5 comments about Let's Face It.

1. I think it is very sad what happened to the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. They started off with the best intentions and sadly something fell apart in the machine. Their late fan-base of young kids and main-streamers is quite likely clueless (no pun intended) to the gem this band once was in their youth. For a few short moments, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones were a band synonomous with good times.
   
   In the early to mid-90's those Taang! recordings and even the first major label full length disk were one of the most FUN little secrets in music. It was just... fun stuff. I repeat the word FUN because no other word seems to fit better. The Bosstones in the early days were wild. College radio loved them, great clubs like Trenton City Gardens and the Trocadero in Philly booked them practically monthly to sell out shows with lines around the block. They brought some great opening acts with them as well and EVERYBODY had an "I met Dicky Barrett" story. There was stage diving and crowd surfing and fresh set lists for multiple night gigs. You always left a mid 90's Bosstones show drenched in sweat and reeling from the adrenaline rush.
   
   Then something serious rotted out in the foundation. I don't feel I am qualified to fairly explain why, but after the "Don't Know How to Party tour", this band took a monster nosedive. I recall MAJOR disappointment was the vibe on that yellow album, "Question the Answers?" or something. Musically this album is uneven, but a little better than the last. It is mainly recognized for it's "commercial" break-thru and the "hit" singles. The Bosstones hit it big with this album. "The Impression That I Get" becomes THE song... piling a layer of dirt on ALL the fine memories and material of the past. The live shows MUTATED for the worse too. The band seemed ROBOTIC. They played the SAME stuff over and over for years.
   
   To quote (of all people) Apollo Creed , the Bosstones lost that "Eye of the Tiger" or something... This album is like that 5th Rocky movie in a way. It's all grown up, more worldly and wise. It tries to write mature songs with better chops and carry forward, but it can't compare with the fire of the early days of hard earned glory. Back when they were hungry this band was great.
   
   If you want to climb up the Art Museum stairs, rock out to their Taang! records; they are classics. It is a shame this band did not age well.



2. What the ... happened to these cats? They use to be so awesome. Remember their actually brilliant jamz like Toxic Toast and just about that whole Question The Answers album days. That's the MMB I once remembered. The packed ampetheater days at the warped tour with other awesome bands like Rancid, Sick Of It All,...etc. Those times rocked. I seen these guys 2 years ago and they didn't even have that energy that they once did. It was a pretty boring show unlike the first time I saw them. I think Dickey and the boys need to hang it up.



3. Not just one of the greatest albums by the Bosstones, but one of the best albums I have (and I have many). Great fast-paced musicianship mixed with very intelligent lyrics. Moreover, many songs have a great moral, not mindless drivel. "Break So Easy" and "Numbered Days" immediatley jump to mind as just a few of the great songs on this CD. I can't imagine anybody not liking this album, or really not liking any of their albums. Great band!



4. It was during the 1997 Baseball Playoffs when I discovered the Mighty Mighty Bosstones. Fox Sports was promoting their coverage of the Baseball Playoffs and using the song "The Impression That I Get". The combination of lead vocalist Dicky Barnett with some intense guitars and horns seemed like the perfect song for promoting the playoffs. Little did I know, that the song "The Impression That I Get" had nothing to do with Baseball. This song was found on the album released by the Mighty Mighty Bosstones called "Let's Face It". From a commercial sales standpoint, the Mighty Mighty Bosstones may be considered for all practical purposes a "One Hit Wonder" with "The Impression That I Get" - however there definitely is a lot more to offer on "Let's Face It" than just the one song.
   
   The Mighty Mighty Bosstones can be classified as Ska music. Ska was one offshoot of the Mod Revival that occurred in the 1980s. Ska is a mix of New-Wave and Punk that has a strong Brass influence. It is clear that "Let's Face It" has a strong Ska influence. Even the members of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones appear in on the album cover dressed in "Mod-like" suits over a White Background - something that is a common among Mod bands. By the time the music landscape hit the mid 1990s, it was Alternative Rock and more acoustic styled guitar-laden sounds that were dominating the music landscape. In a way, this also made the Mighty Mighty Bosstones a most unlikely hit in the 1990s. There won't be any slow or acoustic numbers here - all of the songs have a high tempo to them. One other point is that Mod Revival/Ska songs are often short in length. "Let's Face It" follows this model as well - this album contains 12 tracks and only one of those tracks is over 3:21 in length (that is "Another Drinkin Song"). Some may argue whether this album is a true representation of Ska, but I give the Bosstones a lot of credit for bringing Ska to the forefront in the 1997 music scene.
   
