Reviews (page 7 of 8)
This was lots of fun. I went in expecting not to love it, but I related to the band's sense of of humor and sensibilities and will certainly seek out more. It's almost like they had no blueprint, like they're the first band ever, as their ideas of what a song is and how to write lyrics and what's supposed to happen next seems very much their own. Special indeed.
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.
I am loving the 80s albums we are being fed recently. Living through that decade I lamented not being around for the music being produced two decades prior. This 1001 endeavor has revealed I was right there in the middle of some great music. Ska was a genre that intimidated me. Felt so British and like something I wasn't cool enough to get into. (Damn you stupid adolescent internal voices!) I enjoyed this album a lot and recognized so many of the songs. Adolescent voice be damned...now I am cool enough for ska!
3+/5
Hard to get mad at a band with this many ideas and such a fun-loving, easy-going energy. I enjoyed this album more than the last Specials album we had on the list, mostly because this one is a little more musically restless. Still not my taste but I appreciate its playfulness.
One of those instances where I really judged the album by the album cover and was surprised when the music started. I was expecting some "Friends Theme Song" type music and not this British blues rock. Oh ok that's not their whole sound. Cool! The second song really pulls you into a different direction. I dig it. The album is pretty solid. I don't know if it's one that will stick with me too much but I like their overall sound. The reggae rhythms are fun and this was a joy to listen to.
Geinige muziek. Beetje vreemd maar wel lekker.
Ik had vooroordelen over dit genre, en ik heb ze nog steeds, maar dit was wel geinig. Zou nog steeds liever London Calling luisteren.
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
Sure! Fun. Not really my thing. Cool, repetitive, kinda ska, kinda reggae. Skeggae. Okay. Good times.
I’ll file this under “head scratcher”. I’m left wondering if it’s intentionally bad and that’s why it’s considered great art? 1/5
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.
Fun! At first…then I lost concentration. Try again tomorrow! Edit: same as previous day, starts well but quickly loses my interest.
Two Specials albums on here is more than enough. Been on quite a bummer run recently. 1.5/5
Was not expecting a James Bond song
I liked this more than the first one by them; a little more Reggae, a little more variety of sound in general
I enjoyed this, especially the James Bond song. That was fun.
I ALREADY RATED THIS YOU IDIOTS
stupendous, 5 stars.
Still wonderful.
Mixed bag, great and weird
Pretty ska-y
Je sais pas si c’est dût à la canicule ou la déshydratation, mais ça sonnait mieux que c’était supposé
It is the same style as the previous Specials album, can get a bit repetitive, but the songs are inventive, strong storytelling in a simple format, keeps you engaged. I quite like the opener Enjoy Yourself - good message. Not an every day album, but in the right setting I'll come back to it.
I liked reading other people’s reviews so I will try to start leaving one. But I feel bad because I haven’t liked a lot of them lol. This one included
I can't say I was expecting another album by The Specials. Wasn't bad, I can dig it. Not as good as the first one, but had lots of catchy tunes. 3/5
S’ok.
This is decent ska - mostly fun.
Reggae-rock, bliver lidt for nemt
LP (revendu)
pretty great but you gotta be in the mood for it
Very good
забавные)
Cool
I wasn't quite sure about this at first, but as I kept listening, it got more and more fun. There are so many ingredients in this recipe! Ska-punk-mariachi-lounge organ-music hall with themes of nuclear war, James Bond films, emotional alienation, and maybe plane crashes?
I found the music kind of quirky, so I really wanted to love it, but at times it also irritated me a little, so I couldn’t fall in love. I’ll guess I’ll settle for like.
On paper, this seemed like the kind of thing I wouldn't like at all but I took their advice from the first track and enjoyed myself throughout. Some impressive horns and saxophone and rockabilly guitar here and there highlight a fun variety of styles. It made me happy.
Wow… this is quite a thing… I certainly consider this something to listen to before I die thanks to its crazy sort of loungey-Muzak-ska mishmash. I’m not sure if there is a lack of coherence here or if I haven’t listened to this enough to figure it out, but eclectic and unusual suits me just fine! I’m glad to see some lounge-oriented music on this list. Bravo!
I'm usually pretty hit or miss on early ska albums. I like this one a lot better than the last album I got on this list, which was their debut album. The production is much better on this album, and I think it benefits a lot from the diverse set of rock influences that helped inspire its creation. 4/5
Not that special after all. Some generic ska with some questionable lyrics and vocals
Gee this is a fun album. Enjoy yourself!
