More Specials

Lots of different and fun sounds, but not my thing.

Other than track 1, not that special.

Another head scratcher as to why it was included in this list. Tough to listen to, and loses all the edge and freshness of their much more deserving debut which I hope makes the list. Nothing special at all here.

Hmm despite track 1’s insistence, I did not enjoy myself

Not for me dog.

Didn’t do anything for me. Nothing else to say. 2/5

Ok

Nothing Special here This album wasn't as good as the other one I heard. Extremely repetitive and annoying at times A few good songs I enjoyed, but the rest of the album really brought it down 2 ⭐️

Sophomore slump.

Decent, but a little silly for my tastes.

Not so special if you ask me amiriteguys?

The specials is a great band but one album is audience.

This was hard to get through. It’s not that it’s actually bad, exactly, but it’s the sort of thing that’s easier taken as individual songs - a full album becomes grating (personally, I’d even say “maddening”). I also just have a very low tolerance for unrelentingly upbeat music. 2.5

Enjoy Yourself - Great advice. Like the horns across the tracks. Don't know about the groups origin but they sound like from Caribbean British colony (bless them). Sock it To Em JB (an ode to James Bond) was just strange. Listened before? N Saved tracks? N Favorite tracks? Sock It To 'Em, JB; Enjoy Yourself, ⭐️⭐️ Couldn't get into it

Typical bouncy reggae. Nothing Specials.

Ich finde Ska leider grandios scheiße

Believe it or not, I don't think that More Specials is all that special. Apparently, this album influenced a lot of trip-hop artists in the 90s but i just don't really see the influence they took from this album. I only really see this album as a ska album with a few electronic elements but not enough to be the influence for a lot of trip-hop records. As for the album, it's not bad but it is very forgettable as many of these songs just blend together and just don't have all that much to keep them interesting (except for International Jet Set, i actually rather enjoyed that one) It's not bad but it is something that makes me question the band's name. Best Song: International Jet Set Worst Song: Enjoy Yourself (Reprise)

das ende einer unterdurchschnittlichen woche mit 1001!

Not special

The Specials is best een leuk bandje hoor, maar dit is al de tweede plaat van ze in deze lijst. Ik wacht nog steeds op de eerste plaat die daadwerkelijk uit Jamaica komt. Ik wacht volgens mij ook nog steeds op de eerste soulplaat uit Amerika, maar heb al wel Amy Winehouse gehad. Op de B-kant zakt de boel ook behoorlijk in. Vreemde keuze.

This is not doing much for me. Pretty boring, but at least not annoying. Looking forward to not listening to this anymore though.

More of the same meh 2/5

I am reaching the point in this daily project where I realized it’s not useful to force myself to listen to the entirety of a project once I know it’s not working for me at all. This is the first album I gave a minute to each song before deciding to skip (if I didn’t like it) rather than forcing myself to listen to it all the way through. I don’t know what it is about ska, but I think it’s just a genre that you either love or hate, like jazz and classical. I really tried my best but could not bear it. That said, it wasn’t offensively bad, just not my taste. Gave it an extra point for the one instrumental song, which I did enjoy.

I was admittedly imagining ska-punk when I initially reacted poorly to today's album description, forgetting that ska used to be much more obviously a reggae offshoot. I still didn't like this and it got annoying to me after a few songs, but it wasn't as goofy as I was expecting.

weird reggae, ska music from the 80's..not my cup of coffee

It’s a joke. Right?

Habe schon Schlimmeres gehört, aber diese Art von Musik ist so gar nicht meins.

Yeah, it is special, but not in a positive way.

There are three albums from The Specials on this list. There are only two albums from The Clash. The conclusions you'd draw from that are not the conclusions you should draw.

I like the horns. The vocals? Not so much. Listened before? N Saved to library? N Favorite track(s): Holiday Fortnight

2/5

Not really bad, but also not something I want to listen to.

Rating: 4/10 Nah.

Sounds like elevator music on acid. Maybe 1 or 2 songs I would consider replaying but for the most part this is mostly skips to me

I thought I knew what The Specials were. I was not correct. This had a couple of good tracks, but much was left to be desired.

again

Ska is cool. This was unmemorable. Doubt I'll ever listen to it again.

