The Specials

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Editorial reviews

Amazon.co.uk Review
The beat that got a generation dancing and brought ska back into the public eye. Produced by Elvis Costello, then still a boy wonder himself, the album built on the sound of the Specials' first two singles, and gave the world its first extended look at Two Tone. Inspired writing and arranging (much of it down to founder Jerry Dammers) with Terry Hall as the laconic front man made for a perfect combination, the riddim of ska and the speed of punk. As a testament to its power, two decades haven't lessened its impact. --Chris Nickson

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Customer reviews

review by: date: 2006-08-24 rating:
Pretty Special
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

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review by: seippih lla llik date: 2006-06-01 rating:
A masterpiece yes
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

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review by: date: 2006-02-13 rating:
A Classic.
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

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review by: date: 2004-09-25 rating:
A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!


review by: stipesdoppleganger date: 2004-08-15 rating:
Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

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Similar products

More Specials
Greatest Hits
You Just Can't Beat It: the Best of the Beat
One Step Beyond
The Specials Singles: the Best of the Specials

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Music . Styles . Indie . Bestsellers
Music . Styles . Indie . Ska
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