The Specials

I loved this album but I also couldn't wait for it to end.

One of the best albums ever recorded. Huge loss of Terry Hall got me to listen again.

One of their great album. Not sure it's my favorite, but definitely really good. Also, if anyone can see them live, totally worth it (whenever we'll have live shows again, and hopefully they're not dead by then)

Absolutely magnificent album. Had the pleasure of seeing the Specials live in 1979 at Loughborough uni on the Two Tone tour with The Selecter and Dexy's. One of the best gigs of my life.

It’s the Rude Boys ‘Abbey Road’, innit? I can see why.

Iconic album that offered more than the superb tracks it contains. Part of a force that was challenging endemic racism, acceptance of unemployment and community disintegration all done with musicality and energy that would blow your porkpie hat off!

if the voting structure was out of 10 then most of my 5 star reviews would be 9s. this however would be a big fat 10. i fucking love this album almost as much as a SHACK loves lamb chops.

I had heard of The Specials for years and never gave them a try. Now I wish I gave them a chance sooner. Amazing album front to back. Felt ahead of its time. Not a single song on the whole record that I disliked. I know I'll be coming back to it in the future and it has me interested to check out the rest of their work. Amazing. Favorite Song: A Message To You Rudy

It's incredible that a bunch of kids with learning difficulties can deliver music of this quality.

Contrairement à ce qu'en a dit eltrapeze, cet album n'est pas nul, il est simplement mauvais.

Absolutely love this. One of my favourites as a teenager, I loved this flavour of ska-punk, reminds me of skanking wildly to the local ska punk bands at gigs in dingy basements. Disillusion and hopelessness mixed with funky bass lines and upbeat horns. Deluxe version also has a live disc which is fun, wouldn't normally like live albums but you can feel their live energy. Favourites: A message to you rudy too much too young Monkey Man

I found The Specials quite intimidating as a nipper, their pork pike hats and two tone outfits carrying a faint whiff of violence; all the bad kids in school seemed to have the checker logo on their bag. I'm not scared anymore, this is a great debut and was hugely influential on the British music that followed. I'm a big fan of Terry Hall's vocal style and can handle ska skanking much better than reggae snoozing.

I was going to do a my one track mind episode with a woman originally from england about this album. Wish I had gotten to that one before I threw in the towel. I would have loved to hear her more firsthand account of this album's significance. Having an interest in punk music inevitably leads you to it's intertwining with reggae/ska/rocksteady. Jamaican music was sort of the equivalent of HipHop to a certain segment of British youth at the time. I'd also say reggae/dub is the most significant precursor to hiphop in many ways but that's a whole nother conversation. Anyway, The Specials are pretty much THE archetypal British ska/two tone band that set the pattern for so many others to follow in their wake. It might sound formulaic now, but at that time they were creating that formula. Anyway, I like this album but don't love it. I find it very enjoyable and it would probably have been a great live show back in the day. It's fun and has the right amount of punk attitude in flashes so as to not spoil the party.

There are two things I know to be true about ska. 1. The Specials are the greatest ska band of all time. 2. Even the greatest ska band of all time cannot make me like ska. That said, I am adding a full star in recognition of "Do the Dog" because it is an all time banger. A generous 3 stars

If you love spending time after work down at your local drinking lagers with the lads, or chanting club songs in a group on your way to the weekend football match...then this albums for you. I don’t particularly see the enjoyment in either of those activities, hence I didn’t get much out of listening to this music. It’s dated yobbo English reggae and it’s ugly. The whole album reminded me of the tv show Minder and the song from the same era ‘Ullo John! Got New Motor?’ by (I think) Alexei Sayle...both of which should never be allowed out of the late 70s/early 80’s and definitely be kept there under lock and key. I found listening to these tracks utterly annoying and would describe them as sloppy, crass & an insult to my senses. 1 Star

No thanks, I can 100% say this will never get listened to again

Rarely has a band emerged with its first album with such a clear vision statement. The look, the sound, the politics and the voice of this band is clear and strong on this record. The Specials were an integrated band, with equal influences from black (ska, reggae, soul, r'n'b) and white (punk, rock) forms. Politically engaged in the new Thatcherite England, they were both protesting and ready to party. Elvis Costello did a great job of capturing the live feel of their performances, although some contemporaneous reviews bemoan how much slower the record is than their live shows. Listening to live tracks on the deluxe edition, I can kind of see the point of the criticism. But, as an Australian listener who only heard the studio album and never had the chance to see the Specials live in 1979, the album is still fantastic on its own merits. Smart, political, and above all fun, this is such a great record. It makes me wanna take to the streets in protest _and_ dance.

