The Specials – More Specials

The Specials were formed in Coventry in 1977 as The Coventry Automatics. True innovators of the punk era, the band began the British ska revival craze, combining the highly danceable ska and rocksteadybeat with punk’s energy and attitude. The Specials had seven consecutive UK Top 10 singles between 1979 and 1981, including the number 1 hits Too Much Too Young and Ghost Town. The band’s second album More Specials (UK No.5, 1980) was a change in musical direction to their debut. Less frenzied and hard-hitting, it was more musically adventurous and varied, bleaker lyrics reflecting British life at the time.

The album features a classic cover of Carl Sigman and Conrad Magidson’s 1940s chestnut Enjoy Yourself and a brooding version of the same song featuring the Go-Go’s. Includes: the Northern soul-esque instrumental Sock It to ‘Em JB and the Mexican-flavoured Holiday Fortnight; the intriguing International Jet Set; the apocalyptic Man at C&A; the mournful, spaghetti western feel of Stereotypes; the emotional despair of Do Nothing and the bright and breezy Hey, Little Rich Girl (with fabulous sax solos from Madness’ Lee Thompson). The immortal line from Pearl’s Cafe by Terry Hall and Bodysnatchers’ Rhoda Dakar, sums up their own, and the country’s frustration – ‘It’s all a load of bollocks, and bollocks to it all’.