More Specials

They are quite special! I appreciate this project for helping me be aware of that fact!

even cheekier

love listening to talented musicians get together and jus make whatever. does so many different sounds, very eclectic. fun listen

Lovely parents-core in a really nice and nostalgic way. You can't hate on it really, it's solid! I didn't go through a 2 Tone phase as an adult, but The Specials will always have a nice, nostalgic place in my heart. Fondest memories being my dad and his mates turning into teens on his 60th birthday party. The transformative power of music!

All time classic one of my fave albums everrr. I like it more than the first specials album even though that’s the ‘classic’ one because More Specials is much weirder and eclectic. Stereotype a contender for my fav song of all time maybe?

A little inconsistent, but it grew on me.

I’ll just order from the menu.

British reggae ish

British reggae

i like parts of this album, i really do and i'm not sure how i couldn't - you can hear the influence the specials had on bands i like all over this album especially a lot of blur stuff from the great escape era, some massive attack stuff, things like that.  but this just sounds like a band who want to expand and get away from their previous stuff but aren't sure quite how to do that.  some songs end up being just enthusiastic and simplistic ("enjoy yourself" is especially egregious in this way), and some a little silly ("pearl's cafe").  i added one song to my library, "man at c&a," but even though i only added one song, i will gladly give this a 3/5 because it's a building block in some stuff i really really like 

Traditional uk era ska was lowkey so fire, what a fun blend of influences

Fun set by the Specials including a Go Go's sighting

There was something about the guitar tone on Enjoy Yourself that I really liked. The rest of the album was pleasant but not amazing. A high 3.

Not special

Good album

Not bad music, but it didn't resonate with me at all.

Surprisingly good

This was a cool grooving record with some ska country and skittles influences. Nice relaxing beats and grooves to move to.

Less iconic songs than the Specials, but overall a strong record.

I think people can be a bit harsh on this album. It can be quite unfunny at times, but it’s quite theatrical and I find it literally impossible to not enjoy 2 Tone music! It might be a bit corny at times, but the album is so fun and bright that I can totally put the bad parts aside and enjoy this!

Not sure why this isn’t getting much love. For me The Specials embody everything good about the UK. Working class lads from different ethnic backgrounds coming together and making great music as a result. There’s a lot of excellent tracks on this record that are evidence of that.

The first couple tracks caught my attention, but then that quickly faded.

Enjoyment: 6/10 Replayability: 5/10 Cohesion: 6/10 Flow/Pacing: 5/10 Artistic Merit: 5/10 Weighted Average: 5.5/10 Review: Your average reggae and ska vibes. A fun listen, but nothing too memorable. Liked Song(s): Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think), Do Nothing, Sock It to 'Em J.B. Disliked Song(s): Stereotype, International Jet Set Recommend? Maybe Heard Before? No

I didn't get a chance to comment much as I was listening but I really enjoyed this album. I like the early ska sound. Good shit. 5 stars.

It was fine. Reminded of a cross between the pogues and the bosstones. I get why they're on the list, but I could take it or leave it.

Gotta love The Specials

This is really sick, they basically play about with genre all over the b-side and it's really fun to listen to. Shame they only released the two records

Svängig ska men inte Bad Manners. En trea

Nothing wrong with this. It’s fun, varied, they’ve got something to say and some great brass!

The album has some highs and lows. High energy but I'd give 2.4

Dope

nice album. Like a lot of albums, a number of good songs but a few not so much. I'll probably listen again, but probably would not buy. A solid 3 that might move to a 4 after a re-listen or two

Sometimes I can find myself enjoying a more experimental album as a band looks to expand their sound, but this album did not do it for me. Having had the first Specials album a few weeks ago I enjoyed the more streamlined ska sound compared to the choices they made for this album. It’s almost like a cabaret of taste and experiments most of which did not land with me.

Pretty fun record. It’s a bit silly but selfaware in its silliness. The brass is great and the band can really play. Not a huge fan of reggae, but it was still pretty entertaining to listen to.

Album of jingles..

Great album. Enjoyed it!

Some funny songs, not the worst listen, their song "a message to you rudy" is a favorite though.

I'm a ska-punker at heart, but the Specials are special. And that James Bond song rules.

Was it really necessary to be that horny?

I kind of thought this was a joke at times. Not a fan.

They certainly were special

Ska is so niche do we really need multiple ska albums on here? Having the album that apparently kickstarted the ska movement in Britain seems completely superfluous. I don’t like ska much to begin with so a whole album of it was tough. Also the 7 minutes song in the middle where they went nuts with the delay was overkill and dropped them a star. Yucky

What did I just listen to? Bit of a wild ride-enjoyed music much more than vocals

Ok

I don’t get how people don’t love ska. The trombone here just sounds absolutely amazing and raw. A couple songs are misses: stereotype and i can’t stand it. But then we get towards the end and international jet set is totally different from everything that came before it and totally groovy and a vibe. Most of the songst are really vibey

eh

Masterpiece lotsa o different styles amazing album one of the top IMHO

dayum

FUN!

It was ok. Had a 1950s vibe even though it was from the 80s. Music was kind of all over the place.

Early British ska, musically it is all over the place. Can hear their influence on 90's trip-hop. They have some great musical arrangements, one song it's a piano shredding then guitar and go ahead throw in some cool horns. I went into this one blind and I am pretty impressed. Experimental post-punk ska muzak, I'm in!

Def. not as strong as their self-titled album. Great SKA, great horn players, some duds in the bunch enjoy yourself bookending is a neat technique just wish it were a more hopeful message. 3.

A strident but cool collage of sounds. I don't like ska, and can yet tell this album's got something. Men at C&A's atmosphere is so ahead of its own time. Sounds like the 2010's. So strange and fun.

$10 Spicy margs and espresso martini’s Gnocchi with lamb ragu $15 burgers These specials from my local pub are a bit more appetising than what I just listened to. Bit of a shame actually, the Specials self titled is a great album

2,5

Embarrassingly never heard of The Specials as far as I know! but enjoyed this ska-pop-punk fusion -- which may seem crazy but actually sounds great and really holds up for the most part!

As instructed, I was enjoying myself during track one. What a lovely old time I had. But then it took a downward turn. Absolute nonsense. Apart from ‘Do Nothing’ which was cool.

Not one single song did I recognise. Thats telling. I own their debut, its great and packed with some of their their best known songs, then after this record they released Ghost Rown as a standalone single. With this album, their second album sandwiched in between, and its different sound, and no noteworthy singles from it, its not surprising I haven't ever bothered with it. I don't think I'll be coming back any time soon.

british fun and quirky. I dont think it works well as a listening album.

This album is a long and winding road through ska music. I think this is the most I have ever enjoyed ska music because there were some really cool songs on here. This is a lengthy album though and I was getting a bit tired of it by the end of my listen through. I'd hate to have to bring up scooby doo again (I actually love bringing it up), but there's a ska episode of Scooby Doo: Mystery Incorporated and this helped me to understand some of the references from that episode, like the term "rude boy".

Interesting album... I'd say the name definitely suits their sound, as it definitely fits the 'special' vibe in some sort of way. Instrumentation was tight, the singing on the other hand got annoying at times.. Lots of different flavours of ska on here, really like the small moments of dub music mixed throughout on here, like the 2nd half of Stereotype (idk why they didnt just make 2 different songs here?). Ghost Town on Disc 2 was definitely another highlight.

This just wasn’t what I expected from this band. I prefer the debut that was more full on ska. I get they probably were expanding their sound here but I didn’t love it.

