Reviews (page 7 of 11)
Very good 4 stars
"A message to you Rudy" - I've heard this song so many times and I didn't know who it is, ha! Great start to an album. It went so and so from there on. I still didn't hate this album though :)
Absolute classic. Had the CD on heavy rotation for many years. Standouts Too much too young / Stupid Marriage and Monkey Man.
Young dumb and full of cum Richtig spaßige Songs auf dem Ding aber mein Enthusiasmus hält sich noch in Grenzen
Why does every ska track sound the same?
The New Jersey underground scene in the late 90’s was a crazy melange of punk, hardcore and ska and it wasn’t uncommon that you’d go to show at your local VFW hall or whatever and see a show that featured a bunch of bands playing any one of those styles played in one night. Hell, you’d probably end up seeing a band that combined two or more of those styles. One of our local places to see punk/hardcore/ska shows was a Chinese buffet, the King Buffet. Once a month on a Friday night, the King Buffett would open its doors to the punks of Hunterdon County, NJ for 3 or 4 hours, charging $5 bucks entry and local bands would play in a make shift stage area in the restaurant. It was really just a large open area not far from the buffet servery that had the tables cleared out for the night. It couldn’t have been more than 25 feet wide by 50 or 60 feet long, but it was the place to be in our podunk county on those Friday nights. You’d see your friends there and you would go and see your friends bands playing there, too. Everyone got along and I don’t think I ever witnessed a fight or anything too untoward go down there.* I mean, there would be teenagers smoking cigarettes in the parking lot off to the side of there restaurant and there were definitely kids who showed up stoned or maybe a little drunk, but to my knowledge there were never any serious incidents or injuries that would have jeopardized the shows from happening.** I’m not sure what it took for Richie, the guy who organized the whole thing, to convince the owner of the King Buffet that he should host punk and hardcore shows at his restaurant, but I’m willing to bet he pulled in some decent extra income on those nights - the place was always packed, probably beyond official capacity for the restaurant. Just think about your local Chinese buffet and then picture people skanking or a mosh pit going on in the middle of the dining area. These shows were a ton of fun, but I’m still shocked, 25 years later, that a restaurant owner was willing to take on the kind of insurance risk that these shows presented. God bless him, though, he did. My band played there a few times, but one show in particular stands out. We were a hardcore band, or maybe “metalcore” would be a better descriptor. There were four bands scheduled to play that night. We were playing third and the fourth band, Stick Figure Suicide, was slated to play some dates on the Warped Tour later that summer. I don’t think it was ever discussed within our band, but I think subconsciously we were primed to show them up. Not because we had any beef with them or anything like that, but more like “Oh, you’re going to be playing on the Warped Tour? Well, we should be the ones playing on the Warped Tour and we’re going to prove it tonight.” It was the kind of hubris that only a bunch of 18 year olds with a chip on their shoulders could muster. In truth, we probably took that approach to any show we played, but I think there was a little more of it that evening. It was a hot summer night and the buffet was packed. There was a kid who, for some reason, brought one of those giant stuffed animals that you win at the boardwalk or at a carnival if you can pop three balloons with a dart. It was like three feet tall and I think it was a monkey or gorilla, but it might have been a bear. The intent, I think, was have it in the pit as a joke or for humorous photos or something. When we played our show, the audience was ready for us, our past performances there might have given us a reputation. Our shows got wild, and we did get kicked off stage during our high school’s Battle of the Bands for starting a mosh pit once, but they were never actually out of control and the pits were usually pretty lively. We played with a focused intensity that night and crowd responded in kind: the undulations of the pit would frequently push people into the makeshift barrier of chairs in the front of the stage. Towards the end of our set, the aforementioned stuffed monkey/gorilla/bear/whatever did indeed make it into the pit. It was promptly torn to shreds and its stuffing was strewn about, littering the floor of the buffet. After we finished our set and moved our gear off the stage, I helped clean up the detritus from the stuffed animal while Stick Figure Suicide set up for their show. By the time they started playing a few minutes later, the buffet had cleared out significantly from the 120 or so people who had attended, to the point where I was standing in the middle of the dining room/pit area holding a garbage bag full of stuffed animal guts and the band was pretty much fully visible to me with maybe only 20 people in front of them on the floor watching. I kind of felt a little bad for them in the moment, they were supposed to be the headliners and we straight up stole that show from them. However, they did get to play the Warped Tour and we never did. Now, I realize this somewhat self-congratulatory story has nothing to do with The Specials, but I associate their music with shows in that place and the people I remember from those days. They were sort of a backing soundtrack to a lot of those shows and friendships. While ska was never really for me, that is where this record took me today. *The King Buffet would stop hosting shows shortly after the events told here. They unknowingly sold alcohol to a minor with a fake ID, which may or may not have been a setup by the local police department in order to put a stop to the shows - I wouldn’t have put it past them. **A friend of mine fell off a chair while filming the show I describe here and broke his arm. He was quickly taken to the hospital by another friend of ours and no emergency services were called, as that would have surely put an end to punk rock shows at the King Buffet.
I guess you just had to be there. Or maybe I just don’t get it. What is so special about this band? I’ve had two of their albums now and haven’t felt moved. I’ve just felt underwhelmed. I haven’t ever been a reggae fan, and there’s obviously a lot of reggae influence here. They’re labeled a ska band, and I see that. I like ska. Well, 90’s ska anyway. Upbeat songs with horns. This isn’t that. I heard the Clash a lot in here. Sometimes I could’ve sworn it was Joe Strummer singing. Hell, there was even a riff that sounded like “The Right Profile.” I dunno. I just feel like they really wanted to be The Clash with their own twist and I just don’t get it. The music doesn’t blow you away and the lyrics don’t say much of anything original. Somebody enlighten me because I don’t see it. Two stars. Standout Tracks: A Message to You Rudy, Nite Klub, You’re Wondering Now
First album i couldn't finish
I like a lot of songs by The Specials back in the day, but I never had any of their albums. I really enjoyed this one. I only listened to the "Disc One" songs that were on the original album.
Didn’t really connect with it, unfortunately.
7/10
Skakati
Ratatatatatatatata questa è guerra Lina skrrrrr ratatatatea ska ska
You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid You’ve done too much, much too young, now you’re married with a kid
Everything is pretty shippable. Obnoxious sound.
