Specials (album)
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| Specials | ||
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| LP by The Specials | ||
| Released | November 1979 | |
| Recorded | ??? | |
| Genre | Ska/Two Tone | |
| Length | 40 min 46 s | |
| Record label | Two Tone Records | |
| Professional reviews | ||
| Rolling Stone | 4.5/5 | link (http://www.rollingstone.com/reviews/cd/review.asp?aid=41769) |
| Q Magazine | 4/5 | link (http://www.q4music.com/nav?page=q4music.review.redirect&fixture_review=117303&resource=117303&fixture_artist=144727) |
| The Specials Chronology | ||
| The Specials (1979) | More Specials (1980) | |
Specials is the debut album by the UK ska band, The Specials.
Released in 1979, on the 2-Tone label, the album is seen by some as the defining moment in the UK ska scene. Produced by Elvis Costello the album captures brilliantly the disaffection and anger felt by the youth of the UK's 'concrete jungle' ( a phrase borrowed from Bob Marley's Catch A Fire album (1972) but equally apposite in its use here to describe the grim violent inner cities of Thatcherite Britain).
Musically, the album encapsulates UK ska's reworking of the ska sound of 1960s Jamaica. The music shares the infectious energy and humour of the original sound, but injects newfound anger and a punk sensibility. The album features a mixture of original material and covers of classic Jamaican ska tracks, "Monkey Man" had been a hit for Toots and the Maytals in 1969, "Too Hot" was a Prince Buster original from 1966 and the opening track "A Message to you, Rudy" was a single for Dandy Livingstone in 1967. "You're wondering now" had been a hit for The Skatalites.
Some of the other tracks are reworkings of Jamaican originals: "Too Much Too Young" was a reworking of Lloyd Charmers "Birth Control" (1969) and "Stupid Marriage" draws heavily on Prince Buster's hit "Judge Dread".
"Too Much Too Young" was later released on a 4 track EP and was banned by the BBC for its pro-contraception stance. The single nonetheless reached the number one spot in the U.K. "A Message to you, Rudy" had already appeared as a single, with "Nite Klub" as its B-side.
Trombonist Rico Rodriguez was one of the top Jamaican session players of 50's and 60's Jamaica and had been a regular performer in the fluid line-up of The Skatalites, a band which helped define the sound of Jamaican Ska and Reggae. He had played on the original version of "A Message To You, Rudy". His appearance on this album was quite a coup, and added considerably to the album's credentials.
Track listing
- A Message to You Rudy (Perry/Thompson)
- Do the Dog (Dammers/Thomas)
- It's Up to You (Bradbury/Byers/Dammers/Golding/Hall/Panter/Staples)
- Nite Klub (Bradbury/Byers/Dammers/Golding/Hall/Panter/Staples)
- Doesn't Make It Alright (Dammers/Golding)
- Concrete Jungle (Byers)
- Too Hot (Campbell)
- Monkey Man (Hibbert)
- (Dawning of A) New Era (Dammers)
- Blank Expression (Bradbury/Byers/Dammers/Golding/Hall/Panter/Staples)
- Stupid Marriage (Dammers/Harrison/Staples)
- Too Much Too Young (Dammers)
- Little Bitch (Dammers)
- You're Wondering Now (Seymour)
Personnel
- John Bradbury - Drums
- Dick Cuthell - Horn
- Jerry Dammers - Keyboards
- Sir Horace Gentleman - Bass
- Lynval Golding - Guitar, Vocals
- Terry Hall - Vocals
- Roddy Radiation - Guitar
- Neville Staples - Percussion, Vocals
- Lynval Golding - Guitar
- Rico Rodriguez - Trombone
Produced by Elvis Costello and The Specials.