   As mentioned, the one hit off of this album was "The Impression That I Get". As mentioned above, while this might have been a catchy song when it came to Baseball, it had nothing to do with Baseball. The general consensus is that this song really has to do with AIDS. The most obvious lines of this song are - "I'm not a coward, I've just never been tested; I'd like to think if I was I would pass" (referring to an AIDS test). Even the song's opening lines provide some references - "Have you ever been close to tragedy? Or been close to those who have?" (referring to either having to deal with AIDS or being around people who have had AIDS). What this song demonstrated to me is that not only is Dicky Barrett a good vocalist, but he is also one heck of a songwriter. Barrett isn't afraid to tackle serious subjects. In addition, this song is the perfect cross section of New-Wave/Punk meeting the Brass section.
   
   The first five tracks on this collection are going to have the strongest horns influence. While the Brass Section will highlight many of the songs, there are songs that will a stronger Punk/New-Wave influence and the horns will play a secondary role. Songs such as "That Bug Bit Me", "Desensitized", and "1-2-8" are prime examples of this.
   
   The Bosstones aren't afraid to tackle other subjects on this album. "Nevermind Me" is probably the album's second strongest strong - this isn't just a track about Drug use, but a song dealing with someone who is close to a drug addict ("He didn't hit me for a home; Or hit me up 'cause he was cold; He was addicted to drugs"). The song "Royal Oil" might on the surface seem like a commentary on Middle Eastern Oil, but it too is a song about Drug use ("Whether you smoke or poke the poison; You lose the chance to be tomorrow"). The title track, "Let's Face It" is a commentary against racism ("Be racist, be bigots, be sure; We won't stand for your hate?; "How far have we come?"). The song "Another Drinkin Song" is sung from someone trying to justify their actions for being an alcoholic ("What you call the disease, I call the remedy; What you're callin' the cause, I call the cure"). The song "Desensitized" deals with how we have become immune to those newsworthy items that at one time we would once abhor.
   
   While this is a very good album, the one thing that might be a negative is that a lot of the songs do sound very much alike. Many of the songs are catchy and were able to capture my interest - however many of the songs failed to hold my interest for extended periods of time. I'm also not a fan of very short songs. While I do give the Bosstones credit for packing a lot of good music in a short period of time, perhaps if they used their Ska roots as base and explored some other musical directions, it could have extended the songs and at the same time created some more of the musicianship originality this album needs.
   
   The liner notes contain of the lyrics to all of the songs. It is worth noting that there are some explicit words used in the lyrics. The Mighty Mighty Bosstones are an eight piece band, and I think it would have been good to give musician credits to each of the members of the band. While this isn't the strongest album, I still think this was a bright spot on what I would consider a weak year in the music industry (1997). There is definitely more to check out than just the one hit on this album, so I would definitely say it is worth checking out.



5. I own very little ska, and this is the only Mighty Mighty Bosstones album I've ever bought, but I frequently find myself in the mood to hear this.
   This is feel-good, be-happy, get-up-and-dance music. The lyrics are socially relevant and clever, the guitar and drums are good, and the horns are terrific. I challenge anyone to listen to "Noise Brigade," "The Rascal King," or "The Impression That I Get" and not jump out of their seat and dance.
   My daughter's only three months old, but this is already her favorite CD--she gets happy and laughs whenever it comes on.

5 comments about Live & Direct: Acoustic Roots.

1. I own three of there cd's and this is by far the best. I love the acoustic sound and feeling. Some acoustic cd's suck but some are better then original recordings. This is one of them. If you like Sublime, Pepper, Reggae in general don't miss this find. It's a modern sound and its great!



2. This CD has a feel of duelling guitars, its amazing how great they make each song sound without other instruments. While playing live on the radio in Cali their music remains nearly flawless only stopping for a few words between songs. I think this may be their best CD and hope Slightly Stoopid makes more similar recordings.



3. I became a fan of Slightly Stoopid because of this album. The other albums are really good, and give you the full production sound with keyboards and drums, etc. But this recording, two guys, one take, live on the air, showcases their skill and passion for the music.