Pick a lane guys, too much variety (if that's a thing)!

3.5 years after I got The Specials first album, I get more Specials. Literally and figuratively. I did not particularly enjoy the first Specials album, but it is also on my list of albums I listened to early in this project that I will go back and listen to again. I want to make sure my initial thoughts weren't necessarily wrong and I am missing out on good music. I liked this one better than the last, but it still suffers from the same issues I had with their debut album. I don't know if this music is for me and some of the songs on here (Man at C&A, Sock It To 'Em, J.B.) are just not good in my opinion. The albums starts off great and then comes to a grinding halt when "Man at C&A" starts. It is odd to me how there are so many tracks on here that I enjoy and then other tracks which I just do not like. There is a lot of variance in their music for me. I still think this just isn't for me. My favorite tracks: Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) Hey Little Rich Girl Do Nothing I Can't Stand It

I don't remember liking these guys' debut album, but that was near the start of the journey now I'm 459 albums deep. Either I've successfully expanded my music tastes or this album just strikes a different chord than the debut. I absolutely adore the A-side of the album, the B-side is a bit lacking to be honest. The supporting brass section enhances the album so much, it's not too overbearing, it's just about the right amount of involvement. "Pearls Cafe" gives off great imagery and is unbelievable colourful. Like I said the B-side was a bit of frown from me, but I think the A-side is good enough and the B-side is alright to equal to a solid 4 star album. Highlight Song/s: "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think), "Man at C&A" and "Do Nothing"

this was okay, not really my style but i can understand the significance

Pretty forgettable. But a different sounding band

many of these tracks are somehow both too basic, and messy to the point where they just sonically do not work. there are some fine moments, but i really don't get the overall appeal here ..

Very close to giving this a 4. It was an interesting change of pace from other albums on this list, and it introduced me to the genre of Ska/two-tone.

Great album. Surprisingly diverse base styles kept switching up the feel. Plenty of ear worms.

1019 - "Here's your juice box and orange slice. Thanks for coming."

Nothing special here to hear

If any of you are gamers, there's a game called Psychonauts. For anyone who hasn't played it, the game's premise is that you are a psychological warrior - literally. You have psychic powers which allows you to enter people's minds and experience and literally battle their personal demons, their baggage, and their trauma. The soundtrack is very similar to this album and the second song in particular "Man at C&A" sounds like it heavily inspired the music in that game. Unlike the game, however, this album is not enjoyable and only has a few shining moments. "Do Nothing" is okay and is one of the better songs on the album and "International Jet Set" was at least musically interesting. Most of the songs are just highly repetitive ska/reggae tunes with the most snaggle-toothed pub crawling British mofo singing/talking over the tracks. I guess this was album was added to this list because you have to hear what bad music is to understand what good music is. I gave their first album a 4/10, I'll give this one a 2/10. Thank goodness I'm done with this band.

I don’t hate English rockabilly ska music. But I don’t love it either.

This album was fun. Lots of different stuff.

Not bad. Not what I typically think of as ska, which is probably for the better. 3/5

Who lied to these people by saying they are not ordinary? Nothing special to the specials.

Ska feels at least kind of unique on the list, but I mean ultimately you’re still listening to a ska album and usually that’s not gonna be the best time in the world

This started off fun, but it tapered off by the middle, I was ready for it to be over before it was over.

It's odd that I've generated both albums from The Specials in a matter of days. While it's more sonically diverse than the debut, it also feels really messy in all the wrong ways and I enjoyed it much less as a result. The semi-sarcastic tone is still the main strength of the group, but I feel like they slightly lost that special touch of the debut, the sound is more polished and the spontaneity just isn't there. Admittedly, there are a couple of truly great tracks here, Do Nothing in particular. I'll give it another listen soon, but my first impressions are underwhelming.

A: Började så dåligt att jag stängde datorn och resten lyssnades följande dag. Stundvis Gangstas paradise, stundvis country humppa, stundvis tropical mario kart bana??? Uppskattar dock konstigheten. Mad Caddies om dom skulle vara whimsy. Rätt mängd brass-instrument 4/5 (B-tier) D: Känns som att det här bandades in i ett lager för instrument som de utforskade, och varje låt representerar ett udda instrument de hittade. Varje låt hade ett udda tema, men tvärtom som i fallet av Ghosteen var temorna här ännu unikare och intressantare. Bara man vågar acceptera att den är bra är den bra. 4/5

I like this as much as the other Specials album on the list. In particular I thought that this was experimental in that it had some almost hip hop elements. I have never been a fan of ska in part due to the doucehry that I remember of the fan base and white guys wearing weird hats but now I can see the appeal when done correctly.

So this album opens with a bang. A fucking firecracker of a track that had me thinking, "Well shit, this is gonna be an absolute ripper." But then it all just kinda... peters out. Damn. There is a lifetime of sentimental value in those few words though. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Enjoy Yourself - Hey, Little Rich Girl - Do Nothing

Like it 3/5

honestly a fun album to listen to, like reggae and ska and kinda bossanova y maybe that's a bad read. my mom would really enjoy this album and the horns are so fun

I enjoyed it but need to be in the right mood for non jamacian ska

why did this one end up on my list again?

I enjoyed myself

A song about James Bond?

This album reviewed itself on "Pearl's Cafe" - "It's all a load of Bollocks" The "singing" is rubbish. I can't tell if it's intentionally that way or this album is a parody of something and it's designed to be bad. At times the music is better - "Sock It to 'Em J.B" had some good brass and bass work but oh dear god someone tell the vocalists to leave... Shouting out names of Bond titles is meh at the best. Whoever decided this should be on the 1001 to listen before you die was probably giving a clue to someone he wanted to buy it. To quote track 9: "I can't stand it" "International Jet Set" is perhaps the best song on the album. The reprise at the end is a waste of time and recording space. 1.5 stars... Gonna round this one down

Meh, it's sort of an interesting listen, eclectic, quirky, whatever. Ain't changing any lives.

Fine, the ska/reggae influence was interesting.

i love the specials, so i am biased. The album is very good, but not all tracks are excellent.

Very good record.

This is #day712 of my #1001albumsyoumusthearbeforeyoudie challenge, and… here's to my second record by The Specials. Now, this is clearly a band that knew what they were doing. I can't say I'm enjoying what I'm hearing, but I definitely acknowledge the band's place in music history. "Do Nothing" is my favorite cut here. This is a 3 out of 5. Looking forward to #day713.

Very much could use another listen.

I've enjoyed The Specials as a ska band, and I like that their open to experimenting with their sound, but the ways in which they experiment leaves me wishing they didn't. Kind of a pale version of what the Specials are capable of

2-Tone, ska, reggae, avant-pop, lounge, muzak, what a ride!

I'm confused by the people saying it's elevator music -- what kind of elevators are y'all in? This tries to be quirky, reggae-ish, ska-ish. It's fine, not worthy of this list IMO.

546/1089 - This could've been Special Beat Service or I Just Can't Stop It. Mirror in the Bathroom, Tears of a Clown, I Confess, and Save it For Later are so good and showcase the potential of 2Tone way more than this wet fart of an album. Stereotype is kinda neat though I guess, at least for the first bit before it turns into vamp nonsense. Mainly I have an issue with the voices being pretty weak shouty and pitchy and the melodies sticking to one or two notes for a majority of time like a lot of 21st century pop.