Plata nr. 2 var miklu skemmtilegri en þessi frumraun. Spurðu mig hvað mér fannst um ska í gær og ég segi að það eigi góða spretti. Spurðu mig í dag og ég er liggur við kominn á sama stað og áður. Jákvætt social commentary mögulega en samt easy tvistur.
Boring and uninteresting. Felt derivative, and was also poorly mixed. I admit I'm not a big reggae fan, but there are better examples in the genre than this album
Esuché influencias a: Soda, Sumo, los Cadillacs, los Abuelos y los Pericos. se gana sus cuatro estrellas.
Highlights: A Message to You Rudy, Concrete Jungle. In a nutshell: head bopping protest songs. Some good songs, some absolutely jarring songs. Stupid Marriage and Too Much Too Young were uncomfortable to hear with 2024 ears. Message to You always nice to hear. Always appreciate hand claps in songs. Overall: 5/10
Little Bitch instantly makes me think of Sixteen Candles. Great needle-drop in a movie full of them. The Specials set the tone for Ska. Sounds raw like punk, but does not sound as angry unless you read the lyrics. The only problem with ska is it starts to sound repetitive if you listen to it for a long time. Enjoyed this one.
It's alright. Has its place. Ska's not really my bag.
Fun album, doesn’t set the world on fire though 3.4
Who doesn't like a bit of ska? It's just great. You can put it on and people just love it, especially if they're of a certain age. The fun jangly bits of reggae and the upbeat energy of punk. The faster tracks get everyone up and moving and the slower tracks you could just put on in the background and people would still love it. There are some really good recognisable songs on this album, but even some of the deeper cuts are really fun as well. I can't imagine how nuts people must have gone for this in 1979. The energy and musicality is fantastic, the vocals I love. The MVP here though is the bass. Bass can sometimes just be there. It's subtle but it gives tracks that extra boost, but on this album it's front and centre, it's all over the place in the best way and the horns make everything sound better.
Much better than 'More Specials' but still not very special.
La verdad que meh tirando a no me gusta mucho, una pérdida de tiempo Total del album: 58 2,5 esptellas
нормальная веселая музычка, мне понравились do the dog и dawning of a new era (live)
Still the best 2tone album for me!
makes me wanna smash faces after 5 or so songs...
Very good
Didn't this define Britain in the late 70s! Great music, spot on for the times.
Ska = Ein bisschen Reggae, ein bisschen Punk
Perfect album!
Not really for me.
Incredible instrumentation, hooky and energetic, live sons were especially good
Had never heard of these guys, and was not really familiar with a british ska movement which seems like it was pretty big for a while. Definitely picks up for the second half. First half feels like background ska with occasional nice touches, second half gets pretty dark and angry. Rolling stones ass little bitch.
Ska / Punk Rock Rating: 4.25 Message to You 5/5 (Dawning of a) New Era 5/5 Do the Dog 4.5/5 It's Up to You 4/5 Nite Klub 3.75 Doesn't Make it Alright 4.5/5 Concrete Jungle 4/5 Too Hot 4/5 Monkey Man 4/5 Blank Expression 4/5 Stupid Marriage 3.75 Little Bitch 3.5 Too Much Too Young 5/5 You're Wondering Now 5/5
The music was not what I expected based on the album art, but I liked the ska vibes, but only would listen again to 2-3 tracks on the album
Some old school ska. Fun at first, but gets a little old. Some of the lyrics seem kind of immature. Maybe I am just getting old .
I generally don’t like ska (likely due to having come of age during the abominable 90s ska revival). There’s something about this I kinda dig though.
A lot of fun and filled in the gap on a cover by Goldfinger I loved.
Pretty fun, but not really my cup of tea
The Specials, Bad Manners, Madness, The Beat etc.. I was around when this was all happening. It was incredible. I didn't appreciate at the time that many of these songs were covers. I imagine that my kids, and their kids, would not enjoy this album, but to me it evokes so many memories that I can't do anything other than give it 5 stars!
No ska
Man… pure nostalgia. I’m tempted to give this a 5, but I don’t and won’t listen to it that much. But this really is some of the best ska produced outside of the first wave of Jamaican ska.
Reggae-flavored ska. There were glimmers of something likeable here, but for me, it just didn’t work as a whole album listened through. The repetition just kinda drives me nuts. I’ll be perfectly happy to never hear “too much too young” again 2.5
More Specials ❎ No More Specials ✅ (I kinda like the other album than this one)
Lots of fun
While this album is a lot of fun, the songs are all so similar that it gets monotonous. I’m sure this was a fun band to see in concert.
Fun album like early ska meets early punk.
Iconic. Special if you will
Don't know how to feel about this one. It's well done but it just feels too daft and silly, like half of the songs with the vocals removed would be the soundtrack to hijinx in some sitcom. I couldn't have said who A Message To Rudy was by but I've heard it in so many adverts, it's such a Sainsbury's ass song. Not sure if that's reflective of ska as a whole but if it is, it's probably not for me Highlights: You're Wondering Now
like
A tight, new wave version of a more traditional Jamaican sound. Not always a recipe for success, but they pull it off completely! Helps to have a true meeting of the minds of some fine musicians from both sides of the Atlantic. Not every track is a banger, but a surprising number are forever memorable.
Loved it, will definitely come back to this again.
Less special than I remember
I’m just not super into British white dudes playing reggae, it’s just not that good
This may have been an influential album, but it wasn't enjoyable, and each song melted into the next.
Definitely nothing special
Classic ska!
Hugely important historically; reviving interest in ska and making combatting racism ultra-cool. A Message to You Rudy remains an absolute gem. I can only imagine how mind-blowing it must have been to see these guys live in a club back in the day. But the rest of the album, 45-years on? It's a schizophrenic experience. The more punkish, up-tempo tracks (It's Up to You, Monkey Man, Dawning of a New Era, Little Bitch) still sound fresh and fantastic. The purer ska tracks (Doesn't Make it Alright, Too Hot, Blank Expression, Stupid Marriage, Too Much Too Young) have incredible backing tracks but are severely diminished by the irreverent approach to vocals, which may have sounded nonchalant and cool at the time, but now sounds lazy and uninspired. Particularly in light of how great they sound when they finally take vocals seriously on You're Wondering Now.
pretty cool, a lot of catchy songs. favs: gangsters, doesn't make it alright, concrete jungle, stupid marriage, little bitch
Ska legalzinho
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.