4. This is a great, raw, and unedited album full of well known tracks. Kyle and Miles show just how talented they are in this album by sitting down in front of a mic with just two accoustic guitars!! Great sound, and killer tracks!!



5. These guys are amazing musicians; perfect together - a modern Simon and Garfunkel. This album is pretty good on it's own, basically the best modern rock out there, if you'll call it that. It's hard to call it anything because these guys are totally unique; it's a sound I've been lookin for but haven't found in other artists. Even better are there next two albums, and more diverse.

5 comments about Very Best of Toots & the Maytals.

1. Watch Video Here: http://www.amazon.com/review/R229ALBVJLPV03 I've been collecting what I consider to be good reggae since the movie:The Harder They Come (includes Soundtrack CD). My favorites off this album are 'Pressure Drop' and 'Sweet and Dandy', but everything is listenable. I don't like most reggae so nineteen songs from one artist with no losers says a lot about the artist.
   
   Some may say that means it's commercial - first of all I don't think it is other than in the sense you don't have to be an enthusiastic reggae fan to enjoy it. In the second place, 'commercial', except in the really crass cases is usually a musical term for 'sour grapes', in my old but otherwise uninformed opiion.



2. I had never listened much to reggae in the past but this cd has made me a true believer. Toots and his group have made music that is wonderful and timeless. This is easily the best cd that I have purchased in a long time and will highly recommend it to anyone.



3. While this is a very good collection, the double CD Time Tough: The Anthology includes all the tracks here, but does a better job of covering the whole Toots spectrum, and the sound quality is quite a bit better. So while I agree with the positive reviews here, you get a lot more bang for the buck with "Time Tough". And TT gives you a lot more of his latter work, when love and spirituality infused his work and raised reggae to a higher plane. Go on and spend the extra $10, you won't be sorry (like I was when I bought this then still had to go out and buy "Time Tough" to get a sampling of ALL the Toots and the Maytals I came to love through buying most of his LPs in the 70's and 80's.



4. I was lucky enough to see both Bob Marley & the Wailers and Toots & the Maytals on the same double bill at the Beacon Theater in NYC back in the '70's. Until then I had heard neither. While Bob Marley was phenomenal. He did more with simply folding his arms than most rockers do flailing all around the stage & smashing guitars. But the true revelation was Toots & the Maytals. They didn't stop until they rocked the house. Listening to this "Best of" collection brings that night home to me. If you've never experienced Toots & the Maytals, buy this collection, and give it a listen. You won't stop dancing and swaying. I promise.



5. This is an exceptional summary of one of the great pioneers of Reggae music, Toot and the Maytals. The song included here, DO THE REGGAY, has even been credited with giving the music it's name. Toots Hibbert and his compatriots created some of eary Reggae's great highlights including 54-46 WAS MY NUMBER, PRESSURE DROP, MONKEY MAN and SWEET AND DANDY. This collection shows the versitily of the Maytals to include raw Ska (BROAWDAY JUNGLE, BAM BAM), funk(FUNKY KINGSTON) and Memphis soul(REGGAE GOT SOUL and the great cover of Otis Redding's I'VE GOT DREAMS TO REMEMBER). THE VERY BEST OF TOOTS AND THE MAYTALS is a great introduction to one the the giants of Reggae music.

5 comments about Live!.

1. !975.. I was living in London and saw 2 amazing gigs that year.. Bruce Springsteen.. Yes that gig. The DVD reminds of a very younger Bruce and an even younger me..
   
   I also caught Bob and the mighty Wailers on the second night of a 3 gig series at the Lyceum. It was Thursday if I remember rightly and the support was Third World.. I'm not sure which night this record comes from.
   
   The set was quite short, round about an hour and 20 minutes. It seemed to be over in a flash but remains possibly one of the best gigs I've ever caught.
   
   I had this on vinyl and must upgrade soon.
   
   A truly wonderful performance from reggae's greatest star..



2. Bob Marley And The Wailers' Live! (1975) was recorded during their Natty Dread Tour at the Lyceum Ballroom in London, but it feels like Jamaica. The enthusiastic and largely Jamaican crowd obviously loves Bob Marley and his reggae music, and he gives them what they came for. This album is everything a great live album should be.
   