More Specials, except I wasn't even crazy about them the first time around... There's more reggae elements on this one but overall less bangers. I gave the previous one 3 stars, this one can't get more than 2...

More Specials sounds like something that Gollum would say

I appreciate them for who they are, but this one is medicore for me.

It’s ska. Maybe some of the best ska, but there’s a ceiling.

“2nd wave” ska might be my favorite but this isn’t my favorite Specials album.

I can appreciate the fact that they’re good at what they were trying to do, but what they were trying to do isn’t very interesting.

Blah. This didn't do a thing for me. Wasn't offensive tho

I loved their first album. This one, not so much.

Another meh .. 2 days running. Not feeling a relisten

Well, I still don’t really like ska, but I did like this way more than their self-titled. Less repetitive and more rough and tumble, like hearing a good bar band. Much more dynamic, experimental, and interesting, which you’d hope for as a band keeps making albums. The dance hall and lounge inflections do wonders for their sound. I’m impressed that this was turned around just a year after their debut. Really liked how the keyboards sounded in particular. I’m surprised to say there are some tracks I’d return to (“Sock It to ‘Em J.B.”, “I Can’t Stand It”) and even more surprised to say I could see myself revisiting this in full.

why didnt more ska bands have a dub sound like this so cool

Fun as always, even if it is a little muzak-y. The tongue-in-cheek lyrics are a bonus. 4.0/5.0: Great

45 minutes is a bit too long but this was an incredibly fun listen

fine

The debut hits like a club banger. Then the regret comes and the realization life moves fast so enjoy it. Not bad. You can hear this is a few decades ahead of its time.

The birth of Ska!!! I mean their first album was better...but whatever. Ska is born.

As far as production goes some of the most lively and fun sounding ska out there. Truly genre defining

Very well made bad music. Good instruments. Bad vocals. Too all over the place for me. There’s better music than this.

Disappointing

I have no idea what to think of this. Some songs were alright and others just werent

too much ska not enough muzak. sent to jimmy tho

This is of a time in a good way.

Had some intriguing moments

Yeah, this most definitely was not special. It was just bad.

Second album by them and I am yet to be disappointed.

I think this band is really original and fun! That’s why they deserve my 4 stars, even though some of the songs aren’t as funny today as they were back then. I guess that’s just a sign of getting older :-( Well, it helped me reminisce about the old days and remember how much fun we had back then. A band like this would be considered silly these days. Political correctness has killed all humor… and there are still people who find some kind of intelligence in that. Fuck it, I think I’m going to give them a 5 just for having existed ╭∩╮(•̀_·́)╭∩╮

This album was released in 1980 and it's this interesting experiment that combines ska with groovy lounge music and sprinkles some interesting elements on top. It also hides an interesting secret. On one hand it is this easily accessible album that sounds almost too cheerful and laid back. However, this only conceals the dark lyricism and paranoia that hides in plain sight. It's a different take on a rebellious album with some smart songwriting. It definitely has its strong moments. At one point I got tired of the brassy instrumentals but that was almost the point. I will revisit songs from it for sure. The ones that stood out to me during my first listen were "Man at C&A" and "Do Nothing".

There was talent and effort here but it just sucked. Corny. Too long. I guess this was the start of ska music? I didn’t like this. But is a good two star record.

This was fantastic. What a ride. Definitely a new favorite.

I’m from Coventry, where every child is given a Harrington jacket at birth. Having said that, I’ve never really liked The Specials - they aren’t rubbish, but just not my thing. This is ok.

Good album! Like the specials and their vibe for sure

Taustamusaa mutta kuitenkin hyväntuulista ja positiivinen fiilis koko levyn ajan. Yllättävän hyvä kasarilevy, bilemusaa. Puntarointi kakkosen ja kolmosen välillä, kellahtaa kuitenkin positiivisen kokemuksen ja fiiliksen perusteella kolmoseksi vaikka huippuhetkiä levy ei suoranaisesti tarjoillutkaan. 3/5

Fun.

1979. Debut studio album by the English ska revival band. Musically, The Specials encapsulates the first wave of British ska, greatly reworking the original sound of 1960s Jamaican ska. Several of the album's songs are covers of older Jamaican songs.

I dug it!

Pretty classic ska album. I had no idea the Go Go's sang background on this record. Cool.

es un álbum de Regae sin olor a Cannabis sativa; para un oido simple una excelente elección parta un día de lluvia

Great as they briefly were, surprised to see three Specials albums on this list. The first album alone would have been enough - this is nowhere near that level.

Not funny, vocals not good, not musically interesting, not memorable. I have heard of the specials but never really heard them, and this is.... Surprising.

Цих знаю, але альбому не слухав і назви треків на перший погляд не знайомі. Шось SKA мені не дуже заходить, прослухав перших кілька пісень, може далі буде цікавіше. Hey, Little Rich Girl сподобалося. Не зайшов альбом. Не мій стиль точно.

Pretty fun! Would give it another listen!

Really interesting, but it does feel a bit incoherent and unfocused.

Album number 904. I feel lazy, but this just seems like a fine album. 3s seem to be order of the day.

Pretty glorious. A glance at the titles and I thought I recognised one or two, but it turns out I knew the entire album, because every single one of the songs is an immediate earworm. To follow Enjoy Yourself - a fairly madcap stomper - with the grinding heaviness of Man at C&A blows me away. Some lyrics may verge on misogyny 50 years later, but as a collection of tunes it's undeniable, even if "Sock it to 'em JB" feels a bit lazy. A low 5, if such a thing is possible

Someone needs to tell the men from the nation of England that just because they're British doesn't mean that they have an automatic green light to make music. You can't all be the Beatles, my dude. And no, you aren't Special.

C'est spécial.

Ecclectic to a fault - the best bits are when they leans more into reggae and dub or ska vs soul or 50s pop. There'll be some playful toasting, some nice heavy bass, but then some goofy steel drum calypso stuff or wierd doo wop psych.

Not my cup of tea. Went in all sorts of directions and I would've liked to turn around a time or two. The music is alright.

Fitting I got this on Fathers Day as this is the most 'dad' sounding album I've ever heard

instruments. groove. mellow.

I've heard of the Specials but I have not heard them until today. I know they are the OG of the Ska. The fact that they have 3 albums on The List tells you their importance to Ska. I do love the full sounds that the horns & piano bring to band. Reggae is strong here. I find it interesting looking at the infancy of genres. Hey, Little Rich Girl reminds of a 50s song. Ska is fun genre. I guess I'm an aSKAcianado. I've used that before but it's funny. If you understand that reference, you can be my friend. If you see above, this is actually my second Specials album & I don't feel like editing this. So due to the fact that I barely remember their first album which I gave a 3. I like this one slightly better. 4

Eine 80er Wundertüte. Die Musik schwankt zwischen Pop, Reggea, Sound, Synthie... Mit typischem 80er Brit-Pop Gesang dazu. Lustig zu hören, die Texte bearbeiten auch (Gesellschafts-) Politische Themen der frühen 80er. 3-4/5

while i value the quirkiness of the album, it's getting annoying as hell in the longterm - i'm sorry.

Sometimes atonal, kind of all-over-the-place—certainly eclectic.

This album is much more diverse and experimental than their previous 2 tone ska/reggae album. I would highly recommend reading the wiki on this album. While there is still 2 tone, there are a variety of other influences such as Northern Soul and Calypso, there are is an intentional overall lounge and Muzak feel. The second side is more experimental/trippy with cheesy electronic beats and keyboards sounds. Stereotype/Stereotype and International Jet Set are the best examples of this and are my favs.

ik was toch meer fan van hun eerste

A bit hit and miss but this is getting a 4 for Pearl’s Cafe.

nice change of pace, since i have been getting PLENTY of rock albums, but this ain't it. the instrumentals are nice, but the vocals, oh my lord.