Прикольно, но на 1 раз
Absolutely love this album. The influence in blur is so obvious
I love that Two-Tone exists. Ska and Punk together, as a tasty combo. We even get some of their great early hits, right off the bat. However, there is a downside. The lyrical content on this album is downright sexist at times. Yeah, I'm not sugarcoating it. It feels very laddish, which I'm sure was part of the point, but it doesn't really hold up now. And it's sad because on other tracks Terry Hall gets across that frustration of urban chaos and boredom that lyricist Jerry Dammers was trying to convey. They didn't need to go there. But they did. It's also cover-heavy, but that's not a problem for me. Tangent: Elvis Costello did a good job producing. Not bad for the son of a secret lemonade drinker. Fave: A Message To You Rudy Least Fave: Too Much, Too Young Strong Bad Demerit Count: 1
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.
Fun, with clever lyrics, but not really my thing.
One of those bands that I know all the songs, love all the songs, but dont own any of their records. Yes i would buy this if I came across it
a message to you rudy- 6 do the dog- no thank you. very british. 6 its up to you- 5 nite klub- 5 or 6 doesnt make it alright- 5 concrete jungle- 6 too hot- 5 monkey man- 6 new era- 5 blank expression- 5 stupid marriage- 5 too much too young- 5 little bitch- 5 youre wondering now- 5
I love The Specials. I haven't listened to this album in years. Totally brings back nostalgia
Light hearted punk album. A lot of instrumentals in each song sound the same, almost gives me beach vibes, but that's not necessarily a bad thing
Always loved the singles I knew from this, great album.
Best ska album ever, sorry Desmond, sorry Skatalites. Not sorry.
Classic
Although Ska is not really my thing, this album was pretty decent.
Two tone at it's best. This album delivered a metaphorical slap when I first played it, and it still does. So much more than the commercially successful hilights of A message to you Rudy, too much too young and Monkey Man, but they're not a bad start are they?!
This is not my kind of music.
The whole time I was listening to this I wondered if Gwen Stefani would still be famous if not for this album. That's how boring this is. I think I'll take the advise of it's up to you and just walk away.
The Specials are AMAZING - I loved their music.
2 - British bias or smth, no way this is in the greatest albums of all time
Rudy or Rudie is a slang term for "Rude Boy"
A lot of bangers, good shit.
Ska jazz fun style music but can only listen to so much
I’ll begin this by saying I completely forgot who The Specials were. Or that I ever would have reviewed one of their records in the first place. I clicked post on the review of their sophomore album, More Specials, and then removed their presence from my brain. It confuses me how they managed to find a spot on this list not once, but twice, and why this was necessary. Going back to that original review from some months ago, it’s funny seeing how many of the same thoughts I wrote there that I was feeling while listening to this. This album in particular was produced by Elvis Costello himself, so that’s now twice I’ve had to listen to him in some capacity this week. So I’ve basically hit my limit. And all of the same gripes that I had with their follow up record are mostly present here. The way my smooth pea brain interprets ska music is very much an amalgamation of the basics of reggae and punk. That’s probably a really small minded way of looking at it, and I apologize. And I like both of those genres on their own merits. But take all of that and bring it together under this late 70s umbrella of 50s influenced new wave music and you lose me a little bit. What the band is actually playing is not what I take issue with. I also like that this form of music is rooted in a sense of rebelliousness and distrust like much of the music it is inspired by. It more so comes down to personal taste. Reggae and ska have always been gray areas for me, and it takes something particularly interesting to keep me coming back. This is not one of those cases, but I still enjoy it slightly more than their second album. Rating: 5/10
Favorite Track: Monkey Man
Disaster
This has nice energy, but it's really sloppy. The singers are mediocre, to the point where on e.g. "Too Hot" or "Do The Dog" it's like kind of a joke. The best vocal performances they get are when the whole band is shouting in unison, e.g. on "Concrete Jungle". The production quality, even down to the quality of the recording and the mix, is pretty poor - it's good for DIY, just not that good for major label. And the band is sort of one step above punk rock for musical ability. So I don't really like that style, but DIY quasi-punk really needs to be graded on it's own scale that ignores major aspects of the actual sound. And yeah, it's kind of fun, although neither especially fast nor especially loud (unlike e.g. Sex Pistols, which it is a cut above in terms of quality). The energy comes more from the feeling the band seems to be having fun when they play. I would still take almost every other late 70s DIY-type album that's been put on this list first.
This is an album I should have been aware of as a kid, but ska/reggae wasn't on my radar at the time. I've learned to appreciate them and the fact that they were definitely ahead of their time. They paved the way for Madness, No Doubt, UB40, Sublime, Fishbone and others. \"A Message To You Rudy\" is an absolute classic 80's song, if you can't enjoy that song you're just not a fun person. It's a tribute to late 60's reggae while being on the front edge of the New Wave movement. Every song is under 4 mins long so it's fast & furious even at 15 tracks. At the time they were breaking new ground, but today it may not sound all that new or unique to the listener. Their version of Toots' \"Monkey Man\" is really well done (and inspired No Doubt on theirs), and their own \"Concrete Jungle\", \"You're Wondering Now\" & \"Blank Expression\" are catchy tunes. A fun album to listen to, I can hear the influence (seeing that this was released in 1979), but maybe not Top 1001 worthy.
One of my all time favourite bands and album. Followed them on the two tone tour in 79. Every song is a hit.
Bitish ska... mostly blah
Geht so
When they pick it up-pick it up-pick it up, I like it, maybe because it’s closer to the ska punk it influenced, which I can tolerate (key word here); when it cools down and sounds closer to more traditional reggae, I get bored, and I think that’s just because I don’t really love reggae at all. Unfortunately for me, because it’s a 50/50 split between the two styles, I couldn’t really ever get to a place where I loved this. In fact, it took me a long time to even just warm up to it. I expected more punch, and even at its punchiest, it’s very downtempo, and that just isn’t to my personal taste. But again, even if it had sounded like riotous ska punk, I still would’ve found it corny, and wouldn’t seek it out past this listen. The historical value of it is undeniable, though, and when it hits, it hits just enough to earn my lukewarm support.
Pretty much unimpeachable excellence.
Inoffensive, but feels very long because it's pretty much the same song
the Beatles but somehow worse
pretty fun, plus opened with a harmonica do extra points 6/10
Ska Beatles, with punk tendencies.