Amazing album, an all-time classic. I love the punk energy and the ska attitude working together. I find the whole thing very moving, reminiscent of a time when music tried to change things (if only peoples’ minds) and be a force for good. Hard to pick a standout track, but have always loved the closing time feel of You’re Wondering Now.

Rarely has a band emerged with its first album with such a clear vision statement. The look, the sound, the politics and the voice of this band is clear and strong on this record. The Specials were an integrated band, with equal influences from black (ska, reggae, soul, r'n'b) and white (punk, rock) forms. Politically engaged in the new Thatcherite England, they were both protesting and ready to party. Elvis Costello did a great job of capturing the live feel of their performances (although some contemporaneous reviews bemoan how much slower the record is than their live shows). Smart, political, and above all fun, this is such a great record. It makes me wanna take to the streets in protest _and_ dance.

A supreme vibe, some timeless bangers, and redolent of a genre that was stacked with cool bands. Only downside is that there isn't a scene half as cool as this anymore. Cheers for reminding me, lads!

Ska baby! Debut album produced by Declan. As good as it gets. And what it begat…the opening of the door for other great ska acts. Rudy didn’t fail.

Thanks for introducing me the two tone genre. As a punk fan, I absolutely love this fusion with ska. It's jazzy, danceable, and full of punk energy. Lots of diversity in these tracks, setting the standard for later ska bands to follow. They don't repeat the same trick twice; it's full of surprises. Although all the tracks are good, I feel like it fell short starting with "Too Hot", but picked up again with "Blank Expression." Favorite tracks: Gangsters, A Message to You Rudy, Doesn't Make It Alright, Stupid Marriage, Too Much Too Young, You're Wondering Now

A message to you Rudy is superb. Actually the album is superb. Concrete jungle another banger. 2 tone launched a lot of great bands and the specials might have been the best. Ska music is fun and serious.

No. 283/1001 Gangsters 2/5 A Message to you Rudy 3/5 Do the Dog 2/5 It's Up To You 3/5 Nite Klub 3/5 Doesn 't Make It Alright 3/5 Concrete Jungle 2/5 Too Hot 2/5 Monkey Man 2/5 New Eea 2/5 Blank Expression 3/5 Stupid Marriage 3/5 Too Much Too Young 3/5 Little Bitch 3/5 You're Wondering Now 2/5 Average: 2,53 Just not my taste.

Ouais ça fait changement un ska reaggea.j'ai bien aimé. Ça date en plus mais ça a un bon son 3.75

I loved this album musically, the real blueprint for 2-tone. Massive shame about the adolescent views on relationships and the misogyny on Side B.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=y4KCB3-UZqM Favorite tracks: A Message to You Rudy, Blank Expression, Stupid Marriage. Album art: Really dig this layout, with the track list and everything framing the band photo. 3/5

I liked this more than I expected, scattershot in a beguiling way. The often volcanic rockabilly guitar surprised me, and while some of lyrics are dated mansplaining, they are interesting, unusual (to me) dated mansplaining - the character and the conceits in the singer’s mode of address hold the attention. The vocals are also pleasingly fey when Hall lets his guard down.

I liked some of the songs, but the overall effect of this left me a bit cold. It's all within the same register for the most part. Doesn't feel too dynamic as an album, even if I didn't hate listening to it. I'd give it 2.5 if I could.

I hate ska

Je suis à deux doigts de devenir particulièrement vulgaire pour écrire cette review, comment peut on servir un album aussi minable, mais pire, comment peut on considerer cet album comme "à écouter avant de mourir"? Là Robert, permet moi de te dire que c'est la honte, et que tout le générateur est déçu de ce choix, on pensait que tu valais mieux que ça. Autant en emporte le vent donc.

