Reviews (13)

Crack rock steady is back!
Wow, the Choking Victim style is back with a brutal edge! This CD is amazing and a must have for any CV fan. The tracks flow beautifully and each song ends with a cool organ/chill out interlude. This contrasts well with the raw, brutal sounds of the Good Leftover Crizzack. I will admit it strays from the demo, but in a good way. Check out the revamped Born to Die, complete with choir-like intro. This is truly an amazing job, keep on Rocking.

Excuse Me
Excuse me "A music fan from boston" but you said that Leftover Crack sounds a lot like Choking Victim. If you have done your research, or in fact know anything about the band, you would know that Choking Victim broke up then got back together calling themselves Leftover Crack. YES THEY ARE THE SAME PEOPLE SO I SHOULD HOPE THAT THEY SOUND THE SAME. I think Leftover Crack has an addictive and great sound. I hope they last this time.

Awsome stuff!
This is a perfect hardcore album, awsome in every way. Its raw,fast, and perfect. Buy this cd from Leftover Crack! Also try F minus' wake up screaming also.If you want awsome hardcore at its best, check out these bands!

unforgettable
left over crack is pretty much undescribable to someone who has never heard them. imagine the fury of grimple, the blast-beat drumming of dillinger, and the political critique of DK combined. the result is a sound unlike any other. if you tire of the worn-out, half-assed "punk rock" thats becoming popular, try out loc and try not to get too in to it. its pretty much impossible. enjoy!

I cant get enough of that Crack Rocksteady Beat
The only thing wrong with this album is that there isnt enough songs. i have almost all the songs from Leftover Crack except for maybe two and i have to say i can listen to each and everyone of them over and over again. i cant wait for the next album and hope the songs will be as diverse and their other ones. Choking Victim was great, but their songs all sounded similar, Leftover Crack is very experimentel. Check out their songs they did with F-minus(another great band), their really good. and if you, like me, cant get enough of that crack rocksteady beat check out these bands: choking victim, morning glory, no-cash, INDK, Distraught, hopeless dregs, team spiderm, and asstroland ... Read more

Reviews (35)

Good listing
Pretty good album it was one of the best of it's kind, ranking up there with 'Less that Jake' and 'Goldfinger'. Although there are some songs that are repetitive (e.g. Suburban Homesick Blues and Not Again) has some really good songs (e.g. Box and the Bear (Song)). This is not the best ska album but it is Mustard Plugs best. The use of the trumpets and trombones was quite good in Evil doers beware, combined with the vocal making it good listing. It could have be better if they had a couple more punk songs but other than that there is nothing that Mustard plug could have changed. This CD got boring after awhile but I still like it. I recommend this CD to any one who likes Ska or feels that they want something different.

great third wave ska
This album is way better than their last one, Big Daddy Multitude. Mustard Plug plays catchy and tight third wave ska/punk, with the emphasis on the ska. The only thing keeping this cd from five stars is its really short length (only twelve songs), and the fact that it kind of gets boring after you listen to it for a couple of weeks..

These guys are fun
Back home in Germany i heard a little bit about them. Since I'm a big skacore fan and I saw that they're from Michigan I looked out for a concert and finally went their. It was one of the funnest shows ever. I bought the CD and I love it. Beersong is my absolute favorite song. I you like Punk or anything like it buy this CD. Check also Catch 22 out.

One of the Best Ska Cd's I Have Ever Graced
This is simply one of the best ska Cd's my Cd player has ever had the grace of spinning. Tight horns, good ska guitar, and some of the best horn lines ever, VERY skankable. And this is coming from Jersey, liek the scene of the post-3rd wave ska scene

damn good cd
i give mad props to mustard plug. its nice to see a local ska band get out and spred their music around all over the place since ska isnt that big. any who, some good songs are box, you , miss michigan, beer,mendoza theres no bad song. theres something that makes me want to dance everytime i hear their music. every one shoud check them out when ever they come to you area. they put on one hell of a show. i see them when ever i get the chance. ... Read more

Album Description

UK 2002 remastered reissue of the British ska revivalist's1980 album. Includes ECD section containing 2 promotionalvideos 'Ghost Town' & 'Rat Race'. ... Read more

Reviews (11)

Amazing amount of variation, but lacks debut's cohesion.
The Specials second album, and final before imploding, is called "More Specials" and gives the listener more, alright... maybe a little too much to digest. Jerry Dammers seems to have gone a bit crazy in the studio, as he produced the album and added multiple layers of keyboard, organ, vibes, synthesiser, melodica and whatever else he had lying around. I also assume the 'muzak' feel of "International Jet Set" and the mechanical drums on "I Can't Stand It" and "Stereotypes Part 2" are his doing as well. The stylistic menu is varied, including reggae ("Do Nothing"), retro fifties rock ("Hey, Little Rich Girl", "Pearl's Cafe"), new-wave pop ("I Can't Stand It") and even mariachi ("Holiday Fortnight"). Terry Hall's vocals sound great, especially on the anti-war "Man At C&A" and "International Jet Set", where his monotone delevery almost acts as another instrument. The group vibe is diminished, as most people have their own 'feature' song, like Roddy's "Rat Race", Lynval's "Do Nothing" and Neville's vocal overkill on "Stereotypes Part 2" and drummer John Bradbury's James Bond tribute "Sock it to 'Em J.B.". The Go Go's are even brought in for backing vocals on the "Enjoy Yourself" reprise (Terry co-wrote their hit "Our Lips are Sealed" and later covered it with his band Fun Boy Three, which included him, Lynval and Neville). Overall, it is a genre-shifting soup, with rockers like "Rat Race" alongside the moody bossa-nova of "Stereotypes". This is not altogether a bad thing, but proved the band had little time left. After the Dammers penned "Ghost Town" single, with offerings from Terry and Neville, the band went their separate ways. Roddy formed his retro-rock styled the Tearjerkers, Bradbury formed his own goofy and thankfully short-lived band, bassist Horace Panter joined with members of the English Beat to form General Public, Fun Boy Three formed with the Specials vocalists, and Dammers went on with the Special AKA. This, therefore was the Specials album swan song. For that, it was a success, but would not fare as well if they recorded others.

What the Specials could have been and were.
I've had this record since 1982 and I still listen to it. While their untitled debut was a great ska defining record of its time More Specials is a classic with an incredible variation and vision of all times. Terribly unique and haunting (did someone say that?) this record embodies something which is truly hard to describe. I dig that! This is a true milliniem album and more.

One Star for One Song
I love ska. I love the Specials 1st Album and Ghost Town. On this CD you get the Keith Richard's whammy, "One hit and (X-1) trax of crap" (rhymes). Can you guess which song is not vapid? Save your money and get "I Just Can't Stop It" by The Beat - English

Distracted, different, dying breed
More Specials is the type of album that I just can't say bad things about. Compared to the music being forced down our throats these days, music that doesn't know where it's going or is too wimpy to say anything, More Specials is a bright spot in a better past. Listen to it, not comparing it to the Specials first, but with an ear for quality. There's a lot there.