Those first two albums = 🔥
There’s a lot of unique and sometimes trippy stuff here, though unfortunately it goes too far into ska territory sometimes.
It’s like the Beatles went to the beach lol
Well that was interesting. I don't think it was very good but it was certainly different. 2.5/5
Certainly not as catchy as their debut, but interesting still
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 don't think I'll ever dislike this sound. Strange, the buoyant, often playful music contrasts with a sensation of lassitude permeating the lyrical mood. I like the willingness to play with a broader soundscape too. Interesting record.
Hey I liked this one much more than the other one for whatever reasons! Actually, I think I do know: it was the James Bond song. If you can pull off something as hokey is that then you deserve at least another star from my star bag. Enjoyed "Hey Little Rich Girl" and a few others, too. Let's go skank that pickle! (That's something ska people say, right? I feel like I've read that somewhere.)
Seems like they had a real tough time deciding what kind of band they wanted to be on any given song.
I've never been much of a fan of their second album, compared to their first.
Ho hum
Love the Specials. Very sad when Terry hall died last year, massive talent. Didn't know this album, but knew a few tracks. Looks like I missed a few classics. Only complaint is that it was too short. Great lyrics and sounds, added to collection.
For me, this lacks the energy, anger and punch of The Specials.. I'd probably not have gone quite as pop-ward with it, but it is still a hoot.
Ok.
Liked this way better than the debut.
i dig
Not as good as their debut, but I can appreciate the desire to expand their sound.
70s ska/reggae that just doesn't land like it should.
Very fun album, clicked with me almost instantly. While not as captivating as their debut record, still a very enjoyable record. Favorite lyrics: - I walk along this same old lonely street. Still trying to find, find a reason. - She tried to keep her looks but lost her mind when she lost her youth and grace. Key tracks: - Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) - Man At C&A - Hey Little Rich Girl - Do Nothing - Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2 - International Jet Set 7 out of 10
As a fan of punk, ska, and all of that, I'm a fan of the specials too, but boy is this tone a slog to get through in one sitting.
The only thing I like about the amount of times ska has been revived is that it has died so many times as well
Genres: Ska, 2 Tone, post-punk, lounge, avant-pop, northern soul Formed: Coventry in 1977 Run time: 11 songs, 42 min 33 sec It’s an eclectic mix of tracks and styles, but you can tell it’s the Specials you are listening to. The social commentary that the Specials have become renowned for is present in songs such as “Hey Little Rich Girl”, Pearl’s Café” and Stereotype. I enjoyed the album, but I probably will not the play the album again. I will be listening to the best of… A great “2 Tone” album. Only half the tracks on this album have over 1M plays on Spotify. My Rating: ***
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.
Can't say I "enjoyed myself". Kinda bland with no real direction (reggae-ish attempt tempo-wise??)
More special (as in worse than just special)
Had a really hard time getting through the album. I felt the recording quality was poor and the music was just not my taste.
"International Jet Set" was, at the very least, an interesting listen. "Enjoy Yourself", along with its reprise, are like the song "It's a Small World After All": songs that will drive one to insanity if played on a loop. This album could go on the list of albums that I could have gone a lifetime without hearing. Ladies and gentlemen: The Mundanes!
I don’t know what it is about ska, but I’ve always liked it This album was a fun listen, even though a few of the songs have heavy lyrics But like the first song says ‘ENJOY YOURSELF..IT’S LATER THEN YOU TINK’
Amazing talents. Such incredible grooves, I will listen to this album on repeat
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
Ska is just not for me. I tried
Fun album
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 was not excited to listen to more specials after listening to the specials by the specials earlier this year, and while there was still not much special about this album, It was significantly more digestible than the other.
I 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
I really liked the first 3/4’s of this then someone let the air out of the baloon. Worthy of a 3/5
Different from anything I've ever heard. Really interesting approach but it works. It all sounds like something that could be in an animated movie soundtrack, in a good way. Fave track(s): Man at C&A, I Can't Stand It
It isnt my style but i enjoyed some songs of the album
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.
Groovey ska band
I put up with the first Specials album (gave it 3 stars, when I probably should have given it 2). I'm currently four songs into this album, and I hate it. And it never got better. Pearl's Cafe is a war crime.
Love it.
