The Specials - Specials

Advantages: gritty, realistic, topical, joival, humorous
Disadvantages: some profanity and violent lyrics

...self-titled debut album, in 1979 the British predominantly white SKA band, The Specials made a huge impact in British music in popularising SKA and Reggae music in the early 80’s, along with acts like English Beat, Madness, The Clash and UB40, doing traditional Reggae SKA music firmly in its Jamaican roots, with a more British working class activist attitude with contemporary relevance over the Thatcher period and what it meant for mass unemployment, ...
...are available on some of the many anthologies of the band, such as “Ghost Town” which by chance became the soundtrack to the mood of the 1981 Toxteth Riots in Liverpool. You will not find that song here unfortunately but I would still recommend this album as a companion to any anthology you might buy. What makes this album so timeless is its gritty sincerity, a fierce sense of stretwise perspective and realism. The whole feel of the album is old ... Read review

Advantages: Brilliantly produced by Elvis Costello
Disadvantages: Doesn't contain some other brilliant tracks like Ghost Town

The Specials are in my opinion one of the best ska bands. My initial intrest grew from my cousin who played me a couple of their tracks when we were on holiday. Then when i got home i bought this album. This music really was different from the bland rubbish i had been listening to. The album contains what i think are some of their best tracks. I have bought other releases and some of their vinyl singles and some of the tracks are not really to the ...
...liked. What seemed to separate The Specials from other ska bands was that they could produce tunes which would stick in your head and were instantly recognisable, for example "too much too young and "gangsters" both classics in my book. The music even though of its age has not jaded it remains just as good as when it was released. If i had the choice between madness and the specials it would be the specials every time. ... Read review

Advantages: the best 2-tone ever
Disadvantages:

...in everyone's collection. At the beginning of the 80's 2-tone burst onto the music scene and gave it a last reminder of the spirit of 77 before bland corporate pop threatened to take over music for the rest of the decade. The main 2-tone act were the Specials and this was their 1st album. Whilst not containing undoubted gems such as "Gangsters", "Rat Race" and "Ghost Town" it does include "Too much Too Young" their 1st UK #1 and could be bought ... Read review

Advantages: Strong songs, good sound, thoughtful words
Disadvantages: None

The original Specials were the inspiration behind 2-Tone, one of the most exciting musical movements of the Seventies. The group harnessed the powerful energy of punk to the tuneful, good natured music of pre-reggae Jamaica: calypso and ska. The music that resulted was thoroughly infectious, particularly live; their enthusiasm was the perfect antidote to the gritted teeth nihilism of punk rock. But the music was far from mindless; from their earliest ...
...home town of Coventry. The multi racial line up presented evidence of their ideas in action. Their first album, released at the end of 1979, was called Specials. Elvis Costello had been one of the group’s early converts, and he offered his services as producer. It was a strong set, mixing songs with a strong social content - Stupid Marriage and Concrete Jungle - with thoroughgoing rave ups in Do The Dog and Nite Club. It also provided the band with ... Read review

Advantages: A song for every occasion
Disadvantages: should still play now

The specials are one of the greatest ska bands of all time second only to Madness. i have a specials album and it is brilliant a real song for whichever mood you are in at the time. Songs on the "The Specials" include Monkey Man A message to you rudy Enjoy Yourself Blank Expression Man at the C&A Too Much Too Young Origionally formed in Coventry in 1977 with Jerry Dammers(keyboard, Songwriter) Terry Hall (Vocals) Lynval Golding (Guitar,Vocals) ...
...The banded stormed the uk with hits closly followed by similar bands such as Madness, the beat and the selector. You could say that the specials strarted the ska new revolution in the uk which would continue to create modern ska groups such as Reel Big Fish for example. ... Read review

Advantages: inteligent varied original
Disadvantages: their last record as a group

...Some are born great,as the saying goes ,others have greatness thrust upon them,and in the case of The Specials it seems not only did they achieve greatness with their debut album "Specials",but had even more greatness thrust upon them by an over expectant music press and ravenous fan base all eager for more of their punk/ska riotous rapture ,however in the spirit of true greatness and wanton defiance they delivered "More Specials" in the autumn of 1980,and in direct conflict to its title could well have been called "Less Specials " In the twelve months which had elapsed between their debut and this daring follow up the musical landscape had changed a great deal ,the fury of punk which gave rise to the groups foundations was now a fading memory as new sounds and movements splinterd into a varied buffet of sounds and movements... Read review

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Advantages: It's the Specials!
Disadvantages: One or two tracks not so good.

...Specials - The Specials It's 1979 I am 16 going on 17, left school and am a scooter skin, which basically meant I rode a scooter (Lambretta SX 200) and had a skinhead. I was into Ska in a big way, but old style skinhead Ska, The Pioneers, The Upsetters etc. Then something happened, we got British Ska, The Beat, Selector, Madness (early on) and the best of all, The Specials. I have two vinyl LP's left in my house, this one (very scratched) and one by a band called Back To The Planet. This LP rocked, it got played over and over from '79 to '81 (when The Jam took over for me). ~~~~~The Band~~~~~ The band themselves seemed to consist of hundreds of people, though in fact there were: Jerry Dammers - Keyboards Terry Hall - Vocals Neville Staple - Vocals and percussion Roddy radiation - Guitar (Sir) Horace Gentleman - Bass... Read review

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Advantages: Strong songs in a different style
Disadvantages: Sometimes the music is bland

...After the adrenaline rush and stomp of their first album, The Specials returned with More Specials, an album in a much more relaxed vein than its predecessor. It was a fine follow up though it departed substantially from their previous fire. Recorded in Coventry and produced by Jerry Dammers and Dave Jordan, the album featured the usual supporting cast plus guests Kix Thompson from madness on sax and vocalist Rhoda Dakar - from another 2-Tone band, the Bodysnatchers - who was featured on Pearl’s Cafe. Few bands who were so new to the scene would have attempted such an approach, but the Specials not only attempted it - they pulled it off with a verve that was amazing in its sure footedness. I love this album for all that it borders on MOR easy listening at times. After one further massive single in the amazing Ghost Town... Read review

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