"International Jet Set" has probably become my favorite track. I also prefer the LP version of "Do Nothing" to the singles version. At first I kind of thought a couple of the tracks were annoying, but listening to a song as a whole instead of in parts reveals it's true quality. An underrated album for sure.

Unique blend of ska, soul and kitsch
More Specials is definately not for every ska fan. In fact, this album is a mix match of so many different genres that I would not even call it a ska album. Whereas The Specials first album gets you up off your rear end and dancing this is a more contemplative album to really listen to. The album moves around from darker themes to the silly with an overriding feel of 60's kitsch. Another 2Tone classic. ... Read more

Reviews (2)

forget everything you know about music and BUY IT!!!
If you're looking at this and thinking about buying it, chances are you won't be let down. An album more original than anything you'll find out there today. NYC'S beloved squatters teamed up to bring this masterpiece to the table. A fresh punk sound, blending a healthy dose of crust and just a touch of ska (don't let that stop you) Social and political lyrics dominate this album along with plenty of alienation and self doubt yet somehow positive. If you're bored with whats out there, try this!

Punky Ska at it's best!
The band Choking Victim was recommended to me, so I decided to check it out. ... It's a great mix of ska and punk that really got me hooked. If you like ska, and you don't mind the punk that Choking Victim blends in there, you will love this album. If you listen to the whole CD you are bound to find a few more songs that might stick with you for awhile, and if you forget them, you're sure to remember them some day. Overall I rate this CD a four out of five stars. Great job Choking Victim. ... Read more

Amazon.com

The astonishingly and presumably deliberately inept artwork of this debut from Californian skate punks OPM helps create a carefully contrived image of a bunch of lads intent on loafing about, doing as little as possible. The threesome's modus operandi--which involves sun, sex, tattoos, getting stoned, and traveling the streets on four small wheels--is cemented by the opening tracks "Stash Up" (a paean to smoking grass and not giving a flying one for anything) and "Heaven Is a Halfpipe" (a surprisingly catchy sing-along about the joys of skateboarding). Menace to Sobriety's boisterous, good-time feel sprawls across its 15 tracks like a teenager on a particularly comfortable sofa, its bleach-top college-rock roots (Blink 182, Sugar Ray) regularly spiced up by Latino piano and horns, ska rhythms, hip-hop textures, and noisy raps. --Mike Pattenden ... Read more

Reviews (36)

WORTH BUYING IF YOU LOVE THE SINGLE OR TRENDY PUNK ROCK
I first heard OPM's song "Heaven Is A Halfpipe"2 weeks ago and i just bought the CD. Its got some cool tracks, they're hip catchy and trendy-reminds me of the reel big fish album"turn the radio off", but not as nerdy. These guys are cool to listen to in the car with your buddies, or to put on when skating or something. This album is NOT special, this type of record has been put out before by other bands, but it's still catchy, and with a skit where a dude is smashing a coke machine, and screaming profanity it's worth 15 bucks. So why not? Sing along to the mindless lyrics, have a good time-in ten years this stuff will seem mindless to you too...

MTS Guide
Stash up-This is the song where they use up all their foul language.

Interlude:Punanny-If you listen to Moby's Play album,you will hear stuff like this.

Heaven is a halfpipe-This song is a bit weird.It goes from Thomas the tank engine style music into hard rock.

El captain-This has got a good beat,and is SOOOOOOOOOOOO idealistic to play at a rave.

Undercover freak-A bit of a dirty song,but I don't care because it is a decent song.

Brighter side-This song is a bit like the stuff we get here in England.

Better daze-This makes up for all the swearing they haven't used in the past few songs.

Trucha-There they go again,singing in a foreign language,but still saying Mutha(BLEEP)er.

Dealerman-This sounds like longview,by Greenday.If you don't know what it sounds like,look up Dookie on this web page.

Reality check-Techno rock has never been ceased by anyone from me liking it.

Interlude:Rage against the coke machine-This is so funny.Those of you who haven't laughed at it,get real!

Under-This jam is really revealling their reggae side.

Interlude:15 minutes-Good beat,good rhythm.The only bad thing about this is it's a bit hyper.

Fish out of water-If you feel bad about going back to school or work,this is the song to sooth your feelings.

Sound system-Thunka,baby!

kinda crappy
this cd is probably the worst cd of its genre i hated it. it sounded like the were tryin to hard to be original and have no talent

Absolutely Amazing
I heard Heaven Is A Halfpipe on the radio one night and I thought it was pretty good. After that I heard a few more of OPM song's on the radio including Stash Up and El Capitan so I thought about buying their album. And I am extremly happy I did!
I'll do a track-by-track review

1.Stash Up
A song about smoking weed and not giving a f**k about anybody.Nice guitar riff with ska/punk feel but hearing "I don't give a F**k" gets tired.Good song if your p***sed off with someone 8/10 2:58

2.Interlude-Punnany
A really weird electronica song(if you listen to the rest of the album then you'll you will think it's weird) but still fun 7.5/10 0:33

3.Heaven Is A Halfpipe
The essential anthem, perfect for any party and one of the catchiest songs ever. A mixture of hip-hop and alternative that works out very well 11/10 4:18

4.El Capitan
Another very catchy song that's good for a party.Not good,not bad. 7.5/10 3:22

5.Undercover Freak
A okay song with a very strong reggae feel.Not all that good 6/10 3:47

6.Brighter Side
A very pop/rocky song that will cheer up when your down and out
9/10 3:30

7.Better Daze
One of the best song on the album talking about money being the energy source for everything and making the world go around. Sounds alot Everlast's "What It's Like" except better
11/10 3:58

8.Trucha
Another very weird song sung in Spanish or something like that(i don't know). This song also has a very strong reggae feel.Okay not great
6/10 4:01

9.Dealerman
A pretty good song ruled by a guitar talking about a guy who isn't appreciated by anyone but gets along with his dealerman well.A good song to listen to if you feel the world hates you
8/10 3:40

10.Reality Check
A very good song with a very nice r&b/hip-hop feel that would be good for a pool party
10/10 3:57

11.Interlude-Rage Against The Coke Machine
One of the funniest things i've ever heard, it's a little skit about a guy trying to get a Coke but failing to so he ends up smashing the living s**t out of the vending machine.if you listen to this and don't laugh, you must be dead!! 11/10 1:04

12.Unda
An very catchy okay song with ska/punk feel to it.Not bad, not bad at all 7.5/10 2:50

13.Interlude-15 Minutes
One of the most fast-paced song i've ever heard and more addictive than herion, this is pretty good
9/10 0:45

14.Fish Out Of Water
A good song to listen to if you don't want to got to work/school.Extremly catchy with pop feel to it 8.5/10 3:32

