THE SPECIALS  -  THE SPECIALS

YEAR:  1979
LABEL:  2 Tone
TRACK LISTING:  A Message To You Rudy,  Do the Dog,  It's Up To You,  Nite Klub,  Doesn't Make It Alright,  Concrete Jungle,  Too Hot,  Monkey Man,  (Dawning of A) New Era,  Blank Expression,  Stupid Marriage,  Too Much Too Young,  Little Bitch,  You're Wondering Now
IMPRESSIONS:  The undoubted epicenter of the explosion that was the U.K. ska movement in the late 70s.  A perfect snapshot of the disillusioned anger of British youth at the time.  As wikipedia for once puts it rather eloquently, the British version of ska "...shares the infectious energy and humour of the original sound (of Jamaican 60's ska), but injects new-found anger and punk sensibility.  The sound is more manic than its Caribbean laid-back ancestor while bringing the guitar to the fore and having the traditional horn section and percussion lessened somewhat.  Ska was such a phenomenon in Britain at the time that a TV special called "DANCE CRAZE" aired examining it (and I'm lucky enough to own a copy of that broadcast).  The Specials really were the epitome of British ska and were even more short-lived than the short-lived ska craze itself; soon to break up into the equally short-lived but excellent Fun Boy 3.  But here in the Specials' debut album is the manifesto of ska through original songs as well as copious Jamaican ska covers (which went uncredited at the time but nowadays are properly attributed).  "THE SPECIALS" is a message to you, rude bwoy, and it stands up just as proud all these years later.
MY FAVOURITE TRACKS:  All of dem.
GUEST ARTISTS:  Elvis Costello (producer),  Rico Rodriguez (trombone),  Chrissie Hynde (vocals)
FACT SHEET:  THE SPECIALS is the Special's first album.  The Specials were Terry Hall (vocals), Neville Staple (vocals), Lynval Golding (rhythm guitar), Roddy Radiation (lead guitar, vocals on "Concrete Jungle"), Jerry Dammers (keyboards), Sir Horace Gentleman (bass guitar) and John Bradbury (drums).  "A Message To You, Rudy" is a cover of a Dandy Livingstone song; former Skatalites member Rico Rodriguez played trombone on the original Jamaican version 20 years before and appeared here with the Specials' cover version.  "Rudy" in the title of the song is not a proper name but is a shortened form of the Jamaican term "rude boy".  "Do the Dog" is a cover of a Rufus Thomas song.  "Too Hot" is a cover of a Prince Buster song.  "Monkey Man" is a cover of a Toots & the Maytals song.  The song "Concrete Jungle" is NOT a cover of the Bob Marley song but the title was obviously inspired by it.  On some US versions of the album, the song "Gangsters" appears between "Too Much Too Young" and "Little Bitch".  Q Magazine rates the album at number 38 on the 100 Greatest British Albums Ever list and Rolling Stone ranks it number 42 in their list of the 100 Best Albums of the 1970s. 

RASTAMAN VIBRATION - Bob Marley & the Wailers

YEAR: 1976

LABEL: Tuff Gong/Island

TRACK LISTING: Positive Vibration, Roots Rock Reggae, Johnny Was, Cry To Me, Want More, Crazy Baldhead, Who the Cap Fit, Night Shift, War, Rat Race

BONUS TRACKS: Jah Live, Concrete, Roots Rock Reggae (Unreleased Single Mix), Roots Rock Dub, Want More (Alternate Mix), Crazy Baldhead (Alternate Mix), War (Alternate Mix), Johnny Was (Alternate Mix). The "Deluxe Edition" also has a second disc which features a concert "Live at the Roxy 1976" featuring the following live tracks: Trenchtown Rock (Live), Burnin' & Lootin' (Live), Them Belly Full (But We Hungry) (Live), Rebel Music (3 O'Clock Roadblock) (Live), I Shot the Sheriff (Live), Want More (Live), No Woman No Cry (Live), Lively Up Yourself (Live), Roots Rock Reggae (Live), Rat Race (Live). The 2nd disc also features the single: Smile Jamaica Part One and Smile Jamaica Part Two.

IMPRESSIONS: This is probably my favourite Bob Marley album and I don't know exactly why. I really got into it in a big way about 10 years ago during the summer and the album will forevermore have a summertime association with me. Despite its success in America at the time, it seems to be one of Marley's lesser known albums but I think it hangs together as a cohesive statement and a musical work. My favourite song on the album is "Johnny Was" which tells the heartbreaking story of a woman whose son was shot down in the street by a stray bullet; the song encapsulates the struggle just staying alive in Jamaica was at the time. Marley himself grimly stated "Jamaica too vex, mon". This was, after all, the time when gunmen broke into a rehearsal studio and attempted to assassinate Bob Marley (while rehearsing for the "Smile Jamaica" concert). This album, I think, really codifies the political stance Marley would take for the rest of his life.

MY FAVOURITE TRACKS: Roots Rock Reggae, Johnny Was, Want More, Crazy Baldhead, Who the Cap Fit, Night Shift, War

GUEST ARTISTS: I-Three (Rita Marley, Marcia Griffiths & Judy Mowatt) on background vocals

FACT SHEET: While it is difficult to judge these things, RASTAMAN VIBRATION is Bob Marley's 8th studio album. It is the first and only Bob Marley album to reach the Billboard charts peaking at number 8. "Roots, Rock, Reggae" is the only Bob Marley single to reach the Billboard Hot 100 chart peaking at number 51. The original album cover was textured like burlap; a liner note indicates "this album jacket is great for cleaning herb". Marley biographer Vivien Goldman identifies RASTAMAN VIBRATION as "...a Dread mission statement, (where) Marley effectively branded the concept of the dreadlocked revolutionary Rasta" and the album is "a highly effective calling card for the Rastafarian identity". The songs are not programmed in the usual way for "musical flow" but instead "...introduces key aspects of Rasta in a very specific, clearly structured way". The song "War" is actually a verbatim speech given by Hailie Selassie in 1968 which Marley set to music.