Reviews (page 6 of 8)
I can see the appeal, it just doesn’t appeal to me
The Specials had some truly great songs but this is not a great album. The first album absolutely deserves a place on this list but i'm not so sure this one does. The ska tracks (Enjoy Yourself, Do Nothing, Rat Race, Man at C&A, Rude Boy Outta Jail) are stellar but the rest is just a hodge-podge of styles that never really hit for me. The first album + 4 or 5 from this album + Ghost Town is really all the Specials anyone needs.
The British bias of the book continues. This was popular in the UK. Not much elsewhere. The music isn't bad, but I wouldn't give it about 3.5, and as is often the case, I don't believe it belongs with the typical 4 star album, so I'm rounding down.
Hey Little Rich Girl is a solid 2 Tone sound. What a landmark ska album. Sock It To 'Em JB is another stellar track. Holiday Fortnite is great!
hey, it's the radio song! not huge on the album either way, but I enjoyed the joy with which they sang 'it's all a load of bollocks!'
I don't like ska, but I didn't hate this. It helps that there were a lot of other genres incorporated. I thought this was interesting and technically good musically, but it didn't make me feel a whole lot, which is important to me. Maybe I'll give it another chance someday.
I think England should probably settle down in general. Regardless, several decent bops off this one, has a good run from tracks 2 to 7.
Decent Album
Really enjoyed this album
2.5 it’s ok. Weird hearing the very 80s sounding spurts sneak into songs emulating 50s/60s
Vacillated between kind of liking this and outright hating it. The silliness is not for me.
Good music probably new in the 70s for England. Had only heard 2-3 song before and obviously ghost town. But mice rythm and even thou I dont love ska pr 2 step this is a solid album. A little too long 24 songs its a lot but the nature of slow tempo ska is long songs so good for their genere.
A fair bit going on in these songs but lacking in any sort of oomph.
I had a 3rd wave ska phase in high school, so kinda cool to listen to some ska revival stuff. Plus I always love a good horn section.
Started off bad and progressed to meh
I heard "It's all a load of bollocks" too many times to take this album seriously. It was fun, so it gets some brownie points, but nothing can change its rating from a deserved 1.
Meh.
This album is OK. Not as good or as fresh as the first Specials album I heard and rated. Odd bit of a song included that lists James Bond movies?!? Song "Enjoy Yourself" is not bad.
Varied, fun sound. If you’re a ska fan, you’ll probably enjoy this one.
Surprinsgly poor
This album isn't bad by any means...but it also isn't good either. British ska just seems wrong for some reason. At the end of the day it was just kind of boring and nothing stood out but at the same time it still kind of grooves. 4.5/10 (2.25/5)
I like ska!
Parts of this album got very annoying
Clasicazo bueno
This was a thoroughly annoying album, but I did think it was kind of funny when they just listed James Bond movie titles.
8.5/10
Really good, experimental two tone. Sometimes catchy and fun music hides the bleak dark lyrics. I preferred side one, although enjoyable side two strays more towards the experimental lounge music side. Highlights are Man at C&A, Hey Little Rich Girl, Pearls Cafe, Sock it to Em J.B and International Jet Set
I had such a good streak going. Only two days, but still. Unfortunately, not every day can be a Radiohead kind of day. Sometimes you have to suffer to make the good stuff even better. Although I shouldn’t refer to this listening experience as suffering. It wasn’t that bad. But when I see genre tags like dub, 2 tone, and easy listening, I already feel out of the loop. Because I have no idea what those mean. I just threw out any expectations and threw the album on. Truthfully I don’t all that much to say about this from a critical standpoint. A lot of how I feel about this album comes from biases I have towards certain genres. With this album, expect a fusion of ska, reggae, and some light touches of punk. Three genres that feel very intertwined with one another and can usually fuse together without a lot of issues. But it needs to be done well. Problem is I’ve heard better reggae music, better punk music, and I’m not a huge fan of ska. If you are looking for an outing of either of those things, or for some reason an outing of all of them combined, then look no further. Plus they didn’t exactly hit the nail on the head. The music is just a little too goofy for me sometimes. Where my real issue lies is the production. How you can have the album be remastered back in 2002, and still have it sound so low quality is a mystery to me. The vocals are just really loud sometimes, and drown out a lot of the other instruments, especially the drums. The mix often just sounds really muddy. You aren’t missing anything remarkable by skipping on this album. Rating: 4/10
Not bad. A fun album.
What is this shit?
So the Rock Reggae Mix didn't convince me.
A great continuation of the sound and vibe from their debut. I have a soft spot for 80's British ska/reggae, and this hits the mark.
