Today's Specials
Today's Specials | ||||
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Studio album by The Specials | ||||
Released | 15 April 1996[1] | |||
Genre | Ska | |||
Length | 47:41 | |||
Label |
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Producer | Tom Lowry, Neville Staple, Stoker | |||
The Specials chronology | ||||
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Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | [2] |
Today's Specials is a cover album by the Specials, released in 1996. It is the first studio album by the group since 1984, albeit not involving the full original line-up. Original members Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, Lynval Golding, and Horace Panter are joined by new members Mark Adams and Adam Birch, along with a number of sessions musicians. Lead vocals are mostly handled by Staple and Golding, with Neville's daughter Sheena Staples contributing backing vocals to the album.
The album was released exclusively on CD in the US, UK and Canada, and on CD and cassette tape in the Netherlands. It did not receive favourable reviews from media or fans, with many reviewers decrying in particular the over-use of synthesizers and pre-programmed drums beats.[3][4] Neville Staple claims that several of the recordings were actually produced demos, and regrets including them on the album.[5]
The tracks "Pressure Drop" and "Hypocrite" were released as singles in the UK.
Track listing
No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
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1. | "Take Five" | Paul Desmond | 3:56 |
2. | "Pressure Drop" | Toots Hibbert | 4:18 |
3. | "Hypocrite" | Leroy Sibbles | 3:25 |
4. | "Goodbye Girl" | Ken Boothe | 3:57 |
5. | "A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" | Neil Diamond | 4:32 |
6. | "Time Has Come" | Slim Smith | 5:09 |
7. | "Dirty Old Town" | Ewan MacColl | 3:33 |
8. | "Somebody Got Murdered" | The Clash | 3:06 |
9. | "Shanty Town 007" | Desmond Dekker | 3:57 |
10. | "Simmer Down" | Bob Marley | 3:46 |
11. | "Maga Dog" | Peter Tosh | 2:54 |
12. | "Bad Boys" | Beckford Bailey | 5:08 |
Personnel
- Neville Staple - vocals, producer
- Roddy Byers - vocals, guitar
- Lynval Golding - guitar, vocals, harmonica, mixing
- Horace Panter - bass guitar
- Mark Adams - organ, keyboards, backing vocals, programming, mixing
- Adam Birch - trombone, trumpet, horn, flugelhorn
- Aitch Hyatt - drums, backing vocals
- Kendell Smith - DJ Vocals
- Sheena Staple - backing vocals
- Stoker - producer, mixing
- Tom Lowry - producer, programming, engineer
- Jim Lansberry - programming, mixing, engineer
- Mike Exeter - Engineer (Hypocrite)
References
- ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 13 April 1996. p. 26. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
- ^ Allmusic review
- ^ "Today's Specials - the Specials | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
- ^ "CD Review: The Specials, "Today's Specials"".
- ^ Original Rude Boy: From Borstal to The Specials by Neville Staple with Tony McMahon; Chapter 10: The Third Wave - America Revive's Ska
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- Lynval Golding
- Horace Panter
- Tim Smart
- Drew Stansall
- Nikolaj Torp Larsen
- Steve Cradock
- Pablo Mandleson
- Terry Hall
- Jerry Dammers
- Silverton Hutchinson
- Tim Strickland
- Roddy Radiation
- Neville Staple
- John Bradbury
- Dick Cuthell
- Rico Rodriguez
- Rhoda Dakar
- John Shipley
- Satch Dickson
- Groco
- Anthony Wymshurst
- Stan Campbell
- Edgio Newton
- Nick Parker
- Gary McManus
- Jon Read
- Adam Birch
- Mark Adams
- Aitch Bembridge
- The Specials
- More Specials
- In the Studio
- Today's Specials
- Guilty 'til Proved Innocent!
- Skinhead Girl
- Conquering Ruler
- Encore
- Protest Songs 1924–2012
- The Singles Collection
- Dawning of a New Era
- Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection
- Best of the Specials
- BBC Sessions
- Stereo-Typical: A's, B's and Rarities
- Archive
- Greatest Hits
- The Best of The Specials
- Too Much Too Young
- "Gangsters"
- "A Message to You Rudy"
- "Rat Race"
- "Stereotype"
- "Do Nothing"
- "Ghost Town"
- "The Boiler"
- "Free Nelson Mandela"
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