Pretty good ska sound. Ahead of its time
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 album had mixed reviews, and I had never heard their music previously, but once I listened I thought it wasn't too bad.
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.
Not a bad listen, I have been known to listen to some ska and the songs have an accessible soul sound. A bit blah at times, not as solid and consistent as their debut album, so overall nothing special here.
I forgot about how popular they were in the 80s and 90s. But listening to an entire album is work. I give them 3 stars because they belong in the pantheon of good music and influenced the ska movement.
When I hear \"ska\" I kind of roll my eyes but I think that's the unfortunate effect of bands like the Cherry Poppin Daddies. This shit is good. Like really good.
Ja geinig! Deed mij een beetje denken aan Doe maar
Ben erg fan van ska omdat het altijd lekker luchtig en grappig is en er een beetje gekloot wordt. Vond deze dan wat minder maar dat komt ook omdat ik eigenlijk alleen heel veel naar madness heb geluisterd en dat mijn ska-referentiepunt geworden is blijkbaar. Hopelijk komt er later misschien wat beters
Had hier heel veel zin in en hoopte dat het ska album beetje meer zoals Madness zou klinken maar dat viel toch een beetje tegen. Vooralsnog prima album met sommige nummers die ik wel vaker zou willen luisteren!
Ska 🤨
A really fun and surprisingly political ska album. Would love to check out some of the band's other works now. 4/5. Favorite Track: Holiday Fortnight
Only knew the specials from their singles before but this whole album is excellent. Really enjoyable and fantastic energy to every song (but especially Enjoy Yourself and Sock It To Em JB)
A little bit of Ska goes a long way with me. I like the Specials, but more as a source of variety on a compilation playlist than at album length. No real fault on this it's just not my genre.
Was fine , 3 stars
Not really my thing but I did enjoy it
A bit to annoying for me. All over the place
It’s really cool to see the band blend different genres into their music. Not only genres, at times it feels like they also incorporate music from different eras such as the 60’s. Really interesting. However, moments like the harmonies for “I Can’t Stand It” leave a bad feeling in the mouth for me.
Timely
RIP Terry Hall.
Ass
perfect album to wiggle to fav tracks pearls cafe international jet set hey little rich girl
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
super dumb christmas reggae ska or something like that? seriously, it goes full on xmassy at times. yucko.
good funk
This popped up for me around the time Terry Hall died so it seemed somehow wrong to review and rate it. But it's great, obviously, with Do Nothing the best song.
cool
Easy and enjoyable listen.
Good
Disappointing. In my memory was much better (-:
ah yeah. good stuff. Not as good as The Clash!
A good example of eclectic influences and differing goals of band members combining to make something unique. It would be a stretch to say I enjoyed it, however - I'm a little averse to ska.
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.
I kinda like some Ska/Two Tone but this wasn't it. It's fine but nothing interesting to me.
Very fun ska album
It's okay. I don't love this style of music personally.
This one was a hidden gem for me. Lots of interest in the variety of songs.
genre defining album
2.5/5
Not that special.
There are quite a few words one could accurately use to describe this album. The last one I'd use is special.
Bouncy ska fun. Turns out I only know two Specials songs, and neither is in this album. But it’s still a good listen.
Great album, not quite like the debut, but close
Didn't hate it but its a one and done.
Wonderful record.
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.
Fun 80s ska
This was interesting. Not unpleasant to listen to. A little bit of reggae, some funk, and some I don't know what. Had no idea this group even existed (unlike 38 Special, which I was all about in the late 80s!)
Somebody wants me to be happy! Somebody wants me to dance! And probably get high but no worries, Specials, your brand of upbeat island partytime fun is the only foreign substance I need!
I liked it. I don't like ska generally, but this album was fun
Ska
Nothing about this album sticks out to me.
Almost a 4 star. There is an island vibe to this band and I really enjoy it but not enough good songs.
I love this album, The Specials and ska in general. I don't think it is as good as their first album which is hard to beat.
Surprised by how much I enjoyed this as I don't usually seek out ska or similar. Very interesting album that feels like it changes with every song. I'll deffo give this another listen! Saved tracks: Man at C&A, Stereotype/Stereotype, Pt.2, Holiday Fortnight, I Can't Stand It, International Jet Set
So, a fan of The Specials but really all I know is the debut and the big songs. Therefore all I really know from this is the wonderfully raucous Enjoy Yourself. The Specials are never bad, but the second half here is... unexpected. Yelling James Bond films. Moving into some sort of Western that devolves into dub? Very different, an interesting listen, not sure I'd choose to put it on that often though.