Definitely loyal to the ska genre, but given that it's an 80s album, I expected something new to be brought to the table. The Specials delivered a messy array of fun, proto-reggae-ish bops with dated production and decently catchy melodies. Pros: it's just such a joyful, fun time. Almost reminds me of the Beach Boys' "Party" album, or possibly a live album recorded at a Jamaican bar. If I encountered the band playing this in public, I'd jump on the dance floor and have a grand time. A festive kind of feel, especially with tracks like Enjoy Yourself, Hey Little Rich Girl, Pearl's Cafe, and Holiday Fortnight – some fairly complex arrangements and interweaving of instruments here. Also, when the band hits its groove, it really hits it... Cons: ...but when the band misses, it falls flat. The female harmony is not at all synchronous with the male vocal, and anytime they're singing together I'm hoping the song will end soon. The drumming is also generally not great. It's either so simplistic that it's overshadowed (International Jet Set, Sock It to 'Em J.B.), leans heavily on other percussion (Pearl's Cafe), or it's very washed out in the mix (most of the remaining tracks). 3/5 Key tracks: Enjoy Yourself, Hey Little Rich Girl, Do Nothing
Good album. Ska is cool. I liked the general concept and vibe. This is an easy album to listen to, but not earth shattering. I didn’t have a ton of time to listen properly, so I will reevaluate on the next The Specials album or another ska album. ***
2/5
I like the mix of things happening here. Some songs would make for a great bar band number, while others are more kitschy and then others are a bit trippy, in a fun-house kind of way. And of course, there’s ska in the mix. But it never feels jarring. Each song seems to lead to the next. I could do without the female vocalist, though. She’s out of tune and just singing in octaves vs harmonizing. 3.4
It's pretty good, upbeat, and a solid groover. More nuanced and layered than I might have expected, which I like. The B side is pretty eclectic, but the fun of the A side helps propel it forward and keeps it cohesive overall - on its own the B side might be too out there. Pretty out there all the same. 3.7 (I learned the Go-Go's were around earlier than I realized).
Nietszeggend, achtergrond
This was pretty fun. I had only heard Enjoy Yourself before.
Decent but I won't be listening again I don't think.
Good album
There's some fun to be had here, but it doesn't necessarily have me screaming for more specials...
Defining album of 2nd wave ska and definitely deserves a spot on this list. So good. I played this record to death as a high school kid. Still have the vinyl.
I just love their execution of the SKA theme. Makes me want to listen to more songs. It's a rather refreshing album, with a bit of a christmasy theme?
The first half of this album is really strong. I enjoy Man at C&A and Do Nothing a lot. The overall two-tone vibe is unique and fun and other than the horribly monotonous I Can't Stand It, the album is solid to strong. Given the happy vibe overall, i edge it up a bit on my list.
Who doesn't dig the sound of old Yamaha keyboards? More seriously though, I dig what's being rolled here, a blend of fun ska and rock but with incredibly grim lyrics about a rocky, disjointed society - that said, it is pretty dated sounding, and I'd be hard pressed to add any of these songs to my regular rotation. However, this is leagues away from the "unlistenable trash" some have proclaimed it to be. Tracks: "Man at C&A", "Stereotype, Pt. 1"
Love the Specials!!
A classic. As a nipper I grew up with the Specials, so always nice to revisit old friends. Much more diversity in the genre of music found here, with calypso vibes as well as the ska/reggae sounds they paved the way with. Lovely.
Time has been harsher to Ska than other genres but there are bops a plenty.
More Specials is a great mood with terrific songs. Stylistically its a little bit of a mixed bag but I liked taking the journey.
In my top 10 most hated albums on this list I think.
That was fun.
Worth listening to, if only to try to figure out if it is good music. For me, it had really good moments (like the second half of “Stereotypes”) and a lot of juvenile tracks (especially on the second side). Other bands did the sound better.
I do enjoy the ska.
I wanted to like this way more than I did.
4.4 - This sounds like the Blur album they wish they had made, and it’s a banger. Whoever described this genre as “kitchen-sink-ska” got it right. Every song contains gems. I especially love the slightly out-of-tune duet on “I Can’t Stand It” with the drum machine and muted organs — strangely hypnotic.
As an album this felt all over the place...but kind of in a good way. One minute it was ska and punk and the next was reggae and island. But reading their background it was about mixing cultures and finding new sounds so they met their goal. Good interesting listen
wut? wut is this? I like this. It's a bit peculiar in the right ways for me. favorites: Enjoy Yourself, Man at C&A, Do Nothing, Holiday Fortnight, I Can't Stand It, International Jet Set, and the Enjoy yourself reprisal was a great way to end the album. I would be into Sock It to Em more if I was a James Bond fan. This is a special kind of ska.
This album started off so great. Loved the first track and was hoping the rest would follow suit. I still enjoyed its energy and oddness, but nothing quite measured up to that first tune. Still good stuff, and especially love the horns.
Each song was basically a different genre, they were mostly fine in their own right but it didn't feel blended particularly well. It kind of felt like a weird mixtape
It has a few songs I liked. This link took me to a double album with more than a few repeats/remixes that were unnecessary. The Dylan cover was also unnecessary as it was very bad. This album was too long. Cut it down and there'd be a great EP here
I didn't realize it had been so long since I had their debut album. Time has really flown. Anyway, this music is a novelty to me. I can't think of anything else that sounds like this, except maybe No Doubt. That said, I'm not a huge fan of ska music, although I don't mind it in small doses. I kinda wish I liked this more, because it's so interesting.
It was ok
Fantastic and fun album! Judging by the date these folks must be early Ska/ska-punk. Great vibes all around and the saxophone reaches my soul.
A ok album
Hier trek ik de grens wat betreft experimentele britpop. Het is echt niet om aan te horen.
Ik haat alles hiervan. Ik kan er niet naar luisteren, na twee nummer afgezet
had no idea what this was going in but but im honestly just having so much fun
Very fun take on reggae. Could imagine listening to this by a poolside or sun bathing. Don't know if I'd listen in any other context though. Top tracks: Hey Little Rich Girl, Do Nothing, Stereotype
A bit too scattered for me. I like several of the songs here, but it's all over the place stylistically which makes it not the best listen as an album. The ska elements are improved from their debut when they do appear.