Enjoyable and some decent variety. I'm looking forward to their first album whenever it generates for me, but I don't think I'd revisit this one anytime soon.

Dobar dan na generatoru kad iskoči album na kom su skoro sve pjesme već lajkane. Instant pet zvjezdica! Kako volim ove ljude i ova oba albuma (iako je prvi, naravno, još legendarniji). Stereotype bih mogla slušati 24/7 kako me pjesma lijepo vozi (nekad i slušam ups).

This album just bothered me, and I even went in with an open mind. I grew up with 3rd wave ska/punk and still have a soft spot for the genre. The Specials were the OGs, we all knew them. But, I guess all their good tracks are from the first album. And when it comes to albums in this genre, it's really hard to make one that works. Do you just do every single song as an upstroke ridden ska song, or change it up? Seemed they opted for the later, and it just didn't work. So yeah, there are interesting or fun moments in this album, some cool instrumentation and production which can give a fun effect. But then there are just lots of weak vocals, the awful dissonant riff in Do Nothing, and really underwhelming songwriting. The vibe did not carry it all the way forward. As a full album, really not sure how it made this list.

raggae + für mich auch sehr r&b, geile vocals aber bloated mit trompeten und viel vers rhythmischen instrumenten also idk

01) Enjoy Yourself - 7,5 02) Man at C&A - 7,5 03) Hey, Little Rich Girl - 7,5 04) Do Nothing - 7,5 05) Pearl's Cafe - 7,0 06) Sock It to 'em J.B. - 7,5 07) Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2 - 7,5 08) Holiday Fortnight - 7,5 09) I Can't Stand It - 7,0 10) International Jet Set - 7,5 11) Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) - 7,0 TOTAL: 7,36 (74/100) Current ranking: 418/940

Better than I remember.

I don't dislike it but im prolly not gonna listen to this on repeat.

This is an alright album, not too bad and I assume it was maybe alright back when it came out.

Pretty diverse for Ska, still not really my thing

First time actually listening to The Specials, and this didn't disappoint. Some real bops on here. Favourite tracks: Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think), Man at C&A, Do Nothing, Sock It to 'Em J.B, Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2, International Jet Set.

Became very dull after a while

I enjoyed this more than I expected. Very easy, up-beat listening

At first I couldn't get to grips with this, and thought it was a bit too weird. But as I worked my way through the track list, I found myself starting to appreciate the weirdness and the mix of ska and other styles working together. It's unlike anything else I've heard, and upon second listen I enjoyed it from the start.

2.5

*More Specials* When this album didn't sound like two tone mixed with lounge lizard music, it sounded like the music playing on the Carnival Cruise Ship to Hell. The only notable exception is "Sock It To 'em J.B." which actually kind of has a Memphis Bar-Kays feel to it. Other than that not even the Go-Gos singing background could save this project. (you6 can clearly hear Jane Weidlin's voice front and center of the harmonies on the end reprise. I know why, but my lips are sealed.) Anyways... this album wasn't all that special and I didn't enjoy myself. (4.65) ★★

I really don't like this ska stuff. 2 stars

This album is a mixed bag, for sure. The Specials try to expand on their trademark 2-tone ska sound, but it doesn't always quite work. There's a few good tunes here, but it doesn't quite capture the magic of their first album. 3 stars.

We could have had a second Style Council record on here rather than this crap. Our Favourite Shop or Confessions Of A Pop Group will do. ‘Enjoy Yourself, It’s Later Than You Think’? I’ve heard that enough times on Simon Mayo’s drive time show. No thanks.

As soon as I heard the instrumentals in the first song, I knew this would be a hard listen. There are some ska songs that are fun to listen to, but it is not a genre that lands well on my ears. This album had a lot of odd sounds to me, with some songs really testing my patience.

the specials are fun and historical and etc but dont really scoot my boot

What a surprise, did not think I was going to enjoy this as much as I did, felt like being at a party having lots of fun with friends, talking about life and other random bullshit, enjoy yourself, it's later than you think.

Great

Not as good as the previous album but still enjoy it. Not as much bottom end as the first album?

Never heard this album before, and maybe I am in the minority here, but I enjoy Dammers studio-driven creative effort here as an a full length album a bit more than their debut album, in which I really was just passionate about "A Message To You Rudy". Perhaps I am a bit biased in this opinion, as it is clear to me that MORE SPECIALS was an inspiration for my favorite Cherry Poppin' Daddies album, FEROCIOUSLY STONED. As a James Bond fan, I really dug the cover of "Sock it to 'Em J.B.", with The Specials having a vibe similar to the The Coasters "Tequila". I delighted in the quirkiness of tracks like "Stereotype/Stereotype, Pt. 2" Love how many creative ideas they try on this album. Even though it was recorded mostly multitrack, it feels more lively to me than the debut album well.

An exuberant, quirky, playful mix of styles made this an unexpected delight.

