Features

• Enhanced

Reviews (22)

Its a Great Beat
I grew up on the English Beat and they are still one of my favorite bands today.There is something about the ska from that era that really appeals to me.My first exposure to them was in the early '80s when my brother was in college and the Beat were a college radio staple.
This is the beat you're looking for..
Definitely could've been another song or two added to this best of, but what a brilliant collection. I can't keep it out of my cd player.
Beat This: The Best of the English Beat
This album is great package, it has most of the songs a fan of the English Beat could want.Durring high school I listened to a great deal of ska, roots reggae, 1st, 2nd and 3rd wave ska from England, the U.S. and Jamaica.I saw some English Beat but other than obscure record collectors its not something the average record store keeps in stock.
Read more

Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Ska    6. Ska Revival   

Editorial 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. Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (39)

Two tone ska classic.The perfect blend of strong song writing, fun, ska and touch of punk energy
When this album came out most punx I knew were totally into it.I know I was.There'd been that music scene of the B 52's, BLONDIE, ELVIS COSTELLO, JOE JACKSON and TALKING HEADS.Punk had exploded onto the scene as well, of course, The SEX PISTOLS, The CLASH, The DEAD KENNEDYS, BLACK FLAG, CIRCLE JERKS, BAD BRAINS.Punk had always had some sorta connection to reggae, BAD BRAINS being the quintessinal creator of sublime punk as well as non-sleepy reggae songs.
Pressure Drop
Well I'm not a kid, but M. Fantino, The Specials didn't influence The Clash on Pressure Drop. Toots and the Maytals did, seeing as how Pressure Drop is actually a Maytals song, not a Clash song. Just a heads up.
Err, ummm, Yeah...
It irks me a little when people actually like bands like No Doubt and Sublime. It infuriates me that no one knows that the Specials could veritably rip all these new school California pansies new ones. The Specials are my all time favorite SKA band, and this is hands down the best album from them. It's got that stunning blend of punk, reggae and funk that no one has really been able to copy succesfully. Everyone I have revealed this album seems to adore it. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

Fuelled by the ska of Prince Buster ("Madness"), and inspired by the insanity of British music, right from the start Madness were a quintessentially English band. Two-tone more by association than fact, they came to the fore at the same time as the Specials, with a ska beat, a pop heart, and a lunatic smile (who else would update "Swan Lake" in such an unorthodox way?). While the title track lives on beyond them, there were plenty of other gems here, including "Night Boat to Cairo" and "My Girl." The Nutty Sound was infectious as measles, but a lot more fun. Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Original recording remastered
• Import

Reviews (11)

They went..................one step beyond!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!
Hey you!!!!!!!!!, lately Madness have come to my mind due to young advertisers for alcoholic beverages that are currently trying to introduce good taste in music to the depressing likes youth have in this days in Mexico (or maybe this advertisersare snob and try to impress ignorant fools i dont know), one of the first memories i have in music in my life is definitelly with Madness, actually i think it was the first one, before Beatles, before Zep, before Presley before Kiss or any other artist. I should have been like seven or eight years old when i liked to watch the Madness videos that were transmited saturday morning between cartoons, before all that space were filled with advertising as today, i liked that band when i was a child and i love them today cuts like "just another day" , "nigth boat to Cairo", "Michael Caine" ,"my girl" and of course "one step beyond"are timeless classics , band such as The Mighty Mighty Bostons and many others cant deny Madness influence they were plenty funny and genious, One Step Beyond is the debut album actually neither themselves were capable to achieve a bigger sucess after this one but the roots of ska punk are there untill the end of time.
Nothing disappointing here..
I remember first listening to this and loving every single second of it. I just listened to it about 10 minutes ago and loved every single second of it even harder.
One Step Beyond Rules!
Buy this CD at any price. You will not regret it. It's melodic, fun, and timeless. One Step Beyond is their best. I don't think they ever repeated the magic that is on this CD, but their second release "Absolutely" album is very good as well, and should not be overlooked. I think I may even like it more than The Specials first effort. Is that blasphemy? ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Ska    8. Ska Revival   

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (22)

Their pop album (4.5 stars)
At the time they released Special Beat Service in 1982, the English Beat appeared to be on the verge of a breakthrough. While their first album, I Just Can't Stop It, was a ska classic, and their second album, Wha'ppen?, was very deep into reggae, Special Beat Service toned down those genres in favor of British pop. Dave Wakeling's vocals were more compassionate than ever before and their songs were arguably their strongest overall. However, internal dissention would ultimately break up the English Beat and although several of the band members would later find success with General Public and The Fine Young Cannibals respectively, the excellent songs and performances on Special Beat Service make you wonder how far they could have gone if they were able to keep it together.
FEELS GREAT!
It's really hard to keep still when listening to this cd. I've owned it on vinyl, cassette, and cd over the years and it's always put me in a great mood. Friends have always asked about it when they heard it, and subsequently purchased it. Buy it, you won't be dissapointed.