   There's an exciting balance of love, exuberance, and desperation on Live!. You can hear it and you can feel it. The political and cultural vibes are clearly defined, and there's a strong communal spirit that runs through each and every song. This music can make you happy, and it can make you think. It's electrifying. Trenchtown Rock rocks!
   
   The centerpiece on the album is the seven minute anthemic No Woman No Cry. The improvised audience sing-a-long and the wonderful performance makes it so very clear just what this night meant to everyone who was there.
   
   A soulful and rockin' reggae version of I Shot The Sherriff sounds fantastic, and the uplifting Lively Up Yourself is energetically positive and Bob Marley at his best. He gets political with Burnin' & Lootin' and Them Belly Full (But We Hungry), and philosophical with Get Up, Stand Up. Everything here rocks, and the special talent and unique charisma of Bob Marley is not in short supply on Live!. His love for music and enthusiasm for performing is evident in every song.
   
   There is a bonus track, Kinky Reggae, where Marley introduces the players on the stage while the band jams. It fits in nicely here, and wraps things up well.
   
   Live! is a great place to start with Bob Marley. The music is great, and the essence of the man and his legend is clearly experienced when listening to the album. Digitally remastered to sound better than ever, this famous recording of the legendary London concerts really delivers. The lyrics to all of the songs are included along with some great photos from the shows. It's an essential part of the Bob Marley And The Wailers catalog and a must-have for fans, but it really doesn't matter what your favorite music is, this is definitely worth hearing.
   
   Lively Up Yourself...



3. I bought this on vinyl (still have it) when it first came out.
   Listen to these songs and picture them in today's context of Darfur, Iraq, Global Hunger! No one has before, then, or now described the plight of the underclass better or with a spirit of hope as Bob M.



4. Bob Marley was to reggae what Bob Dylan was to folk.
   This album showcases the best of his talent, with the ghetto-sounds of Trenchtown Rock, the energetic Lively Up Yourself, the burning passion of No Woman, No Cry, the rollicking I Shot The Sheriff, and the defiant Get Up, Stand Up.
   Definitely a great album to start your Bob Marley collection.



5. This live album from Bob Marley and his band The Wailers was my introduction to Bob Marley and reggae music in general. It promptly turned all preconceived ideas I had about reggae inside out. From that moment on, I was a believer. The first time I saw this album, I was thinking to myself, "Reggae, what's so special about that? It all sounds the same, anyway." How wrong I was!
   
   First of all, the sound is spectacular. This performance sounds clean, fresh and lively; as if it were recorded yesterday. Every little thing can be heard clearly. Even so, it's not so clean that it becomes sterile and lacking in character. There's still the energy and authenticity that gives a concert something special.
   
   Secondly, this album has all the classic songs to make it worthwhile as an introduction to Bob Marley's music and indeed reggae in general. Just check the track listing.
   
   Also, the versions of the songs to be found here are fantastic and each musician is really impressive. Anyone who says that reggae is formulated, boring or predictable has yet to give this album a chance. This version of The Wailers has a real western/rock oriented approach to the music and it's really easy to hear why they have begun to appeal to a rock audience. Besides, the playing is fantastic and has plenty of feeling.
   
   You shouldn't any more reasons to buy this album. It is just plain fantastic and made a staunch believer and convert out of me.

5 comments about No Shame.

1. I've been a fan of Pepper for while and just saw them in concert 2 days ago and to come on here and see this record not average 4/5 stars is ridiculous! This might be their best cd, outside of Kona Town.



2. I hear so many unfair reviews towards pepper because basically they dont sound like sublime or that they are slipping away from sublime, THEY ARE THEIR OWN BAND! THEREFORE THEIR OWN SOUND! DEAL WITH IT.
   
   But this record is a great one just put it in and you dont have to touch the dial , everysong on here has something different to offer.



3. Before the relaease of this CD it was described as "Kona Town on steroids" after listening, this cd is Kona Town on estrogen!
   
   I'm a huge pepper fan, own everything that they've released(including DVD's), and have seen them live numerous times. This CD just doesn't do it for me. It is very soft and lyrically weak, girls will probably love it and it will sell but it is not their best. No Cntrol is probably the best song on here; Green Hell and Zicky's song are also very good. Good enough opens with some very promising riffs but lyrically turns into the common "soft" theme of the rest of the cd. The rest are pretty much weak filler and are worth no more than a listen to figure that out. I'm not sure if it was Atlantic records that caused this or what but I hope they can rebound very soon with some new material.