15.Sound System
A catchy song which is 50/50 with me
6/10 3:46

My Top 5
Better Daze 11/10
Rage Against The Coke Machine 11/10
Heaven Is A Halfpipe 11/10
Reality Check 10/10
Brighter Side 9/10

An extraordinarly good album, this is one of the best albums ever made and the essential album for a party of any kind

Creative Mix of Styles
Wonderful CD from start to finish. Starting with "Stash Up" you have an average rock song; go to songs like "Trucha" and "Unda" and you have something new. Trucha is a song with a latin feel but then kicks in with great hip-hop style lyrics. Then with "Unda" you get a cool ska feel. Then take 360 degrees back and listen to "Better Daze" and you have a song resembling that of Everlast. Even though it is a CD mixed with styles, they all seem to flow with each other and all have well written lyrics. A great CD that I would recommend to fans of rock, hip-hop, or punk; all will probably find this to their liking. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

God bless those skandalous bastards
I've been a big fan of Meph ever since i saw them rock a piddly little club in Providence RI back in 95. This, the first album, is a damn fine record. In fact, in many Ska albums today, there are quite a few good songs, but nothing that really holds the whole CD together, this CD has it all, from the uproariously funny Bummble bee tuna song to the classic Doomsday. That five Iron Frenzy fol can stick it in his pie hole, because this CD beats out just about anything out there. Don't let their being a Satanic Ska band pull the wool over your eyes. Their message is pure, upbeat fun. After all, isn't that what ska is all about?

The best can hardly describe it
Mephiskapheles was my first real taste of Ska, and ever since I've been hooked. I don't know whats wrong with the Five Iron Frenzy people, but God Bless Satan is my favorite cd. Besides Mephiskapheles is the only Satanic Ska band around, how great is that! I'm thrilled to get their latest album, Might-Ay White-Ay.

Mephiskapheles - God Bless Satan Review
There are very few ska CDs with which I go back to over and over and over. This is the best damn ska CD, period. All of the songs are original and unique in their own way. They mix punk, carribean, jazz, ska, etc. The horn players are all amazing, some of the best the ska scene has to offer. The guitarist, drummer, and bassist are all equally as good. If your not sure if you want to try this band because they are "satanic", dont be fooled. The satanism is a gimmick, to attract people (and I daresay it worked!). I am a christian, and if this band was truly satanic I would not give them a listen ever again...but theyre not! So do yourself a favor, and buy this CD. G.B.S. is by the far the best the ska scene has to offer.

Saba Saba Saba Oi Oi Oi !
I'm actually not really a ska fan. At all. But--this album kicks the kan to kalamazoo. "Saba" and, yes, that fabled "Bumblebee Tuna," make for some pretty swanky driving tunes. I particularly enjoy playing them around people with sticks up there unmentionables, because it's good therapy for them.

bumble bee tuna
It is very creative and unique. It is hard hitting yet bearly punkish. Great for the bar I work in. ... Read more

Reviews (10)

Specials' Singles a Mixed Bag
I was captivated by the Specials when they appeared on Saturday Night Live way back in the late 1970s, and was hooked on ska and the Specials ever since. This collection however lacks the punch and enthusiasm of their first, self-entitled album or their later three-song EP "Ghost Town."

The CD includes some dull filler material ("Maggie's Farm" for example) and is most recommended for the three songs off the hard to find 1981 "Ghost Town" vinyl EP, including the title cut, "Why?", and the hypnotic "Friday Night/Saturday Morning." The lack of "Blank Expression" from the first album is baffling. It would have been a more solid collection if material from the post-Specials band, the Fun Boy Three, were included instead of the filler.

Overall, worth getting to round out your Specials collection.

A little Specials goes a long way
I like ska, but I don't LOVE Ska. This Cd does it for me. My only beef is that they could have packed a few more tracks onto it.

Now then... Unless you're seriously into ska, punk or jamaican music in general- this is probably all The Specials you'll ever need. This album is more conclusive than either the Specials (best of) CD or the More Specials (best of 2) Cd. Stylistically, it covers all the bases including several hard to fing cuts (most notably Ghost town, a sweet creepy little tune with an arabian sound to it- well used in Guy Ritchie's 'Snatch'... or maybe it was 'Lock, Stock...').

At any rate, this is all prime-rate, good stuff. If you are looking for a place to begin delving into ska, or simply trying to round out a decent CD collection- you could do far worse. No, actually, I'm pretty sure it was 'Snatch,' afterall.

some top-rank singles here
The specials are an interesting band-- Elvis Costello, of all people, produced their first album.

This is a good collection-- these songs are pretty much easy to get a consensus on. 'Ghosttown', 'Too Much, Too Young' and 'Gangsters' shine through for what they are: some of the greatest songs of the 80's. There is a bit of filler on here, yes, but, it's filler that grows on you as time passes by.

This is a must-have record for the ska/punk enthusiast. It's worth a gamble for most other people as well.

name says it all
anyone interested in the roots of ska/punk/reggae and political music will undoubtedly love this collection. i wasn't a huge specials fan before i bought this (i hadn't heard much outside of the amazing "ghost town") but this seals the deal. if you're like me, this is likely the only disc you'll ever need from these guys, as it includes all the singles (i assume). from the opening "gangsters" and "rudi, a message to you", to the safe-sex anthem "too much too young", it's clear that their earlier stuff is the best (some key members left after "ghost town"), but none of this disappoints. the music is uplifting and the lyrics raise awareness as a political band should, even if some of the material is a bit dated ("free nelson mandela" - though the spirit here never ages). the two live cuts are nice to have, especially since this music is usually better in concert, and the dylan cover "maggie's farm" is delivered passionately. this is an excellent disc that serves as a worthy overview of the specials' career when they were truly revolutionary (they pretty much kickstarted this whole movement in the late 70s), and it should be a welcome addition to anyone's music library, regardless of whether you've heard of them or not.

Special by Nature
The Specials were one of the greatest bands ever to come out of the British music scene. They burnt a bright, yet short-lived flame consistently hitting the UK top 10 with an array of danceable and thought provoking singles. Songs such as Gangsters, Ghost Town and Too much Too Young show how the band were able keep the integrity of Jamaican ska and reggae whilst reflecting the British musical and social environment (especially punk). Conveniently labeled as "ska revivalists", this only tells half the story. Though ska was definitely the basis of much of their work, songs such as Stereotype, Rat Race and International Jet Set show The Specials ability to incorporate diverse influences and retain the group identity. This album recalls the times when the band dominated the British music scene. What a shame the original line up split when they did. ... Read more

Reviews (254)

MEST KICKS!
This CD is KICKIN! If you've listened to any of their other cds, this would come as no surprise to you.. MEST ROCKS! They have their own twist on punk rawk and this CD holds no exception. I can't get enough of it!! They're unlike anyone else out there and I highly suggest this album! It's music that makes you bounce off the walls and it just puts you in a good mood. I haven't heard anyone that's listened to them ever say one negative thing about them, even in the least bit! So I think you should go out and buy this CD right now! Forget about N'sync, Britney or any of the latest pop artists.. get in touch with your punked-out self and listen to some awesome music! You won't regret it, I promise!! The first time I heard MEST was at a Good Charlotte concert.. they came on, played 30 seconds of their first song and that was it.. I WAS IN LOVE! As soon as they finished, I went straight over and bought Destination Unknown. The CD never leaves my CD player. Show some love for the punk rawk scene and pick up the album!!