Interesting snapshot of some of the musical influences that were around in 1980, and at least they sometimes seem to be having fun, but it's not a sound or album that does anything much for me. 2.5

I wrote about the first album: "ska funny". However, theres nothing More Especial on this one. By the way, nothing justifie three albuns from this band on the list. One was enough. For this and another reasons this list completely lost his credibility.

The first ska band? I get it, but it's not great. I imagine this is what a live band poolside at a Florida resort sounded like in the '50's. Interesting concept, but not something I'm listening to voluntarily.

Eh. I'm alright

This ska album by "The Specials" didn't really resonate with me as much as the last one I had, which I gave a 3 (a feat for me, as someone who doesn't really enjoy ska). I still found this to be listenable and approachable as far as ska music goes, not nearly as obnoxious as a lot of modern ska.

enjoy yourself is a great tune. the album is one dimensional but fun. first half of the album is considerably better than the 2nd. its fine. sterotype is shit and too long. holiday fortnight is fun. but i cant stand i cant stand it. overall a mixed bag

Not a huge fan of this album, but loved Ghost Town. Wouldn’t listen to the whole album again though

Nope.

Goofy ahh music. Goofy ahhh album. Who the fuck wakes up and actively wants to listen to Ska? Specifically white British guys performing reggae? There are a couple vibes, and it moves quickly enough but...boof. Fave songs: - Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) - Pearl's Cafe - Sock It To 'Em J.B. - I Can't Stand It

Idc

It's like the Beach Boys decided to do bad pop.

I have no idea what to make of this one. Were there good tracks? Absolutely. But this album was so all over the place. Very very weird one. I am glad I listened to it, though! This would be a 2.5 if we had half stars

It's possible that I just don't "get" it, but in my mind this is an album that doesn't know what to be. I feel like it never settles on an idea, but instead of being a cool album with a lot of experimentation it feels confused, lost, and like a bunch of people throwing things at the wall to see what sticks. There was a lot of really annoying instrumentation and vocals going on here and it definitely felt too long. With all the great music out there I can't imagine picking this up again.

When they are good, they are good. But this was mostly bad. Very cheesy, very silly. Not great.

Everything just feels a little mismatched and incoherent. 2 stars for reminding me of C&A and Enjoy Yourself.

Mis Grossmami het mer au immer gseit ich seg special. 2 chlöpferli uf de hinderchopf für die spezielli spezialiste

I've never been a fan of ska/reggae, so i couldnt get through it. I'm sure i great for people who like the genre, but not for me

As deep as a puddle.

Nothin special about this album

..

The two-tone genre is, unfortunately, not my style. It felt a little too noisy for my liking. What stood out to me throughout the album was the reggae influence with the more rocky-y guitar/drums, that is not something I have ever heard before! The creativity in pioneering a new genre is freeing, I imagine, and I got that sense from this album. While the music and vocals didn't scratch my brain how I'd like, this was a listen outside of my comfort zone which I appreciate.

The first four songs are great but it kinda falls off after that. Female backing vocals are pretty terrible tbh, but the sax was cool throughout. Favs: Enjoy Yourself Man At C&A Holiday Fortnight Least Fav: Sock It To 'Em J.B.

Please. No more specials.

Huh?

2.5

perus hommaa

1.82

Possibly the most disappointing follow up in the history of albums. Creatively exhausted and not nearly as well recorded as their debut.

hab iwie is gfühl i kenn alles schon... 2.5.

I don't like this. That first track, is it used on jools Holland or something? Or a radio jingle? I dunno. Maybe when it came out it was fun, but my head associates it with a bored middle aged drunken booze up where everyone is wearing a suit and trying to explain how they're more successful that you. Ick. After that the other songs are worse. That one near the end that was a bit 60s is alright - I can't stand it (ironic title there). But then I lost interest at the keyboard solo. I really like ghost town what they did and I expected that I might find some gems in here, but it was like playing the epitome of "not my sort of thing". Nope

Didn’t think there was anything too special about The Specials. Pretty average tbh

I'm not convinced we needed more than one album from this band. Their first is a classic, this is largely forgettable. Free Nelson Mandela is legendary though.

not sure i get it 🤔

Well, I didn't really enjoy myself listening to this album. It has some better moments, but most of it drones along in a lounge or elevator music style.