I don’t know how to describe it, it’s like lounge, meets ska, meets reggae, meets funk, meets elevator muzak. It’s really interesting and different compared to much of the stuff the generator spits out on the daily. Still, I’m going through the exercise of trying to find reasons not to like this and coming up short. An album about how shit everything in life is, ‘More Specials’ is bleak, but darkly humorous and catchy as fuck.
The first Specials album is a true classic. The follow up is not.
More Specials ventures into uncharted territory by expanding the band's 2 Tone sound into other genres, notably lounge music and easy listening. This experimentation adds a layer of intrigue to the album, showcasing the band's willingness to evolve. However, while musically skilled, the execution feels disjointed and hard to listen to at times, lacking the gusto that defined their first album. It's evident that the band attempted to push boundaries, but the result falls short of being a true showcase of their talent. Despite this, the album maintains the band's tradition of intensely political lyrics, echoing the socio-political commentary found in their debut. This thematic consistency adds depth to the album's exploration of different musical styles. Notably, More Specials has been cited as an influence on the trip hop genre, highlighting its impact beyond the ska and reggae scene. Overall, while the album may not reach the heights of its predecessor, it remains an intriguing chapter in The Specials' musical journey. NUMBER OF BANGERS - 3 STAND OUT TRACK - Hey Little Rich Girl
Not for me.
The Kinda-normals
7/10
4.5
Some classic tracks on here but not overly my favorite genre
I've always thought of ska as the music that (to quote a popular meme) 'plays in a 12-year-old's head when they get extra mozzarella sticks'. I'd heard of The Specials and figured they were more of the same. The first thing that struck me was how true they sounded to the reality of the genre, truly a mix of reggae and punk, in the '2 tone' sense. Then the album continues and just unravels in a bizarre sprawl of different genres, including... elevator music? It is pretty endearing though. A successful band, burnt out, exhausted and unsure how to approach their follow up album. Everyone has different ideas so let's just try it all! The result is an album that according to the band, people 'won't even know if they like it or not', least the first time around. Spot on description. It grows on you though. It can't be described as a typical ska record.
A little weird for me
Really nice
It's decent ska, but I've heard so much better. I love reggae and all its subgenres it's just that this album just didn't hit me like this genre often does. It meandered on without really taking it anywhere. Whenever it bent to another genre, it fell flat.
Fucking ska. Holy hell is there anything worse. This is awful in every way.
Nope
Ska sounds like kids on a spending spree in a 711
It is a weird album. It has reggae music but not reggae themes or lyrics. It went on too long. I will generously round up only because one song mentioned James Bond movies.
Like a reggae and blue type feel I could be so wrong
What a fun album & band. Over time, I've grown to appreciate this genre of punk & I bet they put on one hell of a live show. Definitely adding The Specials in the mix from now on.
Been a fan of The Specials for decades now. Not their best stuff, but even that's pretty good.
Long, not easy to listen to, attempts a number of different genres it wasn’t mildly entertaining or special.
wanted to like it more
This was actually pretty good fun - more so than their debut I reckon. There are some truly batshit moments on this album (shouting Bond film titles being chief among them - because why not eh?) The ‘Muzak’ inspired tunes sound terrible on paper but are generally much more dark and weird and catchy in practice. Along with the despondent lyrics they conjure up a nightmarish ‘trapped in the funhouse’ kind of world. Also, hearing this album makes me realise how much of an influence The Specials were on Blur. 3.5
I want to like the specials but they just don't get there for me
Nothing too bad, but I don't like this album. Will I listen to again: 0%
Good fun and interesting but not sure how this is "cited as an influence on the trip hop genre". Enjoy Yourself sounds like the a good song to sing at the pub with your mates. I enjoyed the journey on Stereotype / Stereotype Pt 2.
Super fun! Raucous, all over the place, chaotic and joyous. Definitely a preferable listen to just straight ahead ska. "Ghost Town" not being on here (or their other album on the list) threw me off a bit - I reckon most of their prestige comes from that one track! Fave tracks - "Man at C&A" is brooding - love it. "Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2" leading into "Holiday Fortnight" felt rather tropical. Honorable mention to the "Enjoy Yourself" bookends, too...
It certainly doesn't have the punch of the debut and sometimes feels like its running out of ideas Ok.
Lots of 70s sounds mixed with ska and some proto-hip hop. A fun listen, but not sure I'll come back to it
The more eclectic follow-up to the most famous 2-tone band, The Specials. This one diversifies, borrowing from all sorts of genres beyond ska and punk, including lounge, rockabilly ("Hey Little Rich Girl"), children ("Pearl's Cafe"), northern soul ("Sock It to Em"), western ("Stereotype"), Mexican calypso ("Holiday Fortnight"), psychedelia ("International Jet Set"), and Broadway musical ("Enjoy Yourself Reprise"). I do prefer the tracks on their self-titled more, which are more memorable, coherent, energetic, and catchier, but this one is more accessible and engaging, with every track standing out with creative ideas that work fairly well. I wouldn't cut a single track. The two bonus tracks are pretty good too.
Ska is not my thing....
