The Specials

love the energy

Se parecen a Toreros Muertos, pero en inglés. Más british, aunque no sé de dónde son.

Nothing here is bad but it's dated. I'd listen to it again but it's on the same category as sublime. I'm sure in 1979 this inspired scores of ska and pink kids. Today it's just ok.

Nice hearing the originals,

1979, Ska, reggae, 2 Tone, punk rock, geht

Love 'A message to you Rudy', nearly fell of my chair on 'Monkey Man' - I know that song from a Wiggles video with Kylie Minogue! I like ska, so enjoyed this but dont think it will be everyones cup of tea

Bon album de ska classique, moins mon vibe mais discours très amusants.

i felt like i was in lazytown, but if lazytown was in britain in the 70s. high 3

This is pretty good. I'm sure they are/were a great live bad, just not sure how well that translates to their recorded music. 2.5 stars, rounding up to 3.

Very fun album. Reggae inspired songs, so not quite what I'm interested in but there are a few really good songs in here.

Ska came before reggae

Ska is too repetitive for me

At first sound, I was excited and wanted to give it a five. Then I heard some racial lyrics so I read a blurb that said it was politically reactive to Thatcher and got excited again. Then I paid attention to the lyrics as the songs went on and I gotta say when I do that the mysogyny always lets me down

At least it's not *all* white guys making reggae. The album cover still reminds me of Snatch for some reason. This band is very much a Clash lookalike. I just wish Ghost Town was on this album

is this ska

It was just okay

Pretty good. I know all the songs.

Ska again not a big factor in my musical lexicon but it's a fine album and some standout songs I've long appreciated.

I think I have heard of this band, part of the first wave of ska revival I think? Never heard any of their songs though. Oh, I guess I have "Little Bitch", It had to look it up, but it was in DDR haha! Might have been a cover though. Also heard "Ghost Town" from another of their albums. I do like ska though, I think it's fun. Not something I necessarily go out of my way to listen to, but if it comes on through the radio or online, I usually enjoy it. Some really dumb songs in here though, like "Too Hot" and "Stupid Marriage". But, I guess it's all in fun. Apparently they even have a song called "Rat Race" haha. Overall, the album is good but doesn't really blow me away, so 3.5 rounded down to 3.

Like sublime on cocaine

It was okay... for a ska album

Very similar to mighty mighty bosstones

Anyone that’s able to spearhead a genre revival like this is ok in my book

3.5! good background music! i liked it a lot!

Thought I’d be a lot more into this than I was, last 3 songs of the first disc saved it a bit but wasn’t for me

Reggae with a little bit of a punk edge. It was ok but not really my thing. The melodies and vocals are very simple and repetitive.

ehhhhhhhh

At first it was chill but around "Doesn't Make It Alright", the voice started to grate. 2/5

Nerds trying to be cool by playing punkish ska with a 50’s flair. It’s just alright.

Some of these songs are pretty alright, but others are just annoying, and the second side is way worse (Blank Expression, Stupid Marriage, and Too Much Too Young is three awful songs in a row…)

2/4

im pretty sure i do like ska, but this didn't do anything for me. droning and repetitive and not nearly as fun as i wanted it to be. favorite song was Doesn't Make It Alright. soft 2

Not for me but I can see why this might be on this list, very few albums that I can say that for

Dawning and Rudy were good, Little Bitch weirdly compelling punk vibe. Rest of this kind of sucks

Not for me but at least I now know what British ska is! If not for enjoyment at least this listen was educational

Feels a lot like Jamaican. Not sure if that's Ska.

570/1089 - I'd much rather listen to the English Beat. It's the same genre but this sounds like they don't practice and because their lyrics are about the plight of poor people or something then critics will suck them off.

Album 284. The Specials — The Specials (1979) British SKA is a fucking joke. As long as it's not music but joke – at least it has some fun. But the amount of fun is so small and the pain is so much, I'd rather destroy myself 2/5 No liked songs

Ska reggae vibes. I don't love it. I think one of these songs is in the movie chef.

I thought this was interesting at first, but it quickly lost steam around the track 4-5 mark. Once it lost me I never regained my initial level of interest. 2.5/5

I can see why peeps might be into this. Unique, catchy, kinda quirky…but honestly not for me. I’m sure these guys had influence (sublime? Mighty mighty bosstones 🤣), but just not a style I can get to and felt like a novelty in parts. And the mix was weird. Why did that one dude get his mic turned up so high? 2.25

I really wanted to like this. First few tracks were pretty fun. Should have been 10 minutes shorter. Some tracks were too long and others should have been omitted. 2.575/5

Not my thing

Ska is not my thing. Reggae is definitely not my thing. I wish it was As a bass player there is a lot of tasty bass lines to keep me interested, its just everything else going on that I just can't jive with.

A mixture of ska and punk. I call it skunk. It stinks.

2/5

It’s ok.