Can't really go wrong with ska.
Ska and reggae not my thing.
Ska Ska Ska. Pretty iconic.
Might just not be in the mood for this one, but it's a little bit boring. Pretty interesting to hear the predecessor of all the 90s ska bands though. I like it more than a lot of the punk albums I've heard from the same era, but it isn't super up my alley. Yeah this album gets super repetitive and monotonous, pretty taxing to listen to after a while.
Reviewing with a huge heap of nostalgia as it’s right up there amongst my favourite albums from my teens. Great fun and thoroughly enjoyable. The albums not bad either 😅
Cheese? Bacon? Mayonnaise?!
Hitching a lift on the back of Alessio's scooter up north, the warm surroundings and non-stop laughter, lying face down to breathe in the dew from the earliest morning grass, launching ourselves off the pier to reset, culminating in drinking a blend of teas in the morning haze having, with any luck, escaped the threat of an antiquing. All that was left was wondering how to get home....this album is its soundtrack and even then, is still a classic in its own right.
I instantly thought i'd be giving this 5, and a listen yesterday confirmed it. Brimming with absolute bangers, so much variety. Some is genius, some is dumb fun, so many different moods and energies captured, such iconic production (like the weird different mic sounds on do the dog). Every little skit adds to the overall product. Truly a legendary album. Should have been in my top 5 of all time.
Got better towards the end
I don’t think I’d heard of The Specials before starting this project, but I learned a little about them from Dorian Lynskey’s 33 Revolutions Per Minute, where there’s a chapter about their song “Nelson Mandela.” I’m not very knowledgeable about ska music, and certainly not about second wave ska music (the only ska I know is stuff like No Doubt, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Save Ferris, and Reel Big Fish). I’m interested to see what this album is like. While this album isn’t the type of thing I’d gravitate towards, I thought it was good. The songs on this album have a good groove to them, but I definitely preferred the more up-tempo songs to the slower ones. I thought the song writing on this album was one of the best parts of it. The political messaging was really great, and from a historical context, I think it’s really interesting that far-right groups in England tried to hijack the songs that were pro-working class, in an attempt to stoke racial tensions. Some of the things that stood out to me on this album: -I loved the keyboard and drumming on “Do the Dog” -The ambient bar sounds during the opening of “Nite Klub” were really great, and I liked how they came back in other parts of the song -“Doesn’t Make It Alright” had some of my favorite lyrics on the album, and it was the best of the slower songs -“Concrete Jungle” was my favorite song on the album, and I really liked the keyboards and drumming that sounded like trash can lids -The structure of “Stupid Marriage” was great, and I loved the courtroom narrative Overall, this was a solid album, but it’s not really my vibe, and if I get the itch for some ska, I’m more likely to fire up some ska-punk instead.
They had the sound, the look, and started the label that was ska in late 70s/early 80s England. Now don't turn your nose up at "ska." This isn't AFV theme song ska. This is stripped-down ska. It's aggressive. It's political. And it's amazing. This album in particular. I'm still on the fence about their second album, "More Specials." But there isn't a weak tune in this collection. It's mind blowing.
This was such a fun listen! This is a band that I didn't actively pay attention to back in the day, but I'm glad I get to appreciate them now. I'm definitely coming back to this album.
Love this album. Was definitely a fun revisit. I still play a lot of these songs on the regular.
I don't really like Ska that much but this is pretty decent stuff
The majority of the songs from this album are a bit meh, nothing too exciting, and then there are a couple that are pretty okay-ish. I do understand that this was released 25 years ago but nowadays it is mostly outdated, so I'm giving it a mid-ish rating of 2,5 stars but because we can't give halves - I'm rounding it down.
I enjoyed it, not sure I’ll listen ever again though
Wow, the memories that have just come to me whilst listening to this. The smells of a smokey dance floor, the bass thumping through the speakers & the talc on the dance floor to help the dancing - BLISS!
terry hall and neville staple go hard but FUCK SKA
Second half slightly stronger than the first, but solid all the way around. You can tell how passionate and genuine they are. 4/5
I liked it a lot. It started really good but since the album itself had not that much variety it got a bit lifeless towards the end. Songwise i liked pretty much all of them but album whise it was a bit too flat for me.
Okay but the bass lines are awesome
All hail the combination of The Specials and Elvis Costello.
history wise this is a pretty interesting band that combined the ska/2 tone revival in the 70s/80s in britain with intentional anti-racism messages and political activism. While probably a little derivative/appropriative of Jamaican culture, the album has a relatively light hearted musicality with the intensity of punk. Fairly clever and unique.
Fuck yeah 1st wave british ska. 5 stars always. If you hate Ska, I hate you.
Fun era of music and it puts a lot of the 90s ska wave into perspective. Good stuff, but I'm not sure I can throw 4* at it.
I absolutely loathe the song A Message To You Rudy, so I fully expected to hate this album. After listening I can call this tolerable, but I certainly wouldn't listen again.
I liked this one. Ska all the way. Favorite song: a message to Rudy
cocozin
Excellent album, have loved it for a long time
Pretty good. Vibey. I like a message to you Rudy but other than that nothing really stood out.
Overall: 8/10 It's refreshing to hear an earlier version of ska, since nowadays that term is associated with 90s skate punk and has become somewhat of a meme. I really liked this, I think the old school punk approach fits this genre much better. The vocals feel kind of like The Clash to me. Also love the guitar work. Fav Song: (Dawning of A) New Era Least Fav Song: Do the Dog
Too reggae. Kinda fun
A message to youuu ruuudyyy...Skaskaska...Monkey Man...mal tocadinho e mal mixadinho.
Starker Ska
7/10 Strong start to this album, two songs I know and like. The rest wasn’t quite as good as this promise but was enjoyable. Rock influences and a classic ska sound, didn’t stray too far from it The whole vibe is more punk than much of the punk and serious rock so far on this list Best: A Message to you Rudy
ska ska ska ska
Sixteen Candles the movie had a great soundtrack with "Little Bitch" being a highlight.