Music like this can be fun, but a while album gets a bit tiring unless it the best of the best, which this album isn't
giving this one a 5, i dont care about anything else in the world right now other than letting go
Some songs were good. Others not so much Standout songs: Sock it to em J.B. Enjoy Yourself
love these guys!! 4 stars!!
Some of the reggae/ska moments are chill and groovy, but then it hits moments where it feels like it's Happy Birthday To You level music.
The very best
Ska er stórskemmtilegt og þetta var bara mjög hressandi að hafa í bakgrunninum. Ég get alveg vel hugsað mér að hlusta á þetta aftur og ég mun líklegast muna eftir þeim. Svo bara áfram gakk.
Started interesting but got repetitive
Normally a big fan of this kind of music but this...really didn't do it for me. Standout Tracks: Enjoy Yourself
A really fun album with a lot of variety to mood and tone. I’m not usually asks guy but this album was a nice listen
jsut ok
Ska makes me feel like the walls are closing in. Run while you still can, the goblin army is approaching from the west. All over the place - random mariachi, spaghetti western and post-punk influences that sound like they were pulling music genres out of a hat. It surprisingly works. Apparently influenced Massive Attack and I can sort of hear it. I was going into this with the preconceived notion that I would hate it, but it's actually pretty fun, all things considered. I genuinely think this might be the best Ska album I've heard so far.
Album has its ups and downs. Definititely interesting to listen to. Best tracks: "Sock It to 'em J.B"and "International Jet Set"
ONG. This was awful.
Very enjoyable. Loved international jet set.
A whole week+ with no albums from before 1980 let’s go. This was alright. If you’re into ska I could see this going crazy. Some nice moments, some that blended all together. Another song about fearing the bomb in 1980’s, just a few days after another 80’s album with a fear of the bomb song on it
Did not expect reggae rock but here we are. This was a good listen, the few of the album was very unique and had a good sound to it.
English does (tries) mariachi, Caribbean style music. No thanks
The Specials are legends for a reason. A fantastic blend of ska, punk, and social commentary.
Not my style.
Really good second album taking me back to my youth
The first song is so nostalgic for me !!
Got it when it came out!
give them points for trying
First song not great. Got better. Lots of funky sounds. Ska music that just didn't quite go there enough. Two songs I liked: International Jet Set and Do Nothing.
I’m confused as to why this album is on the list. I love the Specials. Their first album is amazing. This one has one or two good tracks on it. The rest is rather forgettable.
Really interesting album.
Hello, I'm Terry
Highlights: Enjoy Yourself, Hey Little Rich Girl Leave Em’s: Man at C&A, I Can't Stand It Overall Thoughts: Reggae fused with rock with hints of satire dotted throughout. At first I thought the album was going to be a drag but I actually found the lyrics entertaining and the music infectious. I don’t feel like I need to take a lot of the material with me but it was a memorable experience and some of the songs wouldn’t be bad on road trip playlists. I’m surprised this album made the list and it is inferior to a lot I’ve heard which is reflected by the score. Score Breakdown: 3.011 & 2 -> 2.506
This is fun. Like a more chilled and serious version of the Weird Al I grew up with. It's clear these guys were enjoying themselves.
Standouts: Man at C&A and the longer more instrumental tracks. Not -not- my thing but not a favorite genre.
Nr. 130/1001 Enjoy Yourself 2/5 Men At C&A 2/5 Hey Little Rich Girl 3/5 Do Nothing 3/5 Pearl's Cafe 3/5 Sock It To 'Em J. B. 2/5 Stereotype, Stereotype, Pt. 2 2/5 Holiday Fortnight 3/5 I Can't Stand It 3/5 International Jet Set 2/5 Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) NR Average: 2,4 This just didn't click with me at all.
This seems yet another example of the author overstuffing the box with a beloved band. I too am a fan of the Specials, but there is not that much that's, uh, Special about this one. Like many other bands, it's great to put their top or most influential release on the list, with the hope/ expectation that people will explore the catalog if they like it. More Specials had a couple of standout tunes (always have loved JB style!) but otherwise didn't really show us much we hadn't already seen in their debut. I fully expect that the list's author will present us with the entirety of Fun Boy Three and The Colour Field catalog just to be sure we didn't miss it the first time . . .
My daughter's review: it sucks
This feels completely all over the place. One song he's just listing James Bond movie titles
i can't stand it is a bop. the rest of it is eh.
there are plenty of bands that fit the Ska bill. The Specials definitely work but if I was to choose an album of theirs that is representative of the genre; introduces listeners to on of 1,001 albums to listen to and influential albums of their discography or the genre in particular - this is not it. 2.5/5
Oh Christ, did I just enjoy a ska record? What have I become? To be fair, the palette on this record is a lot more spread out that simple ska... There's some lounge-y-ness to it that I enjoy, with some solid dub reggae and a huge helping of soul thrown in. Seriously, loved the soul bits of this record. Favorite tracks: "Stereotype/Stereotype Pt. 2", Hey Little Rich Girl", "Do Nothing"
Not really my genre ska but it was quite enjoyable on the bus to work.
Stick a 12 bar blues in the middle of any album and I'm happy.
Meh
The deluxe version that I listened to is too long. A lot of the songs sounded like they were recorded live but we're studio so there's some mixing issue or something the remaster couldn't fix. Some of the vocals were pretty hard to listen to especially the female vocals on 'I can't stand it'
Some fun sounding songs but overall too inconsistent
Good beats.