Meh

This was incredibly boring

Sounded like a bunch of people jamming out in one of their father’s garages, amateur and nothing special

Album 771 of 1089 The Specials - More Specials (1980) Rating : 2 / 5 Kind of sloppy and - at times - irritating. There were moments of promising musicianship.

Not a fan

1.6 I never want to hear that shite again. One Specials album was more than enough. Can't stand Ska. Get in the bin.

I didn't actively dislike it but it just felt very derivative and unpolished at times (although that might be part of the point with Ska). Stereotype is a stand-out, but several other songs could've used some polishing (eg. I can't stand it). Overall, just not my cup of tea.

Feels like a fever dream. Makes me want to go on holiday. Reggae vibes. A bit all over the place. Monotonous, whiny vocals that don’t really match the rhythmic, funky instrumentals.

I like the Specials and I like Two Tine ska. This album is not a great example of either. There's some highlights but there's too much other genres thrown in and it becomes dull and lacking continuity

yeah ok sure, i'm just glad we stopped recording vocals that sound like they were in the bathroom

ska isn't really my thing, every song on this album kind of had the vibe of a painting that got ruined by not knowing when to stop, but there were elements i liked in every song.

International Jet Set made me feel like I was high and paranoid. Other than that I enjoyed getting a different type of music on here for once (not British, not Neil Young, etc.) but for someone who played trumpet for...8? 10? years I don't really like ska or 2tone.

This sounds like if a ska band had a baby with the Defiant Jazz episode of Severance. Confusing sonically. Weird and not in a fun way

Meh.

This started off great and then it’s like the drugs kicked in and they forgot what they were doing. This turned into High Bowie and Syd Barrett territory . I had high hopes for this one but 7 songs in and I’m taking a hard I turn. Choice cut: Enjoy Yourself

Reggae/Ska band. Not bad music.

The more albums on this list I listen to, the more I realise I must be a rockist or at least someone who doesn't really like too many other genres. This didn't really appeal to me.

I thought it was a stretch to have one Specials album in the Top 1001, but two? Nah. And I like them, but I don't think they inspired a new sound, they had no hits and they stole their sound from Jamaican artists vs carving out their own. It all sounds a bit similar, as does any ska album. This is enjoyable but NOT Top 1001 worthy.

It's fairly inoffensive as ska goes, but that just means it's boring.

Not memorable in the slightest

not my cup of tea

Hadent heard of the Specials before. An eclectic mix of ska- I could see this album being influential on the genre but it didnt really capture me. Overall- 2.5/5

Ska is not really my scene, but, interesting to see the purported links to triphop and britpop for that matter. Not a bad album, mid 2s.

I just can't do it. It feels like a novelty act

No, no. "One" Specials was enough thanks. Nobody asked for more.

Generic Ska, nothing special

2.4 2x not bad just not something i will listen to again

No. I had to work real hard not to skip each track. Not into Ska at all. Definitely not for me.

I know they earned their place. But this was a tough one to listen to, not least because it's an album that shows how hitting all the notes you're trying to sing isn't always that easy.

Meh specials

you know, i had a ska phase in my school days just like any awkward dork, but i could never really get into the specials or most of the second wave stuff, and now i see this is one ska related area that i can agree with my teen self on

Why did they change their sound so much? The debut was a perfect record. I really don’t need more of this. It had one or two good songs and that’s it.

Perfectly ok.

This one is pretty much less good than the one that was better than madness

This was not good. Ska but 60s. Bleh!

Can’t say that I massively enjoyed myself

Some ok ska songs. But nothing great

Definitely weird style

I'm happy this was recorded in 1980. Otherwise, the abominable "Sock it to 'Em J.B." would have had to canvass many more James Bond movies. Ugh.

Even less special than their first album, definitely did not enjoy myself

Kinda cool to hear like the early influences of what seems like ska, did get a little repetitive

I sort of appreciate this being weird but it is weird.

This album just didn’t stand out. I do like the specials but is just wasn’t jiving today

More?! Fuck me. If any band didn't need more than one album on this list (the first one is deservedly on here). 16 year break after this one says it all... Can't wait to find out there are no Fun Boy Three records on here.