It’s Ska Jim but not as we know it

Oh. So this is this genre of music. I guess I’m in for a fun 46 minutes. Starting off with a message to you Rudy. It wasn’t bad per se, but this is the type of music you put in the background of an old timey movie, not that you listen to on your lunch break. Do the dog was aight, and it’s up to you was honestly weirdly quiet compared to the rest of the album so far, but it wasn’t offensive. The trumpet in Nite Klub was honestly gorgeous. Doesn’t make it alright was actually quite nice. I liked the guitar. I also liked Concrete Jungle, but Too Hot was actually quite painful to listen to, and not just because it’s 33 Celsius here while I’m listening to this. Monkey man wasn’t that good either, and even though dawning of a new era was an improvement, I still didn’t really love it. This album has gone from like 70s lounge music to synth pop and it’s honestly a strange progression. Stupid marriage wasn’t bad, but it was so out there compared to the rest. Ending off the album, you’re wondering now was also just ok. Wasn’t a huge fan, thought there was potential but it was all over the place. 2/5 ⭐️ 213/1089

I thought I liked the Specials, turns out a whole album is too much.

The Specials' self-titled debut album is a fascinating 2-star paradox that captures the explosive birth of the 2-tone ska revival while deeply struggling to maintain a consistent momentum from start to finish. On one hand, the record delivers undeniable high-energy highlights, such as "Concrete Jungle" with its driving drums and urgent social commentary, "Nite Club" with its impeccably groovy bassline, and catchy numbers like "Little Bitch" and "New Era." However, the album is heavily weighed down by jarring tonal shifts, goofy novelties like "Monkey Man," and entirely forgettable filler such as "Blank Expression" that leave the listening experience feeling disjointed. Even when the band finds a pleasant, relaxed groove on tracks like "Too Much Young," the erratic sequencing and polarizing stylistic choices prevent the project from gelling into a cohesive whole, ultimately making it feel more like a mixed bag of scattered singles than a consistently rewarding listen.

Had higher hopes for this.

Dear god there’s still a third album to go with these guys. Could life be more hellish. The last time we had to suffer through this I said it was on the borderline of 1 and 2 and gave it a 1. This is pretty much the same so I’ll give it a 2 to be fair.

odd mix of reggae and british punk. not all terrible, but not sure i needed to hear it

Ska music. I imagine guys wearing checkered Vans, bowling shirts and dancing with big girls. It’s a low form of music.

Didn’t think I would like this and I was right. Ska music is annoying as hell to me for some reason. I can do Sublime but even that gets old quickly. This album is particular seemed repetitive and the lyrics were just stupid at times. I would describe this as tolerable at best.

I really, really wanted to like these guys but they are too british and there are a few too many off-key warbling songs like I don't mind a singer who can't sing, especially in a ska band, but you gotta make it work

Never heard this before but I mostly can't stand ska. It's always that same sound with most songs.

Robbie Rotten type beat

Never been a fan of ska, and this is no different. However, if they were on a festival stage on a sunny Sunday afternoon, my opinion would probably change

- a lil ska on this fine sunday

Reggae punk are not my genres. 4/10

Nothing special

It’s like if The Clash sort of sucked. They say this album captures the energy of The Specials’ live shows, and if I were a drunk Briton at a show in 1979 or something I could imagine this really hitting. But as a recorded album it’s exhausting and messy, and the best tracks are just covers of actual reggae artists.

Achei ok mais nada q me fez reouvir

Ska is not for me. Though entertaining, there's only so much Coventry accent I can handle a year, and this was my yearly fill. It's not a bad album, objectively, but it's not a genre of music I've ever learned to enjoy. 4/10

hmm, not a fan. pick: message to you rudy

I didn't like this, there were a few songs with nice guitar licks that I have heard in newer music, so guess they have inspired others.

These guys are clearly good at making ska. I, unfortunately, do not like ska very much at all, so I could only appreciate when I would’ve preferred to enjoy. A heaping helping of “oh not for me, thanks.” A fun, pissed off, well-made album that I was relieved to finish. “Do the Dog” bangs, though.

This is an ok album, I guess... Fairly generic and safe overall, but kinda boring.

It is the beginning of Ska. I think we didn't really need a beginning of Ska. 4/10 Top song A message to you Rudy

They are special. Typical One Hit Wonders, album is bouncy but Kara remarked that all the songs sound the same. She isn't wrong.

White dudes doing reggae. Not for me

I don’t know man, listening to Ska is like having a chat at the bar with an Australian. Fun and entertaining at first but 45 minutes is way too much. 2 stars

Nah.

It sounds exactly like what it is: kids in a garage making music about their lives. But it doesn’t really do much for me. 4/10

Don't really like ska :(

For most of my life I've argued that there are no bad genres of music. Within any genre you can find brilliant artists creating great work. It's just a matter of distinguishing the great artists from the bad and putting in the time and effort to appreciate their work. After hearing this album, I think ska might be the exception

Tampoco fue mi favorito

Eh, some of this was all right.

Old Ska/Reggae sound. Could be a really good ska/reggae sound but could not get into it.

4 - BAD

Its ok, but its Ska so theres that.

Ska was never my thing. Reggae either. And unfortunately they still aren’t, folks.

what kind of british strangeness is this.