Coventry, Angleterre, 1979 et autant vous dire que pendant que le Royaume-Uni se préparait à bouffer du Thatcherisme pour les onze prochaines années. Le punk avait déjà planté ses épingles à nourrice dans le lard de la monarchie deux ans plus tôt, mais son venin commençait à se diluer dans une caricature de lui-même. L'ambiance était lourde, poisseuse, le chômage grimpait en flèche, les tensions raciales transformaient les rues en poudrières, et la grisaille des Midlands semblait vouloir tout dévorer. Bref, un putain de décor de fin du monde. Et puis, du coeur de ce merdier ambiant, a surgi un son, un son à la fois familier et complètement neuf. Un son qui te donnait envie de danser frénétiquement tout en ayant la furieuse envie de foutre ton poing dans la gueule du premier politicien venu. Ce son, c'était celui des Specials. Leur premier album, sobrement intitulé "The Specials", n'est pas juste un disque, c'est une déflagration, une borne kilométrique, la putain de pierre de Rosette du mouvement 2-Tone. Pour ceux qui débarquent, 2-Tone, c'était ce label fondé par Jerry Dammers, le clavier et cerveau des Specials, dont le logo en damier noir et blanc était un manifeste à lui tout seul. Noir et blanc, comme les musiciens du groupe, qui mélangeaient allègrement prolos blancs et descendants d'immigrés jamaïcains. À une époque où le National Front paradait sans trop de complexes, sortir un disque avec un line-up pareil, c'était déjà un acte politique plus fort que tous les discours du monde. Et la musique, bordel ! La musique ! C'est le son de l'urgence absolue. On sent que le groupe n'a pas le temps de niaiser. Produit par un Elvis Costello alors au sommet de sa rage post-punk, l'album est une cocotte-minute sur le point d'exploser. Ça prend les rythmes ensoleillés du ska et du rocksteady jamaïcain des années 60, ça les passe à la moulinette punk, et ça te recrache une énergie brute, nerveuse, à la fois joyeuse et désespérée. C'est le son d'une fête dans un immeuble qui est sur le point de s'effondrer. On évite ici la chronique titre par titre, ça ne sert à rien. Il suffit de balancer les noms : "A Message to You Rudy", "Monkey Man" (une reprise de Toots & the Maytals qui enterre presque l'originale), "Too Much Too Young"... Que des tubes. Mais des tubes qui sentent la sueur, la bière renversée et le désespoir social. Même quand ils reprennent "Do the Dog" de Rufus Thomas, ça sonne moins comme une invitation à la danse qu'à une émeute bien organisée. Le son est sec, tendu. La section de cuivres, menée par le légendaire Rico Rodriguez, semble jouer avec un couteau entre les dents. La voix nasillarde et désabusée de Terry Hall, contrebalancée par les harangues plus agressives de Neville Staple, crée une dualité parfaite. C'est le son d'une jeunesse qui sait qu'on lui a menti, mais qui a décidé de danser sur les ruines de ses illusions. Alors pourquoi un 4 sur 5 et pas la note parfaite ? Peut-être parce que, pour le disquaire post-punk que je suis devenu, il manque cette introspection morbide, ce voyage intérieur que des groupes comme Joy Division, sortant "Unknown Pleasures" la même année, allaient transformer en art majeur. "The Specials" est un album tourné vers l'extérieur, un album de gang, un album de rue. Il ne te parle pas de tes démons intérieurs, il te parle des monstres qui sont dehors, dans la société. C'est un disque social, politique, un appel au ralliement. C'est une de ses plus grandes forces, mais c'est aussi ce qui l'empêche, à mon sens, de toucher à cette universalité intemporelle et plus personnelle qui caractérise les chefs-d'oeuvre absolus. C'est une photographie sonore parfaite de son époque, mais une photographie prise au flash, en pleine gueule, sans aucune place pour les zones d'ombre de l'âme. Mais qu'on ne s'y trompe pas, ce disque est essentiel. Il a défini un son, une attitude, et a ouvert la voie à une vague de groupes (Madness, The Selecter, The Beat...) qui ont prouvé que la musique pouvait être à la fois festive et engagée. C'est un classique absolu, un concentré d'énergie pure qui, plus de quarante ans après, n'a rien perdu de sa pertinence. Parce que, soyons honnêtes, le monde n'est pas devenu beaucoup plus rose depuis 1979. Pour ceux qui voudraient creuser le sillon, la Sainte Trinité des labels s'impose : plongez sans hésiter dans les catalogues de Trojan Records pour les racines jamaïcaines, Studio One pour le son originel, et bien sûr, tout le reste de 2 Tone Records pour comprendre l'onde de choc.
A message to you: I enjoyed this a lot more than I thought I would. Rudy.
I liked this more than I expected. I’m not normally a ska kinda guy, but the fact that this had a little more variety to it made me like it more than most. Solid stuff.
When this came up, I immediately wrote it off as another unimpressive British band that the editor remembers fondly from their youth in the UK. That might be true, but I actually quite liked it. It’s goofy and a bit hokey, but a lot of fun and I can’t deny I enjoyed listening to it more than a 3 album.
RIP the specials. You would have love the 90s
Its a cool style they make. Not my style but I enjoyed it.
Not my type of music
Meh
Classic
I think I'd only heard the singles off this, so a lot of the moodier stuff (It's Up to You, Doesn't Make It Alright, etc) is hitting a lot harder, and honestly? It's a really good vibe for them. A bunch of the less racially politically charged tracks on here kind of run on a surprising level of misogynistic tropes, though, bc while many of his politics may have been good, Terry's always seemed like kind of a twat (also Too Much Too Young has always been overrated, don't @ me, and having the longer, slower mix of it on here helps nobody)
God, flashback to our old house 25 years ago...I'd totally forgotten some of these songs (Nite Club, Little Bitch) but this brought them flooding back. There's also the feeling of being 17 and back in Watford tied to some, particularly Message to You Rudy. Excellent album to start this project!
A classic for so many reasons, and when Too Much Too Young and Message are the standout singles you forget that the rest of the album really goes hard too! Not only a great snapshot of working class anger in the 70s, but also just very danceable :) Faves: Monkey Man (always), Concrete Jungle, A Message to You Rudy
decent but dragged
Hah. Weirdos.
Feel like the historical context of this album is quite important to appreciating it (which I don't have). Lots of references to race/gender which was probably more profound 40 years ago. Musically, I'm not that in love - feel like ska is just worse than reggae. The odd song does a good job blending that rock/reggae sound (stupid marriage, stupid bitch)
Don't like ska. 2.5
Went downhill fast, that.
