5 Pearl's Cafe 3/5 Sock It To 'Em J. B. 2/5 Stereotype, Stereotype, Pt. 2 2/5 Holiday Fortnight 3/5 I Can't Stand It 3/5 International Jet Set 2/5 Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) NR Average: 2,4 This just didn't click with me at all.

there are plenty of bands that fit the Ska bill. The Specials definitely work but if I was to choose an album of theirs that is representative of the genre; introduces listeners to on of 1,001 albums to listen to and influential albums of their discography or the genre in particular - this is not it. 2.5/5

Some fun sounding songs but overall too inconsistent

Not my favorite

Early ska + Brit pop. Some fun beats but not my thing.

The only thing I like about the amount of times ska has been revived is that it has died so many times as well

звучит хорошо, но немного нудно

Meh. Maybe the extended version left a bunch of stuff that didn’t need to be there. Kinda lame. I thought I liked the specials though

Didn't enjoy. The music superficial; out of step with the lyrics (social change)

The styles on this album are a mish-mash of bleh. A lot of it has a ska feel, which has never been my favorite, and the rest was unappealing enough to make me almost turn it off. I finished it, and I like it slightly better than the Elvis album, but not enough to give it a 2-star rating.

Nicht schlecht! Macht Spaß!

A bit difficult for me to judge since it was a major favourite of mine at the time. The sounds are indeed eclectic and better for it. Lots of beats, ideas and great, great songs. They were the coolest bunch of guys and I absolutely love this album.

I enjoy this sound, I can definitely hear the bands they've inspired.

Smash

Really good stuff

Inte lika vass som föregående platta men det spelar ingen roll. Det här är top notch ändå.

In some music you can here the work, the sweat that goes into making it. Rush would be an example. More Specials is an album where the music flows effortlessly, ever changing (unlike Do Nothing) and evolving. As off the cuff as prime Jack Nicholson. Yes there are nods to film music and easy listening from Dammers, but at heart it's as rocksteady as the debut. And as flawless.

Fantastic album. Love it as much now as I always have.

Yesss

Great to hear this, never actually had all the way through which is damning, considering my roots. Intelligence, anger, social observation, cultural history and great musicianship. Marvellous.

i've loved this album since I first got it back in 1985 or so. Everybody seems to love the first specials album, but I thought this one had much more diversity and range and has held up better.

Gran disco. Tiene de todo, ska, rockabilly, reagge, guitarras latinas, coros. Entretenido y muy buena compañía.

A really good album, I like the style of music. Recently found out this band later becomes Fun Boy Three which I also love. So many good songs! Do nothing would have to be my favorite.

Defining album of 2nd wave ska and definitely deserves a spot on this list. So good. I played this record to death as a high school kid. Still have the vinyl.

I just love their execution of the SKA theme. Makes me want to listen to more songs. It's a rather refreshing album, with a bit of a christmasy theme?

wut? wut is this? I like this. It's a bit peculiar in the right ways for me. favorites: Enjoy Yourself, Man at C&A, Do Nothing, Holiday Fortnight, I Can't Stand It, International Jet Set, and the Enjoy yourself reprisal was a great way to end the album. I would be into Sock It to Em more if I was a James Bond fan. This is a special kind of ska.

I don’t know how to describe it, it’s like lounge, meets ska, meets reggae, meets funk, meets elevator muzak. It’s really interesting and different compared to much of the stuff the generator spits out on the daily. Still, I’m going through the exercise of trying to find reasons not to like this and coming up short. An album about how shit everything in life is, ‘More Specials’ is bleak, but darkly humorous and catchy as fuck.

giving this one a 5, i dont care about anything else in the world right now other than letting go

The Specials are legends for a reason. A fantastic blend of ska, punk, and social commentary.

Got it when it came out!

excellent stuff. a bit long but very worth it. very "london calling", has a bit of everything but none of it clashes (ehehe) and it all complements well. ska rock reggae punk it does it all. "enjoy yourself" really grows on you. "i cant stand it" and "stereotype" stand out.

Skimmed the album, got caught up in the wonderful feel of it, will definately re-listen

Digging this, feels like drinking with buds. I enjoyed the entire thing. I actually listened to it twice, it's amazing. It will always now remind me of dancing in the kitchen with my daughter.

it's hard to follow up a debut album as good as theirs but this does a pretty decent effort.

One of my favorite albums. Second wave Ska was my lead in to third wave which defined my teenage years. It's fun, loud, and catchy. Love the sound and feeling you get while listening.

Not as immediate as some of their other work, but really interesting and enjoyable. Roughly the same age as me, from the same island, and with a similar wide range of musical influences - of course I love it. Fully deserves its place on this list, and fully deserves 5 big stars!

One of my favourite albums ever, quite a bit better and more varied than their debut (also 5-star) for a big part due to Jerry Dammers, but song contributions of other band members are also great. Favourite song: the 7.5 minute extended version of Stereotypes.

One of the greatest albums ever made. And the reason no Specials 'reunion' without Dammers was ever going to be anything more than a heritage tribute act. The musical sophistication and progression from the first album is impressive. Great arrangements, insightful lyrics and a fair dash of lighter touches too, even if they are somewhat sardonic. No treading water for this band. The songs flow seamlessly but are not one-dimensional. The adoption of easy listening stylings was way ahead of its time, and songs like Stereotype seem both of their time and timeless. An absolute classic.