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.
T3B 1. Stereotype / Stereotype, Pt. 2 2. Man at C&A 3. Enjoy Yourself (It’s Later Than You Think) Really enjoyed this listen. Surprising 3.
Not my style
C'est chelou mais c'est pas mal :)
Ska. Me ha gustado. Un 4.
Nothing special
I missed this group in the late 70s-early 80s. If their music made it to Canada, I was asleep. Love Hey, Little Rich Girl. No doubt, the band has influenced other groups.
no
favourite song: man at c&a least favourite song: pearl's cafe honourable mention to hey little rich girl. pretty good album but quite a few songs feel like filler
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.
Interesting Album....I can't say that I loved it....but I had no idea that Reggae was introduced into rock before the Police perfected it....
No thank you
This is Ska and I’m not a fan. I’ve heard worse but this just not really my kind of music.
Encore moins spécial que leur précédent album.
Les Specials nous offrent une progression fulgurante par rapport à leur premier album: ces enormes connards passent en effet de 1 à 2/5
Top Album
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.
I appreciate what they did for ska, but most of this album is forgettable. Worth a listen for the impact it had, not necessarily its contents.
Eh. Kinda tired of inoffensive British shit making the list.
curto o som deles
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?"
Das beste, was man aus sich machen kann, wenn man als Ska-Band gestartet ist. Ich muss, für mich überraschend, drei Sterne geben, wenn auch seeehr schlechte. Unglaublich.
Good without being great
Тухлая пляжная вечеринка
не смогла полностью послушать и не очень хочется уже возвращаться - что-то не мое (но трек про ядерную войну в итоге зашел)
I really liked this. The cover of 'Enjoy Yourself' is a great version of a classic happysad song (the same sentiment as 'Do You Realize??'). It sets the tone of the album, which is eclectic in style and theme, but always fun and bouncy regardless of the seriousness of the lyric. Rating: 3.5/5 Playlist track: Enjoy Yourself (It's Later Than You Think) Date listened: 17/08/22
It was Specials! For real, it wasn't terrible just not something I would reach for or revisit.
british reggae
Much better than I was expecting. I am not super familiar with the 2 Tone ska revival from the 1970s and have kind of been dismissive of ska in general, but this is a lot more eclectic and enjoyable than I was expecting. Will check out more from The Specials.
Reminds me of shitty Christmas songs
Very whimsical and somewhat catchy. I listened to this early in the morning and I barely remember much about it by when I’m writing this at 11pm except that I liked the jet set song
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
Sometimes fun and sometimes weird in a way that doesn't make me want to hear more. They're at their best when they're imitating somebody else. Best track: Holiday Fortnight
The music is fine but the vocals are AWFUL and the mixing seemed to be done by an amateur. Half the songs sounded "muddy", the music overwhelmed the vocals (which may have been a blessing) and the other half the vocals and the music didn't blend together and sounded like a bad demo tape. Also the female voice that did "harmony" on some of the tracks was just horrendous.
This was a pretty fun listen. It was pretty flat all around when compared to later Ska music. Sounded like something you'd hear in a lobby or grocery store. Not something I'll come back to but enjoyable enough. 3 stars.
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.
Can't put my finger on why I liked this... good beats, lyrical music, a little reggae and ska, perhaps that's what it's tapping into? When I started this 2 disc album, I resolved to only listen to 1, but ended up doing it all! (2nd disc brought it from 4 to 3).
7/10. I liked that all the songs sounded different, but they were definitely better at some styles of music than others.
Better than their first album? 5/10
A ska revival with a pinch of punk rock. Catchy lines. (6/10) FT: Enjoy Yourself, Stereotype / Stereotype Pt.2
It’s no self titled Specials but it’s fun
I am now convinced that pasty British people *can* make Ska music, but I am now yet convinced that they *should be allowed to*
This is a solid meh for me. Glad I listened for a track or two, but not in love with the whole album or anything. One of the biggest signs this was "meh" is that I listened to it and liked a couple of tracks earlier but had no memory of doing so. Fave track: Sock it to 'Em, JB kicked ass.
I like the Specials but this didn't need to be on this list.