Bei den meisten Alben frage ich mich, ob es tatsächlich Leute gibt, die das gerne hören..
Man at C&A erinnert stellenweise an The Cure. Insgesamt recht abwechslungsreiches Album, aber nichts besonderes und einfach nicht meins.
Sounds like a wilder, reggae-infused version of The Kinks. It's ultimately less catchy than The Kinks, but at least it's more fun than their self-titled debut.
Banger - great to sand wood to.
I'll put it like this: this album reminded me of how much I like ska so much that I spent five hours at my work shift that night listening to ska. Wish I had more words or deeper thoughts, but that's really all I gotta say: I like ska.
Goddamn, this is a good album. I'd only listened to Ghost Town and A Message To You, Rudy before this, and I gotta say I've really been sleeping on this group.
I came into this album expecting ska, and to some degree, I did get it, but I kinda wish I came in with different expectations. This is a highly diverse, really experimental album for 1980 that I think hits more often than not. As far as the production goes, even after a pretty slow start marked by pretty traditional instrumentation, once it starts to get into the experimental, a lot of what’s on this record feels pretty ahead of its era – the sort of soundscapes that diversify themselves throughout this album certainly became more mainstream by the late 90s and early 2000s, and in that sense, this album is way more of a trendsetter than I was expecting going in. For 1980, I’m sure this was a little polarizing, but for 2024, everything in here feels pretty typical, but it still feels kinda fresh and nice, and I’m super impressed by that. It’s not a perfect album; there are some mixing things here and there, and a few tracks kinda just made me bored, but I think I’ve got to give this thing a 4 out of respect for being able to switch between so many genres and for usually just being really catchy.
Ska music that was bearable. Nice
Not my favorite
Better on a second listen, but there's some road bumps for me.
A fun jumble
ikke min greie
3.5 good vibes all around
A lot of this album is mostly the same all the way through, but it's definitely still worth it for the small moments when it does feel very unique. Ska isn't a genre I am really that familiar with at all, so this was a nice gentle way in. Definitely nothing mind blowing, a lot of it is very safe. But a fun listen.
Early ska + Brit pop. Some fun beats but not my thing.
I was expecting to like this more than I did- I think ska can be fun, and had heard The Specials talked about as a more "serious" ska band. I can see how it was influential for the time, but it didn't click with me
More expansive sounding than expected. Enjoyed it.
Eh it's ok kinda weird driving music. I liked the James Bond song and International Jet Set
3.5 That was an interesting first listen. It started off with “Oh, ska. Nice!” and ended with “Wait wtf just happened?” It felt like a trip that started out all nice and fun and ended in a weirdly scary place. Can't say I didn't enjoy it though. I'm a sucker for horns.
I love the Specials. Fun, energy and just a moment where music of all sorts took over the British charts. Patchy, yes but still a good album. I suspect one that the Americans really don't get. It's so culturally British and of a time.
first listen it's not very good imo
Fun but I don't know how often I'll revisit it. Hanging out for third wave representation on the list
Did not add any for keeps.
The first Specials album lives up to the band's name. This, the second, doesn't look nearly as good in comparison, but it's still one of the strongest "sophomore slumps" you're gonna find.
Ok fine not all ska is bad. Interesting to hear the influence of American R&B on this album of Jamaican music made in England. "I Can't Stand It" sounds like a Stereolab song.
I don't think I have the ska in me... maybe if I'd started with just The Specials instead of immediately going for More
Okay. Fun and interesting, but I didn’t really connect with anything.
Didn’t care for it….stylistically all over the place and the musicianship was not very good…I’ll double back and give it another listen, but for today…
Creators of 2 Tone Records??? Clearly an important influence in the second wave of ska, but also some of the originators of its' political subject matter and variance in styles. It's everything from raw jazz band to almost electric sounding triphop. Lots of diversity amongst the quarreling band members caused this album to really stand out, showing that chances sometimes really do pay off
Liker ikke ska :(
I can't say I enjoyed this SKA and reggae vibe. I can see the value, but, this is not for me.
Reggae nix gut
It was fine.
I was unaware that ska went back this far! Solid album.
More Specials indeed, good stuff!
Jättekiva o höra på
Love the Specials
Lots of Bay-tulles with a nice reggae surprise
excellent stuff. a bit long but very worth it. very "london calling", has a bit of everything but none of it clashes (ehehe) and it all complements well. ska rock reggae punk it does it all. "enjoy yourself" really grows on you. "i cant stand it" and "stereotype" stand out.
that first track was a hot mess but the rest was fun to listen to. probably won’t listen again tho. not bad!
I liked the hits, didn’t mind the fillers. But I can understand this isn’t everyone’s cup of tea
Skimmed the album, got caught up in the wonderful feel of it, will definately re-listen
good fun
Album is fine. Not great, not bad. I don't mind ska and not sure why this one is considered so great.
It was okay. The album felt all over the place.
Not special.
Iemand stak laatst de loftrompet tegen mij over deze band, terwijl ik ze eigenlijk niet ken. Ik weet niet meer wie dat was en dat is maar goed ook.
Wel vrolijk-ish. Maar niet echt memorabel
Nooit een grote ska-fan geweest. En nadat ik dit album gehoord heb is daar geen verandering in gekomen.