The transition from ska revivalists to something a little more meaningful runs throughout More Specials. This isn't the sound of a pastiche tribute; it's the sound of The Specials. They deserve their own genre. Enjoy Yourself sums up the entire album, both in spirit and sound. It's tremendous fun. The gang mentality comes across on each track, even though they were about to fall apart. It's a time capsule for the in-between period of post-punk and pre-80's pop. Do Nothing is just perfect.

Super cool! I really liked it - what a versatile band! It felt like the band had a blast making this music & that makes the music itself so much more fun.

LOVE the specials love that they're from Coventry, love the album cover (photo from Leamington Spa), love the lyrics and themes, love the reggae sections, love the jazz sections, love the vocals, love the up-beat dance vibes, love the messages, love the power of music overall!

Love it. Such a sound, such a band. and thanks to Grace's review I learnt that the cover image was taken in the Regent's Hotel in Leamington Spa :)

An all-time classic. Very inventive, brave and absolutely of its time, yet also timeless.

What a band what an album cant be mess3d with

Soundtrack to my youth. The beginning of Thatcher's disaffected, unemployed and miserable Britain mixed with cold war paranoia and all wrapped up in a perfect ska-pop soundtrack. And Terry Hall. What's not to like? Pretty much perfect archive of the era.

The best

There's never a time where the specials can't be played

Superrrrrrr

stupendous, 5 stars.

Still wonderful.

I wasn't quite sure about this at first, but as I kept listening, it got more and more fun. There are so many ingredients in this recipe! Ska-punk-mariachi-lounge organ-music hall with themes of nuclear war, James Bond films, emotional alienation, and maybe plane crashes?

On paper, this seemed like the kind of thing I wouldn't like at all but I took their advice from the first track and enjoyed myself throughout. Some impressive horns and saxophone and rockabilly guitar here and there highlight a fun variety of styles. It made me happy.

Love the Specials. Very sad when Terry hall died last year, massive talent. Didn't know this album, but knew a few tracks. Looks like I missed a few classics. Only complaint is that it was too short. Great lyrics and sounds, added to collection.

Liked this way better than the debut.

RIP Terry Hall.

cool

Top Album

curto o som deles

This was a favourite of my teenage years, as were all Specials albums. And I still love them

Enjoyed

Super fun ska.

10/10

I think this is worth the 3.5/4 I'm going to give it, but I was really shocked that they didn't choose the first album. And also by how week Side B of this album was (compared to other Specials at least)

Oh yes! I bought this on vinyl years ago, before I owned a record player. I’m a big fan of this album, listening to the remastered version on Spotify is a little weird, since my ears are trained to expect the original version but it’s a quality album, either way.

I really like The Specials, this isn’t even the best album from the Specials that I have listened to today! Their first album is 5 stars for me. This one a 4.

I was hoping I'd like it more

This was a really fun album to listen to. I’ve known about The Specials for a long time from their bigger hits, but this was my first time playing a full album—and I really enjoyed it. I’ve always thought of them as reggae and ska, but now I’ve learned they’re considered 2-Tone Ska, which is a new term for me. The album is uplifting with a subtle quirky and experimental edge. Normally, this isn’t a style I’m drawn to, but The Specials definitely do it in a way that clicks with me.

Special album "More Special" by The Specials. Funky sound, groovy beats, nothing that stands out, but everything that makes the evening better. Easily above average record.

Funky

I may just have American-Singer-Songwriter fatigue but what a breath of fresh air this is. Ska, reggae, trip-hoppy unusual nonsense. I loved the first album, and despite what I read about the making of this one it /feels/ like a group of people enjoying music because they love it. The art really shines through. I also adore the line "Spend and spend and spend and spend. Will the muzak never end?" (International Jet Set)

this is surprisingly transgressive and rebellious muzak, must say. pure youthful passionate resentment of the status quo

I reviewed the first Specials album a few weeks ago, and I thought it was really good and gave it four stars. I have a pretty good idea of what to expect on this album, and I’m looking forward to reviewing this. I thought this album was a little bit better than the first Specials album, but I think this is also a four-star effort. The biggest difference to me between this album and their first album, is that I think the band does a better job of striking a balance between fun songs and songs with a more serious tone. This album felt like it was easier to groove to, and I think it did a great job of blending ska and reggae in a way that was pretty accessible. The arrangements on this album were really good, but I do think the first Specials album had better songwriting. As far as downsides go, the longer songs on this album felt a little tedious, and the album as a whole didn’t really fill its runtime with enough substance. “Sock It to ‘Em J.B.” and “I Can’t Stand It” were the only two songs that really stood out to me. This album worked really well as a whole, but some of the parts don’t really stand on their own very well. Overall, this was still a good album, and I would have probably never sought out The Specials if it weren’t for doing this project.

Thoughts before listening: I really like the Specials although I am pretty sure I have only ever heard their greatest hits. Looking at the track list for this one, I only recognize a few of these titles which is a bit surprising. I guess that most of the songs I know are from their first album. Anyway, I am sure this will be a nostalgic, fun listen. Review: Oh man...I do know a lot of these songs and I love them. I was really into ska for a while in high school, mostly of the ska-punk variety, and the Specials were celebrated as early innovators in that scene. I find them to be very difficult to dislike...catchy melodies mixed with the upbeat positive ska sounds. Its hard to hate on music with horns. 4-stars

How quickly some bands evolved successfully at the time

More Specials is the second album by the Specials, originally released in 1980. This band is one of my favorite discoveries from this list. I got their debut (I think) earlier in the list and loved it. This one was really good too. I feel like their debut was more rocksteady-influenced while this one is heavily dub influenced. It's just such a natural sound progression for them IMO. This record is overall lighthearted and fun which I enjoy. Their concerts back in the day were probably great.