Best Of The Three Degrees, The - Three Degrees (The)

Advantages: Fun, Racy Tracks
Disadvantages: Songs aren't labeled by which band wrote them.

...I bought the album, The specials and fun boy three from a music store in Birmingham town centre with my last two pounds as it was the last one on the shelf and it was the best £2 i ever spent! This is a brilliant abum featuring Neville Staple and his guest band with special appearences from Jane Wiedlin Jennifer and Leila Avila. The front cover design is based on traditional ska style with the black and white check and fully dressed Rude Boys, Pork Pies and all! The album inclides ska classics such as, -Ghost Town (which hit number one in 1981) -A message to you rudy -Our lips are sealed -Gangsters The specials were an English ska band formed in coventry 1977. The members were, Jerry Dammers Terry hall Neville Staples Sir Horace Gentleman Roddy Radiation Lynval Golding John Bradbury Their debut LP was 'Specials... Read review

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Advantages: Chilled, lo-fi, basically poppy at heart
Disadvantages: Some tracks fairly inaccessible

...They may think their debut eponymous album isn't much cop, but this compilation of their three earlier EPs (as you might have guessed) is generally agreed to be pretty much out of the top drawer. Here we see why the originals have been changing hands for prices roughly the same as the national debt of a small country. It starts with 'Dry The Rain,' an eight-or-so minute piece of chilled, narco-rock, which sets the tone for the proceeding tracks. 'Inner Meet Me' is famous for being (allegedly) ripped of by Oasis for 'Go Let It Out'. It seems the Betas are in their element in a low production value, lo-fi situation. This is definitely better than 'The Beta Band,' and one of the best debuts I've ever heard.... Read review

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Advantages: Brilliant value for money!
Disadvantages: None!

...The Three EPs fuses together The Beta Band's first three extended play releases 'Champion Versions', 'The Patty Patty Sound ' and 'Los Amigos del Beta Bandidos'. To be honest, without the title of this album, you would never know, as the music seems to fuse into one masterpiece that can only be regarded as three concept albums fused into one. I can only say that this effort from the Scottish 'media unfriendly' band is absolutely brilliant. Their talent is beyond compare, with an array of musical instruments and styles being fused together into what can only be described as retro, but way ahead of its time. Fusing mainly Folk Music with Hip Hop and Indie, there is a uniqueness to the sound, which although is downbeat, is somehow uplifting. There's a psychedelic twinge to some of the tracks, which could easily nest next to early Bowie... Read review

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