Mest - A pop punky band just having fun!
Mest is a Chicago-based fun loving pop punk rock band with two great CDs. Destination Unknown, their new CD, had many fans concerned. Could it be as spirited and original as Wasting Time? Destination Unknown proved itself to be a CD with fun yet moving lyrics put together with melodic and upbeat music. Songs like Cadillac make you want to dance, and songs like Reason and Mother's Prayer let you sit back and enjoy it. This CD is great for anyone who loves to have fun and rock out! If you like bands such as Good Charlotte, Goldfinger or New Found Glory I highly recommend you check these guys out. You won't regret it!

they rock
Mest is an awesome band. I think they live up to what real punk is. Go buy their albums its way worth the money!

FME
Thrice is amazing and If you liked showoff check out chris from showoffs new band Farewell My Enemy at www.farewellmyenemy.com they are really f'n awesome.
Tom

It's Gettin Better!
W-O-W...If this guys keep on makin this kick ass music then our grandsons will kno about them! ... Read more

Reviews (4)

One Of THE Best, Period!
Toots is simply an incredible performer and his music needs to be heard. This 2CD set is probably the best way to hear it. It covers 25 years and has a fantastic song selection. Listen to the way he reworks Joh Denver's "Take Me Home Country Roads" and makes it totally his own. "Pressure Drop" and "Funky Kingston" are just two of my favorite songs from him.

Just a side note; "Get Up, Stand Up" is NOT the Bob Marley/Peter Tosh classic but Toot's composition. Still, it's a great song.

Amazing
Best Toots CD....a must for all reggae fan

Time ain't so tough listening to the Toots-man
Toots? What can I say? I first was touched by his voice and music on "The Harder They Come" soundtrack and was so hooked, I had to buy SOMETHING else...but I was scared, because, as you might know, sometimes anticipation ruins things. Little did I know I would be amazed beyond belief. "54-46", "It's You", "Take Me Home, Country Roads", although I don't dig all of the material, the stuff that's good SCORCHES!!!

Toots is the best!
Toots has soul, and you can see that in any of his recordings. I highly recommend a live show, he goes CRAZY! Also, this puts a face to the music. This ain't exactly Bob type reggae, but it sure gets me lively! ... Read more

Album Details

Digitally Remastered Reissue of the Gladiators Landmark Album on Virgin's Front Line.Includes 'Belly Full', 'soul Rebel', 'Rude Boy Ska' and Many More. ... Read more

Reviews (5)

Crucial Reggae
At times I just laugh at the harmony these guys lay down, at first listen it sounds downright out of key. So you wonder why I would rate it so high? This album is soulfull, sweet reggae at its best, the more you listen the more you groove. You cant help but love it for its sincerity and innocence. HIGH on my list of must haves.

Great Album
Great album, my only complaint is that it's a little short. Excellent beats, catchy tunes, great vocals... i definitely recommend this one. Even if you haven't heard of the Gladiators before, their sound is right up there with other much more famous reggae bands.

A reggae masterpiece! Simply Essential!
In the late 1980's I purchased The Gladiator's LP "On the Right Track". Big mistake. I did not like this album as I thought it was weak and irritating. The result was that for 10+ years I stayed away from The Gladiators all together. Another big mistake. I finally bought "Trenchtown Mix Up" after reading the review in the Rough Guide, and I have since been kicking myself for ignoring it all this time. Every song is perfect and the musical backing and production by Prince Tony is stunning. A cornerstone reggae album on par with The Congos "Heart of the Congos", Sylford Walker's "Lambsbread" and Burning Spear's "Marcus Garvey". A perfect, hard driving, rootsy mix of the heroic and the spiritual.

sublime reggae
The Gladiators are unstoppable. One listen to this record and you will agree.

Classic Roots Harmonies!
This CD was released in 1976 and is the trio's debut(even though they recorded a slew of massive single for studio one). For those who enjoy the harmonies of groups such as Israel Vibrations & The Abysisinians will no doubt add this to their list of crucial recordings. The vocals are split up between Albert Griffiths and Clinton Fearon. Both of them are not the greatest vocalist's but together they are massive! I think my two favorite songs here are "looks is deceiving" which Albert Griffiths compiles rural Jamaican probverbs to make his point. My other favorite is "Eli Eli" which is aslo fronted by Albert Griffiths with Clinton Fearon echoing in the background. This CD contains two Marley covers "Soul Rebel" and "Rude Boy Ska". In case you didnt know Clinton Fearon left the group in 1985 and is still making solid material with The Boogie Brown Band. ... Read more

Reviews (19)

Ambient Tribute to Bob Marley in Dub
Bill Laswell has done a wonderful job of translating Marley's music into a dreamlike ambient album. I've bought this album for friends as holiday gifts and they are amazed as I am at the production and environment created by this work. A staple as dinner music in our house, I would recommend this CD to anyone who wishes to hear a relaxing blend of Marley's music that would have made him proud.

I'm late to the party...
I remember ignoring this album when it was originally released because the thought of an ambient Marley record sounded lame. What a terrible mistake on my part! This CD just flattened me! There's a lot more going on than just a typical dub remix so some purists may not dig it, but if you appreciate ambient and good dub this is all you. I can't believe how well these songs work in this context (with the possible exception of No Woman No Cry; it's good but not great.) This is a sweet record to chill out to or to put on when you want the mood laid back. It sounds cool in the headphones but in a good system with big bass it really opens up. Bass players take heed: Aston "Family Man" Barrett will take you to school and in this dubbed out mix he's never been more up front. Listen and learn.
I was concerned that this was just an excuse to use the Marley name but it was obviously done with the love and respect that the music and Marley's spirituality deserves. Praise to Bill Laswell for doing it right. Wish I'd caught on sooner, but better late than never.