The supreme function of statesmanship is to provide against preventable evils. In seeking to do so, it encounters obstacles which are deeply rooted in human nature. One is that by the very order of things such evils are not demonstrable until they have occurred: at each stage in their onset there is room for doubt and for dispute whether they be real or imaginary. By the same token, they attract little attention in comparison with current troubles, which are both indisputable and pressing: whence the besetting temptation of all politics to concern itself with the immediate present at the expense of the future. Above all, people are disposed to mistake predicting troubles for causing troubles and even for desiring troubles: "If only," they love to think, "if only people wouldn't talk about it, it probably wouldn't happen." Perhaps this habit goes back to the primitive belief that the word and the thing, the name and the object, are identical. At all events, the discussion of future grave but, with effort now, avoidable evils is the most unpopular and at the same time the most necessary occupation for the politician. Those who knowingly shirk it deserve, and not infrequently receive, the curses of those who come after. A week or two ago I fell into conversation with a constituent, a middle-aged, quite ordinary working man employed in one of our nationalised industries. After a sentence or two about the weather, he suddenly said: "If I had the money to go, I wouldn't stay in this country." I made some deprecatory reply to the effect that even this government wouldn't last for ever; but he took no notice, and continued: "I have three children, all of them been through grammar school and two of them married now, with family. I shan't be satisfied till I have seen them all settled overseas. In this country in 15 or 20 years' time the black man will have the whip hand over the white man." I can already hear the chorus of execration. How dare I say such a horrible thing? How dare I stir up trouble and inflame feelings by repeating such a conversation? The answer is that I do not have the right not to do so. Here is a decent, ordinary fellow Englishman, who in broad daylight in my own town says to me, his Member of Parliament, that his country will not be worth living in for his children. I simply do not have the right to shrug my shoulders and think about something else. What he is saying, thousands and hundreds of thousands are saying and thinking - not throughout Great Britain, perhaps, but in the areas that are already undergoing the total transformation to which there is no parallel in a thousand years of English history. In 15 or 20 years, on present trends, there will be in this country three and a half million Commonwealth immigrants and their descendants. That is not my figure. That is the official figure given to parliament by the spokesman of the Registrar General's Office. There is no comparable official figure for the year 2000, but it must be in the region of five to seven million, approximately one-tenth of the whole population, and approaching that of Greater London. Of course, it will not be evenly distributed from Margate to Aberystwyth and from Penzance to Aberdeen. Whole areas, towns and parts of towns across England will be occupied by sections of the immigrant and immigrant-descended population. As time goes on, the proportion of this total who are immigrant descendants, those born in England, who arrived here by exactly the same route as the rest of us, will rapidly increase. Already by 1985 the native-born would constitute the majority. It is this fact which creates the extreme urgency of action now, of just that kind of action which is hardest for politicians to take, action where the difficulties lie in the present but the evils to be prevented or minimised lie several parliaments ahead. The natural and rational first question with a nation confronted by such a prospect is to ask: "How can its dimensions be reduced?" Granted it be not wholly preventable, can it be limited, bearing in mind that numbers are of the essence: the significance and consequences of an alien element introduced into a country or population are profoundly different according to whether that element is 1 per cent or 10 per cent. The answers to the simple and rational question are equally simple and rational: by stopping, or virtually stopping, further inflow, and by promoting the maximum outflow. Both answers are part of the official policy of the Conservative Party. It almost passes belief that at this moment 20 or 30 additional immigrant children are arriving from overseas in Wolverhampton alone every week - and that means 15 or 20 additional families a decade or two hence. Those whom the gods wish to destroy, they first make mad. We must be mad, literally mad, as a nation to be permitting the annual inflow of some 50,000 dependants, who are for the most part the material of the future growth of the immigrant-descended population. It is like watching a nation busily engaged in heaping up its own funeral pyre. So insane are we that we actually permit unmarried persons to immigrate for the purpose of founding a family with spouses and fiancés whom they have never seen. Let no one suppose that the flow of dependants will automatically tail off. On the contrary, even at the present admission rate of only 5,000 a year by voucher, there is sufficient for a further 25,000 dependants per annum ad infinitum, without taking into account the huge reservoir of existing relations in this country - and I am making no allowance at all for fraudulent entry. In these circumstances nothing will suffice but that the total inflow for settlement should be reduced at once to negligible proportions, and that the necessary legislative and administrative measures be taken without delay. I stress the words "for settlement." This has nothing to do with the entry of Commonwealth citizens, any more than of aliens, into this country, for the purposes of study or of improving their qualifications, like (for instance) the Commonwealth doctors who, to the advantage of their own countries, have enabled our hospital service to be expanded faster than would otherwise have been possible. They are not, and never have been, immigrants. I turn to re-emigration. If all immigration ended tomorrow, the rate of growth of the immigrant and immigrant-descended population would be substantially reduced, but the prospective size of this element in the population would still leave the basic character of the national danger unaffected. This can only be tackled while a considerable proportion of the total still comprises persons who entered this country during the last ten years or so. Hence the urgency of implementing now the second element of the Conservative Party's policy: the encouragement of re-emigration. Nobody can make an estimate of the numbers which, with generous assistance, would choose either to return to their countries of origin or to go to other countries anxious to receive the manpower and the skills they represent. Nobody knows, because no such policy has yet been attempted. I can only say that, even at present, immigrants in my own constituency from time to time come to me, asking if I can find them assistance to return home. If such a policy were adopted and pursued with the determination which the gravity of the alternative justifies, the resultant outflow could appreciably alter the prospects. The third element of the Conservative Party's policy is that all who are in this country as citizens should be equal before the law and that there shall be no discrimination or difference made between them by public authority. As Mr Heath has put it we will have no "first-class citizens" and "second-class citizens." This does not mean that the immigrant and his descendent should be elevated into a privileged or special class or that the citizen should be denied his right to discriminate in the management of his own affairs between one fellow-citizen and another or that he should be subjected to imposition as to his reasons and motive for behaving in one lawful manner rather than another. There could be no grosser misconception of the realities than is entertained by those who vociferously demand legislation as they call it "against discrimination", whether they be leaderwriters of the same kidney and sometimes on the same newspapers which year after year in the 1930s tried to blind this country to the rising peril which confronted it, or archbishops who live in palaces, faring delicately with the bedclothes pulled right up over their heads. They have got it exactly and diametrically wrong. The discrimination and the deprivation, the sense of alarm and of resentment, lies not with the immigrant population but with those among whom they have come and are still coming. This is why to enact legislation of the kind before parliament at this moment is to risk throwing a match on to gunpowder. The kindest thing that can be said about those who propose and support it is that they know not what they do. Nothing is more misleading than comparison between the Commonwealth immigrant in Britain and the American Negro. The Negro population of the United States, which was already in existence before the United States became a nation, started literally as slaves and were later given the franchise and other rights of citizenship, to the exercise of which they have only gradually and still incompletely come. The Commonwealth immigrant came to Britain as a full citizen, to a country which knew no discrimination between one citizen and another, and he entered instantly into the possession of the rights of every citizen, from the vote to free treatment under the National Health Service. Whatever drawbacks attended the immigrants arose not from the law or from public policy or from administration, but from those personal circumstances and accidents which cause, and always will cause, the fortunes and experience of one man to be different from another's. But while, to the immigrant, entry to this country was admission to privileges and opportunities eagerly sought, the impact upon the existing population was very different. For reasons which they could not comprehend, and in pursuance of a decision by default, on which they were never consulted, they found themselves made strangers in their own country. They found their wives unable to obtain hospital beds in childbirth, their children unable to obtain school places, their homes and neighbourhoods changed beyond recognition, their plans and prospects for the future defeated; at work they found that employers hesitated to apply to the immigrant worker the standards of discipline and competence required of the native-born worker; they began to hear, as time went by, more and more voices which told them that they were now the unwanted. They now learn that a one-way privilege is to be established by act of parliament; a law which cannot, and is not intended to, operate to protect them or redress their grievances is to be enacted to give the stranger, the disgruntled and the agent-provocateur the power to pillory them for their private actions. In the hundreds upon hundreds of letters I received when I last spoke on this subject two or three months ago, there was one striking feature which was largely new and which I find ominous. All Members of Parliament are used to the typical anonymous correspondent; but what surprised and alarmed me was the high proportion of ordinary, decent, sensible people, writing a rational and often well-educated letter, who believed that they had to omit their address because it was dangerous to have committed themselves to paper to a Member of Parliament agreeing with the views I had expressed, and that they would risk penalties or reprisals if they were known to have done so. The sense of being a persecuted minority which is growing among ordinary English people in the areas of the country which are affected is something that those without direct experience can hardly imagine. I am going to allow just one of those hundreds of people to speak for me: “Eight years ago in a respectable street in Wolverhampton a house was sold to a Negro. Now only one white (a woman old-age pensioner) lives there. This is her story. She lost her husband and both her sons in the war. So she turned her seven-roomed house, her only asset, into a boarding house. She worked hard and did well, paid off her mortgage and began to put something by for her old age. Then the immigrants moved in. With growing fear, she saw one house after another taken over. The quiet street became a place of noise and confusion. Regretfully, her white tenants moved out. “The day after the last one left, she was awakened at 7am by two Negroes who wanted to use her 'phone to contact their employer. When she refused, as she would have refused any stranger at such an hour, she was abused and feared she would have been attacked but for the chain on her door. Immigrant families have tried to rent rooms in her house, but she always refused. Her little store of money went, and after paying rates, she has less than £2 per week. “She went to apply for a rate reduction and was seen by a young girl, who on hearing she had a seven-roomed house, suggested she should let part of it. When she said the only people she could get were Negroes, the girl said, "Racial prejudice won't get you anywhere in this country." So she went home. “The telephone is her lifeline. Her family pay the bill, and help her out as best they can. Immigrants have offered to buy her house - at a price which the prospective landlord would be able to recover from his tenants in weeks, or at most a few months. She is becoming afraid to go out. Windows are broken. She finds excreta pushed through her letter box. When she goes to the shops, she is followed by children, charming, wide-grinning piccaninnies. They cannot speak English, but one word they know. "Racialist," they chant. When the new Race Relations Bill is passed, this woman is convinced she will go to prison. And is she so wrong? I begin to wonder.” The other dangerous delusion from which those who are wilfully or otherwise blind to realities suffer, is summed up in the word "integration." To be integrated into a population means to become for all practical purposes indistinguishable from its other members. Now, at all times, where there are marked physical differences, especially of colour, integration is difficult though, over a period, not impossible. There are among the Commonwealth immigrants who have come to live here in the last fifteen years or so, many thousands whose wish and purpose is to be integrated and whose every thought and endeavour is bent in that direction. But to imagine that such a thing enters the heads of a great and growing majority of immigrants and their descendants is a ludicrous misconception, and a dangerous one. We are on the verge here of a change. Hitherto it has been force of circumstance and of background which has rendered the very idea of integration inaccessible to the greater part of the immigrant population - that they never conceived or intended such a thing, and that their numbers and physical concentration meant the pressures towards integration which normally bear upon any small minority did not operate. Now we are seeing the growth of positive forces acting against integration, of vested interests in the preservation and sharpening of racial and religious differences, with a view to the exercise of actual domination, first over fellow-immigrants and then over the rest of the population. The cloud no bigger than a man's hand, that can so rapidly overcast the sky, has been visible recently in Wolverhampton and has shown signs of spreading quickly. The words I am about to use, verbatim as they appeared in the local press on 17 February, are not mine, but those of a Labour Member of Parliament who is a minister in the present government: 'The Sikh communities' campaign to maintain customs inappropriate in Britain is much to be regretted. Working in Britain, particularly in the public services, they should be prepared to accept the terms and conditions of their employment. To claim special communal rights (or should one say rites?) leads to a dangerous fragmentation within society. This communalism is a canker; whether practised by one colour or another it is to be strongly condemned.' All credit to John Stonehouse for having had the insight to perceive that, and the courage to say it. For these dangerous and divisive elements the legislation proposed in the Race Relations Bill is the very pabulum they need to flourish. Here is the means of showing that the immigrant communities can organise to consolidate their members, to agitate and campaign against their fellow citizens, and to overawe and dominate the rest with the legal weapons which the ignorant and the ill-informed have provided. As I look ahead, I am filled with foreboding; like the Roman, I seem to see "the River Tiber foaming with much blood." That tragic and intractable phenomenon which we watch with horror on the other side of the Atlantic but which there is interwoven with the history and existence of the States itself, is coming upon us here by our own volition and our own neglect. Indeed, it has all but come. In numerical terms, it will be of American proportions long before the end of the century. Only resolute and urgent action will avert it even now. Whether there will be the public will to demand and obtain that action, I do not know. All I know is that to see, and not to speak, would be the great betrayal.