Do nothing to Do Nothing 👌🏾

Sock it to 'em J.B. is pretty dumb, yet a fun song, specially if you are into ska and James Bond. The rest of the album is mid at best. But I like Ska! I don't know, I guess it runs it course quickly

Un album honnêtement très ordinaire. Beaucoup moins aimé que leur précédent. C'était beaucoup plus éparpillé, voir inconsistant. Pas terriblement mauvais, mais à aucun moment je n'ai été captivé ou impressionné. On dirait que c'est un album qui est venu d'une session de jam, plus qu'un album bien construit qui a été retravaillé. Semblerait que l'effet soit volontaire car c'était fait avec la vision que l'écouteur ne sache pas s'il a aimé ou non. Dans mon cas je n'ai pas tellement aimé. 4/10

Not bad, more varied musically than I expected.

One good song, but sub-par for the rest.

Mixed bag - some pretty fun tracks and some that just would not end. Ska and reggae are not a typical listen for me. It was alright, just don't see myself revisiting this one.

More Specials doesn't need to be on this list, some of it is fun, a lot of it is rubbish, it's too muddled and confused and they should really stick to stuff like Hey Little Rich Girl and Pearl's Cafe imo. Back half of the album is close to unlistenable and seems like they ran out of ideas (I Can't Stand It is an aptly-named song because it's SO bad :D ), scrapes a 2 because the first half is fine.

We did not need more specials. It's got some decent ska at the beginning, then degenerates into a big old mess towards the back half of the album and it's really not good. 2/5, rescued from a one by the first few tracks.

#413. I would personally like to request less Specials, actually. 2/5: not it.

Distinctive sounding but not nearly as good as previous angry ska - more melodic and hints of jazz

Definitely not the best specials album. Nothing really all that impressive from a band that I rather like. 2/5

Not a fan of this. Just a personal thing.

Maso

Eclectic but ultra kitschy, often grating 2.4

No, not necessary to listen to.

maailman hirvein aksentti maailman host horryfying sound of all time. mikä tahansa muu ääni suusta ulos niin albumi toimii, mik vittu tahansa paitsi tuommoinen sairas PASKA. hate in human heart. even good people (me) get corruptioned.. (kuolkaa pois vittu).. heh hyvä että rska, tämä on niin mahtavaa ska (aivan vitun paskaa, ) HYIIIIIII HYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIHYIIIIIII HYIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIIII IUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUUU. Wild time. Album was all over the place and just a lot of fun. wild crazeeeeeeeeeee. craziness!! sooooo cray-crayyyyyyyyyyyyy-------------------- man at ca

I don’t really know what to take from this. It was…fine. Mostly not my thing. The recording quality was bad. Might’ve been intentional I suppose but it didn’t help either way. I really wanted to like it but it was just a little too quirky British in places for my liking. Some fun grooves but nothing good enough to push it past two stars. Though the James Bond references on “Sock It to ‘Em J.B.” were fun. Standout Tracks: Hey Little Rich Girl, Sock it to ‘Em J.B., Holiday Fortnight

Instrumentals were okay. Singing was not

The music is fine the vocals weren’t great. I was thinking “when will I rate something 2 stars?” And this takes the cake. It’s not unlistenable but it’s not quite average, a perfect ⭐️⭐️.

Hé. Dé specials weer. Eerder kregen we het album The Specials van deze lui. De mij bekende nummers waren leuk, maar de rest viel tegen door de zang. Maar van dit album ken ik niets. En gelet op de titel zal het iets later zijn gemaakt. Wellicht wat ontwikkeling? Kom maar op! Dat enthousiasme wordt gelijk de kop ingedrukt. Het eerste nummer klinkt ontzettend vrolijk, en daar word ik niet vrolijk van. Het is een beetje gemaakte vrolijkheid, zoals ik ook de zang tijdens een kerkdienst beleef. Het zal ook wel expres zijn, maar ik kan er slecht tegen. Daarna krijgen we een nummer met gelukkig wat minder zang. Het heeft een serieuze boodschap. Dat zal de rest later ook wel hebben dan. Maar eerlijk, daarna luister ik niet meer naar de tekst. Het album heef een duidelijke ska-handtekening. Het heeft iets van Madness. En daar gaat het mis. Nu ga ik vergelijken. En dan is dit toch heel veel slechter. Nummers als Stereotype klinken toch voor geen meter. Ik moet toch constateren dat er van ontwikkeling weinig sprake is. Het heeft dezelfde matigheid als het eerdere album, maar zonder de uitschieters.