MARLEY DUB
Marley tracks without Bob Marley singing, is what this CD is all about. If the listeners haven't been exposed to the dub sound it may not be for them. Overall, I enjoy the dub sound so it fits into the reggae that I listen to. Definitely cool out music to chill to. But nothing compares to singing and messages of Bob.

let freedome ring
i really only respect a tribute if it has roots and i think that this one has roots. Chriss balckwell (bobs original producer and the owner of island records) and bill laswell were in kingston and chriss mentioned helping him to work on a marley translation project. and laswell not knowing bob personally he in true dub style which any one in dub mentallity would have done decided to take some of his most favorite songs and not just give you another bob compillation for you to breath new life into a soul not just glorify over and over again. what do you think dub is its just regge classics rut up retranslated reverbed delayed.. new life. imagine a phychadelic spirtual ambient dream relaxing listening to your regular marley it might turn into it naturally try it. only features marley in maybe 3 songs sparcelly and the original backround singers. all new mixes new instuments never heard before im marley tablas, new keyboards, cut ups, dense delays,dub

Please just stick to the roots of reggae
I love Marley as much as the next Rasta, but please oh please, only listen if you are truly a fan of whale sounds and bird sounds to fall asleep to. This is an ambient translation alright. I think Bob would have loved to see this NOT happen. I am a true roots fan and my tastes go far beyond just Bob, but I do know when I am hearing something that doesn't belong on the shelf mixed with reggae. I wish people would just leave Bob's music alone. It's like adding Slayer's guitar work over the top of John Tesh's greatest hits and calling it Dreams of Carnage: A Satanic Translation of a dork's fairy music. Something like that. Well whatever...buy this if you want...don't go around saying that I didn't warn you! ... Read more

Reviews (40)

A Solid Release From The OC Supertones
The latest studio CD (come on guys, give us a live album) from the OC Supertones is a very strong mix of Ska, Rock, Reggae, and Punk. Stand-out tracks include Jury Duty, Wilderness, Forward To The Future, Escape From Reason, and Return Of The Revolution. Like on Chase The Sun, the 'Tones continue to distance themselves from pure ska. But do not fear my rude boy, there is still a lot of ska to go around, and the bulk of it is some pretty good stuff. The songs just don't grab you the way Chase The Sun's tracks did (no Hanani hooks here, the closest thing is either Forward To The Future or Wilderness) and the overall CD isn't quite up to scale with Supertones Strike Back but that isn't to say this isn't an awesome buy. The band from OC still knows how to rock and spread an awesome message. The main problem is that there isn't much new here. Most of the songs either sound like they are from Chase The Sun with a couple from Strike Back thrown in for good measure (just listen to the opening of the CD, Escape From Reason, I thought they ripped me off and gave me Strike Back for a few seconds). Overall, what can you say? Morginsky can still write some awesome songs and the band sure does the writing justice. It is a really good cd (and DEFINETETLY worth getting), it's just doesn't sound as fresh or original as their past two.

GREAT SKA CD BUT NOT AS GOOD AS THEIR OLD STUFF.
First of all I would like to say that I am very pleased with the new tones album. It definately has the most punk influence out of any of their CDs. There were only 2 songs that I didn't like. Return of the Revolution just gets flat out annoying and pandora's box is too rap-core sounding. It would be a good song if they added the ska riffs and had more horns. That is another thing that this album is also lacking. There is not quite enough horns. But there are great punk/ska tunes on this album like jury duty, forward to the future, another show, and spend it with you. There are also flat out ska songs like the worshipful lift me up, and the slow yet edgy tune of father's world. 20/20 is a pure punk song with no horns. It sounds so punky. It's awesome. Songs like escape from reason, what it comes to, and who could it be? are the hard-edged ska songs with a dash of rap influence. So, If you like to skank and jump around like crazy to some good ska music check out this album.

LOUD MUSIC CLEAR MESSAGE
Another smash hit, awesome, rocky, and fun album by our favorite ska band: The Orange County Supertones. This has got to be their heaviest album ever and redifined their name and style. With collaborations from TobyMac and The Gospel Gangstaz, this cd remains a great album. I love this album and its a very fun album to listen to. This is a must!

Supertones continue to amaze me!
This is an excellent album. It's classic Supertones with some newer twists. They remain faithful to their orignal purpose. The lyrics and music are entertaining, uplifting and encouraging.

loud and clear
personally, i would say, not only is this the best supertones cd, both musically and lyrically, but the best by any Christian band that ive seen as far as lyrics go. perhaps, because im not a fan of ska i have no problem with this album, which is definetly much more rock and much less ska. but, regardless of the music, which is certainly good, though not anything amazing, it is the lyrics that Matt wrote for these songs that makes this one of the best cd's i own. one of the previous reviewers wrote that they were very disappointed with the lyrics, however i find them to be the most, relavent, well thought out, and truely meaningful set of lyrics by a Christian band that ive seen. i think his words are amazingly well chosen and so full of meaning that most other Christian artists seem either to be too vague to be capable of anything this relevent or to shallow to really matter very much. "you escape reason, we escape wrath" his more meaning in it than entire albums by a lot of other Christian artists. in my opnion the music is good rock with a small bit of ska and and great lyrics. ... Read more

Reviews (25)

MMB and Ska/Punk at its best!
This CD was amazing.It is probably the Bosstones best(besides Let's Face It).

Kinder Words-The opening song and I wouldn't pick any other song on the CD for the opener.With its incredible horn part and great guitar, it's truly an amzing song.

Sad Silence-Good song,I especially liked the ending.

Hell of a Hat-GREAT horn part!Its awesome how they can start soft and gradually explode into horns and screaming in this song.

Pictures to Prove It-This song is ok. Not as good as some other songs on the CD, but still a great addition to the album.

We Should Talk-Awesome song. Great proof that hard rock and horns can still be mixed together and sound great.

A Dollar and A Dream-This song is good, but its overall softness kind of breaks the mood of the rest of the CD.Still pretty good though.

Stand Off-Another great song.The trombone intro is THE COOLEST!!

365 Days-Awesome song that displays Dicky's amazing vocal talents and still has a great horn part.

Toxic Toast-If there were a list of the top 3 snogs on this CD, this song would be on it.Amazing piano and trombone solos.MMB CLASSIC!!!

Bronzing the Garbage-Great song with good vocals and trumpets.

Dogs and Chapains-Incredible song-fast paced and energetic.

Jump Through the Hoops-What better way to end the CD that with an awesome song like this.You'll be whistling this tune forever. It may be the last, but certainly not the least.

Overall, a great CD and I highly recommend it to any punk or ska fan, as it clearly excells in both areas.

one of MMB's best...
the mighty mighty bosstones are w/o a doubt my favorite band, yet i dont think i am biased towards them...this is considered by some to be their best album ever, and while i wouldnt go that far, i will say it is their best LYRICAL album...

for those not familiar w/this band, they are a Boston-based band that plays an eclectic mix of thrash-metal, ska, alt-rock, and reggae...singer Dicky Barrett is best known for his growl, and musically they are well known for sweet horn lines on trombone and sax (played here by Brockenborough, Burton, and Lenear, the second two on sax)...guitarist Nate Albert is one of the more talented in the ska-punk genre...