4. Not as fast as Kona Town, but a great overall cd. If you like Pepper's sound, or even if you like Sublime's sound, you will enjoy this cd. one of those cd's you like more the more you listen.



5. Pepper has been around almost 10 years now, and they have grown better and better with every album. Sure this album is not perfect, but it is their best release and seperates them from all those annoying connections to Sublime. I agree that "Kona Town" may have sounded similar to a Sublime record, but this album is no "Kona Town". Pepper has finally brought out their own, unique sound to "No Shame", and its a damn good one. I love the new direction that Pepper is taking, and hopefully more people will warm up to this great reggae/rock album.
   
   All the tracks on this album are great, with the exception of "Like Your Style" and "Old Time Problem", both of which seem a little out of place. Pepper's reggae beats are infectious and very well produced, like Green Hell and Crazy Love, and their more rock influenced songs are just as impressive, such as No Control and Wanted. The main thing to get out of this album is that Pepper has found their own, unique sound, one that seperates them from Sublime and is a step in the right direction. Pepper, congrats on a great release.

5 comments about Street Gospels.

1. another smart record from bedouin soundclash. they consistently write very catchy punk/ska/reggae influenced rock songs. they keep it simple and do it well. thank you canada.



2. My god....This album is great. It makes my ears blush. Hard to explain what type of music this is.....I guess Canadian Reggae would fit it. Lovey, Love, Love.



3. I listen to stuff like this or a regular basis. I enjoy a variety of music, out side the box to which my peers grab their tunes from.



4. This album will appeal to a much larger audience than the previous albums have and the current singles will attract many more 14 year old girl fans. After an album as brilliant as "Sounding a Mosaic" its hard to know what to do; stick with that albums sound or go in a new direction? Bedouin incorporated some gospel feel to this album that personally, I just cant dig. It seems "Street Gospels" was made with more money is less time, the song writing hints this with some pretty bland material. With that said, I love Bedouin and I've been to at least five live shows since first seeing them at Bottom of The Hill(SF)...(and that was easily their best show). This isn't a bad album.In my opinion it just isn't as good as the previous albums.
   But I'll say this, BEDOUIN BRING BACK THE DUB!



5. I bought the first cd probbly mostly because of lyrical quality and still listen to it this day. However, it really wasn't one I could share with freinds without an apathetic result. In this cd they have truly come into thier own musically and I've spread them much further with better results.

5 comments about Second Hand Smoke.

1. If you like Sublime buy this album. If you don't know if you like Sublime you should STILL buy this album. If you don't like Sublime, then why are you reading this review?



2. I got it quickly, it was in perfect condition. Would definitely buy from them again!



3. Sublime's first 3 records 40oz. to Freedom, Robbin' the Hood, and Sublime were all great hits. They established the band quite well and gave them a quite large following. After front man Bradley Nowell's death following Sublime(album) the band had many incomplete and rough recordings of songs they were working on. Those songs are what we hear on Second Hand Smoke.
   
   While I don't think Second Hand Smoke holds up with the first 3 albums, most of all Robbin' the Hood, it is still a solid album with many great tracks. The recording quality of many of the songs is a bit rough, but considering the circumstances it's quite understandable and hardly diminishes enjoyment of the album. The better tracks on this album are(in order they appear on the album):
   
   -Doin' Time [Uptown Dub]
   -Get Out! [Remix]
   -Romeo
   -New Realization
   -Slow Ride
   -Chick on my Tip
   -Trench Town Rock
   -Drunk Drivin'
   
   The first half of the album is definitley much stronger than the second, but all in all a great album. Also contrary to what I've read a few places the versions of Saw Red and Badfish on this album are no different from the ones heard on 40oz. to Freedom and Robbin' the Hood; they most likely just threw them in as filler.
   
   In conclusion I say this album is definitely a good album to purchase if you already own Sublime's first 3 albums and enjoy them, but if you don't buy one of them instead.



4. This album combines a small dosage of the catchy, addictive sound of the Self-titled with a big hit of fluid rhymes and deep pervasive beats of 40 Oz. and just the right amount of underground, truly raw, explicit sound of Robbin the Hood. The overall flow of the songs can disappoint, but the disc is of excellent use on the CDJ's...



5. This album sounds sublime... the weakest sublime album but still f*ckin amazing! I love it... good music lovers just get it.