I'm not a fan of ska or reggae. So, I understand this may be a good album, but I find it kind of boring (at least musically).

muuuuy chill, no me encantó

Idk, I think there's a reason ska has always been a niche genre. It's like almost chill yet annoyingly upbeat at the same time. And not very interesting. About the only place I want to hear it is on a warm, breezy, sunny day sipping drinks on a patio with friends. But even then, I'd probably enjoy something else more. But that wouldn't be a bad vibe for the novelty.

A good ska album. Not very memorable but it had some good jams

Reggae married punk and had a baby. That baby is ?ska?. Musically ok, if only they wouldn't sing. Two stars for horns; leass stars for the lead's voice.

One glance at the cover photo and I knew it would be ska. I can't get past the vocals. Gave up.

Great start with A Message to You Rudy. And....they've lost me with Do the Dog. The talking over the song is a strange choice. One good song and a bunch of terrible ones after that. The straight ska songs are their best songs. Too Hot is a welcome respite. Monkey Man was in a cruise ad I think, I do not like it. The chorus is annoying. Listening to these albums it does become clearer that nothing exists in a vacuum. I wonder if I would feel differently about some of these albums if I listened to them chronologically rather than randomly. This is Cake's favorite band. I'm ready for this to be over. There is a reason ska songs aren't six minutes long. The lyrics leave a great deal to be desired. Little Bitch straight up rips off the Rolling Stones' Brown Sugar.

I'm really sorry folks, I just can't get into ska. It feels like white boy reggae, and I have a hard enough time enjoying regular reggae. It just doesn't do it for me. It's not the worst 40 minutes of music I've ever heard, but I could have done like 10 minutes of it and called it a day. 😔

This is one of those albums that I absolutely believe deserves a spot on this list despite detesting it. The worst of punk fused with the worst of reggae (two genres I typically enjoy). I wish I liked ska but this era really doesn't work for me. The vocals grated as well. Extra star out of respect for its influence and technical musical quality.

Some iconic Ska songs on this but I've never been really into ska. 2.5

Catchy at times, had a song stuck in my head for a few days. Won't make it onto a regular rotation though. 2.5.

Its crazy this album is from 1979. Sounds at least from mid 80s. Overall, its was ok. I hadnt heard a British ska reggae album before.

I’m not really a ska hater, and I can understand how this was impactful in its time, but man I was not into this. Mostly sounded like cartoon music.

Like Madness but worse. It just dragged on for too long.

Hmmm, this was not as good as I was thinking it would be. Nothing against ska just seems overly rudimentary and uhm not especially good. If you had told me this was your friend's local ska band from the early 80s mentally that would have checked out for me. Maybe you had to be there. But based on the lyrics I'm glad I was not there. Rounding down, sorry blokes.

Just unbearable for me.

The longer this album went on, the less I liked it

Honestly sure this was a different vibe and style but I didn’t hear much that was “special”

Going to try and look at these tracks objectively as I’m not a ska fan. Unless we’re talking about something like Sublime with their slightly ska inspired tracks. Probably not going to manage to break this one down on a song by song level. Stop Your Messing Around has a recognisable main melody, something I’ve heard many many times. Not certain if this is where it originated from or its derivative of something else. Simple repetitive lyrics cover a repetitive melody. Do The Dog immediately significantly more interesting than the opening track with a prominent drumbeat. Something almost reminiscent of UK punk rather than ska in this one. Like the use of chromatic movements in the bassline. Vocals are EXTREMELY UK punk. Hugely ignorant lyrics in this song, an attempt to be political probably not hugely well thought out. It’s Up To You starts off with a reggae inspired bassline that gives a nice reprieve from the harsh “punkiness” of the previous track. This one includes an extremely soulful guitar solo. Quite a fan of this one. Nite Klub after an ambient intro kicks into what I would associate with a typical ska beat. Maybe this is my issue with ska? It all feels a bit too typical? Same-y? There is some nice lead in this followed by a break and some funky bass which gives it almost a freestyle jazz feel. It Doesn't Make It Alright is a thoroughly uninteresting track. Nothing positive to say about it. Concrete Jungle has a fun use of discordant notes in the intro bassline. Also features an understated but good lead section. Definitely a much more interesting track than some of the previous. Really nice guitar solo in this one, just wish the bass over the top of it was toned down a little bit, it’s slightly too prominent and is a bit distracting. I hate Too Hot. That’s it. The only good part about this song is when it bumps up the tempo in the outro, making the song end sooner. I hate Monkey Man also, it’s faster atleast? Dawning Of a New Era is maybe the first track to get my attention? It starts with a somewhat interesting guitar riff and the melody of the chorus is actually somewhat different to the same old boring staccatoed up and down that every single other track has used. Discordant organ sounds in the background are interesting layering. It’s honestly as if they got halfway through this album then suddenly decided they ought to make some sort of effort to make decent music. Blank Expression is a lot better than some of the rest. It still has that grating typical ska beat but what more to expect from a ska album, but atleast this one has some fun lead and variation in the verse sections. The spoken intro in Stupid Marriage is fun I guess? The rest of this is shite to be honest. Somewhat decent guitar solo hidden behind noise. Too Much Too Young again just sounds same-y. It’s also far too long for what it is. Ironically, too much Too Much. The chorus guitar riff in Little Bitch is actually really really good, I like it. Unfortunately the rest of the song just isn’t good. Real shame. But then suddenly a great solo???? This is probably my favourite song on the album and even then I’m conflicted. You’re Wondering Now is a perfect outro to the album in the sense that it sounds like every single other song in the album. That’s not a good thing in my opinion. Glad to see the end of this album, definitely haven’t changed my mind about ska. Maybe I’m wrong in saying everything sounds the same or derivative, perhaps The Specials were pioneers in ska. I don’t know enough about the context. But I’m just not a fan regardless. 2/5.