Ok ok
Hmm ihan jees, 3/5
Toka levy Specialsia mulle ja pakko sanoa etten vieläkään ehkä tajua skata. 2/5 ei ees kovin hype-hyvän olo-levy
This is the band that did ghost town right ( love that song)… The album starts with enjoy yourself ( it’s later than you think) a nice ska track with some interesting breaks in between that act as the songs verses yeah it’s decent. < I’am from the uk so I don’t need to bother with rat race> Man at c&a is a slower track showing the contrasts in their sound from the start it takes a good minute to get to the core of the song but the spoken bits are cool too to be honest. Then is hey little rich girl it’s an alright song but the songs main strength is in it’s chorus with the use of the “ jazzier” instruments. Do nothing is probably the song here that’s the best representation of the ska genre containing the slow, mellow pacing that is typically associated with Jamaica and the calmness I would associate with it. Pearl’s cafe is a bit more filler bringing in some energy that I kinda wanted with this album but it still just feels like a way to give the album a few extra minutes. But the backing vocals are funny. Ending side one is sock it to Em J.B. It’s fun enough but just feels similar to the second song. Starting side two is the 7 minute long Stereotype/ stereotype part 2 part 1 is a brilliant slow track, it does feel off in it’s positioning as it has very little energy but it’s still good. The second part of the song isn’t as good just a slower version of the last and second songs acting as an extended outro to the song. Holiday fortnight is just a happy little instrumental not good but not bad whatsoever. The drums on I can’t stand it feel too artificial for the specials But aside from that I love this songs chorus and the female backing singer is also a highlight to the track probably my favourite on this thing! Now the penultimate track international jet set it’s alright it’s really just a gloomier version of what we’ve herd before and ska as a whole. The album ends with a slower reprise of the first song it’s only short but really fitting for a closer. I mean I enjoyed it there were a few dull moments but none of it was unlistenable it’s a high 3.
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.
3/5
Litt tjo hei-stil. Kanskje mer passende for dansefot enn for arbeidsdag
Fun sound as is usual for ska, but it just lacks any greatness or mass appeal.
Pretty much like any other Ska album out there: entertaining and lightening the mood for 15-20 minutes, after that it becomes a bit too much
Rating: 7/10 Best songs: Stereotype
Good solid Ska fun, definitely not all a load of bollocks. Won’t change your life, but will make you smile, which, come to think of it, can change your life, I suppose. “International Jet Set” is well remembered old fave. 3.3 for 3.
Why has it taken me over 40 years to hear this gem? About half of the 21st century's music is influenced by this album. It's of its time, yet harkens strongly to the future. I thought Ghost Town was an outlier, but you can hear them building up to it. It's taken me nearly 50 years to realise what I need in an album - variety, but with an overarching connection. So many albums become boring, I'm thinking of famous ones like Exile On Main Street, and almost every electronic album. Then we have some that vary too much - psychedelic music springs to mind. This is why classic bands like Queen, Beatles, Led Zep, were able to release so many great albums: they instantly sound recognisable, but provide a dish of varied ingredients. Dammers nearly went too far - International Jet Set, but this is a great, skilful, sometimes funny, almost apocalyptic joy.
This was a particularly bad album. The songs were pretty bizarre and it felt that they were unpolished. All this makes sense when I read they were an early ska style band. Ingenuitive to some they may be but to me this was pretty tough to get through. 3.3/10
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.
En la universidad tuve mis tres semanas de querer oír mucho ska “del viejito” y fue que descubrí a The Specials, pero con las descargas de torrents tenía canciones sueltas de varios discos y ya nunca me aventé a buscarlo completo y oírlo, así que está fue buena experiencia. Creo que lo ma más destaca es que no suena monótono. Incluso en la versión extendida que trae casi el doble de rolas, la variación entre ellas es tanta, que nunca suenan dos igualitas al hilo. Y mira que eso es muy difícil lograr con las limitaciones del ska. Quizá parecerá mucho la cuarta estrella pero en verdad disfruté el disco y hasta se queda en mi colección.
That was an unexpected joy to listen to. It had nice hints of 80s weirdness + proto-ska
03/30/2022 Nope. Absolutely not for me, and a struggle to even finish.
3 1/2
"More Specials" is a cool 2 tone album, fusing ska with post-punk in a very unique way. Basically an expansion on their previous record, it exceeds their debut effort by including collaborations with names from other 2 tone bands like Bodysnatchers and Madness, and the new wave from The Go-Go's. With even more political lyrics, thi record has classics like "Enjoy Yourself", "Hey, Little Rich Girl" and "Do Nothing".