5 comments about One Step Beyond....

1. This CD is awesome. It sounds wonderful, and the music still stands up 20+ years later. I love it as much today as I did when I bought it on vinyl.



2. One of the most fun records to come out of the two-tone scene. A lot of the recordings from second-wave bands lack the energy that was present in their live shows, but that's not true here. Check out some of these classics. My favorite is "Night Boat to Cairo."



3. I am 53 years old and just the past few months started listening to SKA. Maybe out of my love for Sublime and because my 19 year old son loved SKA so much before he was taken from me. Anyway, this CD is great. I plan to purchase another one or two. The beat is always uplifting, but not annoying like some. You can turn it up or down, it is just good.



4. What a record this is. What fun it generates. To be a young kid when this came out was to know pure, unadulterated, danceable bliss...
   
   I danced to it in '80 when my little brother first brought it home.
   
   I danced to it non-stop with Lynne in the summer of '87.
   
   My four-year old daughter and I danced our hearts out to it last night.
   
   This record is joyous. It's nutty. It's Madness.



5. This is the cream of the 70's Brittish ska bands.
   
   This finds the perfect balance between the bouncy fun of this style of music with quality songwriting and musicianship. This has got to be almost 30 years old yet it still holds up. You cannot really say that about Madness's cohorts, The Specials and The Selector.
   
   The songs are terrific. "One Step Beyond" is the perfect introduction. It totally establishes the mood. Love that squonkin sax! "My Girl" has such a catchy hook and what a gorgeous chorus. The piano really gives that song it's color. "Bed & Breakfast" is a terrific dance tune with a killer sax solo. "Night Boat to Cairo" is an instrumental for a couple of minutes and then the strum on the upstroke kicks in and the song's tempo speeds up. "The Prince" slows it down where the stye is more reggae than ska.
   
   A greatest hits compilation is good but this album is when the band hit their peak, when they really hit their stride. "My house" is more famous but these songs have a common thread for the era.
   
   I always loved the album cover of this. It depicts these guys having fun and I always imagined that Madness was having fun and strutting like on the cover when playing these songs.
   
   This is a masterpiece! I am not a huge fan of all their works but it all came together/never got any better then "One step beyond"

5 comments about It Means Everything.

1. It Means Everything by ska/punk band Save Ferris was their debut but unfortantely the magic didn't last for long. The band broke-up in 2002, ska was good music but you knew this kind of genre would not last long. Monique Powell sure had the lungs on such tracks like The World is New, Spam, Goodbye My Friend, Lies, and Come on Eileen. This album fades with time, too bad this band wasn't more successful.



2. Save Ferris along with Reel Big Fish are a couple major benefactors in Ska second (but limited) revival. For the most part the songs are uptempo, the horn's great, but what really makes this album is Monique's great singing ability. Look beyond 'Come on Eileen' there are many great tunes here like the 'Spam' a modern day ska classic. Also, check out the video included on the cd with a great little cut from one of their live shows. I highly recommned this album. If you are looking for other additions to your ska library, check out Bop Harvey's get album Bread and Circus.



3. This CD which came out years ago, never losses its flavor.
   Its high energy, happy, and great dancing music!
   This is my 3rd time buying the CD over the years~



4. Okay, so what if my husband and I were nearly the oldest people at the concert (34 & 35 now)? This album NEVER fails to get me moving. It's fun to sing along to, do dance to, to drive to. LOVE IT LOVE IT LOVE IT



5. This Album Is The Best Save Ferris Album Also A VERY AWESOME Ska Album As Well Its A Must For Every Ska Fan Out There When First Bought It I Was Blown Away It Had Me Skankin Throught The Whole Album So Its A Must Have!!!

5 comments about I Just Can't Stop It.

1. I really thought that "Original Recording Re-Issued" meant it would have these tracks put back on. I got the disc years ago without even realizing the hack. I guess I'm still stuck with my mp3's from vinyl.