Great vibes and some cool experimental stuff from the ska legends. Just a little disappointed in the lack of classic tracks.

Album #172 The Specials: More Specials Though I have made a concerted effort to listen to much of the British canon, one band which I have delayed my exposure to is The Specials. A name which will often come up when exploring the UK music scene of the 70s and 80s, which I often find myself doing. It’s not that I expected to dislike The Specials per se; I suppose I just rarely find myself explicitly seeking out ska or 2-tone. Though I do enjoy myself some Beat, even they tend to wear on me when digested in full album form; because, let’s be honest, the genre can be quite corny. It is essentially just westernized reggae, which has led to many aspiring white rastafarians adopting the sound and aesthetic, and making it agonizingly cringe. However, The Specials are pretty much the foundation of the genre, and judging by the diversity of their group, I suspect the music was crafted with good intentions. So despite me being a bit skeptical, and even more so due to this not being the group's relatively beloved debut, I was pleasantly surprised by More Specials. Around the third track, I couldn’t help but cave into the infectious grooves that the band was presenting me with, and though there were moments of drawn-out parody of ska, like Stereotype Pt. 2, the album remained consistently fun and groovy all the way through. Probably one of those bands who I’d prefer to listen to in a greatest hits setting, but nonetheless this album is a very solid listen, and some tracks are amongst the best 2-tone I’ve heard. Best Songs: Hey Little Rich Girl, Do Nothing, I Can’t Stand It Worst Song: Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) Score out of 10: 7

It just doesn't resonate.

"It's all a load of bollocks/And bollocks to it all" The Specials are so iconic of their time and place that I can kind of understand how this album might be... I dunno... too British for some people? To hear them is to have a Shane Meadows film playing in your head. Agree it's not necessarily the most cohesive album (and the remaster sounds like it needs remastered), but it's great fun.

Skanking through the office right now. My boss thinks I've lost my marbles Brilliant!

I liked the diverse sounds and instrumentals with the risk of being hit or miss. Some songs were really a bit too much jingly but I actually listened to this twice so not bad at all.

I never thought I would be bored by a ska album but here we are

Have always liked War and this album didn't disappoint!

Was excited about this album after the first track but that was the high point.

Big mood.

A remarkable advance from their first album, taking the core ska formula and building more sophisticated songs around it. That said, just really not my thing.

Is it kinda annoying that I gotta listen to the sequel before the original? Yes. I know this band though, my friend really fucked with their song "Gangsters" back in the day, and wanted to play it in our school's guitar club. Now I was a fucking buzzkill, so that didn't end up happening. I'm much cooler now and I love "Gangsters." I will also be using that song as a general comparison point for this album, and in that, it can be quickly seen that this is MUCH more eclectic than their previous work. More straight-up reggae/dub, and some weird-ass lounge influence going on here too. The album's also very satirical, but with a sorta sincere edge at times, most notably on a song like "Do Nothing," a personal favorite off here for me. Now, is it incredible? Not by any stretch. If you want incredible punk-influenced ska, go to... I mean probably their debut album. I'm waiting for this site to give me it so that I don't have to relisten to it. Other than that maybe bomb the music industry? Catch 22? That's another one the guy who liked "Gangsters" liked, and I always thought they were real good. But yeah this album's pretty good! 7.8/10

didnt finish it. Annoyed me

This sounds like an educational puppet show. I don't know what else to say.

Horrendous, 1⭐️

I'm already not a ska amateur, and even though there's fine musicianship throughout, shoutout to the rythm section, the assumed pop-muzzak influences, fun at first, get irritating real fast.

Not for me

Solid 7/10

I rly liked the old school sort of jazzy and sassy and funky kind of feel it has to it. I only did listen up to sock it to JB

Fun, quirky, and thoughtful. Really like the odd songs about rich people. Great background music for weird days at work in an office.

Fun

Specially annoying

Doe die kopersectie weg en het zou fire zijn, helaas helaas... Also zo speciaal zijn ze niet hoor, zeker niet zodanig dat er meer nodig is.

I'm not sure what was going on here. There was a lot of transition between almost reggae to rock? Not great, not terrible.

Some of this was very enjoyable and some of it was not my cup of tea. A lot of it reminded me of my least favorite Joe Jackson songs.

More fleshed-out if less iconic than the debut.

Not so special

This album is a little to out there. Not something that I enjoyed.

It’s definitely more. The album is touted as a big artistic pivot, although it feels more like a slight lean to the left than any significant change in sound.