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.
Pa definitivno su nešt specijalno, sam ne meni previše jbg.
6/10, an especially weak first half gives way to an experimental and really fun second half that completely saves the album. The conventional ska of the first half is rather milquetoast, and led me to rolling my eyes repeatedly, but the dynamism that Jerry Dammers brought from “Sock It to ‘em J.B.” And on shows the energy and experimentation saved for the later tracks
surprisingly good genre bending new wave-ish. Like if Talking Heads were a ska band that also enjoyed doing spots for kids television
This is alright--not exactly my type of music, but I like it. Of course this is the Message to You Rudy band: exactly what I might have expected of them.
An interesting blend of many styles. Early ska, experimental, psych. Not exactly my thing, but an interesting album, nonetheless.
Pretty fun album. Dig the grooves. A little Monty Python-y at times. But generally good shit.
Not 1 star bad but it's maybe a 1.5 for me so will lean on the generous side. Didn't click much at all.
Honestly, not the strongest Specials album, but my love for the band in general got this a generous 3. Enjoy yourself! It's later than you think!
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.
Ça part fort. On est tout de suite dans la fête. Le Groove de Man at C&A est contagieux. On a un bon enchaînement avec les 4 premières chansons. Par contre, la voix sur Pearl's Cafe est moins intéressante, mais la chanson n'est pas si mauvaise. J'aime la guitare sur la grosse distorsion en background. La face A se termine avec Sock It to 'Em J.B où j'aime particulièrement le son du drum. L'expérience jusqu'à maintenant est vraiment agréable. La face B est un peu plus exigeante, mais pas nécessairement mauvaise. J'aime bien le petit beat d'orgue sur Stereotype mais la pièce devient redondante. Je n'ai rien contre les pièces longues, mais faut qu'il y ait une certaine construction intéressante. Holiday Fortnight est la pièce que j'aime le moins. I Can't Stand it serait bien sans les voix. J'aime la basse sur International Jet Set. Peut-être la plus expérimentale du disque. Bref, un album inégale dans un tout, mais je vais sûrement y revenir. J'aime beaucoup le style du groupe.
This was fun. It dropped off in the second half, but I enjoyed it.
Fun, thoughtful, funny, enjoyable. "Enjoy Yourself" stands out as the boppy track with frankly depressing existental lyrics. But still boppy.
The hint of ska at in the first 30 seconds made me want to immediately hate the entire thing but I couldn't bring myself to keep it up. Very sonically pleasing.
Pretty fun listen - might have to go back again.
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.
Such a fun and varied album. It loses a bit of steam in the last half but there's no real bad moments here.
It's an okay album, but I probably won't listen to it ever again.
"guys you are pretty normal, you might wanna change your band name"
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.
Had some reggae vibes at times. Mostly pretty okay
This was a favourite of my teenage years, as were all Specials albums. And I still love them
Not bad, pretty catchy
Really enjoyed having the Specials come up (again) - such unique sound, commentary of the era and taking in their unique musical talent. Very specials.
Cool ska
J'avais jamais entendu parler. C'est pas mauvais mais jsp quand que jvais réécouter ça
It's a good album, by a great band, but I don't see how this is above or beyond their first album, which is already on the list. While I won't complain about listening to The Specials, I think this spot on the list would be better filled by something new. PS: Anyone else mistake 'International Jet Set' for a Gorillaz track?
I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. Good early ska sound. Maybe I’m a Specials fan?
This wasnt that special
God, The Specials are great! I only heard their debut in full for the first time last year but was blown away. I don't think this quite lives up to its heights, but the opening song kicks things off with so much energy, and the wider range of instrumentation with some more ambitious songwriting (Stereotype, namely) is a really nice contrast to the more direct debut. Also the song where they just list off a load of James Bond titles was bizarre but a lot of fun
The Specials are surely one of the best ska bands to grace the planet. That being said this is a very good album. Not 5 stars but if you like ska you will almost certainly like this.
could see it in a weird horror movie, but not my everyday listening vibe
Couldn’t finish, really bad. Ska mix of horror music.
Enjoyable album but not a genre I’m very familiar with.
Not that interesting, probably wouldn't listen again.
Pretty good. Difficult to make ska music which ages well in my opinion, this album is probably as good as it gets.
This album was a lot of fun.