Volgens muziekcriticus Jon Harrington inspireerde (met name deel 2 van) dit album oa de triphop van Portishead en Massive Attack. Dat zijn nogal grote woorden, maar het zorgt ervoor dat ik wel met extra interesse dit album ga beluisteren. Deel 1 begint in ieder geval wel gewoon met vrolijke ska reggae wat ik zou verwachten bij dit album. Voor zover niks nieuws onder de zon, al gaan de composities best iets verder dan het standaard repertoire van de gemiddelde ska of reggae band volgens mij. Deel 2 is meer slechte filmmuziek, of gekke liftmuziek. Luie Hond had er ook wel van die stukken in zitten, dus ongetwijfeld dat zij er door geinspireerd zijn. En de enjoy yourself reprise is zelfs ongelooflijk suf. Is dit een parodie ergens op, die ik niet begrijp ofzo? De associatie met triphop voel ik niet helemaal. Hoeft natuurlijk ook niet zo te zijn dat het op elkaar moet lijken, maar ik vind het altijd raar om te zeggen dat een band geinspireerd is door muziekstijl A en vervolgens muziekstijl B gaat maken. Je verwacht toch min of meer iets gelijkaardigs, of dat op zijn minst dat er overlap in zit. Niet dat ik hoge verwachtingen had van dit album, maar het valt me toch een beetje tegen. En dat hadden de fans en de bandleden zelf ook denk ik, want hierna zijn ze er ook gelijk maar mee gekapt. Daarom doet me dit album ook een beetje overbodig aan. Dat eerste album heb ik me prima mee vermaakt, maar we luisteren hier (een jaar later slechts) naar het overmijdelijke einde, de dag die je wist dat zou komen. En daar deel ik geen bonuspunten voor uit, eerder minpunten.

not my thing

You sound like you’re from London

Ah man really this album? Just imagining some confused Americans listening to this.

Less Specials would be fine, thanks. I dug their self-titled album, but this one was too much.

I enjoyed the debut album but I don't need MORE Specials.

I just don’t like this.

Underligt album med några helt sköna låtar

This sounds like circus music from hell. No one really likes this, do they?

Meh. A song or two were memorable

It sucks.

Very odd album. Couldn't even say what genre this is and what a ending. Sounded like a childrens cartoon song. 2 stars

Noteworthy songs - 808080808 Magical Dream - Kinda catchy synth, but the rest is bland. Ancodia - Good background noise. Cobra Bora - Actually kind of cool, reminds me of Bomberman Hero. Pacific 202 - N64 vibes, but melody isn't great. Donkey Doctor - Nothing too special, weird ending. 808080808 - Really cool beginning. A little slow in the middle but stays interesting enough. Sunrise - Nothing remarkable. The Fat Shadow - Eerie. Very short.

I just don't like this kind of music at all.

Rat Race Do Nothing Stereotypes

Had it’s moments. But I don’t think Id ever come back. Rounding down.

Enjoyed a few songs here and there, but it's nothing special (heh).

Reckon I'd enjoy this kind of music after quite a few pints of cider. Can imagine it being played live in a pub on carnival day or at a food festival. But really, it's not that good. I did enjoy the dub elements though, like Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2.

I like some of the specials songs; ghost town and message to Rudy. And I wish I could unhear this album. Loungy and cheesy to the point of self parody. Bummer.

This is a tall glass of slightly too warm water. I’m not going to complain about it but I’ll never think about it again.

British Ska. Rockin reggae some funny lyrics not really something I’d listen to again

I didn’t enjoy the first Specials album I got and I didn’t enjoy this one either. Not for me.

Lounge ska. Another genre new to me that I do not care for. 2 stars for creativity.

I can see the appeal, it just doesn’t appeal to me

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.

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.

A fair bit going on in these songs but lacking in any sort of oomph.

Started off bad and progressed to meh

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.