Ok grooves but the album in whole felt a little stale. Not bad, not good it just was.

Didn’t really do it for me, but had some solid sounds.

Not really into this. Early Ska. I can handle ska if it leans pretty heavily into the punk side, but this is way more reggae toned. Rather slow and doesn't have the frenetic energy that can make ska fun. I don't know the history of the genre well enough to speak to the influence, must be significant or this kind of minor sounding album probably wouldn't be on the list. Would be decent in a small club setting, but I don't need it here. Very very British. Overall not exciting and I will not be revisiting.

A few decent tracks, the rest forgettable reggae/ska songs

I debated on this one for a while. There are two classic ska tracks on here (“a message to you Rudy” and “Too much too young “). The overall sound isn’t bad. But there’s just not quite enough to make me want to put the album on instead of just those tracks. Can’t quite break into 3 territory.

Ga opp etter 3 sanger - regner med det stort sett går i det samme resten av albumet. Ikke for meg. Kan ikke fordra den sjangeren.

Klarte å høyre gjennom heile, men med ein sunn ompa-distanse. Nokre artige augneblikk, men ikkje noko eg høyrer meir på.

I really can't handle this

fine for ska, not my favorite revival

music for those life support lobsters in grocery stores

Forgettable.

*1979. British ska, new wave. *Bizarre combination of very British, and occasional good bits of actual ska/reggae. They need to just kick the white guys out of the band. *Did not enjoy the British bits. Did enjoy the reggae bits. RATING - 5/10

This was a pretty painful listen overall, but I'd be lying if I said I didn't have a little fun listening to a handful of these tracks. Highlights: Nite Klub, Concrete Jungle, Monkey Man, Stupid Marriage, Little B**ch

That is certainly what ska sounds like.

I really wanted to like this one. There were a couple cool songs, but the album just wasn't that good.

Was this The Specials or the Borings?

Influential, but too raw and unpolished for my taste .... rather listen to Madness

Rock medio reggae por momentos, soft pero tiene algunos momentos mas hardcore. The beatles sound pero como más juguetones y bailables creo. Me hace acordar a La Vela Puerca. Tiene muy buenos vientos. Tienen un toque experimental. Likes A message to you Rudy - It doesn't make it alright - Dawning - Blank Expression

Not my forte. Its music that exists.

Has to be the precursor to ska. Has a ton of drum licks that a suspiciously similar to Sublime. Some of the lyrics are a bit outrageous, in a good way. 2.4/5.0

It's ska.

I am not super into ska so this all stated to sound kinda same-y to me. Fun tho. Song(s) added to my 10001 Bangers playlist: A Message to You Rudy

Uh-oh. The Specials, huh? I have heard of this band, and I think they’re a ska band…..Yep, they are. This might be a tricky one. Ska is a reggae-like music that annoys me most of the time. The most famous “ska” band that you’ve heard of is No Doubt, though I’d imagine most true ska fans would think No Doubt is not ska. Lots of trumpets, saxophones, and reggae licks from guitars. Ska is short for skank, which is the signature off-tempo beat played on the guitar or piano. For some reason, the United Kingdom really got into reggae and ska back in the late 60s and 70s. It’s kind of weird. I guess they were starved for music other than the crap they played on pop radio in the 1960s. The Specials were a UK ska band, and this album is seen as the height of the ska movement in London. A lot of punk bands were into ska and reggae. Elvis Costello produced this album, which seems weird to me. It seems the UK wasn’t a fun place for young people in the 1970s. I guess we had our own problems, so we didn’t spend too much time learning about the rest of the world in school. Hmmm, while I’m not ready to say this album is a must-hear, I must admit, as I’m arriving at track 5, I’m finding I’m relaxing a bit more and getting into the groove. Basically, because all the songs essentially have the same groove. Maybe it’s the cold, although it's 26 degrees, so compared to -2 last night, we’re having a heatwave here in Kentucky. In track 10, Blank Expression, we get the steel drums coming in, unless it’s just a dude playing a steel drum barrel. I just never got into this kind of music. It all sounds similar to me, which sounds dumb. I realize how all music in one genre sounds alike; otherwise, you wouldn’t be able to pigeonhole that music into that certain genre. The organs also sound like the band should be singing songs about baseball or some other sport, very ballpark organ-y sounding. In track 9, Stupid Marriage, the organ gets a solo, and I literally thought it was going to play Take Me Out to the Ballgame. Amazing. Ugh. Too Much Too Young is six minutes of the same verses over and over. It should’ve been 2 minutes. Listen, I’m never listening to this again. This album proved I still am not a big fan of ska or reggae. I can tolerate it in short bursts, though. Is this an all-timer that needs to be heard before you skank off this mortal coil? Not really. I think its inclusion is more for historical means than being a great album. But it's worth exploring if you know nothing about the genre. This might be something you've been looking for your whole life.