Save It for Later is perfect and we're just lucky for the rest
Save it for Later is still one of the perfect songs of all time (though the extended versions from later are even better).There's some other great stuff off this album, like Ackee 1-2-3, and I Confess, but the whole album is solid.Actually, all of the Beat albums are solid; if you like any of their songs, I recommend the rest of their catalog to you.But Save it for Later is a special gem, so I recommend this album first. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Popular Music    6. Rock    7. Ska    8. Ska Revival   

Features

• Original recording reissued

Reviews (47)

Non Stop Fun!
First released in 1980, The English Beat's (known in the UK simply as The Beat they added the name English to their moniker to avoid confusion with a California based also band called The Beat) "I Just Can't Stop" it is not only possibly the single greatest album of the later 70's/early 80's ska revival, it is one of the greatest album of the late 70's/early 80's punk/new wave scene.
This IS the orginal complete album
As has already been noted by one other reviewer, the original release of "I Just Can't Stop It" did not include "Tears of a Clown" or "Ranking Full Stop".These were added to the original U.S. release of the record due to the fact that these UK singles were otherwise unavailable in the U.S.Seeing as how they are compiled on multiple North American releases and were never supposed to be on the record, releasing the original UK version of the album on CD is perfectly justified.

Ska done right - this album is so addictive!!!
I'll be honest here - I used to HATE ska. I would go to my local concert hall to see some local musicians and there would ALWAYS be horrible ska bands playing (which is why I hated ska). I had just about given up on the genre when, to my surprise, I hear a sample of The English Beat's "Mirror In The Bathroom" on Coldcut's "Journeys By DJ: 70 Minutes of Madness" (also an excellent album) and was immediately intrigued. Lo' and behold, after I got this album, it was amazing! I never knew ska could be so fun and interesting! Every song here is great and all of them are pretty memorable - everything about them is fantastic. The vocals are very well done here as Dave Wakeling has a very appealing voice. The lyrics are also pretty interesting to listen to as well as catchy - "Mirror In The Bathroom" is but one of many songs that'll get stuck in your head. Musically it sounds like most other ska bands but with a little new wave and college rock thrown in. It's also very well-produced for an album that came out in 1980. Overall this is an album that most people will LOVE, not jsut ska fans. Absolutely recommended!
Read more

Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Reviews (8)

madness
The songs One Step Beyond,House of Fun,Our House and It Must be Love . I like very much the rest of the songs I gotta get use to.

Ultimate collection - Madness
Brings back memories of piano ties and odd fluorescent socks..... great collection!

A good collection
This collection brings you what someone considered to be the best of the British Ska group Madness.Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Reviews (14)

Get this one !
The short-lived British Ska revival of the late 70's early 80's produced onlyone really great band. The Specials were indeed very special. We ALL need a little Specials in our lives. And if you buy only one Specials CD, this should be it. ( Their self titled debut album is great too, and should be your next Specials purchase, as it contians one song - "Little Bitch " - that SHOULD have been on this cd but isn't.) Serious, thought provoking and socially concious lyrics backed by some of the finest upbeat ska ever recorded. If you're looking for only one reason to get this cd, it's the 12" mix of Ghost Town, a spooky sounding dub reggae track with lyrics centering on the infighting amonst ska fans of different races that literally tore the movement apart. It was the last great Specials single, and the last to feature the original lineup, as they too would splinter shortly after its release. And all you English Beat fans out there who would argue against my point of the Specials being the only great ska band to come out of that period I offer my sincere apologies and can only say that inmy opinion they were a pop band who used Ska and Reggae as only part of their musical palette ( listen to the second and third albums by the English Beatand you will see I am right .)

The Best of the Various 'Specials' Compilations.....!!!!
Possibly standing as one of the biggest and most creative artists, in the early 70's Ska/Revival scene.Combining elements of punk's energetic approach to music, with New Waves rousing & Exuberant arrangements, their music was as friendly for the dancefloor, as it was for listening at home.But what separated them from their peers and earmarked them and possibly the most crucial act in that musical scene, was the fact the amongst the party(ish) vibe of the music, their's was a manifesto that took not only a political stance, but also a social conscience that made their music that rare breed.Music that could move your feet to, but had something (useful) to say.
A little Specials goes a long way
I like ska, but I don't LOVE Ska. This Cd does it for me. My only beef is that they could have packed a few more tracks onto it. Read more

Subjects:  1. New Wave    2. Pop    3. Popular Music    4. Rock    5. Ska    6. Ska Revival   

Features

• Extra tracks
• Original recording reissued

Reviews (12)

Exellent
my fav. english beat CD (and im a fairlly avid fan)
It's not "extra track-S"
Let's be clear."Too Nice to Talk To" is the extra track (singular).