QUESTION THE ANSWERS starts off in-your-face, w/the pleading "Kinder Words"...listen to the lyrics and its easy to see what the bosstones are saying...its followed up by "Sad Silence" and "Hell of a Hat", songs about a bully who kills a kid and a well-to-do gun-toting man respectively...they both deal w/problems in society..."Pictures to Prove it" starts w/a sick trombone solo, and descrives the feelings of love lost...the next notable song, "Stand Off", another trombone introduced cut, showcases more love lost and partner questioning.."365 Days" talks about all that can change in a year, and "Toxic Toast" one of the best cuts on the album, sees Dicky reminiscing in his lyrics...the last notable song, also the last on the album, is "Jump Through the Hoops", about a guy whos trying to please everyone...

musically, this album plays background to Barrett's vocals, whereas usually the horn players are in the forefront, along w/Alberts axe...still, the 2 trombone solos are great, "Toxic Toast" starts w/a really cool piano solo, and "A Dollar and a Dream" is a breezy, loungy, jazzy almost swing tune...till it kicks in near the end...

anyways, this is another great Bosstone album, but not for those just getting into the band (though, honestly, nearly and MMB cd will do)...if you are a fan of ska, punk, or alt-rock, i suggest you pick up this awesome album, and the rest by MMB! peace

The beginning of the end
This album broke many mainstream listeners to the MMB in 1994. Unfortunately, these younger listners must not of heard the real MMB albums prior, which are much more fun, energetic, and skacore. This album contains overproduced, sappy, depressing songs made for commerical audiences leaving behind the better days of the MMB. All the elements of a band selling out are here: a hit single, a slow ballad (ska style), and a cleaned up polished look for MTV. All of the TANG MMB albums are worth buying with More Noise being my favorite. I can't imagine what type of person would actual enjoy listening to tracks on this album like "pictures to prove it" or "jump thru the hoops" or what the band was thinking when they recorded these slow and uninspiring songs. THis album led many hardcore fans to leave the band as live shows lost thier energy and posers began touting this album as great. What a sham. The best song on this album "dogs and chaplains" is a third time remake of a classic first appearing on Devils Night Out on TANG.

How can anyone hate this?
I've bought only a handful of 'Tones albums. I bought Let's Face It and was only slightly impressed. I bought Pay Attention and was much more pleased. After hearing people say how terrible their old music was, I decided to see for myself. Question the Answers blew me away! I don't know what they were talking about when they said this was aweful.

It begins with an incredible riff in Kinder Words, one of the most catchy songs on the album. Sad Silence follows, and is a bit lighter, but the song changes tone so many times that it's hard to keep track. Next is Hell of a Hat, a favorite amongst internet fans. The song has excellent lyrics and a catchy sub-chorus. Picture to Prove It is next and is a song I usually skip, but is still a quality MMB song. We Should Talk is a psychotic piece about the lost art of communication, and is one of their most fast pased songs. Dollar and a Dream is another various toned song with a really cool casino intro. My personal favorite, Stand Off, is great not only because of the superb lyrics but for the even more superb guitars complete with short stutters weaving in and out of the chorus. Another fast song, 365 Days, is one where Dicky keeps yelling "Three Hundred and Sixty-Five" than moves on before he finishes. It's confusing, but an excellent singing technique. Another excellent song, Toxic Toast, has several saloon piano parts that add an extra bit of greatness to an already great song. Bronzing the Garbage is a moshing favorite and also a very catchy song. Dogs and Chaplains is like a mixture of every good element of the album into a conclusive piece. Jump Through the Hoops is like the P.S. and is a surprisingly cool finish to the album.

Although in the future, the Bosstones calm down their metal-tinged guitars in favor of the horns, this album commemerates their final metal-ska album before transferring into punk-ska territory. The stressed horns pounding out in unison with some creative guitar riffs touched with a precise rhythm section and topped off with Dicky's well thought-out lyrics, is what makes this album so great. Any fan of metal, punk or ska will definately love this album, but it won't appeal to the sappy media-friendly diehards out there. "Sharpest motherf---er in the joint, all other motherf---ers stop and point"

Must Get!
The Bosstones are by far my favorite band, and this CD is by far my favorite. Not only did it get me started with Ska, but it completely changed me. I recommend this CD to anyone. Especially anyone who just wants to hear the Bosstones, or anyone new to Ska. ... Read more

Reviews (4)

Also Consider Crazy 8's "Big Live Nut Pack!"
I'm a big fan of Fishbone, and I really like this album. However, I just realized that another favorite band, The CRAZY 8'S (now defunct) would be popular with Fishboners. If you like OINGO BOINGO and FISHBONE, you'll LOVE The Crazy 8's! (...especially "Big Live Nut Pack!")

Try it ... you WILL catch on!
Fishbone is a band which had -- and still has -- 99% of the ingredients necessary to make it huge, but somehow managed to nail perfectly the conditions required to meet the 1% chance that no one would hear their music -- chaos within the band, willful flouting of the "rules" of making hit songs, pigeonholeing (some would say racism?) within the music industry, etc etc etc.

If your music taste includes ANY of the following: Sly and the Family Stone, Funkadelic, the Specials, Ozomatli, etc, run - don't walk - to your local record store and pick up this new "Best of" Fishbone. What Fishbone has in common with those bands is an energy and vitality that is missing from too much "mainstream" music, and an ability to combine a good-time party sound with some serious messages. And Angelo Moore, who plays sax and sings (roughly 75% of their songs; everyone in the band sings at one point or another), is the most spectacular currently-active frontman in rock-and-roll, somehow managing to be a combination of Johnny Rotten, Mick Jagger, and Marvin Gaye. Really, I mean it. He sings with the voice of an angel while leaping into the mosh pit!

Fishbone is NOT for everyone, but don't believe it if you've heard that they are outside the mainstream. They play a variety of styles -- based in funk, with a heavy dose of ska, factoring in some heavy guitars and a LOT of horns -- usually merging those styles together into a unique stew (rather than keeping the styles separate on each song). A fair number of these tunes really SHOULD have been blockbuster #1 hits (Lemon Meringue, Unyielding Conditioning, Everyday Sunshine, more) ... you've really missed out an a lot of spectacular music if you've yet to delve into Fishbone!

If you already (really) know Fishbone, you don't need this review to tell you how great they are. But if you're curious, and like to be a little bit adventurous with your music, you absolutely will not regret spicing up your life with some of this Fishbone magic.

Try it ... you WILL catch on!

This ska-funk has got me Bonin'.
I'd bet alot of people were waiting for this one. As good as Fishbone are, a few of their albums were just so-so. This collects roughly their 16 best tracks, remastered, and all on one CD. Everything great from "Party at ground zero", to the excellent "Sunless Saturday". The only thing missing for me is "Slow bus movin'[Howard's beach party]", which can be found on "Truth and Soul", and the "Tapeheads" soundtrack. So if you're looking for a disc to stick between your "Chili Pepper's" and "Bosstones" cd's, I would highly suggest "The Essential Fishbone".