Nothing special about them

Huge generational barrier to this one for me. Kinda funny how strange the lyrics are? Unfortunately I don’t get it

you know what, these guys sound like they're having a blast making music, so good for them. the only song I would go back to is "A Message to You Rudy", a cover of a reggae classic from a decade prior.

I can get on board with ska for a song or two. But man this gets old quick. Won't give it a 1 because it's just not my genre. I think it's good for whoever likes a lot of ska.

It took me a while to appreciate what they were trying to do on this album. Once I accepted that this wasn't an attempt to craft a serious album and that maybe ska is all just a joke, I decided I could tolerate most of it. Except for "Doesn't Make It Alright." Fuck that.

2.5 i enjoyed this listen unsure if i would listen again

More like The Mehs (2.5)

It’s fine but not something I’d listen to again

Not my jam, perhaps one day Ska will work for me. But not so far

i can't say for certain but this might've been worse than being waterboarded. i mean it probably isn't, and i do have to appropriately credit the ska revival movement's counter-cultural influence on racial tensions given the (white) nationalist trends in thatcher-era britain, but also this was pure agony to get through. i don't know how much i weigh historical importance against my personal enjoyment, but i know that i'm leaning on it pretty hard here. elvis costello, a man who haunts me, is a terrible producer. the misogyny in the second half is again tiresome.

Sounds like a soundtrack to a movie set in 1980s suburbia

They switched up their sound every once in a while.

The bass was doing some fun stuff but overall I didn't care for it.

This album grew on me as I listened through it. Still, Ska is pretty one dimensional and died out for a reason. It tends to all sound the same after a while.

Prima gezellig maar was het wel zat na 20 min

Not usually a fan of the Ska/brit punk but relatively enjoyed this

Definitely not my vibe and would not play any of the songs again.

It's fine - if you were new to ska/rocksteady, this would be a decent introduction. Just keep in mind the best songs on this album are covers and make it a point to find the originals - Monkey Man and Rudy A Message to You. No issue with the band, but keep in mind there's a lot of ska/rocksteady that's way better!

Not my style of music

Ska is blah, imo. The vocals are nothing special either.

Fine but it doesn’t

A couple songs on here that I really liked, but as a whole, the album started to blend together and I was ready for it to be done by the end. I do like the sound a lot, and love this ska vibe they really pioneered, but as a whole this wasn’t a standout for me.

2,5

I see why there are fans of ska, but I'm still not one of them. The songs are well written and are without a doubt fun, but over the runtime of the entire album the listening experience can only be labeled as grating.

I fear what this has taught me is the belief I like The Specials should be quantified by “the singles”. Apple Music included “Gangsters” as this album’s opening track, which wasn’t included on the original pressing - great song, but I can’t really consider it here. This would fare a bit better mark wise if I could. “A Message to You Rudy” is a fabulous song. The rest of the album feels like a let down in comparison. When the opening bars to “Too Much Too Young” started, I got a bit excited - but then I remembered I didn’t like the studio version compared to the live version; it lacks that quick, sharp spark that the live version has.

Liked this album more than I thought I would just based on first appearances. Not necessarily my style. But there were some enjoyable moments. Favorite song: a message to you rudy

mid

🍃🎷🪘🥁🎸🎤🍃

its like… ska?? idk i js didnt rlly fw it

Still doing nothing much for me

A lot of British bands and British artists recently and a lot of music from the 70s. I don't know if the 70s were really my era musically. I feel like a lot of the music that I have heard from then is more upbeat and energetic than the music I prefer to listen to. I'm not saying I don't like it, I think it's a nice mix-up from what I normally listen to, but it's just not music I will likely reach for again. They are known as a "ska-revival" band, which is a blend of Jamaican ska, rocksteady, reggae, and punk influence. Overall, seems like an important album is music history as it blended black and white music, but it's just not my favorite. Rating: 6/10 Favorite track: Too much, too young

I just don’t like the beat of ska. I’m glad I listened right through to be sure. The album wasn’t offensive to have on as background noise.

Oi, oi, argey bargey can in hand and powdered nose jostlin' amongst it. Otherwise, a bit old hat. Not much fun without the scene to go with it and I'm over it.