Sometimes this list feels like 1001 albums I had to listen to in 1980 so I think you should too. More of a 2 than a 3.
Meh this just wasn’t very good at all and I couldn’t get into it.
Perfect second wave ska.
Mostly liked the UK ska sound, theme seemed to be lacking
Reminds me of the band I had a while ago, Madness. I never really understood the appeal of ska. Its like reggae lite. British people seem to love it, but I just don't. It's all just kind of bland. The highs are high on this record, but the lows are super low, and tend to drag the rest of the album down with them. The album runs out of steam after Sock It To 'Em J.B. and never really recovers. Favourite songs: Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think), Sock It To 'Em J.B., Hey Little Rich Girl Least favourite songs: Man at C&A, Stereotype/Stereotype Pt. 2 2/5
Surprisingly ominous and dark. I think I like it? YMMV if you can stomach the incessant upbeat.
This was probably my first time listening to an entire ska album. It’s a bit much
2.75
tolerable but didn't really like it 2/5
Liked this despite never hearing of them before
Digging this, feels like drinking with buds. I enjoyed the entire thing. I actually listened to it twice, it's amazing. It will always now remind me of dancing in the kitchen with my daughter.
It's fun and different, and I appreciate their uniqueness, though I wouldn't say I really enjoyed listening to this record. Also none of the songs are memorable in the sense that I would remember the tune or lyrics. It's a solid 3 I think.
Meh
This has a few good songs, I don't think it stands up to their first though (although it's been ages since I've listened to that one either, so I guess we'll find out when I get there). Solid 3.
This album is good. It sounds like they had a lot of fun recording.
This has some really cool sounds to it for a regular ol' two-tone album. You could definitely tell the band wanted to change up their sound to adapt to the changing sounds of music, without removing their personality from it. That doesn't necessarily mean the whole album is up my alley, as there are often moments where the vocals annoy me pretty badly, and usually this style of music can get old pretty quick, but this is still a solid release that I feel probably at least has one enjoyable song for everyone.
This is the type of music you hear when you're on vacation and go to a beach bar with live music, and a beloved local band comes on stage. Enjoyable enough in that setting, but it's nothing special (get it?????). I'd never seek this music out on my own.
it's hard to follow up a debut album as good as theirs but this does a pretty decent effort.
Special Needs
I love this album; it's mix of styles showed both the development of The Specials and the seeds of their split. Okay, so there's a couple of filler tracks which, if cut out, would have made for a tighter album, but even the filler is pretty good!
хуета
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.
Ska. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Avant Pop - Enjoy Yourself. Está bien.
One of my favorite albums. Second wave Ska was my lead in to third wave which defined my teenage years. It's fun, loud, and catchy. Love the sound and feeling you get while listening.
I like ska. It’s upbeat. It’s fun. It’s got horns. What’s not to like? When this album sticks to ska, it’s pretty good. But when it goes off on weird tangents in genres I can’t really identify, it really drags. Consequently, this album is a bit of a mess.
Solid
This was ok.
Next 5 songs played by my Spotify Algorithm: Squeeze - Up the Junction The Specials - A Message to You Rudy Fun Boy Three - The Tunnel of Love The Rezillos - I Like It Dexy's Midnight Runners - I Like It
Solid Ska album
You know something went wrong when the album cover is in color. The unique style kind of fell apart as it got taken over by rock influences.
only song i really liked is ghost town which sounds like its by a completely different band is only on the second disc of the deluxe edition.
Reggae/Ska!
Eh
I liked it. Never heard of this band but it tickled my fancy. gg
Very familiar with their single 'Ghost Town', a banger of a song, but nothing on here rivals that. It's good fun while it's on but it's pretty much in one ear and out the other. Ska was never the most complex or innovative genre though so can't really judge it too harshly.
Spurðu mig fyrir helgi hvað mér finnist um ska og ég segi þér að það sé ekki skemmtilegt. Og svo er þessi plata bara ljómandi skemmtileg, gæti vel hlustað oftar. Enjoy yourself í upphafi og í lokin er lang sísti hluti annars ágætrar plötu.
Lots of energy, I liked the horns, and the Ska style. Enjoy yourself was a good track. Overall a pretty good album
Very pop and pretty kitsch. Not as enjoyable as their first album, but not awful (the singles are still pretty good) just not very Special!
Highlights: Man at C&A, Sock It To ‘em J.B., Holiday Fortnight. In a nutshell: drawn out album by two-tone/ska heavyweights. I can hear elements of Northern Soul and avant pop on here. More Specials has some good moments, however not enough to earn a high mark. I’d imagine that The Specials would be incredible live. Overall: 4/10
I did enjoy the beginning. I liked the music - did I hear trumpets? But towards the end it got a little ehhh. Not really sure. If it had continued my rating would have decreased but for now i’ll say average.
I can't help but make the comparison to Madness and while there's some similar enjoyable elements I don't connect w the Specials quite as much as the more upbeat melodies of Madness. Maybe an over-reliance on the ska side grates after a time. The sound is fine in short doses but over a long haul ... eh it just gets to be too much. On the positive side, the biggest aspect of this style of music and this band in particular is the arrangement - nearly every song has a relatively simple chord progression but there are often so many distinct melodies and counter melodies running through the tunes on varied instruments. It's worth a repeated listen just to pay attention to these fine tuning aspects. I like it, I like them and maybe more-so appreciate the song construction. I just think 4 or 5 songs is my limit at a time. 6/10 3 stars.