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)

Parts of this album got very annoying

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

So the Rock Reggae Mix didn't convince me.

2/5

Nietszeggend, achtergrond

There's some fun to be had here, but it doesn't necessarily have me screaming for more specials...

I wanted to like this way more than I did.

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

It was ok

Hier trek ik de grens wat betreft experimentele britpop. Het is echt niet om aan te horen.

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

Some classic tracks on here but not overly my favorite genre

A little weird for me

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.

Long, not easy to listen to, attempts a number of different genres it wasn’t mildly entertaining or special.

wanted to like it more

Nothing too bad, but I don't like this album. Will I listen to again: 0%

Ska is not my thing....

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

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.

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

Standouts: Man at C&A and the longer more instrumental tracks. Not -not- my thing but not a favorite genre.

My daughter's review: it sucks

i can't stand it is a bop. the rest of it is eh.

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'

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.

ikke min greie

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.

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 okay. The album felt all over the place.

Not special.

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.

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

tolerable but didn't really like it 2/5

Meh

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.

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.

Eh

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

Found the album boring at times, was grand.

Yeah, no

i don't understand it

I enjoyed myself

No more Specials, please.

not for me

A minha felicidade por aparecer um disco de SKA foi reduzindo progressivamente com ele tocando. Foi uma experiência monótona.

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 get why the specials debut should be on the list, given that is I don’t think this needs to be.

eh not that special...

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

Before today, I only knew their first album, which is a straightforward—if frenetic—ska album. I was not prepared for all the weird places this one went. Some of the songs were truly unclassifiable, which is noteworthy, if not particularly rewarding. I'm not quite sure it all held together, though I applaud the effort.

Love the vibe, hate the album

This british ska stuff just isn't for me really. It seems to take the least interesting parts of reggae

Not sure if this was The Specials best work.

Le temps paraît si long

less is more je pense

It was fun at first, but then quickly turned to repetitive and annoying. Not impressed. 2/5

Only really knew the big hits, not a lot on here that I’m familiar with.

Two Specials albums on here is more than enough. Been on quite a bummer run recently. 1.5/5

Pretty ska-y

S’ok.

Reggae-rock, bliver lidt for nemt

Not that special after all. Some generic ska with some questionable lyrics and vocals

This is very much like the last Specials album. Very consistent. A bouncy beat that fades into the background a bit. I'm just not a ska guy.

I've never been much of a fan of their second album, compared to their first.

70s ska/reggae that just doesn't land like it should.

Almost fun, I was enjoying the eclectic nature of the music, but by the end the album gets pretty terrible. This is the second Specials album I've had. They should have quit at one album. Also this album should have stopped around song 8 at the most. I'm getting increasingly frustrated with the list. I have been served some amazing music that I never would have heard otherwise. Some I have really liked some not so much, all of which I'm glad to have heard. But then spots are wasted on second (or sometimes third!) albums like this. Sure, if you are David Bowie. But these guys aren't David Bowie.

Está raro y no es un raro muy agradable. Me gusta que sea único a su modo, pero lo es de una manera muy especifica. Le hace honor a su nombre, eso sí

Weird album. I couldn’t tell if it was a reggae album or Brit pop. Some sounds reminded my wife of Squeeze, but that band is much better. Didn’t really enjoy this one!

Best Song: Enjoy Yourself. If for nothing else, it at least seems like the artists are taking their own advice and really enjoying themselves. Worst Song: Stereotype. The soft singing really puts his weak voice center-stage. Overall: I'm happy for them, but goddamnit I just find this music annoying. Why not listen to reggae? Everything is just so nasal and dorky.