ніби трохи й качова, але абсолютно не моя музика

Standouts A Message to You Rudy

I found the vocals so annoying, it took away from the enjoyable parts of any song. Even the horn section couldn't save it. Standout Tracks: Blank Expression

Ska should be banned

British ska revivalists The Specials have some killer singles in their catalog but unfortunately none of them appear on this (their debut album) which honestly sounds like a bunch of b-sides. Only "Too Much Too Young" manages to distinguish itself from the pack (but it certainly didn't need to be 6 minutes long). This album *is* lively and upbeat and it would make for decent party music, so it's not entirely without merit. The band also has a lot more personality than, for example, the godawful UB40, but nonetheless the songs on this record lack the melodic sense or inventiveness of say, fellow two-toners like Madness or The (English) Beat.

First time ever listening to Ska. Also researched that is considered the best Ska album of the First Wave. Completely unimpressed by the whole project. Feels unserious but not in a fun way. Sounds like a parody of Yacht Rock. Stupid Marriage was the best moment for me. Overall not looking forward to the other Ska albums on this journey.

Is that reggae?

mhh some bits i enjoyed. most of it not so much.

I'm not really into ska and two tone. I find it all just too samey, I was hopeful though as Rudy is pretty good, but it didn't really go anywhere after this. Much too young is catchy but it's just the same thing forever. I can't be bothered with it all.

British ska... Alright but also not 🤷

I can keep on happily living without ever listening to The Specials again.

Meh.

British reggae? I mean, that’s essentially what this was. Not bad but not something I would seek out on my own.

look ma, he's skankin! he's skankin' ma! outta 5

Just ok, though did recognize Message for Rudy

Sounds like a fever dream

The reggae elements of this album drove me crazy. It just felt out of place and repetitive. Not to mention the lyricism and delivery of the vocals was pretty corny.

it's fine, but for some reason didn't quite grab me

Early SKA. Not for me.

2,3/5

Do I detect the origins of ska? 'Do The Dog' feels like I'm watching America's Funniest Home Videos Also sensing Jimi Hendrix

Just because you can, doesn’t mean that you should. Call me biased but the Americans did a far better job ripping off Jamaican culture. I’ll save for the special exception that is Sting

meh

Felt oddly sour on this one compared to More Specials. Maybe I just don't like older ska too much?

I’m not going to give this a 1 because I did enjoy a lot of the instrumental jams but hoo boy this was pretty bad

I tried to have fun with it but this singing is seriously so bad. I think it's the infusion of punk that kills it for me. Standout: A Message To You Rudy

Eurgh. I like reggae, for the record, but I realized after the OTHER album by The Specials that popped up that I don't like ska. I definitely eased in more on my second listen - I was ready to say fuck it and give it a 1 the first time. However, there are some truly abominable cuts on here. The one two punch of Stupid Marriage and Too Much Too Young almost took me out.

Some funky basslines in here, but at the end of the day it's Ska

Sparkling ska, spoiled by some sour misogyny - Little Bitch and Too Much Too Young especially - which takes away the achievements of A Message To You Rudy and Doesn't Make It Alright.

Guitar is pretty good but just couldnt vibe with the rest

I just never got into ska, not even the '90s re-revival. There are Clash songs I like that would probably be categorized as ska, but that's about as far as I can enjoy it. There's a Specials video in heavy rotation on MTV Classic but I looked it up just now and it's "Ghost Town," which isn't on this album. I don't have anything else to add.

Brit pop based around ska, reggae, new wave, punk all produced by Elvis Costello. It’s an interesting listen and I’ll give it many more listens throughout the day, but my first few impressions were underwhelming, especially the vocals. The music wasn’t bad. I didn’t mind it, but I also found myself looking forward to it ending and was relived these 14 songs were only 45 min.

Favourite track: Concrete Jungle

pretty ok ska

107 The thing is... I do this to myself. La versión del splotify tiene 2 discos, asumí que era sólo el primero y en un acto de amor propio decidí no extender más esta agonía. Está bien, pero el ska/reggae definitivamente no es para mi.

Creo recordar que ya me había salido este disco, pero supongo que estoy equivocado. Realmente pasa lo mismo con el disco, es repetitivo. Creo que más allá de su significado político y social, no soporto esta música mucho rato.

Music happened. But it didnt need to. Not much special about this.

Another British bias inclusion. This is mediocre at best.

Ska for me has to be a certain mood. Yesterday wasn’t it. Not that great

I just don’t like this kind of music. Gets a point for the recognisable songs

Only one song that I liked Very mid Good guitar but bad vocals

Meh, just waiting for this album to be over. Not the worse I’ve heard, some of it is catchy, but def won’t listen to again. I’m stuck between a 1 and 2.

Not as much fun as I was expecting

2.5

Not really a big fan of this one. There were some good tracks here, but I didn't really enjoy most of the record. Favourite Track(s): Doesn't Make It Alright, Too Hot Least Favourite Track(s): Do the Dog

stupid marriage

As a longtime ska fan I feel like I’m supposed to love this, but I just couldn’t

idk why i could tolerate this more than the other specials album but i guess this was more punk-adjacent? not necessarily in a good way, just in the sense that i found it easier to endure…my dad really likes the first song on here for some reason.