No. Just no. It sounds like this research that was conducted about the most unlikeable song.

Кринж не прошедший время

Are they called “The Specials” because they’re special? I don’t know and frankly I don’t care- I could barely get through this album once. This may be my least favourite album so far, so in a sense they are special.

Definitive ska album and set the (two) tone for so much to come

This is an album I wish I'd been more familiar with. Better late than never!

Enjoyed this

The perfect 2-tone album. This started the 2nd wave and lots of good things would've never existed if it wasnt for The Specials.

Whatcha gonna do? Just dropped this rating on you! This kinda ballz. special album no cap fr fra

I listened to this last week, without prompting. Take that, algorithm. *adjusts porkpie hat* *skanks away*

N2

Never listened to this before, expected quite a bit due to its timelessness, it did not disappoint! Upbeat, sounds great today so must have blown people away in ‘79

Favourite so far. Enjoy ska and knew several songs.

Top album

I didn't knew I could enjoy ska music and that I just did. A great album and lovely tunes.

Now we're talking. 5*s in the bank. wall to wall hits. hard to beat really

Og ska

Another undeniable classic. Two days running. Best thing to ever come out of Cov. It amuses me that a band so avowedly anti racist can be so misogynistic, but the same hatred gets turned inwards enough that you feel it may just be a general misanthropy from Terry Hall (that's borne out by him over the next 40 years!) But there is no fat in the 45 minutes here - every track is there and on point. That it is the last album on the list from the 70s is fitting, as it feels like a lot of the excess is culled here, with an urgency and excitement often missing in some of the leaden rawk stodge that pads out the decade.

This was so great! I loved the vibe and the message.

Rating: 9/10 Best songs: A message to you Rudy, Do the dog, Concrete jungle, Monkey man, New era

Great album, full energy and holding up well. One of those albums that makes me grin.

Pretty dope

Хоккейная команда с берегов Невы И музыка которую играем мы

The sheer joy and energy from this album still gets be buzzing off me tits more than 40 years later. SO many memories of youth club discos, especially with Nightklub. I could listen and dance to this every day.

Genial, renovaron el ska haciendo que suene un poco más eléctrico pero sin que se pierdan esas ganas de bailar.

The Specials 2 (more pop songs) will is more of a favourite, but their debut is almost just as good and the album style is -after relistening- not even that far away from the follow-up. I would put both in the list, together with the two Fun Boy Three albums (which are 5 star as well).

A cool mix of rock'n'roll and reggae tracks.

I loved it. This is a great ska album.

Ska AF

Awesome mix of styles to create something unique. Crazy that Costello produced this between Armed Forces and Get Happy in 79. Fun to discover that little snippet of Bohemian Like You in Little Bitch. Will definitely listen again.

It’s pretty remarkable the effect Bob Marley, Toots, and Jamaican music at large had on the world. It’s pretty remarkable that such a huge subsection of disaffected, urban, English youth would turn to rocksteady, ska, and largely upbeat, surface-level-silly music to express their frustration with the modern world’s widening inequality gap and bureaucratic absurdisms. The result is a fantastically satirical and fun record that feels utterly timeless. As relevant and influential today as it was in 1979. A perfect cross-section of world music, punk rock, and new wave with more angst, political heart, and purpose than most burgeoning music scenes can hope for. The world of music in the 1980s, 90s and beyond would feel very different if not for this record. I am especially partial to the band’s sophomore album, More Specials, but what that album gains in sophistication, songwriting, and studio fidelity, it loses in spirit, urgency, and tenacity. To listen to the their self-titled debut today is to look back through history and experience a movement otherwise frozen in time. Few records, in my opinion, can claim that power quite like The Specials can.

Wow what a great week it’s been for 1001. This is such a great album, a unique & relevant (for ’79) mix of punk, ska, reggae and rock n’ roll, with the backdrop of working-class England under Thatcher. All done with a great sense of humour. I’ve always loved the pogo-worthy rockers like “Night Club” and “Stupid Marriage” but had forgotten about the slower tracks like “Doesn’t make it all Right” which puts their song-writing skills on display. The tinny production gives the LP a nice vintage feel. It’s disappointing that they became more subdued with their transformation to Specials aka, but in some ways it makes this album stand out more.