2. I.R.S. CD 70606 [UPC: 0 4479-70606-2 5]
   01. MIRROR IN THE BATHROOM
   02. HANDS OFF . . . SHE'S MINE
   03. TWO SWORDS
   04. TWIST & CRAWL
   05. TEARS OF A CLOWN [Cosby/Robinson/Wonder]
   06. ROUGH RIDER [Prince Buster, Arr. and adapted by The English Beat]
   07. CLICK CLICK
   08. RANKING FULL STOP
   09. BIG SHOT
   10. WHINE & GRINE / STAND DOWN MARGARET
   11. NOISE IN THIS WORLD
   12. CAN'T GET USED TO LOSING YOU [D. Pomus/M. Shuman]
   13. BEST FRIEND
   14. JACKPOT [Asgard/Crooks/Robinson/English Beat]
   The Beat are: Saxa, Andy Cox, David Steele, Everett Moreton.
   
   This is the original U.S. release, which inserted "Tears of a Clown" and "Ranking Full Stop" (both singles in the U.K. but unreleased in the States) to the original U.K. version.
   This CD is out-of-print now and has been replaced by a reissue of the original U.K. form of the album with only twelve tracks. The two songs left off the reissue are available on BEAT THIS: THE BEST OF THE ENGLISH BEAT.
   If, like me, this is the version you wore out on vinyl in the early '80's, I think you'll miss "Tears of a Clown" and "Ranking Full Stop" if you buy the reissue.
   If you order this version, be sure you get 14 tracks; you'll probably have to pay more, but it's worth it.



3. This, along with The Specials (The Specials) is one of the two of the defining masterpieces of the 2nd Wave of ska. However, unlike the Specials, they give credit where credit is due -- crediting Prince Buster with "Rough Rider," whereas the Specials did *not* credit Toots & the Maytals with "Monkey Man," basically ripped off "Al Capone" by Prince Buster, threw some nonsense lyrics together, and voila "Gangsters". They kept the "Don't Call me Scarface," and in lieu of "Al Capone's Guns don't argue" at the beginning, "Bernie Rhodes (their manager) knows don't argue"...
   Ok, enough of that. Both are masterpieces in their own right, but "I Just Can't Stop It" takes the cake, IMHO. And I've been listening to ska for quite a few decades now...and just came from seeing the Beat (as they're known in England; unfortunately an American band named the Beat had them precursor their name with thier country of origin...) for the 2nd time in 6 months. They played over 2.5 hours straight through, and are at the top of the list of energetic bands I've ever seen. And live, they are much different than they are on record -- both are brilliant, in their own special way. My favorite song off the CD, "Twist & Crawl," which is more new wave/mod meets ska, became an insane dub-fueled monster live.
   If you are a fan of music, especially one of the 3rd wave of ska (e.g. Sublime, No Doubt, to name the most famous...and who blended punk rock with ska) and want to know some of the origins of the music, even though Sublime covers Toot's "54-46 Was My Number" and never covers any of the 2nd generation (even looking through my prodigious Sublime bootleg collection), this album is for you. And for those wondering what ska is, this is for you...it is a masterpiece. It's better than any ska anthology you'll find IMHO.



4. The Beat took up their task with relish and purpose, producing one of the most definitive ska albums of the 80's. Today, I Just Can't Stop It remains a timeless work a quarter century later...
   
   Quibbles about the British edition aside (only the early American version of the cd has Tears of a Clown and Ranking Full Stop), this record is as socially conscious as it is fun. Ranking and Wakeling were not overly opinionated lads, but they made their points eloquently and with arresting honesty. It is quite often the case, however, that you find yourself singing along to a beautiful harmony, only realizing later on what the lyrics actually say. I only noticed the political overtones of 'Stand Down Margaret' after grooving to it for some two or three years. :)
   
   It's a shame that a group of this caliber splintered after only three albums, but I suppose we should count ourselves lucky to have heard them at all.



5. 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.
   
   Already full of nonstop, infectious boppin' tunes the band's US label added two songs to the original album -- "Rankin' Full Stop," and a cover of Smokey Robinson and the Miracles' "Tears of a Clown" that had been stand alone singles in the UK. By omitting those songs from this CD reissue the album has been restored to its original running order and, as a previous reviewer noted, becomes the album the way the band intended for it to be heard.
   
   But all of that is really pretty moot because this is still a great, great record with songs like "Best Friend," "Mirror in the Bathroom, "Hands Off She's Mine," and "Wine and Grind/Stand Down Margaret" (ah, the days of the anti-Thatcher/Reagan anthems) that compel you to hit the repeat button on your CD remote over and over.
   
   Ignore the reviewers who don't know the history of this album and get this -- the complete and original version of one of the all time great albums.