I like that first song, and the other song that sounds like the first song (Rudy). 2.4. My guess is this gets a 2.92

Honestly had me laughing at some parts with how corny some of it is especially towards the beginning. I really think that if they got rid of the organ for a lot of tracks, it would be a lot better. Some of it feels like its the warmup routine backing track for a circus. Other tracks are vibes though, but overall, I wouldn't say that I'm converted to being a fan yet

How much ska is too much ska. This much ska. This much ska is too much ska.

uu

It's fine, but also an exhausting album start to finish.

Carino ma non mi ha coinvolto, anzi mi ha scocciata abbastanza velocemente

non proprio il mio genere, capisco la rilevanza che può aver avuto alla fine degli anni '70, ma le canzoni non mi hanno fatto impazzire, tranne Little Bitch che ha evidentemente ispirato il riff di Bohemian Like You dei Dandy Warhols

The lead singer reminds me of the sex pistols, especially in a new era it is very sex-pistols-esque. First few songs were good but it got very repetitive in the second half of the album, especially with the walking track.

Meh, 2/5

Annoying

Didn't really enjoy it :/

Ce palmarès me fait découvrir à quel point je n'ai aucun intérêt pour le reggae et le ska (c'est à peu près la même chose right?) Stupid Marriage est drôle.

Listenable-ish.

So I have never been a fan of ska and it always all sounded the same to me. Even a 45 minute album started to feel long, as the songs kind of all blended into one. My YT Music app will just play another related song after your album is finished, to be honest I didn't even realize the album ended and some other band started, then I was wondering how long ago did the album end. For me the specials were not that special, but I am sure they were revolutionary at the time, and as a Primus compilation album once proclaimed, they all can't be zingers.

Heard A Message to You Rudy before and it will remain my favourite from the album. The vibe overall was really fun but no other song felt Special (get it?) to me 2/5

wasn't for me

Message to you Rudy, too much too young, and the rest is middling ska

Ska

not my type of music.

I get why this album is important in the history of ska. I made it through the whole thing. I don’t think it’s a particularly great album-it feels thin and very white bread. Some of their songs are fun, but this whole album felt flat in the whole.

Ska and not the best Ska

Is this the first 2 Tone album? It might be. I'm not a fan of ska revival broadly, but I'm okay with it. There's a few songs that are lyrically pretty... dated, and there's nothing here I like, but I respect it.

Better than the first The Specials album I got from this. Nothing I’d listen to again and still don’t really think The Specials are anything special

It's okay, nothing Special. ehhhh.

Starts inovative then gets kinda repetitive Some beach boys vibes

Aussi étonnant que ça puisse paraitre, le ska, ça m'a pas emballé.

Rating: 1.8 There’s just a permeating stench of lameness all over this album. No offense to anyone who likes this stuff, but you probably got beat up a lot in high school.

"2 Tone = Combina ska jamaicano dos anos 1960 com punk rock e new wave para criar faixas tocadas em andamentos mais rápidos e com um toque mais pesado do que os discos jamaicanos originais", de acordo com RYM. É um disco bacaninha e divertido, mas não acho assim relevante para estar no livro.

I have a hard time getting down with ska. The tracks felt reparative and it’s a lot of horns. Someone who likes ska would enjoy this a lot, but it didn’t really warm me up to the genre

This genre isn't for me. I admittedly kept skipping songs partway through because I found it really annoying. It was at least played well, I think, so I'll give it a star for that.

These guys were def having fun! I appreciate a lot about this album. So danceable but also politically charged. Can't say I am walking away from listening to this one with a changed opinion on ska - it has a time and place and for me it is very rare that I am in that place at the right time.

I have a complicated history with ska. I loved it when I was a teenager, but somewhere along the way, the part of my brain that was receptive to the genre broke, and now I can't stand it. The Specials feel very much like the blueprint for ska, so I respect them for that, but as I said, I don't like ska, so maybe that respect doesn't translate into a charitable rating from me.

Guessing they put ska on the map but not great music.

2.0 - Weak

2.5 whatever

Ska and British punk is kind of a nightmare genre combination for me. And yet there were still a couple songs here that I found enjoyable. Not enough to save the album but I thought I would despise it. So small victories.

It's jaunty and upbeat, but I don't like ska. Surprised this came out all the way back in 79 though

This album didn’t convince me that I was missing out on ska

Not for me.

Fav songs: on this album - none; for the band: Ghost Town I hate ska in all its forms all the way up to the 3rd wave that crested in the '90s. I will admit I do like one song which isn't on the album. But this is not my genre of music. I don't hate this album although I think it's a hair long. Also "Stupid Marriage" and "Too Much Too Young" effectively have the same message, why back to back? Go with "Too Much..."

I had no idea “A Message to You Rudy” came out in 1979! I’ve always liked that song. And I was enjoying the album, at first. But by the time I got to New Era, I was started getting sick of it. There’s only so much Ska I can listen to, I suppose.

sorta fine. nothing special

# Playlist Track - A message to you Rudy # Notes - Once again a lame British singer makes an entire genre worse. - I can dig the laid back fun here and there, but no instrumentals can save vocals that bad.

Nein, das war nicht meins. Habe auf das Ende gewartet, auch wenn ich an ein paar Stellen eigentlich Potenzial rausgehört habe.

