Best British Ska
The Specials.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Anyway, the original album is disc one and disc two is all live tracks."
"Well, I won't debate what's the greatest ever since that is, to some extent, a matter of taste, but if you dig the Two Tone sound "Specials" is an album that you must have! This is the album that turned a lot of people on to ska in the early eighties. If you could only buy one "second wave" ska album this is the one I would recommend, even over compilations that cover more artists and sounds. I remember being envious of the few who could find the import version on vinyl (yeah, way back then before we had these new-fangled CD things)."
"I bought this in 1979 at Korvettes in Paramus, the same day I bought Pretenders 1st, and Wreckless Eric/Whole Wide World. Blank Expression a perfect winter time twilight song, You're Wondering Now fantastic closer."
"The entire band had buzz cut hairdos and dressed like thrift shop refugees complete with Sinatra type fedoras, skinny ties and ill fitting suits. Jerry Dammers was raised on the music of Prince Buster, the Skatalites, Desmond Dekker, Byron Lee and the stable of ska musicians that were part of Duke Reid's venerable British label, Trojan Records. Terry Hall as the prosecuter and Neville Staples as "Judge Dread" engage in a hilarious satire of a kangaroo court in the song "Stupid Marriage." The cover of the Maytal's classic "Monkey Man" fires a hilarious shot from the hip at the Thatcher enthusiasts in the pompous chambers of the House of Lords, comparing the Britian's nobility to inbred baboons. The addition of trombonist Rico Rodriquez, who was a transplanted Jamaican with an involvment in the ska's early Sixties roots lent the Specials an authenticity that few of their peers could claim. I don't deejay much these days, but in the early Eighties no party or dance was complete until the floor was filled with estatic dancers slamming to the riddims of "Concrete Jungle.""
"My best friend and I collected all the second-wave ska coming out of the UK that we could find like Bad Manners, The Selecter, Madness and The (English) Beat but The Specials were the best of all of them."
"This is the very definition of a classic album."
So this really is the ultimate collection for these beloved British ska revivalists, including their U.S hits Our House; It Must Be Love , and The Sun and the Rain ; their UK hits House of Fun; Baggy Trousers; Wings of a Dove; Grey Day; Shut Up , and more!
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Great group wish I could have seen them live, but I was building my career back then."
"All these accolades aside though I'd recommend "The Lot" or "Complete Madness" over this album since those titles give more focus to the band's earlier "nutty" sound of the Two Tone ska era."
"I've been listening to Madness since the 80's... and this is an awesome collection of their songs, if you like Madness, you will love this album!"
"This CD includes many (but not all) of their many hit songs including their UK #1, "House of Fun"! I could list all the others which I have played over and over, and will continue to do so for many years."
"The Item arrived Safe & Sound, Many Thanks!!!"
English Beat, Beat This: The Best of the English Beat.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"The English Beat provided some of the tastiest and most accessible ska music in the 80's."
"As mentioned by some of the other reviewers, if you have the original 3 Beat CDs, you already have the tracks on this compilation. However, "Beat This" is a truly great compilation, and with the included videos and biography it will be a notable addition to your collection."
"Great recording- thanks!"
"I have been a Beat fan for years and bought this CD for the excellent track selection."
"I was introduced to the English Beat my freshman year in high school... Spring of 1981."
"47 mintues means there's 33 minutes that the record lable could have used to put more English Beat tracks, General Public tracks and Fine Young Cannibal tracks to flesh out this already great compilation."
Best British Punk
The Sex Pistols' only studio album, 1977's Never Mind The Bollocks, Here's The Sex Pistols was called 'just about the most exciting rock & roll records of the Seventies' in Rolling Stone's original review.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"One of my favorite punk albums growing up."
"Probably the only remaster we'll ever see of this album."
"Beautiful pressing of a beautifully amazing album!"
"I overall love the album itself, however the sound quality is subpar."
"If you love rock it's a must."
"a classic, what else?"
Best Britpop
a Rush of Blood to the Head is a soulful, exhilarating journey, moving from the cathartic rock of 'Politik' to the hushed tones of 'Green Eyes' without once breaking its mesmerizing spell.
Reviews
Find Best Price at Amazon"Front to back it's just a great album."
"This is where it all started."
"My favorite band and the album that first made me fall in love with them - so awesome to finally have it on vinyl!"
"These cd is awesome."
"Great CD original recording."
"Super fast shipping."