One of the Baddest Bands slept on
talk about a Underrated Band? Fishbone brings so many styles that they leave you dizzy with the man things they can step into&Pull off.but on Record the energy over the years has met with Mixed Results because Live you can't even begin to explain the overall Party they bring."Everyday Sunshine" with it's Sly&The Family Stone take Rocks.if you wondered where the Red Hot Chilli Peppers,No Doubt,&others got there Game from Peep this Out. ... Read more

Album Description

1999 collection on Virgin featuring the first six albums bythe original nutty boys, England's hit late '70s ska revivalists Madness. Each album has been digitally remastered & contains all of the original audio tracks, plus four CD-ROM videos per disc added as a bonus! Comes packaged as three gatefold slipcases (with two CD albums per slipcase) inside of a black card slipcase with familiar gold Doc Martens boots on the cover. Also contains a 36 page booklet with interviews& quotes from 1999. A grand total of 76 audio tracks & 24 CD-ROM videos, including 'One Step Beyond', 'Our House', 'MyGirl', 'House Of Fun', 'Bed And Breakfast Man', 'Baggy Trousers', 'Embarrassment', 'Return Of The Los Palmos 7', 'GreyDay', 'Cardiac Arrest', 'It Must Be Love', 'Wings Of A Dove' and 'Waiting For The Ghost Train'. The outer package is afull color CD-sized slipcase box. 1999 release. ... Read more

Reviews (7)

UTTER MADNESS!!!!!
If your a MADNESS fan then you need to buy this. Its totaly right on. Granted its the original 7 albums but its even got the videos for the singles off of the specific album. Its totaly kick @$$

Almost Perfect
There are a ton of Madness collections out there. This one is definitely the most complete one I've ever seen. My only complaint: Where's Crying Shame. This B-side is one of my favorites, and unfortunately it's still unavailable anywhere on CD.

That aside, it's a perfect collection from one of the best bands of it's time.

Squashing Snails
One of the most underrated bands of all time, Madness incorporated elements of reggae,ska,music hall and big band in their marvellous catalogue. All of you who remember Dan Akroyd's "Blues Brothers" dance routine, take a look at the early Madness videos and see what you have been missing. What seperated this group from their peers, was the ability to write and perform in a multitude of styles, with a touch of humor and soul. My daughter and her friends love to dance to the early hits. I hope that Virgin will get around to releasing all their great videos on one DVD shortly as it is a pain having to constantly change discs - my only complaint.

Quality Album Material Often Overlooked
In this collection of the first six 'original' Madness albums, you get a lot of material heretofore missing from American releases. The tracks from "Rise and Fall" and "Seven" are worth the full price of the box set alone. A lot of these tracks have often been hard to track down in the US (especially the RaF material) and are greatly improved on with remastering. While Madness is often viewed as a simple cog in the Ska-revival wheel, the tracks on discs 3-6 prove that they were quality songwriters in their own right and even the overproduced, far too depressing "Mad Not Mad" tracks turn out to be good material on a 5th or 6th listen. Combine this with "The Business" CD set and you have all the Madness your heart could desire.

Could have gone another step beyond...
on the packaging. Great tunes and contains many videos that I haven't seen before. My only complaint is the packaging. While the cardboard cd sleeves look great, they tend to be abrade the hard to remove cd's. The liner notes seemed skimpy as well. ... Read more

Reviews (17)

good ... but not everything i had hoped for.
A somewhat average CD from a more than average band. Their self titled album doesn't offer everything it should. There are a few songs that really stand out, like "Here In Your Bedroom," "Mable," and "Miles Away." But other than that most of the songs are rather mediocre. And what I miss most of all out of this CD is the ska. What happened to the ska-punk?! There's a few horns on a couple songs, but nothing impressive. Goldfinger didn't impress me with this CD.

TRACK LISTING: [I don't know why [Amazon.com] doesn't have them]
1) Mind's Eye 2) Stay 3) Here In Your Bedroom 4) King For A Day 5) Only A Day 6) Anxiety 7) Answers 8) I Believe 9) Anything 10)Mable 11)The City With Two Faces 12)My Girlfriend's Shower ... 13)Miles Away 14)Nothing To Prove 15)Pictures 16)...You And Your Cat

Not Hang-Ups...
The store didn't have Hang-Ups, so I grabbed Goldfinger's self-titled. I figured that it would have at least a little ska and plenty of hyper-hardcore punk like Stomping Ground. Wrong on both counts...

There is not much ska here. Where there is, the horns are weak and inaudible. The ska songs are "King For A Day," "Answers," "My Girlfriend's Shower..." and "Pictures." "Here In My Bedroom" has a little ska guitar skank in the beginning, and that's it! Some of the other songs are good, like "Mind's Eye," "Anything," "Mable," and "Nothing To Prove." Feldmann's voice is in good shape, and the hidden phone conversation is funny...at times. In fact, with this album, Goldfinger show that they started the sick-joke-punk thing that Blink 182 stole from them and butchered. All in all, I was disappointed by the lack of ska, abundance of profanity, and inconsistency of this Cd at first. It's grown on me, so I give it a 4. It surely beats the trash heap Open Your Eyes, which gets a 2.

album blows if you are looking for good ska
no, I don't like this album. do yourself a favor and pick up hang-ups first. If this is your first goldfinger album, it will likely be your last. Goldfinger is a good band, just,well I like a little more ska.

Goldfinger's best album
I like about half of Hang-Ups and about none of Stomping Ground (see 7 Seconds for a sweet cover of 99 Red Balloons, not Stomping Ground), but for some reason I really like this album. Probably, because there's not a lot of ska on it. My favorite tracks are Answers, Mable, The City With Two Faces, and Mind's Eye. Most of the rest are all right, but I can't give it four stars because King For A Day pretty much just sucks, and it goes on WAY too long, and by the end, it's pretty boring. My Girlfriend's Shower Sucks is stupid, and in a bad way, Miles Away is boring, but at least it's short, and Nothing to Prove is similarly boring. The last 3 tracks get back to being at least fun to listen to. So, I'd buy this used, but not new. And really, it's much more worth it to buy Walk Together, Rock Together instead.