Never listened to these guys before - very funky and fun, reminiscent of the B52s. I loved "Maggie's Farm", punky and poppy at the same time.
Fun album
Less special than the specials from the specials got on the list some special weeks ago. Too much special styles in a special single album. They should be specialists in brit ska, but they tried special new rhythms and end with a not so special the specials album.
Avant Pop - Enjoy Yourself. Está bien.
I didn't think I would enjoy this at all, but it turned out to be half-decent. Only half-decent though, so only 3 stars.
Great start, gets Luke warm later on but most of it is still quality.
Despite the band's name, I did not find this album to be very special at all. As much as I can appreciate the instrument work that went into this album, I didn't really care for the sound. None of the songs really stuck out as being that great to me. The singing wasn't anything to write home about. I can appreciate some of the lyricization for some of the songs, with there being some good messages in there as well, but other songs just didn't really make sense to me. While I can appreciate what this album tried to do and I have respect for the band itself, I just don't think I am a fan of this type of music. low 3/5.
Found the album boring at times, was grand.
Yeah, no
Eins og clash
More jaunty and typically British tunes.
I didn't feel it was, well, special, but it was enjoyable.
I can’t lie, I had fun listening to this. Very hit-or-miss, though.
HL: "Man at C&A", "Do Nothing", "Stereotype", "I Can't Stand It", "Rat Race" (bonus) Even more Specials! Oh good, I was just thinking I haven't heard some good trombone in a while. It's an album with an identity crisis, but I enjoyed this more than the 1st Specials. The kitschy synths in songs like "I Can't Stand It" just put me in a better mood somehow. I was a little put out upon realizing that "Ghost Town" isn't actually on this, and was recorded ca. a year later, but "Man at C&A" has a similar ominous vibe. Like dark clouds on a sweltering summer day Maybe it's because of all the times they refer to nuclear war October 21, 2023
Loved this album, especially at is most political.
More Specials hints at absolute takeoff, never quite getting there. The blend of pop styles is a good choice, though, saccharine but never negatively. My own self-seriousness is on mind and in ear; Isn't quite foregrounded on this album but is a part of the mix. Pairing with an aural smile is a choice that makes this release notably stronger.
Not as immediate as some of their other work, but really interesting and enjoyable. Roughly the same age as me (the album; not the band), from the same island, and with a similar wide range of musical influences - of course I love it. Fully deserves its place on this list, and fully deserves 5 big stars!
i don't understand it
I enjoyed myself
Album kinda was a mess, and ska just usually isn’t good
That was pretty fun
Torn between 2 and 3 but I really like International Jet Set and I can see the quality. Ska just doesn’t seem to be for me.
This is an interesting, musically diverse second album by the Specials. I appreciate how the band has pushed themselves to explore other musical ideas beyond the ska sound that comes to mind when I think of them. Socially conscious lyrics that are still on point, even 40+ years later. High 3, not quite a 4. Fave Songs: Do Nothing; Rat Race; Hey, Little Rich Girl; Holiday Fortnight; Enjoy Yourself; Stereotypes/Stereotypes Pt. 2
Good!
going to be honest, didn't move me. it was fine, but like i'm not sure, i just kind of assumed a ska album would be more fun? a lot of this is just sort of uninteresting Walter Wanderley-esque lounge music mixed with ska and, although undoubtedly something different, does not make for a particularly interesting album in my estimation. once again, it wasn't bad, it just kinda did nothing for me.
Easy 1 star for me, like the previous The Specials record. The weird thing to me is that I actually do see some good qualities in this record and can understand why people would like it, love it even. But there's just something about reggae - I can't even say what it is - that aggravates me so much. Something about the particular off-beat rhythms of reggae that just annoys me so incredibly much, even when it's over-layered with as many other influences and credible musicianship like on More Specials. I don't even think this is a bad album, but I don't want to hear a single second of it ever again.
One of my favourite albums ever, quite a bit better and more varied than their debut (also 5-star) for a big part due to Jerry Dammers, but song contributions of other band members are also great. Favourite song: the 7.5 minute extended version of Stereotypes.
No more Specials, please.
More varied than its predecessor, and/but overall less convincing.
One of the greatest albums ever made. And the reason no Specials 'reunion' without Dammers was ever going to be anything more than a heritage tribute act. The musical sophistication and progression from the first album is impressive. Great arrangements, insightful lyrics and a fair dash of lighter touches too, even if they are somewhat sardonic. No treading water for this band. The songs flow seamlessly but are not one-dimensional. The adoption of easy listening stylings was way ahead of its time, and songs like Stereotype seem both of their time and timeless. An absolute classic.
The transition from ska revivalists to something a little more meaningful runs throughout More Specials. This isn't the sound of a pastiche tribute; it's the sound of The Specials. They deserve their own genre. Enjoy Yourself sums up the entire album, both in spirit and sound. It's tremendous fun. The gang mentality comes across on each track, even though they were about to fall apart. It's a time capsule for the in-between period of post-punk and pre-80's pop. Do Nothing is just perfect.
Super cool! I really liked it - what a versatile band! It felt like the band had a blast making this music & that makes the music itself so much more fun.
not for me
3.5
I don't really know what to say about this album. Musically it's... fine. The lyrics besides being a bit moralistic are ... fine. In comparison to their first album this album is just fine.