Everything I liked on this album was the songs I already knew - the singles etc. I enjoyed some parts of the musicality this contains but overall I think ska is too wack for me.
I definitely hear the influence this band had on Sublime. I enjoyed the fast and the slower songs, all had a similar sound though.
The album that started white guy reggae. Love it
This brings me back to 1982 and my little punk 14 year old self
Listening to this brought me back to the '80's when I frequently saw ska bands at Bunratty's. I enjoyed the album, very fun, but it got a tad repetetive.
so ein random fucking genre, ska mit punk, aber funktioniert irgendwie
Veikkoset tehny albumia. Respect 3 star? Ei. Avg to 1.5 like my bob dylan esikuvain.....
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.
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.
The opposite of metacognition is incognizance. In a sentence: "despite liking the fine reggae song "A message to You Rudy" in an obscure way, I was incognizant of any link to the Specials. partly because for me, a "Special" is an lit award given by very old pinball machines. By that I mean pre-1980s. This is older than even that" I definitely didnt know tracks 2 onwards I am having a mixed response, its a clash of things I like and dont like at all. Interesting exploration. But oh so dates, but if this the best trashy english reggae album they could find? there is something wonderfully innocent and horribly childlike here. Glad I hear them for the first time. "Is everybody Happy?"
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.
Brilliant, absolute classic!
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
There are a couple fun singles on this album, and a bunch of fair ones. If one of these songs came up on a mix while I was at a cookout, at the beach, walking the dog, driving with the windows open, I'd think that was fun. But there's no combination of 2 songs that I particularly want to listen to in a row, and three is right out. As an album, there's just nothing here to hold my attention.
From the first off beats off ‘Message…’ it’s a perfect and fun record. Not only does it put one in a good state of mind but it’s also a strongly well written political album at times. It makes you dance, pogo, laugh, think and fires you up against racist behaviour.
It's good. Definitely just me, but when I listen to the specials I can see ashtrays, drizzle, violence, brown and orange clothes. It's so 70s British. It is good. Just not for me.
Full of exuberant energy, this has been a favorite for a long time. Rico Rodriguez is a legend and takes "Message" to the next level.
5/5
an absolute vibe. i've always found third-wave ska annoying but now it seems almost criminal that gen x americans listened to cool, culturally-unifying shit like this and stripped it of its blackness in the pursuit of glorified pop-punk tracks about, like, smoking weed with your girlfriend or whatever
Fun and upbeat. I didnt realize they did Monkey man. I also liked Nite Klub and Message to Rudy
Good fun, ska tends to be a bit samey over the course of an album and this isn't any different, but it's enjoyable while it's on.
In what turned put to be a banger I was very surprised by this really really good album. Probably top SKA ever. The special influence is undeniable and so many of the newer ska and punk bands have so much of their material that its insane. save ferris, no doubt, sublime, even the beastie boys. This album is a 5 star for me. Didnt even think it would be a 3 but here I stand corrected.
With a very distinctive style. Reggie vibes but more modern. That post punk raggie difficult to describe
Nice bass line. They mix punk, reggae vibes. Original and dancy
Fun to listen, sounds kind of timeless.
One of the founding fathers of the 2-tone movement of the late 70s in England. Their debut ranks just behind The Beat in quality but IS the most influential and important release of a mini cultural revolution. Stylistically bold, musically accomplished and culturally at the forefront. It is definitely of a particular time and place but it's one thing to be of a time and place but when you define that time and place...well that makes it a 5 ⭐ album
What a delightfully strange album. I don't even know what genre this is. British reggae? Ska? What even is ska? Idk but it's weird as hell from the first song and I like it.
Favourite tracks: monkey man; a message to Rudy; concrete jungle; too much too young
I LOVED THIS
I KNOW YOU AND YOURE JUST A LITTLE BITCH
Really not my thing
Try listening to this while waiting for a delayed train while being already late for an appointment... Easily removes one star... Anyhow, was pretty meh from the start, did not finish this one.
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.
ska will never die
Odd mix of energy but it works. Rhythm section is the glue for this album. A bit repetitive
This definitely deserves to be on the list, but I didn’t love it. Admittedly ska is hit or miss for me, but The Specials are iconic, so I can’t hate. Overall I enjoyed this record. Not every song was great, but it was pretty enjoyable as a whole.
MUITO forte. poucos sabem mas eu tenho uma queda imensa por um skazinho. esse eu escutei enquanto tava travado num bug cabuloso e foi tão bom que eu nem estressei no processo.
Meio puxado pro reggae. Muito tranquilo pra ouvir surtandinho
cada país tem o titãs que merece. new wave com ska né turma. é divertido, mas acho que nunca mais vou ouvir nao, infelizmente ska não é mto minha pira...
ska punk real
Enjoyed. 4/5
Some songs are good, others sound fun but fall flat.
Feels like a really standard album. Like a very solid 3. Has me reflecting on the fact that I am trying to listen to 1001 albums and I am very happy I am doing this because I probably won't revisit this album much but like it was a good enough listen and I feel like this is the average album I need to endure to experience all the good ones on the list is so worth because this wasn't even bad. its even good. just not good enough to be super compelling
3/10 - His voice is so annoying omg. I really was not expecting most of this to be reggae, and bad reggae at that. Most of the songs are pretty bad. Stupid Marriage is well, stupid. Too much too young was all about contraception which was strange as well. He is just mad bc the girl has a kid and now cant sleep with him.
I guess it’s fine, I just don’t really like reggae that much
Didn't think much of The Specials or their music at the time. While this is still not my kind of music I can appreciate the enthousiasm and enery. So all in all a surprisingly enjoyable listen.
Ez aljas módon tetszett.
és én még azt hittem, hogy a punkba oltott reggaet a Police találta ki! és Elvis Costello volt a producer, ami mondjuk megmagyarázza az eklektikát meg a csodálatosságot is 🤣 love it love it love it
как обычно, мерзкие жанры но из лет где примерно истоки были не бесят) просто не моё но забавный тыц-тыц
a brieflooos for yooou and meee
Hard to put in a box genre wise. I hear elements of reggae, rock, blues and pop at least. Terrible British vocal on the white dude which makes it really hard to listen to.
Ska= https://open.spotify.com/playlist/5xqsEY0ve8PM8srjtGVc0p?si=xqAXM4PlT6W5w_85y_Dj5Q&pi=u-mTaIzJ8DQzOD
Brutal
Its too British for any one person to listen too.
