The Specials

Over 20 years after its release, it's clear that this is more than just a ska revival milestone. At once a vivid portrait of late-'70s British malaise and a timeless piece of music, the disc is a genuine classic, and its energetic updating of Caribbean sounds still feels fresh today. Every track is perfect.

Forget about punk. Forget about the new Mods marching to the beat of "My Generation," an
anthem almost as old as they are. In the England of 1980, ska is the word. A heady Jamaican
brew of riffs and rhythms that arrived in Britain in the early Sixties via West Indian
immigrants, ska is currently enjoying a big commercial renaissance as the dance music for
young working-class whites bludgeoned by the frenetic thump of punk or numb... More >