Very good example of ska punk. 1979. Liked it.

Like a lot of Americans of a certain age, my introduction to the Specials came by way of MTV. In a sea of bands best remembered by their haircuts, the Specials stood out. They were smartly dressed but sharp-elbowed, political and full of attitude. But also, the band was always energetic, musically talented, engaging and a lot of fun. This is party music with a point of view. It seems so very much of its moment, but it's an important moment, musically, historically and socially as well. The lyrics on this album are startling honest and delivered with a great sense of conviction. They speak to the social troubles that have plagued young people for generations and continue to do so. It also helps that the music is just so good. This album is a crisp, practically perfect distillation of what I imagine a Specials live show to be. There's an immediacy and live energy to these songs that's really hard to capture on record, and the band does it brilliantly. Fave Songs (All songs, from most to least favorite): A Message to You, Rudy; Too Hot; Monkey Man; Doesn't Make It Alright; You're Wondering Now; Blank Expression; It's Up to You; Little Bitch; (Dawning of A) New Era; Concrete Jungle; Nite Klub; Too Much Too Young; Do the Dog; Stupid Marriage

heard the songs, never listened to the whole thing. how is that possible. Now I understand why all ska bands sound the same (in a good way) they're trying to recreate this sound.

Love it! Fantastic album.

Classic. My last year in school. Timeless.

Теперь я знаю, кто это

I was listening to The Specials a day or so ago, they make me happy. I'm listening now with a giant grin on my face. As soon as I saw that chequered album cover appear on the page my grin began, and hasn't left since. I'm a kid again, with all the music that goes with that. I love it, these guys can really do no wrong in my eyes. Lovely stuff!

SKA (old school)

Really upbeat music. A touch of reggae and light alt rock.

What a statement of intent this album was. So good still

ace.

The album that defines a genre. Genuinely enjoyable throughout.

Adelantados a su época, álbum impecable y claramente influyente dentro del género. Nite Klub y Too Much Too Young son par de bombas.

good

Definitive Punk/SKA album of the time.

Love it. Such a banger. I remember thinking Stupid Marriage was such a funny song when I was a kid

Great stuff

LP

An immensely satisfying album. Not a duff track on it, and still sounds as fresh in 2022 as it did in 1979. Political, humourous, sociological music but rollicking good tunes.

Like it

I am a ska fanatic and this is an absolute classic. YMMV if you don’t appreciate the genre of kings.

Geweldig ska album, heeft veel veranderd in het ska/reggae genre

Flawless debut.

A perfect picture of Britain in 1979 - an album that absolutely stands the test of time.

10/10 album did they invent ska? it sure sounds like they did

One of the great debut albums and still throbs with energy 40 odd years later.

Ska is a part of me, and I will never turn my back on Ska!

Just totes amazeballs, sets the feeling for the rest of the day. The gloom of the setting, offset by the bounce in the feet - noice.

I grew up listening compulsively to this album - so I am not even going to pretend to leave an objective review. Still sounds great!

Kamalt El Hadra Loula Me Rbo3 Ethaleth. Barcha Bal8am Vocals Wack. Prooly Working On My First Televised Interview Ever

A personal favorite and a band that influenced a whole next generation of ska and punk.

Great band and great album, I listen to a lot of 90's ska revival and hard to argue the influence that this band had. Too bad they didn't last as this lineup for long.

Been listening to this since high school. Excellent.

Excellent album, good jamming and sunny vibes, songs stuck in my head for days

some cracking songs, lively, social commentary

Fantastic from start to finish. I think SKA ran a bit off the rails in the 90's revival, resulting in the genre getting a bad wrap. Therefore, it's incredibly refreshing to go back to the roots with this album; to be reminded of just how fun the blend of influences are. The album starts out with the seminal \"A Message to You Rudy\", which introduces not only their fusion of reggae, punk, brass, funk and R&B, but also the bands socially minded lyrical leanings. And the whole album carries on as it starts, each track iterating on the same core spirit of house-party meets social commentary. And with that said, you'll need to excuse me. I'm going to immerse myself in The Specials' discography. Cheers!

Perfect ska day

It’s ska. You take it or you leave it. This one though, this one I’ll take. Gladly.