Not my style; but again, it has some classic songs so I can appreciate why it’s on the list!
Really enjoyed the reggae strumming style of this '79 album. Defined Ska in its British revival at a tense time.
Reggae fun fun woo 2.5
I like their style and some of their songs. But then there are quite a lot of songs which I think are too simple and not interesting.
A couple of great tunes that are foundational to ska.
Was never a huge ska fan, but this is something y of the bedt
Now this is good ska
Recognize a few of these tunes from growing up. Early ska. Much more into it than I was back then. Thoroughly enjoyed this.
Better energy from the singer but not quite as interesting musically, put it off about 3/4 through
I consider ska and reggae to be generally under appreciated, and I was thrilled to hear both genres in The Specials' debut album. They were part of ska revival, though I wish I knew more about it to appreciate the impact of the Specials. By covering some classic reggae songs and creating their own, The Specials pay homage to the early reggae and ska sound. Fascinatingly, the Specials dabbled in some punk, too? That alone made this a unique album, with ska, reggae, and punk. This album came across as super chill and super fun, with the silliness only increasing on the second half of the album. 3.5
I'm really not a big ska person, but I found this to be pretty enjoyable. Honestly, the majority of ska that I am familiar with is from the late 90s to early 2000s, and you could have convinced me that this album was from that time period too. They definitely nailed that modern ska sound and the album was very well produced. Speaking of production, my partner in crime on this project brought it to my attention that Elvis Costello produced this album, and honestly that made a lot of sense. The album cover and a lot of the music have an underlying Costello-ness to them, complete with dabbling a bit in those new wave and punk spaces.
i hated every second of this
Not bad but sum about white reggae
I kinda like Ska. The Specials aren't as good as some Ska bands, but I enjoyed the album.
Brilliant record. A reminder of those 6th Form parties. The 2015 remaster has a second disc of live tracks - awesome.
Essa pegada de ska é muito boa, mas soa uma coisa bem amadora, com a produção feita em casa. Não sei explicar, provavelmente as músicas com uma produção atual seriam estrondosas.
Rudy-sangen gir meg vonde flashbacks til musikkjulekalenderen
This album made me realise I do not listen to enough ska. The Specials are a band I was 100% familiar with, yet never went out of my listen to. So kudos to this list for bringing them right back to my attention again. The whole LP is an explosion of fantastic originals and covers, punk lyricism, ska, rock, reggae, and a sprinkle of old school rock ‘n’ roll. Musically it’s a really fun tracklist filled with addictive melodies and infectious bass lines. The raw vocals of Terry Hall only add to its overall character - as he walks a fine line between British flavoured fun and a take-no-bullshit attitude. Along with its diverse musical elements, ‘The Specials’ is also a commentary on society at large at the time; as if it is a bit of a time capsule of its own standing up as part of a movement against the rise of the right wing in the late 70’s. Which in turn makes it a fairly relevant record in today’s climate, as well (as they say, the more things change, the more things stay the same). There is no subtlety whatsoever in their observations here, and it only helps to elevate the album, in my opinion. I gave this around two listens today, as I wasn’t quite sure how to rate it. It was teetering between a 4 and a 5. But I ultimately decided on a 4; as I feel some tracks bog the record down just a little bit (‘Blank Expression’, and the overly long ‘Too Much Too Young’). Overall, however, I absolutely consider this a must listen for anybody.
Not bad, full of energy. Inevitably it's a bit samey and repetitive but that's ska.
Just great. Lovely album, I've been listening to it (on and off) for probably nearly thirty years. I still find the bass mesmerising, however I also love the Hammond, I love the drums, I love the horns, I love the vocals. Straight up 5 star classic.
of the Americanized "Ska"; enjoy it, check out the original artists, and be astounded. Then, circle back and check out the American Moon Ska scene. Then, track down Cincinnati, OH's own Erector Set, and their best Specials song not written by the Specials "Inside Out". Above all, listen to more ska!
STANDOUTS: I DNF'd most of these, so no. OVERALL: 2/5
Ska til it hurts
Anywhere from at 2 to a 5 depending on my mood. Can be grating or groovy. Hard to explain.
Rastabilly. Pretty good, but I'd rather just listen to reggae.
I don't think I have ever willingly listened to ska before so I'm not too sure how to judge this, but I enjoyed it. I really liked the energy, though I could do without some of the songs, it felt like it dragged on a bit too long even if it wasn't a particularly long album.
I enjoy Ska and Two-tone quite a bit, so I love this album. It is probably the height of that revival wave. Great debut. Considering the biggest songs of 1979 were mostly disco hits, this would have been a breath of fresh air.
Reggaen ja alt rockin sekoittelua. Silti letkeemmän puoleista. A Message To You Rudy, tuttu sample tältä. Parhaat: A Message To You Rudy, (A Dawning Of A) New Era, Little Bitch
This album is just so much FUN! Infectious energy with a massive feel-good vibe. This would be the perfect record to spin for my end-of-summer pool party!
****A good easy listening album. Lots of raggae sounds
anime pirate music
Good stuff, captured the zeitgeist
Pretty decent! Especially the live tracks at the end of the deluxe album. These guys are/were pretty awesome.
Good but middle of the road. Strong 3. 67
a truly exhausting listen. Rudy is a good song and when they lean into the more ska vibes it’s fun but overall just a slog
A million high school boys in a band have this (& the Ramones) to credit.
British ska revival band ... just what I wanted to hear on my drive into work.
Fun bouncy ska. Easy to see why everyone into ska comes back to this album -- it is one of the genesis points. Pretty solid.
You can definitely here what's to come with punk and new wave and this also presents a story worth digging into. An impactful and fun album.
Pretty fun, and cool to see the origins of the ska punk that dominated the 90’s and early 2000’s.
The most taste-dependent album I've encountered after ~120 albums recommended through this 1001 albums project. If you like reggae rock, it is good. If you don't... it is a tough listen. A few good numbers here and there but I don't see myself coming back. But perhaps not my type of sound.