I’m not sure what to think…

Surprisingly catchy

More of that classic 2-tone ska sound that made the Specials immediately stand out on their debut 2 years prior to this. This album generally keeps up the jovial, nighttime party atmosphere of the debut with a few more with a few more slow, groovy tracks to for added effect. Some songs clearly stick out more than others, especially in the early goings; I find there's a distinct slump in the middle section that makes too much of this come off like a chintzy island resort playlist. Overall it's fine as an album but it's equal parts background music and essential listening - I don't think I've heard too many albums with such a wide gulf of quality. Key Tracks: Enjoy Yourself (It's Later than You Think,) Man at C&A, Stereotype/Part 2

Banger after banger. God I love the Specials. 10/10

Hört sich gut an

Special.

Weird, with some enjoyable parts, but I didn't like the album as a whole.

Not as direct / good as their debut. Still okay though.

Sigh, another English band. This was meh. Skipped most of the songs after about 30 seconds. I don’t really have much to say about it. (2)

Second album propos par le générateur, après 'The Specials' que j'avais détesté (noté 1/5 - Reggae). Celui-ci est dans le même style, je n'ai pas pu aller au bout. =>1/5

Glad they exist, but ska always leaves me cold

Enjoy Yourself starts it off pretty fun. Hey Little Rich Girl was also pretty fun. Sock It To 'Em J.B. is a funny James Bond song, that was really fun to listen to. Stereotype was nice. I Can't Stand It was really funny. The Enjoy Yourself Reprise ends it off nicely. Overall a solid album. Best song: Sock It To 'Em J.B.

wow. Just the tonic for a blue Monday. Fun Ska/Reggae/pop album, with just the right pep and humor. Greatly bookended by "Enjoy Yourself"

...a band I grew up listening to and hugely influenced by, but I never explored beyond their first album. This is pretty ambitious, I can hear the future sounds of gorillaz in here and get the trip hop influence. It's fun, it's decent, it's not the best album, but there are good cuts on here.

Are we doing reggae? Or mariachi horns? Or none of the above? Not sure

Number: 126 Date: 5/9/2026 Artist: The Specials Album: More Specials Year: 1980 Genre: Post-Punk 2-Tone Exotica Familiarity: Extremely (5) Rating: 5 Before: ======= OK, now we're talking. This is one of my favorite albums of all time. It's going to get three 5's from me (personal, suitability, & impact). It's is one of the rare albums where most of the songs are a 5 and would definatley be a contender for my top 10 essential albums list, if I ever get around to making such a list. During: ======= 5 Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) 5 Man At C & A 5 Hey, Little Rich Girl 4 Do Nothing 5 Pearl's Cafe 4 Sock It To 'Em J.B. 5 Stereotypes / Stereotypes Part 2 4 Holiday Fortnight 5 I Can't Stand It 5 International Jet Set 4 Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) ----------------------------------------------------- 4.74 WEIGHTED AVERAGE (accounts for song lengths) After : ======= 5 my personal rating 5 suitability for this list 4 impact ----------------------------------------------- 4.7 composite rating

It was good. Didn't stand out. I liked international jet set but the track right before (didnt even bother to remember the name) was terrible, almost skipped it. I am aware that to a British person in the 70s being sick and tired of seeing "fags" meant something else but I couldnt agree more. 5/10, good but could be better

Aggressively mediocre ska 3/5

Mmm, early ska. It's interesting to see the genre before it was more or less fully co-opted by all-white psychedelic rock and emo bands. I think it's neat, especially the more reggae-style songs, and I like the storytelling in some of the lyrics. I see how different performers from different genres came together to build this album up to something new, but stylistically, it's just not for me. Favorite track: Stereotype/Stereotype Pt. 2

This album is all a load of bollocks

Moins bien que leur premier Quelques bons sont quand même 3/5

The best of a genre I typically don't care for

very different of what i have heard lol, starts fun, feel good music. the message of the first song, enjoy yourself while you are still in the pink!!! definitely will need to follow that advise. I liked the enjoy yourself reprise, interesting band.

The Specials are the epitome of fun.

This album didn’t fully align with my taste, as I had expected a stronger punk influence. It leans more toward a ska-driven sound, with elements that feel lighter and more pop-oriented. However, considering when it was made, I can understand why it’s regarded as distinctive. Its blend of styles and underlying cultural context make it feel like more than just a collection of songs. I can appreciate its significance in that era.

Years ago, I was telling someone that I loved ska. A friend interrupted me and said, ”You don’t like ska, you like ska punk.” Now I see what he was saying

Not very moreish

I really enjoyed this one. A pleasant little ska romp. Pro tip: "International Jet Set" works really well in a Halloween playlist. THREE STARS

I thought it just sounded like a hot mess, so I looked up more about it....mix of reggae, ska, postpunk, lounge, rockabilly, and Northern soul. That would explain it.

I wasn't feeling a need for cocktail ska in my life. I do appreciate what they did for the Go-Go's, though.

Definitely not special, merely pedestrian and ordinary. Didn’t have to skip any tracks, although I came close on the last few. All really just okay in the end.

I am more familiar with ska punk than I am with more traditional ska, but I found the record quiet enjoyable. A nice mix and entrancing rhythms and zany lyrics come together well on this album.

This had plenty of fun moments... at times it felt like a 3.5 or a 4. But overall the album didn't hang together enough to move me. Much more likely to return to individual songs than the record as a whole.

Bro Ska is not what I wanted to hear today. I'll give it this, the album has good instrumentstion and i cant say i was ever bored at points. But ska just doesn't connect with me at all, and this sounds like every Ska band I've ever heard. I'd tell others to give it a go, back this feels somewhat lacking at points. Fav Track: I can't stand it

surprisingly not bad

Utrolig kjedelig og typete

Its the first time ever i have heard typical dutch music in english. I hate it.

Ska music is inherently goofy. Certain parts of songs sound like a scrapped jamaica mario 64 level. This is not bad per se, it's playful and I kinda like it. However the trackks are just very badly mixed, it sounds blurry like I am trying to listen through a bad speaker. Ghosttown & Friday Night, Saturdaymorning are pretty alright, but this record is wayyy to long to just have 2 good tracks. Still it does it's thing and for that I'll give it a 5.5

It's a fun ska album, but I find it quite tricky to say more than that about a ska album. I like listening to ska every now and then, but it definitely isn't my favourite musical style out there. I haven't really found anything too new or special about it either.

Inoffensive, but why is there more.

Fun album. I like the song where he just lists James Bond movies.

Who asked for more?

What the fuck was this. It wasn't bad, but sure it wasn't my thing either. I'd say that "upbeat" and "brits" don't really combine, but that sounds mean. The most positive thing I can say is that it did not bore me, although I was mostly annoyed, rather than involved.

Odd, disjointed, mostly disappointing.

Nothing to incredibly deep or inspiring but fine tunes to play in the background of a spring / summer gathering.

Quite mix of songs and styles ranging from good downwards. The singles were pretty good mind.

