Labour Of Love Vol.3 - UB40

...fan but after buying the Labour of Love volume 3 album I started to look further into my enjoyment of UB40 and soon realised that apart from maybe 10 songs there is actually very little the band has done that I enjoy. I think the fact that the original Labour of Love album was so good made me believe that this was a band I enjoyed, I bought volume 2 also and yes I played it but very rarely.

When I first played this album (volume 3) ...
...that had created the marvellous Labour of love volume 1 because instead of a whole album full of great tracks I was greeted by an album of very similar sounding tracks none of which appealed to me at all.

The tracks.
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1. Holly Holy
2. It's My Delight
3. Come Back Darling
4. Never Let You Go
5. Soul Rebel
6. My Best Girl
7. Good Ambition
8. Train Is Coming
more

I have always considered myself to be a bit of a UB40 fan but after buying the Labour of Love volume 3 album I started to look further into my enjoyment of UB40 and soon realised that apart from maybe 10 songs there is actually very little the band has done that I enjoy. I think the fact that the original Labour of Love album was so good made me believe that this was a band I enjoyed, I bought volume 2 also and yes I played it but very rarely.

When I first played this album (volume 3) I couldn't believe that I was listening to the same band that had created the marvellous Labour of love volume 1 because instead of a whole album full of great tracks I was greeted by an album of very similar sounding tracks none of which appealed to me at all.

The tracks.
~~~~~~~~

1. Holly Holy
2. It's My Delight
3. Come Back Darling
4. Never Let You Go
5. Soul Rebel
6. My Best Girl
7. Good Ambition
8. Train Is Coming
9. Blood And Fire
10. Mr Fix It
11. Stay A Little Bit Longer
12. Someone Like You
13. Time Has Come
14. Crying Over You
15. Legalise It

Normally with a bad album I would suggest that it would only appeal to fans but with this one I am not even sure it would appeal to fans especially fans of their older work. The tracks on this album are much more upbeat than what I was used to from UB40 and the reggae tone that they were so famous for seems to be being pushed to the limits in some of the tracks on this album where others seem to have lost the reggae beat almost all together and seem to be an attempt at something new, I point you in particular to track 13 (time has come) this track has a very noticeable drum and bass thing going on and lets face it UB40 are no drum and bass group!

Probably my biggest problem with this album is that UB40 have once again chose to go with an album of cover versions rather than writing and producing something original for their fans. At least with past cover versions that UB40 have done they have re-done them in distinctive UB40 style this album however seems to be other peoples songs done in no particular style at all.

Some of the tracks such as Ken Boothe's 'Train Is Coming', the Christmas single 'Holly Holy' and 'Mr. Fix It' seem so experimental they appear to have come from an up and coming band looking for its true direction rather than an established super group like UB40.

There are tracks on this album that have very powerful beats and instrumental sections which may make them a great experience live perhaps but the poor arrangement and somewhat one tone vocals really lets the whole experience down as an album.

However as I sit here writing this my brothers friend has just walked in and asked what I am doing, Having read what I have written so far he totally disagrees so perhaps this album will be one to really split the opinion of fans and non fans alike.
Thanks for reading.

©2008 lynseyb 

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