Just a thought
To "burn14me", i have been to many live shows of goldfingers and FYI to you, they have always had a horn section. Your live concerts may have been different. i can't believe you would even compare Goldfinger to NoDoubt, i agree though...NoDoubt is not even close to punk. Im sorry you missed the experience of the horn section, but goldfinger is very much a ska band my friend. As to the cd, it's quite good, lacking in horns but definitely a classic. ... Read more

Reviews (22)

Punks Learn How To Loves Ska On This CD!
As we all know that Hellcat records is owned and runned by Lars from Rancid. Well being a punk, I know that right now, all that is considered 'punk' is either A)This main-stream crap which sucks badly or B)All these emo and hardcore/metal bands appearing in the underground right now. So being a dude waiting for some new punk band to change everything in the punk genre...they havent made it.
So for these past few weeks I have been I've been looking over some ska-punk and punk-ska bands. So I thought, I'll look into real ska bands....let me tell there are literally thousands of them out there waiting for some dude/dudette to be favored by. I had no clue where to start on picking out albums to buy. So most people look into comps for samples. And then I came across this little prize of joy.
Give 'Em The Boot Vol. 1 is probably the best ska comp that includes awesome punk bands too. Though the first track by Rancid wasn't their best. When the Slackers came on with 'Watch This' I felt so relaxed. When Hepcat's 'Dont Wait' came on I was already singing along. By the time The Pietasters 'New Breed' was playing I was up dancing. I won't list the other bands and songs, but most punks and people only hear about bands like Reel Big Fish, Less Than Jake, Mighty Mighty Bosstones, Operation Ivy, and The Suicide Machines. Though, those bands are considered to be the only good ones, screw you! There are tons better ones. Plus, all those bands have sold out or lost almost all the orginal members.
But over-all kids, stop listeing to the things considered punk(as in sell-outs or emo/hardcore bands)get your soul out there and be a rude boy. So if wanna get to know good ska bands buy this CHEAP cd!

wow! the only compilation i've ever liked!
Tim and Brett have outdone themselves! I don't know how they did it but somehow they managed to round up the very best ska and punk bands out there for Hellcat Records (which has the same distribution as Epitaph so hopefully some of these deserving bands will start getting some international credit!) I don't like every song but I like the majority of them, which in and of itself is really rare for me - I usually don't like compilations at all. More importantly, some of these songs absolutely rock. Hepcat have got the sweet trad ska sound down pat; classic oi-sters The Business and Boston pub-punks Dropkick Murphys (I love that name) make fast and explosive contributions; Rancid of course gets things off to a spectacular beginning with the bleak but booming The Brothels. Also check out The Gadgits and the Swingin' Utters for some quality music that makes all that lame recycled alterna-pop-rock Matchbox 20 junk on the radio sound like the sewage that it is. Forget the punk-revival, forget the ska-revival, forget the music industry's fickle trends - this is where the music industry *should* be at, even if they're too stupid to realize it!

And at a mere 6 bucks.... you just don't have any excuse for not owning this.

Punks should steer clear, but SKA FANS LISTEN UP!!
(For those of you unfamiliar with the Give 'em the boot series, it is a sampler series of bands on the Hellcat Records label. The label has an eclectic mix of punk/hardcore bands and ska/reggae/dub bands)

Now that that's out of the way...

Here's the deal:

1. With the possible exception of Rancid and Choking Victim, the punk bands on Hellcat Records suck. It's boring, unoriginal, and not even that aggressive.
2. The ska/reggae/dub bands, however, are EXCELLENT and amazing. It's very mellow and relaxing, yet very exciting and catchy. It should have you dancing along in no time.
3. Of the 3 titles in the give 'em the boot series, the 1st one (this one) has the least punk and the most ska.
4. Therefore, this is the best Give 'em the boot by FAR and with its dirt cheap price, you have no excuse for not owning it if you consider yourself a fan of ska in any way, shape, or form.

Get 'em
This album and it's brethren are an excellent way to be introduced to a lot of cool bands. I've gone out and bought a number of albums based on what I heard here and on Vol. II + III. If you like punk and ska with a dash of psychobilly, then this is your teaser!

Intro: Mandatory
This comp set the ska/punk record straight in 97 and set the tone for the next several years... what a Loud Hard Fast tone it was. I ahve shared this common experience with many new friends from all parts of the country: getting this comp and having our minds blown back in the day. ... Read more

Album Description

UK compilation for the southern California ska band.Includes all of the material recorded for Stiff Records,including the album, 'Wild Child' (1985), single B-sides &extended versions. As a bonus, it also includes thepreviously unreleased track 'My Kind Of Girl', a lovelysoulful song that stands comparison to the originalmaterial. Highlights include, 'Free Yourself' (LongVersion), '(I Spy For The) FBI' & 'What's Gone Wrong'.2002. ... Read more

Reviews (1)

Brings back pleasant memories!
For anyone who caught "Free Yourself" on MTV or stumbled on to it at a party or on the radio, this is a treat. The Untouchables were a great, underrated ska-esque band that really knew how to groove. The songs are all fairly strong, the record diverse, and the extras worth the money. Highly recommended! ... Read more

Reviews (24)

Not nearly as great as Keasbey Nights
When I first heard this CD, I was a bit dissapointed. They lack the energy that they had in 'Keasbey Nights'. After Tom Kalnoky (the lead singer) left the band they seemed to have gone downhill. The lyrics and vocals are weak, the guitar and bass isn't as good, and the horn section isn't as strong, but the drumming is still amazing. There are a few good songs, like 'It takes some time' and some others, but it does NOT compare to 'Keasbey Nights'. You should get this anyways, but if you are just getting into Catch 22, get 'Keasbey Nights".

incredible. simply incredible
my friend let me borrow this cd, and i doubted that it could possibly live up to keasbey nights. i mean, there wasn't a bad track on that album. however, i am pleased to say the same for alone in a crowd. catch 22 has the best horns of any of the ska/punk bands, hands down. my favorites are tracks 3 and 5, but the rest is pure gold as well. this cd comes highly recommended. 5+ stars.

Music is Good, Message is Not
I'm sure every fan of Catch 22 (real fan, that is) has listened to Alone In a Crowd and liked it. To tell the truth, the music isn't bad. So Tom was kicked out, the stuff is still pretty good. And then you put the white cd into the stereo, and the first track is just whatever. Then the second starts to sound pretty good, and you like it. But please, do NOT like that song.

Hidden within the lyrics of the song are subliminal messages, aiming at making fun of Tomas Kalnoky, the genius writer of C22's original album "Keasbey Nights". It is sickening to hear the hate that is thrown out at him.

But you will be happy to know that in his next amazing piece of work, Streetlight Manifesto's "Everything Goes Numb", he takes out his own little fun. Listening to "A Moment of Silence", one will hear a line that is like this..."if you hate me so much then stop singing my songs."

I would like to say, Catch 22, continue to make good music, but keep your feuds to yourselves, because you threw out one heck of a musician.

God-like
when i first heard this album, my immediate reaction was: "wow, Keasby Nights cant compare". This album is by far the best Ska i've ever heard. Ever. It has such enegry and heart that i cant help but sing (scream) along to every song on the who freaking CD. If you liked Keasby Nights or Turn the Radio Off by Reel Big Fish this CD will pleasantly surprise you. There is not a bad song on this CD. I dont even need the fast forward button with this CD, i never touch it. I turn it on and let it go. Buy this album, if you like ska, at all, you'll love it. If you dont, e-mail me, and i will personally and sincerly apologize.

HFSmaggot@yahoo.com

Best Cd Ever Bought
Catch 22 is my favorite ska-punk band and its because of this cd. "Hard to Impress" has to be the best song I've ever heard. The horns wail on this song. If your sick of the same old sounding ska, check this cd out. It takes Ska to a whole new level. Buy this cd. It is fricken Sweet ... Read more