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.
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
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Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
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Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
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Richard Herring, Comedian
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
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Frankie Boyle, Comedian
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98rosjon, Twitter
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Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
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General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
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Contrapuntal, Twitter
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Microcuts 22, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
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Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
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Mearecate, Youtube
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter