More Specials

Favourites: • Man at C&A • Stereotypes / Stereotypes - Pt. 2 • International Jet Set

3+/5

Hard to get mad at a band with this many ideas and such a fun-loving, easy-going energy. I enjoyed this album more than the last Specials album we had on the list, mostly because this one is a little more musically restless. Still not my taste but I appreciate its playfulness.

One of those instances where I really judged the album by the album cover and was surprised when the music started. I was expecting some "Friends Theme Song" type music and not this British blues rock. Oh ok that's not their whole sound. Cool! The second song really pulls you into a different direction. I dig it. The album is pretty solid. I don't know if it's one that will stick with me too much but I like their overall sound. The reggae rhythms are fun and this was a joy to listen to.

Geinige muziek. Beetje vreemd maar wel lekker.

Ik had vooroordelen over dit genre, en ik heb ze nog steeds, maar dit was wel geinig. Zou nog steeds liever London Calling luisteren.

Sure! Fun. Not really my thing. Cool, repetitive, kinda ska, kinda reggae. Skeggae. Okay. Good times.

Fun! At first…then I lost concentration. Try again tomorrow! Edit: same as previous day, starts well but quickly loses my interest.

Was not expecting a James Bond song

I enjoyed this, especially the James Bond song. That was fun.

Je sais pas si c’est dût à la canicule ou la déshydratation, mais ça sonnait mieux que c’était supposé

It is the same style as the previous Specials album, can get a bit repetitive, but the songs are inventive, strong storytelling in a simple format, keeps you engaged. I quite like the opener Enjoy Yourself - good message. Not an every day album, but in the right setting I'll come back to it.

I can't say I was expecting another album by The Specials. Wasn't bad, I can dig it. Not as good as the first one, but had lots of catchy tunes. 3/5

This is decent ska - mostly fun.

LP (revendu)

забавные)

Cool

Those first two albums = 🔥

There’s a lot of unique and sometimes trippy stuff here, though unfortunately it goes too far into ska territory sometimes.

It’s like the Beatles went to the beach lol

Well that was interesting. I don't think it was very good but it was certainly different. 2.5/5

Certainly not as catchy as their debut, but interesting still

I don't think I'll ever dislike this sound. Strange, the buoyant, often playful music contrasts with a sensation of lassitude permeating the lyrical mood. I like the willingness to play with a broader soundscape too. Interesting record.

Hey I liked this one much more than the other one for whatever reasons! Actually, I think I do know: it was the James Bond song. If you can pull off something as hokey is that then you deserve at least another star from my star bag. Enjoyed "Hey Little Rich Girl" and a few others, too. Let's go skank that pickle! (That's something ska people say, right? I feel like I've read that somewhere.)

Seems like they had a real tough time deciding what kind of band they wanted to be on any given song.

Ho hum

Ok.

Not as good as their debut, but I can appreciate the desire to expand their sound.

Very fun album, clicked with me almost instantly. While not as captivating as their debut record, still a very enjoyable record. Favorite lyrics: - I walk along this same old lonely street. Still trying to find, find a reason. - She tried to keep her looks but lost her mind when she lost her youth and grace. Key tracks: - Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) - Man At C&A - Hey Little Rich Girl - Do Nothing - Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2 - International Jet Set 7 out of 10

As a fan of punk, ska, and all of that, I'm a fan of the specials too, but boy is this tone a slog to get through in one sitting.

Genres: Ska, 2 Tone, post-punk, lounge, avant-pop, northern soul Formed: Coventry in 1977 Run time: 11 songs, 42 min 33 sec It’s an eclectic mix of tracks and styles, but you can tell it’s the Specials you are listening to. The social commentary that the Specials have become renowned for is present in songs such as “Hey Little Rich Girl”, Pearl’s Café” and Stereotype. I enjoyed the album, but I probably will not the play the album again. I will be listening to the best of… A great “2 Tone” album. Only half the tracks on this album have over 1M plays on Spotify. My Rating: ***

More special (as in worse than just special)

I was not excited to listen to more specials after listening to the specials by the specials earlier this year, and while there was still not much special about this album, It was significantly more digestible than the other.

I really liked the first 3/4’s of this then someone let the air out of the baloon. Worthy of a 3/5

Different from anything I've ever heard. Really interesting approach but it works. It all sounds like something that could be in an animated movie soundtrack, in a good way. Fave track(s): Man at C&A, I Can't Stand It

Groovey ska band

Pretty good ska sound. Ahead of its time

This album had mixed reviews, and I had never heard their music previously, but once I listened I thought it wasn't too bad.

Not a bad listen, I have been known to listen to some ska and the songs have an accessible soul sound. A bit blah at times, not as solid and consistent as their debut album, so overall nothing special here.

I forgot about how popular they were in the 80s and 90s. But listening to an entire album is work. I give them 3 stars because they belong in the pantheon of good music and influenced the ska movement.

Ja geinig! Deed mij een beetje denken aan Doe maar

Ben erg fan van ska omdat het altijd lekker luchtig en grappig is en er een beetje gekloot wordt. Vond deze dan wat minder maar dat komt ook omdat ik eigenlijk alleen heel veel naar madness heb geluisterd en dat mijn ska-referentiepunt geworden is blijkbaar. Hopelijk komt er later misschien wat beters

Had hier heel veel zin in en hoopte dat het ska album beetje meer zoals Madness zou klinken maar dat viel toch een beetje tegen. Vooralsnog prima album met sommige nummers die ik wel vaker zou willen luisteren!

A little bit of Ska goes a long way with me. I like the Specials, but more as a source of variety on a compilation playlist than at album length. No real fault on this it's just not my genre.

Was fine , 3 stars

Not really my thing but I did enjoy it

It’s really cool to see the band blend different genres into their music. Not only genres, at times it feels like they also incorporate music from different eras such as the 60’s. Really interesting. However, moments like the harmonies for “I Can’t Stand It” leave a bad feeling in the mouth for me.

Easy and enjoyable listen.

Good

Disappointing. In my memory was much better (-:

ah yeah. good stuff. Not as good as The Clash!

A good example of eclectic influences and differing goals of band members combining to make something unique. It would be a stretch to say I enjoyed it, however - I'm a little averse to ska.

I kinda like some Ska/Two Tone but this wasn't it. It's fine but nothing interesting to me.

Very fun ska album

Didn't hate it but its a one and done.

Fun 80s ska

This was interesting. Not unpleasant to listen to. A little bit of reggae, some funk, and some I don't know what. Had no idea this group even existed (unlike 38 Special, which I was all about in the late 80s!)

I liked it. I don't like ska generally, but this album was fun

Almost a 4 star. There is an island vibe to this band and I really enjoy it but not enough good songs.

So, a fan of The Specials but really all I know is the debut and the big songs. Therefore all I really know from this is the wonderfully raucous Enjoy Yourself. The Specials are never bad, but the second half here is... unexpected. Yelling James Bond films. Moving into some sort of Western that devolves into dub? Very different, an interesting listen, not sure I'd choose to put it on that often though.

T3B 1. Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2 2. Man at C&A 3. Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think) Really enjoyed this listen. Surprising 3.

Not my style

C'est chelou mais c'est pas mal :)

I missed this group in the late 70s-early 80s. If their music made it to Canada, I was asleep. Love Hey, Little Rich Girl. No doubt, the band has influenced other groups.

favourite song: man at c&a least favourite song: pearl's cafe honourable mention to hey little rich girl. pretty good album but quite a few songs feel like filler

Interesting Album....I can't say that I loved it....but I had no idea that Reggae was introduced into rock before the Police perfected it....

Encore moins spécial que leur précédent album.

I appreciate what they did for ska, but most of this album is forgettable. Worth a listen for the impact it had, not necessarily its contents.

Das beste, was man aus sich machen kann, wenn man als Ska-Band gestartet ist. Ich muss, für mich überraschend, drei Sterne geben, wenn auch seeehr schlechte. Unglaublich.

Good without being great

Тухлая пляжная вечеринка

не смогла полностью послушать и не очень хочется уже возвращаться - что-то не мое (но трек про ядерную войну в итоге зашел)

Very whimsical and somewhat catchy. I listened to this early in the morning and I barely remember much about it by when I’m writing this at 11pm except that I liked the jet set song

Sometimes fun and sometimes weird in a way that doesn't make me want to hear more. They're at their best when they're imitating somebody else. Best track: Holiday Fortnight

This was a pretty fun listen. It was pretty flat all around when compared to later Ska music. Sounded like something you'd hear in a lobby or grocery store. Not something I'll come back to but enjoyable enough. 3 stars.

Can't put my finger on why I liked this... good beats, lyrical music, a little reggae and ska, perhaps that's what it's tapping into? When I started this 2 disc album, I resolved to only listen to 1, but ended up doing it all! (2nd disc brought it from 4 to 3).

Better than their first album? 5/10

A ska revival with a pinch of punk rock. Catchy lines. (6/10) FT: Enjoy Yourself, Stereotype / Stereotype Pt.2

It’s no self titled Specials but it’s fun

I am now convinced that pasty British people *can* make Ska music, but I am now yet convinced that they *should be allowed to*

This is a solid meh for me. Glad I listened for a track or two, but not in love with the whole album or anything. One of the biggest signs this was "meh" is that I listened to it and liked a couple of tracks earlier but had no memory of doing so. Fave track: Sock it to 'Em, JB kicked ass.

Hmm ihan jees, 3/5

This is the band that did ghost town right ( love that song)… The album starts with enjoy yourself ( it’s later than you think) a nice ska track with some interesting breaks in between that act as the songs verses yeah it’s decent. < I’am from the uk so I don’t need to bother with rat race> Man at c&a is a slower track showing the contrasts in their sound from the start it takes a good minute to get to the core of the song but the spoken bits are cool too to be honest. Then is hey little rich girl it’s an alright song but the songs main strength is in it’s chorus with the use of the “ jazzier” instruments. Do nothing is probably the song here that’s the best representation of the ska genre containing the slow, mellow pacing that is typically associated with Jamaica and the calmness I would associate with it. Pearl’s cafe is a bit more filler bringing in some energy that I kinda wanted with this album but it still just feels like a way to give the album a few extra minutes. But the backing vocals are funny. Ending side one is sock it to Em J.B. It’s fun enough but just feels similar to the second song. Starting side two is the 7 minute long Stereotype/ stereotype part 2 part 1 is a brilliant slow track, it does feel off in it’s positioning as it has very little energy but it’s still good. The second part of the song isn’t as good just a slower version of the last and second songs acting as an extended outro to the song. Holiday fortnight is just a happy little instrumental not good but not bad whatsoever. The drums on I can’t stand it feel too artificial for the specials But aside from that I love this songs chorus and the female backing singer is also a highlight to the track probably my favourite on this thing! Now the penultimate track international jet set it’s alright it’s really just a gloomier version of what we’ve herd before and ska as a whole. The album ends with a slower reprise of the first song it’s only short but really fitting for a closer. I mean I enjoyed it there were a few dull moments but none of it was unlistenable it’s a high 3.

3/5

Fun sound as is usual for ska, but it just lacks any greatness or mass appeal.

Pretty much like any other Ska album out there: entertaining and lightening the mood for 15-20 minutes, after that it becomes a bit too much

Good solid Ska fun, definitely not all a load of bollocks. Won’t change your life, but will make you smile, which, come to think of it, can change your life, I suppose. “International Jet Set” is well remembered old fave. 3.3 for 3.

3 1/2

"More Specials" is a cool 2 tone album, fusing ska with post-punk in a very unique way. Basically an expansion on their previous record, it exceeds their debut effort by including collaborations with names from other 2 tone bands like Bodysnatchers and Madness, and the new wave from The Go-Go's. With even more political lyrics, thi record has classics like "Enjoy Yourself", "Hey, Little Rich Girl" and "Do Nothing".

Pa definitivno su nešt specijalno, sam ne meni previše jbg.

6/10, an especially weak first half gives way to an experimental and really fun second half that completely saves the album. The conventional ska of the first half is rather milquetoast, and led me to rolling my eyes repeatedly, but the dynamism that Jerry Dammers brought from “Sock It to ‘em J.B.” And on shows the energy and experimentation saved for the later tracks

This is alright--not exactly my type of music, but I like it. Of course this is the Message to You Rudy band: exactly what I might have expected of them.

An interesting blend of many styles. Early ska, experimental, psych. Not exactly my thing, but an interesting album, nonetheless.

Pretty fun album. Dig the grooves. A little Monty Python-y at times. But generally good shit.

Honestly, not the strongest Specials album, but my love for the band in general got this a generous 3. Enjoy yourself! It's later than you think!

This was fun. It dropped off in the second half, but I enjoyed it.

Fun, thoughtful, funny, enjoyable. "Enjoy Yourself" stands out as the boppy track with frankly depressing existental lyrics. But still boppy.

Pretty fun listen - might have to go back again.

Such a fun and varied album. It loses a bit of steam in the last half but there's no real bad moments here.

It's an okay album, but I probably won't listen to it ever again.

Had some reggae vibes at times. Mostly pretty okay

Not bad, pretty catchy

Cool ska

It's a good album, by a great band, but I don't see how this is above or beyond their first album, which is already on the list. While I won't complain about listening to The Specials, I think this spot on the list would be better filled by something new. PS: Anyone else mistake 'International Jet Set' for a Gorillaz track?

This wasnt that special

could see it in a weird horror movie, but not my everyday listening vibe

This album was a lot of fun.

This would have been a disappointment to the fans who liked the punky ska sound of the first LP. While that LP would have been thrown on at parties, some of the songs here sound loungy, even eerie at times. I guess they were shifting toward the darker AKA sounds of Ghost Town or The Boiler. That said, the sound here is original, there are some solid tracks, I like the horn section and collaborations with the female vocalists of the day.

This was a big departure from their debut ska album which I really like. Their debut had some killas like Rudy, Ghost Town and Gangsters and it really put them on the map along with the other big Brit ska band Madness. This album has a few fun songs though, and I think I'd like Enjoy Yourself to be played at my funeral (with a marching brass band N'awlins style). But I'm getting ahead of myself. Unfortunately there are a few duds on this album also so it only gets a 2.5, but I'll round up since I've been pretty miserly lately.

Much more down beat than the first album, and not a patch, partly because of this.

It’s fun. Not their best though. The first song felt like a bunch of musicians in the same room but all playing different songs. It hit better by the end. But it’s not a very cohesive album overall.

Offbeat. In the proper frame of mind a 3.5 star gig

Ska is always a bit iffy for me. It gets real hard to break free from that style. Fishbone was able to break free from it in the 90s, but that seems to be an exception. This album reminded me a lot of that problem: the guitar playing on the offbeat, which I wind up focusing on WAY too much. A lot of political statements as well. So what do we have here? I mean, the music itself is pretty good, I tended to get into the music more as the album progressed. But near the end I just started to lose interest. I mean, it was okay and I liked the instrumentation. But I guess I was hoping for more than I got.

Ska meets punk? Skunk? It was alright but not my cup of tea. Some cheeky lyrics and actually some really good lyrics (Stereotypes) if you can get past how repetitive they sound in certain songs (Enjoy Yourself, Sock it to 'Em JB...goofy). Probably not going to listen again.

a good fun ska album. heard of them before, but either forgot or never knew they were ska.

Fínasta ska, skemmtilegt.

Belinda Carlisle on a Specials album. Huh.

Roots of ska and dub madly evident. But someone in this band thought too much of himself and the rest of the band didn’t push back… or I guess they did, because they quit shortly after. But they are what makes this good.

First song I thought was very meh, but the more I listened, the more enjoyable it became

Wat ska is altijd leuk. Maar net als bij hun debuut zijn hier ook een paar nummer die ik minder interessant vind

Disco que aparentaba ser un poco más divertido de escuchar, pero que le falta algo de punch. Canciones con movimiento y con un estilo un tanto ska/pop. Escuchable, solo eso

Wasn’t as fan of two-tone originally but this was very listenable 3*

twas special

Wasn't sure what to expect. It's a bit of a combination between British Rock like the Clash, and then Reggae. Leans really heavy into the Reggae on some songs. Really interesting, didn't love it but was decent.

16th September 2021 Listened through the day while working at home home before driving back to London. Enjoyed the energy, the positivity mixed with the darkness of some of the other songs. Surprised they're an 80s band I thought they were earlier

Jeszcze wiecej specialsow, akurat tej bandy nie spodziewalem sie zobaczyc kolejny raz na liscie, bo wedlug spotifaja wszystkie klasyczne numery mieli zawarte na debiutanckim the specials, a tu kolejna plyta, mozna powiedziec, ze za ciosem, bo zaledwie rok po wydaniu pierwszej, tym razem banda dala sie poznac z jeszcze ambitniejszej strony, to nie jest juz ska przeniesione na brytyjskie wyspy, gatunek ktorym teraz sama banda sie okreslala to two tone, bo tak zwie ta mieszanka ska punku rocka i nowej fali, ale material na tej plycie jest tak chaotyczny, ze nie ma sensu szukac odpowidniego epitetu gatunkowego dla calosci, kazdy trak by trzeba bylo rozbijac i analizowac osobno, tak jak na poprzednim albumie kontent liryczny jest mocno polityczny, a moze tez swiatopogladowy, stara sie byc swiadomy, a bycie swiadomym w angli lat 80 za czasow teczerowej, to to juz lepiej kupic jakies tanie wino i o tym wszystkim zapomniec, taka jest tez wlasnie pierwsza sugestia na otwierajacym enjoy yourself, ktory jest typowo specialowym numerem, chociaz z mocna sekcja deta, a takie niewinne enjoy yourself przechodzi na kolejnych trakach w fatalistyczne do nothing czy rat race, ktory natomiast jedzie po karierowiczach, wiec w angli lat 80 nie bylo nic, nie ma nic, nie bedzie nic lepszego, wiecej trakow jest autorskich, chociaz w bandzie nie bylo jednego lirycysty, to kazdy wrzucil swoje dwa grosze i pojedyncze kawalki od roznych czlonkow sie pojawiaja, tak samo na wokalu czesciej mozna uslyszec czarne glosy, a nie tylko samego pana Halla. plyta ma kilka dobrych trakow, ktore brzmia prawie jak z pierwszego albumu, ale jednak druga strona jest mocno zapychajaca przez swoja niespojnosc stylowa, jakies cool jazzy, latino klimaty, westernowe klimaty, czy lounge, czyli gatunek majacy na celu swym vibem przeniesc sluchacza w dane miejsce, ten gatunek jest tutaj najbardziej odczuwalny na ghost town, gdzie naprawde robi robote, ale jesli zaraz po tym leci parostatkiem w piekny rejs, to troche wybija to z rytmu odsluch, szybka kariera bandy, wiec szybka ewolucja, moze zbyt szybka, pierwszy material mial w sobie o wiele wiecej zywej energii, tutaj znowu intensywnie wykorzystywany jest overdub przez co brzmienie jest bardziej doszlifowane, ale jednak traci na swoim charakterze, na plejke dodam friday night, saturday morning, stereotajpa i wspominanego do nothing

It was fun, but seemed more like a novelty album than one i would expect here. I guess it had some influence that i am unaware of. I will jave "enjoy yourself" in my head all day though!

Some good tunes here, "Man at C&A", the "Enjoy Yourself" cover, and I can see how they wanted to get out of the typical ska format after their debut. But for me it resulted in a lot of hit-and-miss that made for an uneven listening experience across the album.

Decent old skool ska

Pretty interesting music with some ska flavor.

Nice album

Ska. Alegre. Divertido.

This is ska. Not a genre I normally listen to, but it works as background music.

Wasn't as special

Pretty boring aside from a couple tracks, the debut is infinitely superior

Pretty good

Good. Enjoyed the style

This is another ska album of The Specials with fine songs, but the quality and energy compared to their debut album makes it a bit disappointing.

Finally an album i know! Still a classic.

some good tunes on here, but the beginning couple songs seemed a bit muddy vocally. still enjoyed the project though.

Ich hab zwar wenig Ahnung von ska. Aber das hier sollen die Wurzeln davon sein.

Sounds very dated now. But still, an enjoyable listen

🤔

Greatest showman

Álbum ecléctico, donde predomina el ska primigenio, 2 tones y punk, precursor del trip hop. Entretenido.

Okay Ska-ish. They're 2nd wave (I think; this album 1980), so not quite as good as first-wave stuff, IMHO. Still, I like the sound generally, so 3/5.

Wide variety of music here. Some horns and reggae too. Which came first Specials or Aqua Bats?

No siempre lo ecléctico y extraño me parece bueno, por lo general sí me lo parece, pero en esta ocasión no. Creo que la que me gustó fue Man at C&A. Mood: LOL

In my opinion, far from its predecessor. A bunch of good songs, bu pretty average overall.

fun album, nothing getting me too excited though. I doubt I'd turn it off it came on the radio.

Some interesting sounds here and there, ska overall does turn me off though.

Second half made up for the first

definitely different ska than I'm used to but I dug it! A few standouts, and nothing that rubbed me wrong. Neat!

Pretty good! Enjoyed this.

Never heard of them before, although some of the song titles were familiar. Interesting reggae and The Clash feels.

Took me right back to my ska days in high school. Would have preferred their first self titled album from ‘79 more, but this one had a lot of the same feel.

Yessir

Pretty ok

Upbeat pop with enough of a wink and a nod to stop it becoming grating. The decision to consciously make muzak for the pop charts is quite a mad one, and you've gotta respect that. Still, not really my kind of thing.

Very odd and quirky album, catchy at times

I liked this record. The contrast of styles coming from the different band members; the variation between some instruments sounding live 'in-the-room', and the more polished close-miked sound of others; the dark themes set to upbeat music. A solid and enjoyable listen (3.3)

I don't think I've ever listened to Ska before

Approachable ska, soul-rock album. Not really something I personally enjoy, but the album was fine. Stand-outs: International Jet Set

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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.

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

Better than I remember.

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

Became very dull after a while

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

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

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

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.

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

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

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.

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)

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

Not very moreish

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.

Utrolig kjedelig og typete

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.

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.

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

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

2 stars

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

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

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

I don't like it

se me hizo súper aburrido, muy poco disfrutable

Listening to this felt like listening to the dawn of Ska, lots of horns and "boogie" grooves. Other than being way early in the Ska game, this album is unremarkable. 2/5

Bad

A band I know only from some of their better known songs and I have to say, knowing the likes of Ghost Town, Too Much Too Young and A Message to You Rudy, all of which are really good tunes, I was pretty disappointed with this which seemed to lack the same kind of energy as those songs have. This being their 2nd album and coming quite soon after their debut, I'd have expected their fire to still be there but this doesn't sound like it at all.

Like being in an elevator in a David Lynch movie.

Does me no harm. But not really my jam. favourite: "Sock It To 'Em J B" 1,5

I mean

Their second album. Ska / Reggae. The always difficult second album after a successful debut. This one is mediocre to me with odd changes in tone. Some tracks were reminiscent of cheesy 80s supermarket adverts on TV. Their first album is far better.

achei a qualidade de gravação horrível, não sei se é o master ou algo da produção.

Loved them when I was younger but now they seem too twee.

2,2/5

Quirky! The eclectic mixture of genres and subgenres on this album doesn't always work, but it's always interesting at least. The band is pretty tight, too. I'm oscillating between 2 and 3, but I'm gonna give a 2 for now for "okay". I may come back and have a have a higher opinion, cuz with so much going on I'm sure I didn't catch all the chance music happenings that would come about with mixing so many different types of music in these short songs.

2nd Specials album from the generator and I still don't see what's "special" about them. Ska is not for me I guess. Actually towards the end the album stopped being ska and started being weird and random 2/5

Like the 2 tone / ska sound but this was underwhelming.

Much better than the other Specials album on here, but still not for me

bit out there

Kinda basic stuff. Pretty boring. Favorite Track: Man at C&A

Not my jam

The first song may have implored me to enjoy myself, but that proved to be a challenge with this band. For me there was just too much going on with this album and it sounded like a disorganized mess - maybe special, but not enjoyable.

A lot of different sounds and genres at the same time

Not a fan.

This sounds like great music for retirement home parties.

Pfffoe, Ska, Two-Tone, en de hele mikmak, het valt me altijd zwaar. Hoe zeer ik ook respecteer dat The Specials een ware culturele shift op gang bracht in de UK, ben ik altijd verdeeld over hun output. De opener van 'More Specials' is de belichaming van mijn aversie tegen het genre, de zogeheten over de top heppie de peppie feest-Ska. Maar aan de andere kant vind ik de wat meer tragere, dub-heavy, en soms zelfs spooky sound van ze wel erg interessant. Toch hoor je daarvan te weinig op deze plaat om echt met een positief eindoordeel te komen. 5,5/10 Highlights: Do Nothing International Jet Set

Average. Don’t like this kind of thing

They're just weird and very Lahndon at times

Goofy agh

Kinda wild reggae vibes here. Lotta noise. First half of the album in particular is not for me. But we jammin. Not hugely into the vocals (seems like a variety of singers). Kinda got that Talking Heads vibe, vocally. Some catchy songs tho (Hey Little Rich Girl, Do Nothing). Holiday Fortnight is a vibe. I would give this a 2.5 if poss.