Their reggae album
After the wild hyperactive ska of their debut I Just Can't Stop It, The English Beat slowed down the tempo big time on the Wha'Ppen? album. Not that the band did a complete u-turn here musically, but it's a definitely a more subdued affair. While there aren't any tracks here as strong as "Mirror In The Bathroom", "Hands Off...She's Mine", or "Save It For Later", Wha'Ppen? is a more diverse affair and most of the songs here are very good.
Read more

Subjects:  1. College Rock    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

Frantic touring and sudden stardom took their toll on the Specials. On their first album they'd sung "Too Much Too Young" and now they were living it. Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Original recording reissued
• Original recording remastered

Reviews (15)

An odd, odd album...but great!
I agree with everybody else that the first Specials album was probably the greatest ska album ever--a fist-pumping pleasure from beginning to end.However, I cannot help but admire Jerry Dammers' artistic courage in refusing to repeat himself, and instead driving the band into new territory on this album.The result was a unique work--incorporating hard ska, dub, lounge singing, and muzak (!) influences into one really strange trip of a record.
Hosed Again
Why do these record companies put out remasters and then remove a song or two from them?One has to wonder where Rat Race disappeared to?It isn't on this cd anymore.Oh, nevermind.I found it on the Hits disc.How Lame.They did the same thing with the remaster of English Beat.Don't buy this crappy version of this cd unless you either can't find the original issue or you absolutely have to have the video of Ghost Town (a pretty good vid) and Rat Race (a pretty crappy vid).

Not The Self Titled ..
Do your best to try not to listen to the reviews saying "one good song, the rest are fillers."
Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Rock/Pop    7. Ska    8. Ska Revival   

Reviews (1)

A lost classic - one of the best albums I own!
The Selecter's "Too Much Pressure" is the single most overlooked album of the U.K. ska revival, and in my opinion, the most overlooked album of the late-70s/early-80s.Read more

Subjects:  1. New Wave    2. Ska    3. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

The UK's ska-besotted Madness were one of the most consistently pleasing bands of the entire new wave era, yet a group who never seemed to break-up so much as fade away in a series of largely ill-fated reincarnations and partial revivals. But this joyous full band reunion presents a Madness who's lost none of its loose, loopy charm or potent musical chops in the ensuing decades. The product of a series of informal shows in their hometown of Camden, it's an album that revolves around an inviting, vintage r&b/pop covers conceit so logical it's surprising the band didn't attempt it the first time around. If choices like the Supremes' "You Keep Me Hanging On" and Kinks' chestnut"Lola" don't seem to offer much promise at first glance, the band tackles them with such a giddy, irreverent sense of reinvention as to be irresistible. Desmond Dekker's "Israelites" and the instrumental "Dangermen Theme" become kitsch-happy delights, while a delicious reworking of the Blues Busters' "Shame and Scandal" ranks with the best of the band's infectious ‘80s oeuvre. Read more

Reviews (9)

This'll do for now
This album will do until they can put out another batch of originals. It's on a par with Elvis Costello's "Kojak Variety:" well-picked covers done well.
Model Madness!
I have been a Madness fan since the 80's and this CD is a gem! What was old is new again, eh?I love the upbeat ska grooves and my kids enjoy it too. Highly recommended--the boys have done good!

Mad Props to Madness
Granted I'm a huge fan of Madness to beginning with even to the point of spending a year or two of my college life on some madness mailing list and message board, however this album is totally solid. There aren't any flakes or half-done compositions, awesome old school reggae (no dancehall/dub) but with the occasional Madness twist and a 2005 update. I can't wait for a volume #2. Two Dekker songs and another Prince Buster song - great selections. "You'll lose a good thing" is along the lines of Hepcat - just awesome. Good job boys - come back to the East Coast USA! ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Features

• CD-single
• Import

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Ska    6. Ska Revival   

Reviews (5)