Interesting album but I didn’t like it as much as the other specials one. There weren’t many memorable songs on this
A minha felicidade por aparecer um disco de SKA foi reduzindo progressivamente com ele tocando. Foi uma experiência monótona.
More Specials? No. No more Specials.
C+ Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) 2 Man at C&A 2 Hey Little Rich Girl 4 Do Nothing 4 Pearl's Cafe 3 Sock It to 'em J.B. 4 Sterotype / Steroetype, Pt. 2 4 Holiday Fortnight 2 I Can't Stand It 3 International Jet Set 3 Enjoy Yourself (Reprise) 1 When I was in Budapest, the only TV channel me and my family could understand was the 80's music channel. It only played deep cuts for some reason, no hits. One day it played Ghost Town by The Specials. I was blown away. It was amazing. So, I reconsidered my Specials hate. Then, a couple days ago, we got this puppy. Well, the rest is history. Now, I'm a Specials fan, and I can humbly say, I think I am classier now than I was before.
man was it really that special ... made me think of background music in some game i've played a long time ago so a bonus point for that
Eka biisi lupasi parempaa kuin mitä lopulta oli. Rentoa ja helppoa menoa.
Alkuun ihan hauskan ok, mut loppuu kohden vähän lässähti
I was surprised to find that I didn’t recognise any track titles on this album. I’d consider myself a fan of The Specials, but I guess I must have just not come across this album before. I’m general, I find it hard to understand how anybody could dislike ska. It’s the happiest genre! One of my first album purchases was a ska compilation album called 2 Much 2 Tone. I’m a bit sad that I’ve lost that over the years. Songs I already knew: none Favourites: Pearl’s Cafe, Hey Little Rich Girl This is exactly what I hoped it would be. Generally happy music, some tongue in cheek lyrics with bittersweet tones. I especially enjoyed Pearl’s cafe and the story of Pearl, and the “It’s all a load of bollocks” hooks have been in my head since listening. The Specials truly were something… well, special.
LOVE the specials love that they're from Coventry, love the album cover (photo from Leamington Spa), love the lyrics and themes, love the reggae sections, love the jazz sections, love the vocals, love the up-beat dance vibes, love the messages, love the power of music overall!
An absolutely banging album! And features Do Nothing, my favourite Specials song. What a legendary band and one of the few really great musical exports of Coventry. The unique style and social commentary is just excellent, plus the splashes of humour. This was a joy
Love it. Such a sound, such a band. and thanks to Grace's review I learnt that the cover image was taken in the Regent's Hotel in Leamington Spa :)
Though the group splintered because if it not long after, the Specials’ second album benefits from the various styles contributed by each member. Trip hop’s grandpa.
An all-time classic. Very inventive, brave and absolutely of its time, yet also timeless.
Not a bad ska album, dragged in a bit
I hate ska almost as much as reggae and bad hip hop
I get why the specials debut should be on the list, given that is I don’t think this needs to be.
What a band what an album cant be mess3d with
Soundtrack to my youth. The beginning of Thatcher's disaffected, unemployed and miserable Britain mixed with cold war paranoia and all wrapped up in a perfect ska-pop soundtrack. And Terry Hall. What's not to like? Pretty much perfect archive of the era.
The best
There's never a time where the specials can't be played
Po poslechu alba jsem zjistila, že existuje Deluxe verze, kde je moje velice oblíbená písnička - Ghost Town. To hodně pomohlo zlepšit mé mínění. The Specials mají opravdu speciální a rozpoznatelný styl, což je ale také trošku kamenem úrazu – vše zní vesměs stejně. Ale je to fajn formula, často satirický temnější text je dán do kontrastu s veselou prázdninovou havaj hudbou a je veselo. Texty jsou více či méně politické, ale je to takový docela standardní komentář, nic šíleného a revolučního. Většinou to písničku lehce povznáší, ale někdy je to hodně do očí bijící a poplatné své době (Why?). Celkově je to příjemný fajnový poslech, ale asi se budu vracet jen ke Ghost Town. Nejlepší písničky: Ghost Town (celkově naprostej bušič), Do Nothing (relatable text, super odreagovačka) Nejhorší písničky: Hey, Little Rich Girl; Pearl's Cafe (nicneříkající, nuda) Hodnocení:7/10
3.5 liked the reggae vibes
eh not that special...
Favourites: • Man at C&A • Stereotypes / Stereotypes - Pt. 2 • International Jet Set
I like The Specials, but I didn't need more Specials on here. Somehow, makes them seem less special too. 2 rich girls out of 5 👩👩
I can't say it was "good" but it was an interesting listen.
No thank you 1 Its not that bad 2
Not much to say about here. I do like the album’s concepts and mix of ska, reggae & new-wave, along with songs like “Mant at C&A” and “Pearl’s Cafe”. The rest of the album sounded good, but it just doesn’t sound like my type of thing.
Superrrrrrr
I love The Specials and was really upset when Terry Hall died so young last year. They played mostly ska but also experimental and brave, I loved Hall’s laconic style, world-weary, worn and bitter but with that angry political bite. This isn’t their best album but it has some great tunes on it. I was so glad to see them live for their 30th year reunion tour back in 2009. They had the audience up and dancing and totally captivated the whole time. For that memory alone I doff my cap.