This would have been a disappointment to the fans who liked the punky ska sound of the first LP. While that LP would have been thrown on at parties, some of the songs here sound loungy, even eerie at times. I guess they were shifting toward the darker AKA sounds of Ghost Town or The Boiler. That said, the sound here is original, there are some solid tracks, I like the horn section and collaborations with the female vocalists of the day.
This was a big departure from their debut ska album which I really like. Their debut had some killas like Rudy, Ghost Town and Gangsters and it really put them on the map along with the other big Brit ska band Madness. This album has a few fun songs though, and I think I'd like Enjoy Yourself to be played at my funeral (with a marching brass band N'awlins style). But I'm getting ahead of myself. Unfortunately there are a few duds on this album also so it only gets a 2.5, but I'll round up since I've been pretty miserly lately.
4.5/5. Shit had variety and energy, I like
Much more down beat than the first album, and not a patch, partly because of this.
Didn't enjoy. The music superficial; out of step with the lyrics (social change)
It’s fun. Not their best though. The first song felt like a bunch of musicians in the same room but all playing different songs. It hit better by the end. But it’s not a very cohesive album overall.
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
Offbeat. In the proper frame of mind a 3.5 star gig
Ska is always a bit iffy for me. It gets real hard to break free from that style. Fishbone was able to break free from it in the 90s, but that seems to be an exception. This album reminded me a lot of that problem: the guitar playing on the offbeat, which I wind up focusing on WAY too much. A lot of political statements as well. So what do we have here? I mean, the music itself is pretty good, I tended to get into the music more as the album progressed. But near the end I just started to lose interest. I mean, it was okay and I liked the instrumentation. But I guess I was hoping for more than I got.
Ska meets punk? Skunk? It was alright but not my cup of tea. Some cheeky lyrics and actually some really good lyrics (Stereotypes) if you can get past how repetitive they sound in certain songs (Enjoy Yourself, Sock it to 'Em JB...goofy). Probably not going to listen again.
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
a good fun ska album. heard of them before, but either forgot or never knew they were ska.
I didn't enjoy it then and I didn't think I'd enjoy it now. But actually it's not terrible.
Fínasta ska, skemmtilegt.
I like ska, but this isn't my jam. It's basically reggae modified to be watered-down. Pass.
Belinda Carlisle on a Specials album. Huh.
Not a lot to add for this one. Enjoyed the first two tracks but that’s all…
This is pretty garbage. Worst song is the aptly named "I Can't Stand It".
Sounds like a circus. Didn't really like it.
Classic
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.
Didn't like it.
First song I thought was very meh, but the more I listened, the more enjoyable it became
Wat ska is altijd leuk. Maar net als bij hun debuut zijn hier ook een paar nummer die ik minder interessant vind
Thought I would enjoy this. But all the tunes seem to be on their other albums.
ну чот какой-то посредственный ска, может повлияло то, что белых много в коллективе ...хотя я не шарю...но чего-то не хватает в нём
I don't know if The Specials had as much to say on this album as they did on their debut. But it opens with one of my favourite songs about death - Enjoy Yourself so that's a start. Man in C&A is a much dubbier song than anything they did before, and Hey, Little Rich Girl feels like a much poppier update to Too Much, Too Young (nowhere near as good, but TMTY is near perfect). Do Nothing is class. Where the first album was urgent, this feels much more resigned. The play between the cheery ska and the defeatism of a lot of the lyrics is divine. Pearl's Cafe starts like a week track, but a cheeky refrain halfway through makes it work! It then has a possibly pointless, but spot on and joyful James Brown tribute - I AM NEVER SAYING NO TO THIS! Then they just start listing James Bond films. The back end of the album is very genre agnostic. There's easy listening, dub, pop, and a Casio version of the opener. It's a very good album, but not the terrifying propulsion of the first. It's still the Specials, but you can see that Specials AKA and Fun Boy 3 are on the horizon, sadly.
Disco que aparentaba ser un poco más divertido de escuchar, pero que le falta algo de punch. Canciones con movimiento y con un estilo un tanto ska/pop. Escuchable, solo eso
Enjoyed this, not the right weather or time of year for casual ska but still a great album
It gets better, a bit grittier, the longer you leave it on. Heading towards their signature, downbeat, negative sound they were most noted for. Perhaps harshly.
I enjoyed it more than I thought I would its a really good album with some ace tracks, some fade a bit into the background which is why its not 5
Not very interesting, just didn't groove with it.