I laughed when I saw the title. “More Specials.” Our group in particular didn’t love “Specials,” so now we’re treated to “More.” This will be fun. For their first album... I think I gave it a higher rating than it deserved, just because this type of skinhead punk/ska was new to me, and “A Message To You Rudy” is undeniable. A fun record. It doesn't have a lot of the *crunch* of reggae records. Nor the really insane pockets that those players have, the ones that make your whole body bounce. It's more clean. Nothing wrong with this. I mean, this kind of cross-pond ska and reggae was so pervasive when I was younger, I get the reason they're inspired. I certainly didn't mind this record, and the parts about it that are funny, strange, campy are things that I also like. I also like the library records, the really strange and creative ska and dub records of this period that these guys are clearly inspired by. If this came out today, it'd actually be pretty prestigious... this kind of thing is championed by some big producers today. It would also probably lean into its influences more, sonically. They'd get the bass tone dead on, they'd have more pocket to their rhythms. But it's also a little... boring? The music is very full and generic for a listener today, or anyone familiar with ska or reggae, and it kind of just rolls of you. It's not surprising. A lot of more generic instrumental tracks. Also the drop off in energy for the 7-minute "Stereotype" track is real. That track just goes on... forever! I have questions. That's what my two's are for. 2/5

Listen, I'm never going to be into ska. It's just not going to happen. The Specials on this album, in particular, embody just about everything that I dislike about the genre. It's silly at best and vapid at worst. There's very little substance here. It's mostly just goofy horns and gang vocals and it gets annoying really fast.

Ik ben geen fan van koperen blazers, dus ska is een lastig genre voor me. De zang is bij sommige nummers aardig lelijk en vaak zit er ook nog teveel reverb op, wat het nóg lelijker maakt. Her en der is het best catchy. "Pearl's Cafe" vind ik bijvoorbeeld best leuk, tot huismerk Astrud Gilberto op 1:28 te fanatiek mee gaat doen. Later op het album krijg ik nog meer Astrud flashbacks bij het nummer waarvan de titel dan ook perfect gekozen is: "I can't stand it". 'International Jet Set' was m'n favoriete track; een soort lichte koortsdroom met een soundtrack van The Strokes. Dit album doet z'n best om 1 ster te krijgen maar daarvoor gebeuren er toch nog teveel leuke dingen.

The first Specials album was fine. We really don't need another one on the list.

This was going pretty well until they decided to stop in the middle and poorly appropriate a bunch of cultural music they couldn’t/shouldn’t have executed.

Ska 🤨

A bit to annoying for me. All over the place

Timely

Beyond the attempts they made, there wasn’t anything special about this group but when you claim to have 1001 albums I guess there are always going to be duds

I don't know man, I think this one had more variety to it than the previous Specials album (hence the name "More Specials" I guess?), but I didn't get much out of it, and ultimately may have liked it less. Any time we get multiple albums from a band that I'm certain we'd be fine getting just one album from, they turn out to be British. Favorite tracks: Do Nothing, Stereotype. Album Art: Band photo I presume? Just a group of guys, maybe a girl in there too? I don't even know if I'm looking at the band here. This seems like one of those greatest hits platinum collection type of covers. 2.5/5

Goofy in an annoying way. Their first album with Elvis Costello behind the boards is alright, but this is just unfocused mania. I can see how this influenced bands like Blur, but Blur used much more discretion in the way they incorporated this type of playfulness. Sounds like a band in the midst of an identity crisis.

It's okay. I don't love this style of music personally.

2.5/5

Not that special.

I don't get this. It is bad. There are some parts where it's actually decent, but then I feel like the Artists intentionally make it bad. The instrumentals are fine, but with the lyrics on top of them, it becomes bad.

Nothing about this album sticks out to me.

Songs that sound almost like novelty tracks. A peculiar mix of party music, social commentary and comedy, The Specials were certainly talented but all ideas made it to this album and not all are great. An album to endure rather than enjoy.

Nothing special

Not for me at all sorry I'm tired of it and there's still 3 tracks left. Almost gave it a 1 but there was still stuff I liked. Album cover: 3/5 another group photo but I like it again so

I have a hard time trying to objectively understand the value of ska as a music style – or at least this variety of ska. Descriptions that popped into my head as I listened to this album: too upbeat, unusual hints of Caribbean music, happy vomit, jamming that someone recorded.

This is Ska and I’m not a fan. I’ve heard worse but this just not really my kind of music.

Les Specials nous offrent une progression fulgurante par rapport à leur premier album: ces enormes connards passent en effet de 1 à 2/5

I was a bit disappointed with this album, not the polished ska sound I was expecting. It's very evocative of singalongs in a pub in the early 80s (at least I would imagine so, I was only in my infant years at the time) - see "it's all a load of bollocks!" for example.

Eh. Kinda tired of inoffensive British shit making the list.

I saw this was labeled as "Ska" but didn't feel that way to me. The second to last track (International Jet Set) was the only one I sort of got into. Caity listened to some of this one with me and commented "Do we have to listen to the whole album?"

It was Specials! For real, it wasn't terrible just not something I would reach for or revisit.

british reggae

I honestly feel like a broken record. While this was not nearly as bad as the album from yesterday. It is not something i would listen to willingly. It does not get 1 star from me for two reasons. There was a track in there rather catchy unfortunately not catchy enough for me to remember the name but it was towards the top. And all of the album was tolerable to some degree or other. But it's definitely not my cup of tea

I was enjoying this and its use of an early ska sound with the brass and then I started getting annoyed with the album at Stereotype Pt 2.

I like the Specials but this didn't need to be on this list.

Ok ok

Toka levy Specialsia mulle ja pakko sanoa etten vieläkään ehkä tajua skata. 2/5 ei ees kovin hype-hyvän olo-levy

It was okay, not really for me I think.

Back in my day Ska was upbeat and in your face. That's a weird comment considering that this incarnation predates the Ska of my youth. Anyway. It's fine. I don't dislike it. But I don't like. It had an okay sense of humor.

Interesting because the influences seem to span multiple decades. But also it's still very ska and I couldn't get into it.

Litt tjo hei-stil. Kanskje mer passende for dansefot enn for arbeidsdag

Prometía mucho este disco y la segunda parte está medio rara, lenta. Se agradece no tener el sonsonete del ska todo el tiempo pero no me parece un gran resultado. 2.5 que dejo en 2.

Početak holiday fortnight može biti početak neke Mišine pjesme

ovaj ska, 2 tone miks bilo kakvi sa ska, a i dub mi većinom ne sjedaju toliko, jednostavno mi taj žanr nije previše drag. dosadan je, a ne zvuči tako. uglavnom ovaj album nije loš, neb bio ovdje da je, ali jednostavno nije moje područje gdje bi ja uživao uz njeg.

Intéressant comme mix de genres, un peu reggae, un peu doowop/rockabilly, un peu comptine J'ai pas détesté mais j'ai pas trippé non plus, Les premières tounes sont chouettes mais ça se gâte plus loin dans l'album C'est weird repiquer la ligne de brass de Goldfinger et de crier des noms de films de james bond... La chanteuse invitée est fausse que le calvâsse Bien aimé les petits beatmachines d'orgue Bref, pas inintéressant mais pas malade non plus

J’ai eu peur quand la première toune est partie. Je me suis dit « ok, the Specials, c’est le diminutif de enfant spécial ». Mais bon, ça s’est placé après. Il y a du bon et du mauvais. J’ai bien aimé International Jet Set. Des fois c’est faux, des fois c’est croche (je ne parle pas du Feel Ska ici). Dans l’ensemble, c’est un beau party de monde qui ne se prennent pas au sérieux.

I like the Specials, but this gets on my nerves not even half-way through. In doses, the Specials are great, an entire album will drive you to hate them.

I've never understand why ska music is so popular. I can't take more than 5 minutes at once, or I became violent. The song "Do Nothing" was nice, at least. "Stereotype" has something special, but was way too long.

J'avais jamais entendu parler. C'est pas mauvais mais jsp quand que jvais réécouter ça

Not that interesting, probably wouldn't listen again.

Not a whole lot to say about this one. It is pretty weird and all over the place, and while I did not hate it at all, it is not something I would necessarily want to come back to. You can tell the band was inspired by 50s/60s pop music while incorporating some unique reggae/post-punk elements. The vocalist and musical style kind of reminded me of Dexy's Midnight Runners, but I am not too familiar with their work. Overall, there were some catchy moments and fun ideas here, but it was a bit too strange for me. 2.5/5.

meh

Pretty good. I'd enjoy hearing more of it. 2/5

I love the Specials self titled debut. It's a great album. This album is not. The songs sound as much like novelty songs as serious music. Maybe it would I.prove with further listens however nothing in this initial listen is sufficiently interesting to warrant a deeper dive.....accept Stereotype/Stereotype Pt. 2. Can't give it more than 2.5 stars