Deep, Dark, Ska, Highly Recommended
This is not your normal British ska-revival record of the early 1980's. This isn't happy, teen-bop ska, designed to make 16 year old kids dance poorly. This is a dark, haunting, bluesy iteration of ska that has to my knowledge never been attemped before or since. For that reason it is a very unique record.
Fresh and relevant
Celebrate The Bullet is a must-own record. I have never heard another record with its mix of alluring vocals, topical lyrics, ska beats and luscious, textured orchestrations. The CD rerelease even includes several remixed dub versions that are worth an extra listen. always was treasured
i got vinyl in '83.i too was a little taken aback when it first hit my ears, but then the more i listened, the more it grew on me until i was totally sold on the selecter as my favourite band from that period and one of my all-time favourites.it was a cleverly orchestrated album for them when you consider the scene from which they spawned, and especially following their first "influential" album of the era - no more than 2 years earlier.a new direction, or rather a tangent to the sound that was essentially theirs anyway, i think further propelled the group to a brave new level.alas, the rest of the world had moved along.nevermind, the spirit of the music that was the selecter, is still very much alive whenever i play any of their tracks.PS: i'll look around for the re-release cd as the vinyl went the way of a number of other classic albums from the era - eroded. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. New Wave    2. Pop    3. Rock    4. Ska    5. Ska Revival   

Reviews (2)

The Selecter... be sleective...
Don't get me wrong, The Selector rocks but this cd can get REALLY reduntant. Most of the songs sound the same. But it's a good cd to pick up if you want to get to know what they are like. So check them out.

A good two-tone cd.
If you haven't heard too much from The Selecter then check out this cd. It's a pretty good cd with a lot of great tracks from their different albums. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. New Wave    2. Pop    3. Popular Music    4. Rock    5. Ska    6. Ska Revival   

Reviews (3)

New and Improved Specials!
With the guitarist Roddy Byers being one of the few remaining Specials, the band's old sound, like that of the 2-Tones, has now changed to a newer sound.Lack of musicians Terry Hall and Jerry Dammers make for a changedsound in the band, a new sound all-together.I tend to enjoy the new soundof "Today's Specials" a little more than the other albums though.The newsound has more of a reggae feel with the still present Ska type upbeat ofthe original Specials.The Specials helped in the production and inventionof what today is known as Second Wave Ska.With a Jamaican beat, Theoriginal Ska sound of bands like The Skatalites were taken and expandedupon to form sounds like that of The Specials and other "2-Tone like" bandsin the early 70's.This album has developed a dramatic change in TheSpecials.Songs like "Pressure Drop" and "Dirty Old Town" shape the soundsof the album."Take Five" was a great song choice for an intro to thealbum.Sounds of a solo Trombone and Trumpet (Adam Birch) add to the richsounds of Roddy's guitar.The album progresses through "Pressure Drop" andother songs to end with a slow mellow song, "Bad Boys."An echoing soloTrumpet serenades the listener into the completion of the album. It's Special...
When I first bought this album, a long time ago, I didn't listen to it much. In fact, I didn't listen to the whole thing until recently. I purchased it at the same time as a bunch of other albums, and it just sortof sank to the bottom. However, I recently got a random urge to listen toit, and it's really grown on me. I've been listening to it for several daysnow... I'll listen to this when I'm on my computer, and then Catch 22'sKeasbey Nights when I'm elsewhere... I spend most of my time on thecomputer... The Specials and Catch 22 are really not similar in any way, Ijust happen to be listening to the two of them a lot.

reggae and other jamacan rooted songs-all covers
i'm not a huge fan of reggae, mostly Ska and Two tone, but since this was a cover album...I'm giving it a kinda low score. i think if this had some of their stuff, I'd like it more. still, its The Specials, and it doescomplete your specials collection ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

For most Americans, Madness's career started and ended with the 1982 MTV staple "Our House." In Britain, however, the group is considered one of the country's greatest singles bands of all time. This pivotal album helps explain why. The seven-piece's nutty ska sound is buoyed by some genuinely endearing melodies, suggesting that Madness were far more clever than their whimsical hit made them out to be. "Tomorrow's Just Another Day" rolls along on a warm, ascending melody, while "Primrose Hill" sounds a touch classical, as crisp horns waltz and a jumpy piano rhythm pushes the song along. The still-charming "Our House" serves as the disc's centerpiece. Read more

Features

• Enhanced
• Original recording remastered
• Import

Reviews (3)

