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
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Neolab, Guardian.co.uk
Al Murray, Comedian
Al Murray, Comedian
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
NevW47479, UKTV.co.uk
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Contrapuntal, Twitter
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Dahoum, Guardian.co.uk
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Frankie Boyle, Comedian
Chez, Chortle.com
Chez, Chortle.com
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Horatio Melvin, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Microcuts 22, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Keilloh, Twitter
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Maninabananasuit, Guardian.co.uk
Peter Ould, Youtube
Peter Ould, Youtube
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
Dave Wilson, Chortle.com
98rosjon, Twitter
98rosjon, Twitter
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John Robins, Comedian
Sidsings000, Youtube
Sidsings000, Youtube
A D Ward, Twitter
A D Ward, Twitter
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Rowing Rob, Guardian.co.uk
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
Anon, BBC Complaints Log
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Peter Fears, Twitter
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Tin Frog, Twitter
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Aaron, comedy.co.uk
Pudabaya, Twitter
Pudabaya, Twitter
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Foxfoxton, Youtube
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Gmanthedemon, bbc.co.uk
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Tres Ryan, Twitter
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Etienne, Chortle.com
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
Mini-x2, readytogo.net
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
12dgdgdgdgdgdg, Youtube
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Bosco239, youtube
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Hiewy, Youtube
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Leach Juice, Twitter
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Neva2busy, dontstartmeoff.com
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Stokeylitfest, Twitter
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Guest1001, Youtube
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Patrick Kavanagh, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Cojones2, Guardian.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
Syhr, breakbeat.co.uk
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
James Dellingpole, Daily Telegraph
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
Lenny Darksphere, Twitter
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Gabrielle, Chortle.com
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Alwyn, Digiguide.tv
Stuart, Chortle
Stuart, Chortle
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Anonymous, don'tstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Coxy, Dontstartmeoff.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Pudabaya, beexcellenttoeachother.com
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
Zombie Hamster, Twitter
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Anon, dontstartmeoff.com
Visualiser1, Twitter
Visualiser1, Twitter
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
Birmingham Sunday Mercury
FBC, finalgear.com
FBC, finalgear.com
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Cabluigi, Guardian.co.uk
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
Lee Mack, Mack The Life, 2012
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Fowkes81, Twitter
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Z-factor, Twitter.
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Clampdown59, Twitter.
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Joe, Independent.co.uk
Rudeness, Youtube
Rudeness, Youtube
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Pnethor, pne-online.com
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Sweeping Curves, Twitter
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Someoneyoudon'tknow, Chortle.com
Jamespearse, Twitter
Jamespearse, Twitter
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Bobby Bhoy, Twitter
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Cyberbloke, Twitter
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Mrdavisn01, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
World Without End, Twitter
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Genghis McKahn, Guardian.co.uk
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Liam Travitt, Twitter
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Daily Telegraph
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Fairy Pingu, Twitter
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Brendon, Vauxhallownersnetwork.co.uk
Borathigh5, Youtube
Borathigh5, Youtube
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Jackmumf, Twitter
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Meanstreetelite, Peoplesrepublicofcork
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Karen Laidlaw, Edfringe. com.
Wharto15, Twitter
Wharto15, Twitter
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Yukio Mishima, dontstartmeoff.com
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Anonymous, The Northfield Patriot
Tokyofist, Youtube
Tokyofist, Youtube
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Carla, St Albans, Dailymail.co.uk
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Spanner, dontstartmeoff.com
Peter Ould, Twitter
Peter Ould, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
Pirate Crocodile, Twitter
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Whoiscuriousgeorge, Youtube
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Joskins, Leeds Music Forum
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Funday’schild, youtube.
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Aiden Hearn, Twitter
Brighton Argus
Brighton Argus
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Sam Rooney, Youtube
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Henry Howard Fun, Twitter
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Lancethrustworthy, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Kozzy06, Youtube
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Dick Socrates, Twitter
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Alex Quarmby, Edfringe.com
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Slothy Matt, Twitter
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Lents, redandwhitekop.com
Len Firewood, Twitter
Len Firewood, Twitter
Mearecate, Youtube
Mearecate, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
Carcrazychica, Youtube
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
General Lurko 36, Guardian.co.uk
Danazawa, Youtube
Danazawa, Youtube
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Iain, eatenbymissionaries
Richard Herring, Comedian
Richard Herring, Comedian
Anamatronix, Youtube
Anamatronix, Youtube
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Emilyistrendy, Youtube
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Anon, westhamonline.com
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Robert Gavin, Twitter
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
Secretdeveloper, Youtube
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Tweeterkiryakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Tweeter Kyriakou, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Esme Folley, Actress, cellist, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Shit Crit, Twitter
Mpf1947, Youtube
Mpf1947, Youtube
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Lucinda Locketts, Twitter
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Johnny Kitkat, dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Guest, Dontstartmeoff.com
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Nicetime, Guardian.co.uk
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Ishamayura Byrd, Twitter
Joycey, readytogo.net
Joycey, readytogo.net
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
DVDhth's grandparents, Twitter
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Shane, Beverley, Dailymail.co.uk
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Rubyshoes, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
Meninblack, Twitter
GRTak, finalgear.com
GRTak, finalgear.com
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
BBC iPlayer edition of discussion of Stewart Lee on A Good Read
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Gwaites, Digitalspy
Idrie, Youtube
Idrie, Youtube
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph
Dominic Cavendish, Telegraph