So. SKA. I like reggea and big beat, upbeat, high tempo dance style music. I see it as one of those genres you would here at a summer outdoor park and everyone gets into the dance and fun and there are vintage cars and clever costumes... Of course it would be fun! I think maybe that is the trouble... See, that IS where this band shines. It is definitely a live, open, high spirit, high energy, go for it boozy blowout band. It is hard to zone out or tone down if you are trying to casually listen on a Tuesday afternoon. It doesn't allow for doing anything else. It is like the difference between a good movie you have to focus on and an OK movie that doesn't challenge you as much. Sometimes you just choose not to watch the better movie because it is requires too much head space.
Very nice
Interesting combination of genres. Energetic and great fun. Reminded me of Madness at some points. Really good sound. Loved it. I'd definitely love to hear more. Highlights: A Message to You Rudy Do the Dog Nite Klub Concrete Jungle Monkey Man
this did not change my opinion on ska
Ska! These reggae infused songs lift the heart and spirit.
Great album. Ska music at its best The album is just full of bangers. absolutley brilliant. Favourite song: Gangsters, what a track that is!! Do the dog is also a little favourite and great live. Least favourite: They are also classics. Album artwork: Iconic cover
Too young to have a sense of the social impact of this, but impressive on how they managed to harness a spiky bouncy joy whilst commenting on the total pile of dogshit that was the UK in the late 70s
Lyrics not bad. Use of horns good. But not that strong of an album overall.
Im never going to enjoy ska. Cool artifact tho
I have heard many of the songs in various movies. Good listening.
A not entirely pleasant trip down memory lane after thatcher ripped the heart out of society and blamed those she left behind for its ills. Concrete jungle & stupid marriage stand out tracks for me.
. The music is ramshackle and the lyrics are angry and petulant but this is a record of its time. Coventry, 1979 and it brings out the monochrome of the times before derulation and colour of the eighties. Rudy and Monkey Man are great. Too Much Too Young was revamped to become a number one hit single and the rest is pretty much jamming through a new breed of reggae which would mature and become very relevant.
It’s a 5-star classic great from beginning to end
What better response to the bleak austerity and right-wing economics of the Thatcher era than to blend Jamaican ska with English punk? What made The Specials unique is that their blending of styles was very genuine. They're not a punk band stealing bits and pieces from black musicians (which rock n roll history is filled with), or the occasional special guest appearance, but they're actually working together as one band. Equal partners working to make something greater than the sum of their parts. Ok, maybe it falls a bit more on the side of punk, but the principle is there. And more importantly, it works and makes a very fun album. I have a slight preference for their follow up album 'More Specials' just because it's so bizarre, but this was also a great listen.
Seems like a good album and I like the singles
Normally I'd love an album like this, but this is my 3rd listen to it and still doesn't quite hit for me. Not a bad album by any means and there's a handful of songs I love, but More Specials is like 20x better than this album
This is the least terrible ska I've heard but I still hate horns
I own a compilation to 2-tone ska on vinyl, and it is no surprise how much of this is dominated by The Specials. They were masters of the genre and I’ve yet to hear anything by them that I didn’t love. This album is no exception. I was already familiar with a fair few tracks here, and anything new to my ears sounded as good as the rest. It’s hard to be sad while listening to ska, and that’s why I love it.
Knee's up! Respect to those that came before.
Is it special? No. Sounded good, though, but it sometimes it missed the mark.
Mmh...
I like British Rock but not when it's too British
You're wondering now What to do When I rate this album 4
I bet this must have been a contentious album among the artsy crowd back then. It is obnoxious to say the least, but in a minimally endearing way.
I'm not mad that I had to listen to this record, but I also could have gone my entire life without ever hearing it. One additional star for that one song that somewhat resembles The Rolling Stones, but the rest of this made me go 'well, ok. that was okay i guess.' It's also not a great sign that I can't remember which song I'm even referring to as the pretty good one, but whatever.
Never really been a fan of ska, but if you have to listen to the genre, it doesn't get much better than the Specials. Their debut brought to the larger masses a great album full of punk energy and infectious sounds that will lift you from your seat. You can't deny this record was enjoyable, dance-able and worth the listen, if not only because it's fun, but also it's influence and importance to the scene.
The first song made me think this was spooky ska but then I realised it was just regular ska . It was ok
Very talented musicians. Not my sound in general, but in doses, I can dig it. I have to give 3 stars just because I recognize the talent.
шашечки равно ска ну в целом я скажу что ну норм, послушал на чилле
Enjoable, easy to listen to.
(Don’t) Play that funky music, white boy
the first few songs were so good that i think the rest felt disappointing even though it was also very fun
3.5 stars. Good ol fashioned ska. Island guitars and horn sections, often having a big band sound. Favorite tracks include "Nite Klub" and "Blank Expression." "Doesn't Make It Alright" has a straightforward message, and offers a nice gentler change of pace from the other songs. "You're Wondering Now" is clever as a closing track.
I like The Specials for their style, their progressiveness, and for doing everything completely different. The music itself I don't love - I find a lot of ska to be kind of goofy, the GOATs being no exception. But I do admire them for who they were.
So much fun and energy! Loved it!
I don't like Ska.
Loved this! I'd heard A Message to you Rudy, and Monkey Man but was shocked to hear how fucking good the rest of the album is. After this, I listened to Reggae the rest of the day.
I liked it until I didn't.
Idk what it is about ska, but it always makes me feel so happy!! I love this album!
Decent, too much too young is by far the worst song
Thankfully only one track with the weird speaking really close to the mic thing that seemed acceptable at the time. The bangers drag this up.
This was an interesting listen. There is not a lot of ska on this list. I enjoyed the album for what it is. It might not be something I would listen to often but I would not mind hearing it again.
A message to you rudy is excellent, the rest if okay but not exceptional.
Absolutely magnificent album. Every single track would have been a hit single.
This was fine, but I got REAL TIRED of their sound about 10 minutes in and still had another 34 more minutes of pop-punk reggae-rock.
Enjoyable Ska album for me. Nothing bad about it.
Thats ok
Better than their follow up album Favourite songs: Little Bitch, Nite Klub, It's Up To You, Concrete Jungle, You're Wondering Now Least favourite songs: Too Hot 3/5
Classic Specials, five stars
Skatastic
So much of this sounded so familiar but I don't think I actually knew any of these songs. It was very british, and mostly fun, but also tiring at times. Stand-out: A Message to You Rudy
I dig the ska
Cool funk from early days, rawer and clean guitars, sax/trombones/trumpets. Good for sampling in electronic music, sound like early trap/ska. Funny lyrics.