Wasn’t as fan of two-tone originally but this was very listenable 3*
Some fantasic songs. Some throwaways. I feel like I've lost the grasp of my own scoring system....
twas special
Wasn't sure what to expect. It's a bit of a combination between British Rock like the Clash, and then Reggae. Leans really heavy into the Reggae on some songs. Really interesting, didn't love it but was decent.
This is one of the worst bands I've ever heard. fuuuuuck it just sucks. This is the second album of theirs on this list so far, and neither of them is even worth wiping your arse with, let alone pretending it's "must hear before you die" material. 0/5.
16th September 2021 Listened through the day while working at home home before driving back to London. Enjoyed the energy, the positivity mixed with the darkness of some of the other songs. Surprised they're an 80s band I thought they were earlier
Super ska album met onbekende nummers voor mij
I enjoy ska quite a lot, but these vocals are too grating for me to really get into this album.
Jeszcze wiecej specialsow, akurat tej bandy nie spodziewalem sie zobaczyc kolejny raz na liscie, bo wedlug spotifaja wszystkie klasyczne numery mieli zawarte na debiutanckim the specials, a tu kolejna plyta, mozna powiedziec, ze za ciosem, bo zaledwie rok po wydaniu pierwszej, tym razem banda dala sie poznac z jeszcze ambitniejszej strony, to nie jest juz ska przeniesione na brytyjskie wyspy, gatunek ktorym teraz sama banda sie okreslala to two tone, bo tak zwie ta mieszanka ska punku rocka i nowej fali, ale material na tej plycie jest tak chaotyczny, ze nie ma sensu szukac odpowidniego epitetu gatunkowego dla calosci, kazdy trak by trzeba bylo rozbijac i analizowac osobno, tak jak na poprzednim albumie kontent liryczny jest mocno polityczny, a moze tez swiatopogladowy, stara sie byc swiadomy, a bycie swiadomym w angli lat 80 za czasow teczerowej, to to juz lepiej kupic jakies tanie wino i o tym wszystkim zapomniec, taka jest tez wlasnie pierwsza sugestia na otwierajacym enjoy yourself, ktory jest typowo specialowym numerem, chociaz z mocna sekcja deta, a takie niewinne enjoy yourself przechodzi na kolejnych trakach w fatalistyczne do nothing czy rat race, ktory natomiast jedzie po karierowiczach, wiec w angli lat 80 nie bylo nic, nie ma nic, nie bedzie nic lepszego, wiecej trakow jest autorskich, chociaz w bandzie nie bylo jednego lirycysty, to kazdy wrzucil swoje dwa grosze i pojedyncze kawalki od roznych czlonkow sie pojawiaja, tak samo na wokalu czesciej mozna uslyszec czarne glosy, a nie tylko samego pana Halla. plyta ma kilka dobrych trakow, ktore brzmia prawie jak z pierwszego albumu, ale jednak druga strona jest mocno zapychajaca przez swoja niespojnosc stylowa, jakies cool jazzy, latino klimaty, westernowe klimaty, czy lounge, czyli gatunek majacy na celu swym vibem przeniesc sluchacza w dane miejsce, ten gatunek jest tutaj najbardziej odczuwalny na ghost town, gdzie naprawde robi robote, ale jesli zaraz po tym leci parostatkiem w piekny rejs, to troche wybija to z rytmu odsluch, szybka kariera bandy, wiec szybka ewolucja, moze zbyt szybka, pierwszy material mial w sobie o wiele wiecej zywej energii, tutaj znowu intensywnie wykorzystywany jest overdub przez co brzmienie jest bardziej doszlifowane, ale jednak traci na swoim charakterze, na plejke dodam friday night, saturday morning, stereotajpa i wspominanego do nothing
It was fun, but seemed more like a novelty album than one i would expect here. I guess it had some influence that i am unaware of. I will jave "enjoy yourself" in my head all day though!
Some good tunes here, "Man at C&A", the "Enjoy Yourself" cover, and I can see how they wanted to get out of the typical ska format after their debut. But for me it resulted in a lot of hit-and-miss that made for an uneven listening experience across the album.
A enjoy yourself é boa, o resto é mto ruim
Awful, serious ordeal to listen to the whole album.
Based on reviews I had read prior, I expected something more eclectic and interesting. Its not terrible, but I found it very dissapointing, and I dont think it needs to be on the list.