Instead of britpop we got britska. Which is not much better.

Was the second song Castlevania music? I Can't Stand It was interesting.

This just seems like they are messing around. One of those albums that makes me wonder what we are rating here. This list is based on "...Albums You Must Hear Before You Die.". I don't think I could in good conscience suggest to someone that might be dieing that they need to hear this. So from that point of view this would be one star. Is it a bad album? No, it's fine, it's a bit of silly fun. From this point of view, two stars.

I kind of forgot there was even music playing at one point. Nothing really stood out but I did like the keys on I can't stand it.

Not for me. To ska sounding. Didn’t hate it but would rather not listen again

I started out hearing the early ska and thought, I'm not going to like this and then it shifted to more of a reggae sound, and I really hated it.

Can’t get it past 2.5. I’m not a ska/reggae fan generally, and this album sounds cheesy to me b

new wave, 1980 -> 2

This was kind of fun at first, but as it went on I enjoyed it less and less. It’s in between 2 and 3 stars for me, but since I have no desire to hear it again, I’ll go with a two.

Funny enough, I really liked the song I Can't Stand It. But the rest, I just couldn't stand.

I *want* to like it more than I do. I feel like it was probably pretty subversive back in the day, but it's kind of a tough listen. I'd give it 2.5 if I could.

Sounds like mario kart music

This was awful to listen to after just waking up.

I was previously familiar with The Specials as their first album came up in this exercise earlier, but I was not familiar with this album. I liked it at first, but after a few tracks, it became more of a lounge sound than ska, and I did not really like this change. This is certainly unique and interesting, but I don't see coming back to it. I definitely preferred the first album.

I love their debut. This just doesn't do it for me.

more often than not, a chaotic unorganized mess.

Voelde het niet echt. Tweede cd niet afgeluisterd.

more like 2.5, like the band but the lyrics and singing are rough

Goofy but overall 4.5/10 Bit of fun yet also very random

Pretty bland 2-tone - don't know why this band gets so much love. It's not terrible, but it's also pretty bland and boring.

more specials made me laugh and the enjoy yourself version to close it out is comical. It's all over the place, but it sounds like they were having fun. Weirdly opener at a beach festival vibes and also elevator music?

low 2

It would have gotten 5/5 but some songs brought the whole album down.

Just like the title says *more* Specials, rather than *new* Specials. There's nothing here we haven't already heard on the band previous album, also on this list. So what is the point including it here? Key tracks: International Jet Set

so i told juyeon my traumatic ska story but that aside this was ok!

More Specials entstand in den Wessex Sound Studios in London und zeigt die britische Band The Specials in einer Phase bewusster Erweiterung ihres ursprünglichen Ska-Ansatzes. Die Gruppe aus England löst sich hier teilweise vom klassischen 2-Tone-Sound und integriert Elemente aus Lounge, Easy Listening und New Wave. Bekannte und stilprägende Songs wie „Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think)“, „Do Nothing“, „Stereotype“ und „International Jet Set“ verdeutlichen diese stilistische Offenheit. Das Album wirkt fragmentierter und experimenteller als das Debüt, was nicht immer geschlossen, aber konsequent gedacht erscheint. More Specials dokumentiert den Willen zur Veränderung und bleibt dadurch ein eigenständiger, wenn auch weniger unmittelbarer Beitrag im Werk der Band. Insgesamt ein interessantes, bewusst sperrigeres Album innerhalb des britischen Ska- und 2-Tone-Kontexts.

Greit til å vær ska/reggae??

sellaista afrikkalaista ja jamaikalaista rytmiä, reggeäkin löytyy.

Gym. Vormittags. Nicht meins.

Eh...this is fine. It isn't great. Not really my favorite. I like reggae, but this really gets old after a while. Actual rating...2.5. Liked Songs: "Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think") , "Hey, Little Rich Girl" , "Pearl's Cafe"

Interesting 2

I think ska is my least favourite genre of music. Which makes reviewing these albums tough. I dislike this more than some albums I’ve given 1 star. But this album does seem to have some ideas, even if i dont like any of them.

It was aaight

ska is not my thing. Did not enjoy this much at all.