Not my thing.

Kinda boring reggae rock ? I tried

I tried

Probably decent, just not for me

30%ban UK punk ami jó, 70%ban reggea ami nem jó

Som de långtråkiga delarna i lock stock and two smoking barrels

Was ok.

Made me realize I'm not that into ska or two tone. I like 'Do the Dog', I guess...

Not a big ska fan.

This was ... alright, I guess. The livelihood of the music and spunk in the performance was laudable, but I found the execution and musical interest kinda lacking. I had trouble staying engaged with it and wouldn't listen to this again. Two stars.

Not for me

For the most part of the album, it was questionable if I want to continue at all. Last several tracks were better, while the overall impression of the recording is average and by no means GOAT.

Das Debütalbum "Specials" der britischen Band The Specials wurde 1979 veröffentlicht. Die Aufnahmen fanden in den Horizon Studios in Coventry und den TW Studios in Fulham statt. Die Band bestand aus Musikern unterschiedlicher Herkunft, darunter Terry Hall, Neville Staple und Lynval Golding. Ihre Musik kombiniert Elemente aus Ska, Punk und Reggae. Das Album enthält bemerkenswerte Stücke wie "A Message to You, Rudy", eine Interpretation des Dandy Livingstone-Songs, sowie "Too Much Too Young" und "Concrete Jungle". Die Texte behandeln Themen wie soziale Spannungen und Alltagsprobleme. "Specials" erhielt gemischte Kritiken. Während einige Rezensenten die Energie und die Mischung der Musikstile lobten, äußerten andere Kritik an der Produktion. Dennoch wird das Album als bedeutend für die britische Musikszene der späten 1970er Jahre angesehen. Insgesamt stellt "Specials" ein wichtiges Werk dar, das die musikalische Vielfalt und die gesellschaftlichen Themen seiner Zeit widerspiegelt.

Sounds like semi-happy punk. Not horrible, not great.

Hey! I've listened to these guys - a once-in-a-blue-moon occurrence for anything released prior to the 90s. Ghost Town is one of those songs that I really like but have never listened to enough of. How tragic that I will never be able to sing my praises about that song on this list given it's status as a non-album single. I'm favourable to ska when it's intersected with other genres, but I don't think I'll ever sit through a ska-centric album that I've come away from feeling anything more than ambivalence towards. It's a very restrictive genre to work with, and while there are little musical nuances and some competent vocal performances throughout, I can very confidently say that I'll never return to this. The most entertaining part of this album is that it was produced by Elvis Costello. I don't think I'll be escaping him if the sordid tales that I've heard through this site are anything to go by.

Incredibly repetitive ska music to start off my morning. I can't believe how long this went on for, being the same song in different keys over and over again. A Message to You Rudy is probably the only track that stands out, the rest are just pretty mediocre. It's cool to see how this set the stage for a subgenre to come, but there's not much more to say than that. 5/10

I didn't like it, but it's ok

Not my vibe

I just didn't get into this at all.

This one was a bit weird to me. In some songs the mixing felt off, and other songs were way too repetitive.

Not my style honestly but overall a nice album!

Eh, not my type of music.

I liked the first song, but after that there weren’t many positives on this album.

Two ska songs in a row is about right. Any more than that and it seems like too many horns & hijinx. The deluxe version has too many repeats and runs too long. Album started strong and went South quick. Best song was Long Shot Kick de Bucket. Glad I listened but don’t need anymore Specials. (2.3*s)

Nothing special but def some foundational ska. Never huge into the genre but this debut has some good things going. Fun, diving bar sound that would be a good live show. "Dawning of a New Era", "Little Bitch" and "Too Much Too Young" were best tracks. Influence the likes of Sublime so give em credit...2.45.

Interesting

Not another one?

Está bien, supongo que suena como debería sonar un buen disco de reggae/ska. más allá del género está ok

I'd like to start that this is not my style of music. With that said, I appreciate and see what The Specials contributed to the music history - ska and 2 tone, apparently are the terms describing their music. After looking into their history and taking into consideration the time period they started out as, it was a bold thing to do, to combine the influences of punk rock and ska, the multicultural sounds brought together during a period of cultural unrest. According to Jerry Dammers, the group was interested in starting a whole new subculture in an effort to change the societal perceptions around racial issues.

2 Tone is a curious genre, a bit silly, if you ask me. I am not too familiar with the genre, other than it sounds like a better and new wave-y version of the dreadful 90's ska bands. The other 2 Tone band I know of is Madness, who I prefer. This album is just ok. Key tracks: A Message to You Rudy

Ska is ok

Not great

Ei kyllä tämmönen löysä ska innosta. Luulin että tää olis menevä genre! 2/5

Dated badly

As soon as the first note hit, it made me so happy. Stop your messin around, more horns! Too bad the rest of the album is mid. 2/5

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

Didn’t really connect with it, unfortunately.

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.

La verdad que meh tirando a no me gusta mucho, una pérdida de tiempo Total del album: 58 2,5 esptellas

makes me wanna smash faces after 5 or so songs...

Not really for me.

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.

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

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

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.