Simply outstanding
This is one of those rare albums that you come back to time and time again. I have friends who have heard it once and said 'hmm, not bad' then they've come back and asked to hear it again. It's one of those that gets under your skin and makes you want to listen to it again and again. fab memories
loved madness all the way through my teens Incredible...
The more I listen to this album the more incredible it appears to be. I first got into Madness through fascination with the 2-Tone scene of the late 70's. The Specials were for awhile my "all time favorite band" but long after as my music tastes wandered from thing to thing and matured, it was Madness that endured. They are in a total league of their own, with the closest thing to them I have yet to find to be Blur(while they were still "British" and not wanting to become Americans.) I'm suprised no one has reviewed this album, because this album, like The Jam's All Mod Cons, Blur's Parklife, and before both of them the Kink's Village Green Preservation Society, is a work of art in British guitar-pop music tradition. My favorite Madness album was for a long time "Absolutely", their 2nd, and 2nd most ska orientated(as well as last overall "ska" album pretty much altogether),but overtime, Rise and Fall has become not only my fav Madness, but one of my all time favorite albums, period. The Kinks, the Small Faces, the Who, the Smiths, and today Blur and maybe Supergrass..Madness is one of the great British guitar pop bands with a sense of tradition, not to mention simply one of the greatest singles bands of all time and, at their peak, the most popular British band since the Beatles.(In Britain anyway, what do Americans know anyway?) ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Features

• Original recording remastered

Reviews (2)

Not Intended To Be A Great Compilation!!
Any fan of Madness who opted to buy their individual albums remastered knows how frustrating it was that either the band or label decided to leave off key singles as bonus tracks.Just to irritate us further they included them as videos within the enhanced portion of the rematers but not the songs themselves.The Specials remastered albums were handled the same way.
Incomplete Madness
This CD is not a complete collection of Hits. Prefer the "Complete Madness". This is a great compilation. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Reviews (8)

Still Great...But Quirky
I originally purchased the cassette in high school in one of those 20 tapes for a penny deals from Columbia House where its safe to take a flyer on a questionable group.I hadn't heard their music for years until the recent jean ad came out with "It Must Be Love" as the theme music. I couldn't get the song out of my head so I ordered it the next week.The songs are better than I remembered them!Even the depressing ones like "Cardiac Arrest" and "Blue Skin Beast" have a toe-tapping fun feel to them.
get "rise and fall" instead
half of this album is tracks from the excellent "the rise and fall" album, possibly their finest hour. (excellent tracks like "primrose hill" and "blue skinned beast".)the rest is just tacked-on earlier hits like night boat to cairo.do yourself a favor, if you're going to buy anything, get "the rise and fall" for the more serious side of madness (and "our house"), and maybe a compilation like "complete madness" for the hits.

Takes me back to the heady early days of MTV
"Our House" is definitely the flagship song of this compilation of tunes from Madness.The music on this CD takes me back to the early, fun, days of MTV.That was how I first learned about Madness -- theirvideos of "Our House" and "One Step Beyond" made thosesongs instant hits in my book.But, alas, times change, groups break up,and the fun brand that MTV once was is no more the video music channel itused to be.Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Pop/Rock    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Editorial Review

Though they'd be hard-pressed to match the musical intensity and political commitment of the original Specials lineup's heyday in the late '70s to early '80s, these seminal ska-punks acquit themselves quite respectably on this comeback effort. With most of the group's original members (though not co-frontman Terry Hall and keyboardist Jerry Dammers) on hand, the resurgent band refuses to pander to its living-legend status, and catchy, rhythmically skillful tunes like "It's You," "Fearful," "Bonediggin'," and "All Gone Wrong" have a thoughtful, upbeat spirit that honors the band's history without exploiting it. Read more

Reviews (11)

Great album...
This is really a great album.Yeah, it's different than the old stuff, but it's still solid.

Some glimpses of old glory
This album blows away their first attempt of a comeback.Guilty is a worthy predesessor to your vintage Specials albums.If the second comeback is that much better than the first, I'm afraid the third could by right ontrack.

Good. quite good
I think this album is closer to the old Specials.SOme of these tracks are worth constant spinning. especially "No Big Deal", "Tears In My Beer", "Fearful" and many others on thisalbum.Also, the CD and our music addiction enabler, Amazon here, dontlist the 3 bonus tracks on this CD.BONUS FACT! In the Smashmouth videofor "Allstars", during the scene where they play in the garage,there is a *SPECIALS* poster on the wall, which has "THESPECIALS" removed, presummably due to copywright/royalty conflicts.check that video out, buy this cd, and stay Rude ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Rock    5. Rock/Pop    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival   

Reviews (1)

This is the one to get!
There's plenty of Specials CDs out there, but if you just want one to add to your collection, this is it.The music is great fun, and it never fails to get people dancing.The recording sounds a bit thin on some of thetracks, but it's not bad. ... Read more

Subjects:  1. England    2. New Wave    3. Pop    4. Popular Music    5. Rock    6. Ska    7. Ska Revival