4 - BAD

Wasnt for me

I think I've decided that I don't like The Specials.

Best Track - "Enjoy Yourself"

meh. not my vibe. I tried listening to it but I just was not feeling it today. May revisit another day, but I only made it about half way through today. I was just feeling a little overwhelmed by noises and not loving it. Rating: 2/10 No favorite song

It was ok. Not too kemorable

This wasn't very special for me. Some of this stuff was fun and I like the loose vibe but I don't see myself wanting to listen to this again. 2.5/5

Listened Before? N Yep, it's the Specials. Pretty good but not as good as their first one. I could hear some progression here but I think I liked them more raw. Anyway... Added to Library? N Songs added to playlist: Enjoy Yourself

I am not feeling this

I quite like The Specials but this album felt a bit naff for some reason?

Ang a half

Not for me

I think I like Ska music, just not this album all that much.

Party ska, but not for me.

No ska for me, thank you.

I suddenly want to watch Moonraker

I bet this was influential, but man this album is not very good, especially towards the end. I can't believe there is a song where they just name James Bond movies. I really started to get a headache towards the end of this. It isn't the worst thing though... High 2.

I'll be honest, my knowledge of The Specials was pretty much limited to "Too Much Too Young" and "Ghost Town" and none of this matches up to those songs, so pretty disappointing, really.

Gear: Penon FAN 3s Artwork: 🍺🥃🍸 Production (2002 Remaster): 📏🛢️😩 Music: 🎺📉😒 Rating: 🍺🥃(🍸)/5

Blind album and artist. Saw the name come up elsewhere on the project but haven't listened to it yet. I do not see what is special and honestly was not into the reggae ska vibe like I thought.

Not so special.

More Specials is an aptly bland title for an album which sounds like discarded tracks from the seminal album that immediately proceeds it. Some of the songs truly stretch credulity, with Sock it to ‘Em J.B. being most firmly in my crosshairs. God knows if in 2025 they would continue on naming every title of every James Bond film to date. They sound a bit looser, but not in a good way.

Not really a ska/two-tone kinda guy, it's fine, just nothing...special. Top Track = Hey Little Rich Girl

I like the first Specials record, but this one is pretty weak. Aspirational in arrangement, instrumentation, but the songs are not strong and I did not, despite the exhortation, enjoy myself.

Definitely haven’t heard anything like this but I preferred the reggae themes more than the clown, haunted house music vibes they have going on. Interesting but doubt I will be returning to this

1. Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) - 3 Like a bad cheesy 50s/60s rock song. Vocals are drowned out by the instrumentals during the verses and crash into each other during the choruses. 2. Man at C&A - 2 Very uninspiring track. Instrumentally not much a direction and lyrically completely lost. 3. Hey Little Rich Girl - 3 Instrumentally it's okay but otherwise it's not the best track. "Now little rich girl, that's why you're in this song" is genuinely not a great piece of writing and generally whenever a song mentions itself, it's a particularly weak point of musical composition. It's very hard to pull off well and this track is another example of one that does not. 4. Do Nothing - 4 It's a simple enough song that's it's not bad but it's nothing phenomenal. A bit of a pass over track. 5. Pearl's Cafe - 1 Very poorly written song. The part where the whole group comes in to repeatedly sing "it's all a load of bollocks" is a particular low point. 6. Sock It to 'Em J.B. - 5 The concept of the song is fine but when it retorts to just reciting the movie title names it's a bit underwhelming. 7. Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2 - 5 Part 1 is overall good. Part 2 has a talking part that's not a very good quality. Instrumentally it's pretty enjoyable. They bad and good parts are in complete balance in the track. 8. Holiday Fortnight - 6 Purely instrumental track but with a great sound and tempo. All around enjoyable. 9. I Can't Stand It - 3 Vocally it sounds awful. Lyrically it's not a great piece of writing. Instrumentally it's okay. No idea why the good nights had to be at the end of the track either. 10. International Jet Set - 3 Way too many tone changes. Sounds like a spooky wannabe Halloween track but without any really spooky lyrics. Just all around poor. 11. Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) - N/A It's a reprise so I will not rate it. Average Rating: 3.50 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 1.75 Rounded Up: 2 Stars

A little raw and slow to my taste.

S/T debut struck gold. An absolute all-time fav. Magic was not to be found on the follow up.

I am just not a ska fan.