It’s nice that the late Seventies Ska pioneers The Specials have reformed to stash some pension cash, but The Beat, strafing Two Tone’s punky reggae template with taut new wave twin guitars, afro-pop inflections, and dubwise excursions, delivered the movement’s best debut.
I Just Can’t Stop It’s sparkling originals still outshine the cover reliant sets of the Birmingham band’s contemporaries, and here, with two discs of extras, it emerges from oblivion as one of the great British albums, gilded by Bob Sargeant’s innovative digital production.
And in 1980, where Big Shot’s anti-capitalist rant seemed caricatured, now it reads as reportage.
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Deepbass, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Fears, Twitter
Peter Fears, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Jackmumf, Twitter
Jackmumf, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Pnethor, pne-online.com
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
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Rubyshoes, Twitter
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Liam Travitt, Twitter
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Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
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Chez, Chortle.com
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
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Slothy Matt, Twitter
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Meninblack, Twitter
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Danazawa, Youtube
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Peter Ould, Youtube
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Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Bosco239, youtube
Tin Frog, Twitter
Tin Frog, Twitter
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Borathigh5, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Guest1001, Youtube
Guest1001, Youtube
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Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
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Robert Gavin, Twitter
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12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Tokyofist, Youtube
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Jamespearse, Twitter
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Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Z-factor, Twitter.
Z-factor, Twitter.
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Hiewy, Youtube
Hiewy, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Leach Juice, Twitter
Leach Juice, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
John Robins, Comedian
John Robins, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Foxfoxton, Youtube
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Cyberbloke, Twitter
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Joe, Independent.co.uk
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Tres Ryan, Twitter
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Emilyistrendy, Youtube
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anon, westhamonline.com
Anon, westhamonline.com