Some truly terrible vocals on here

The album with the lowest average rating yet (perdi uma avaliação completa, então essa é minha segunda vez ouvindo) I can feel the SKa in Enjoy yourself, i can feel where No Doubt came from. I liked the lyrics(They mention God). It gives a nice lesson. A very nice instrumental. 8.7 de 10 Um instrumental muito bom na C&A(me lembra a loja) e tem até o Mickey! Trilha sonora de video game, tipo Mario Kart. É inovador. 9.9 de 10 Rich girl gives me beach vibes in the beggining, but its a nice song. 8.4 de 10 Do nothing é um ótimo exemplo de alguém cansado da vida, até a voz soa distante. Incrível, acho um dos melhores exemplos de músicas que refletem uma vida sem Jesus. 9 de 10 Pearl gave a sweet(cafeish fairy) vibe. I could see that in a kids show, very nice song and the lyrics are nice(especially the last verse). 8 de 10 Sock tem um instrumental muito massa. Acho as músicas de desse álbum bem video game. 8.6 de 10 Stereotype is kinda mexicanish, reminds me faroeste, mas meio lamp genie. Mas a segunda parte da música é quase um funk, mas a letra inverte a posição do narrador. 8.7 de 10 It took me some time to reconize the holiday jingle on this song. Nice and freezeria on winter vibes. 8.5 de 10 BRAIN SPLIT I CANT STAND!!!!!!!! Super nice, reminds of Jesus and i like it. Não me sinto em um avião, mas é interessante.Parece assombrada. 7.5 de 10 O final é mais lento, mais anos 50. Um álbum bom e inovador para época. Exploram bem o mesmo genre. Very good

It's like everything you expect from The Specials, plus a whole bunch more super weird stuff layered on top. On a couple songs it felt like it worked, a couple songs felt like a bit much. I still likes this album, it was definitely a super fun listen, but it's not as good as their debut album in my opinion.

I said in my review of their debut album that it reminds me of partying with the punk kids in high school. I’ve never done DMT, but I’m pretty sure this album is what doing DMT with the punk kids in high school would have been like. Seriously, this feels like such a weird follow up to their debut album. While I haven’t returned to their debut since it was generated a while ago, I remember it being a fun and upbeat ska record. This album on the other hand immediately goes off the rails into some pretty strange territory and almost feels like a nightmare version of their debut. It’s still ska, but with a lot of other influences thrown in and the themes seem much darker.

Це слабше за перший альбом. Мені десь чверть пісень не дуже подобається. Ще тут є якийсь лаунж-вайб, який мені не те щоб дуже сильно подобається. Плюс головний хіт альбому з кабере піаніно - одна з найменш улюблених пісень тут. Я, власне, і якщо їх слухаю, то дебютний включаю. Цей десь на 3-3.5.

Чомусь попередня рецензія моя не зберіглась. Класно що є 2-тон ска в цьому списку, але це як на мене не найкращий реліз спешлс. Хоча гурт реально топ.

80s ska. Boppy, drunk reggae. Very British. Really fun and chill.

I found myself particularly fond of the Enjoy Yourself message, starting and ending the record with a solid Carpe Diem, an energy true to the Rastafari lifestyle. I wouldn't guess any of these are Rastas, but I do think the essence of reggae has to do with messages of love and unity, and the way the message ended, childish but firm, really made me reflect on the idea. I can admit I got a little emotional, though they didn't succeed at making me cry this time. Overall the way they play with their sound is intriguing here. Sometimes it picks up, sometimes it slows down, it doesn't always work for my tastes but as far as the album itself, it's pretty solid and I could see myself spinning it again. It's the type of record I'd get excited over if I see it on the discount bin, but mostly because of the band itself, not because it's the record my collection needs. Giving the debut a listen again after this one, I believe I find it superior *because* Elvis Costello is producing. After hearing a couple of his albums and coming back to that one, there's a lot of structural similarities. Though, I also highly appreciate the consistent and classic reggae bass that record had a lot more of. 3.4/5

я ниче не добавил но ваще очень даже прикольно International Jet Set очень интересный трекич

Decent album but I’ve heard better from The Specials

Using a private session for this one because I don't like ska and I don't want Spotify's already weak algorithms to get any ideas. I don't know how many people are in this band, but I would say 20 -33% too many. I suffered through this mess of a record and the song "I Can't Stand It" really resonated with me.

Reggae and ska mixed with a little punk.

Some of the songs were fine and other were just bad. I actually was helping my mom with something and asked her if we could listen to this. She said that we could about halfway through the album I asked her what she thought and she said "great" very sarcastically. I told her I could turn it off and she said that she'd just tune it out.

Nothing special.

A little too special in my opinion

Day836 - just when i didn’t think there was any more white british reggae-ish groups here come the specials.

I enjoy ska and these guys have some good energy. That said, I didn't find it super compelling.

What a mish-mash album. Half of the album, with songs like 'Enjoy Yourself' and 'Hey Little Rich Girl', felt like something belonging in an early 60s dance club. The other half was more reggae, with 'Man At C&A', 'Do Nothing', with some sprinkled in Mexican/Hawaiian flavours in 'Holiday Fortnight'. Maybe I'm just not used to the 2 tone/ska genres. Regardless, this didn't work at all for me. It felt too all over the place, and the songs weren't particularly good either. If there's one positive thing to say, it's that the music certainly felt cheerful at least.

I think the Specials are such a great silly little band. I got tired of it by the end and it didn’t have the punchy beats of the first album “The Specials” with hits like “A message for Rudy”, “Gangster” and “Too Much Too Young”. Still, it had some fun spots with “Little Rich Girl” and “Pearl’s Cafe”. A fun time but just listen to the other album instead. Weak 3.

What strange album. Fun listen. Will not be listening again

this album felt like I was on vacation

Zabavan album

Alright, fun enough.

I don’t really get what people see in this zany novelty ska stuff. Odd selection.

Fun ska music

Oh man, more white guy ska. Not even like Sublime-maybe-gets-a-pass ska, but faking-the-Jamaican-accent ska. They can barely get the sound past their British teeth. You can tell they're having fun, though. Which I guess is the point. Favorite track - Sock It To 'Em, JB. Something about yelling out all the names of James Bond movies gets me.

2 stars

Love this! Amazing beach vibe coming from 1980s London. Great ska!

This album makes me feel nothing. That’s not how music is supposed to work.

Very enjoyable, Upbeat, silly, and a lot of fun.

Utterly unremarkable. I bet people don't agree with me.

Not my thing

I'm sorry but ska just doesn't do it for me. Skipped half the album.

It was decent, but the middle of the album just sounded like supermarket music

Неплохо, но не мое.

Me gustó mucho el uso de los instrumentos, lo sentí como un soundtrack de una peli de acción

Mucho ska para mi gusto

Du ska sympa mais pas inoubliable

Ugh, ska... Soms kan ik het wel waarderen, ik bedoel Doe Maar is best een geinig bandje. Maar dit album? Mwah, pakt me niet heel erg en dat is dan nog netjes gezegd. Dit voelt als een soort blauwdruk van ska, maar dan wel het soort waar iedereen daarna actief heeft bijgedragen aan het verbeteren van dat album. Het is niet super interessant, een beetje ska maar dan gemaakt door mensen die niet van wiet houden ofzo. Pfoeee, I cant stand it, de titel dekt wel redelijk de lading. Dat is gewoon echt heel slecht gezongen. Het lijkt of de vrouwelijke stem het gewoon niet haalt qua volume? Bizar dat dat nummer op dit album staat, en nog veel bizarderder dat ik dit blijkbaar moet luisteren voor ik doodga. Tsja, ska kan heel fun zijn, maar dit is gewoon een matig ska album wat mij betreft. Het is wel vreemd en weird, maar niet genoeg om interessant te zijn en dan is het voornamelijk vervelend. N E X T FAVO: Pearl's cafe, Holiday Fortnight

Favorite Track: Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)

I don't like it