Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

The beat that got a generation dancing and brought ska back into the public eye. Produced by Elvis Costello, then still a boy wonder himself, the album built on the sound of the Specials' first two singles, and gave the world its first extended look at Two Tone. Inspired writing and arranging (much of it down to founder Jerry Dammers) with Terry Hall as the laconic front man made for a perfect combination, the riddim of ska and the speed of punk. As a testament to its power, two decades haven't lessened its impact. --Chris Nickson

Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

Pretty Special, 24 Aug 2006
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

A masterpiece yes, 01 Jun 2006
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

A Classic., 13 Feb 2006
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !, 25 Sep 2004
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!

Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?, 15 Aug 2004
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

Pretty Special, 24 Aug 2006
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

A masterpiece yes, 01 Jun 2006
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

A Classic., 13 Feb 2006
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !, 25 Sep 2004
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!

Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?, 15 Aug 2004
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

SKA-TASTIC, 24 Nov 2003
This is a top ska collection, it contains plenty of classics including a few from the godfathers of SKA music, The Specials. Defenite stand out tracks are Rat Race, Rudy, a message to you and Ghosttown.
Its cheap and you get over 50 tracks to chose from, there has to be some you like in that lot!

Best of Ska, 21 Nov 2003
Just received this mixture of 60s (original) and 70s Ska. It's fantastic to hear artists like Lord Tanamo, the Maytals and Desmond Dekker for the first time since the early '70s. There's a good mixture on all three CDs. Five stars fo the Ska nostalgist, probably not so high for the purist

Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

Pretty Special, 24 Aug 2006
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

A masterpiece yes, 01 Jun 2006
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

A Classic., 13 Feb 2006
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !, 25 Sep 2004
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!

Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?, 15 Aug 2004
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

SKA-TASTIC, 24 Nov 2003
This is a top ska collection, it contains plenty of classics including a few from the godfathers of SKA music, The Specials. Defenite stand out tracks are Rat Race, Rudy, a message to you and Ghosttown.
Its cheap and you get over 50 tracks to chose from, there has to be some you like in that lot!

Best of Ska, 21 Nov 2003
Just received this mixture of 60s (original) and 70s Ska. It's fantastic to hear artists like Lord Tanamo, the Maytals and Desmond Dekker for the first time since the early '70s. There's a good mixture on all three CDs. Five stars fo the Ska nostalgist, probably not so high for the purist

UB MAD NOT 2 BUY IT. , 06 Jul 2006
this was a big favourite of mine, growing up in the 80's and early 90's. this album is by far the best reggae collection of ub40's. i also bought the ub40 dvd which has a few others which do not feature on the collection. if you want relaxing, soul trippin music this summer, then i suggest this album. totally superb.

this is a must for anyone who not only likes ub40 but enjoyed the 80's and its music.

Complete UB40 - Great value but inferior sound quality, 18 Jun 2006
UB40 have been a constant within the music scene for almost 3 decades by now. The first 15 years they were constant hit makers with consistent album sales. It seems that after that period, all of a sudden their time as a big selling artist was up as if the public had had enough.

These 2 CDs cover that period in a thorough manner. Basically, the CDs are simply re-issues of their Best of collections, volume 1 & 2, put into a single packaging. Two songs, Swing Low and Kiss & Say Goodbye are tacked at the end of volume 2; both songs would have been hits had UB40 still retained the popular appeal. Every UB40 Top 20 hit in the UK is here, i.e. until 1995, plus a few other notable singles (excluding Swing Low, UB40 have only had two other minor Top 20 hits since then). The only omission I notice is The Way You Do the Things You Do. It is one of their best known songs in the US but did not, however, even manage for some reason to crack the Top 40 in the UK, making the omission understandable. By excluding that period the listener also is spared the awful cover of Light My Fire included on their Very Best of 1980-2000 collection.

Their music has aged very well and many songs are becoming standard classics, even ones that were standards in other versions. In short, if you like UB40, even casually, this is the set to buy.

I am, still, deducting a star from this great set. It seems that despite being released in 2005, i.e. this combined version of the two volumes, the sound has not been re-mastered in accordance to current standards. My old Volume 1 CD has the exact same sound quality as the version on the volume 1 disk in this set.

I own the US version of the Very Best of 1980-2000 collection and took a few comparison samples. It was unfavourable for this version. On Here I Am the bass, which is prominent in the mix, is much more vibrant and the whole sound staging has audibly more depth on the US version, whilst on Kingston Town the synthesizers are clearer and the slight echo in the singing channel more natural, giving the song more of its special aura. These songs and other newer tracks have an added edge on the US version over the Best of Vol. 1&2 which is in a way analogous to the difference of a brand new LP verses a worn one.

On older tracks the difference is more audible, since the recording technology during the later period is more similar to what is used today. 1 in 10 has a significantly lower and more muddled sound and their first single, Food For Thought, is so vastly different sonic wise it is as if a blanket has been put over the speakers on the Best of Vol. 1&2 version (incidentally, the Left-Right channelling is reverse on the Food For Thought mixes).

Why the songs were not updated sound wise is beyond me, especially in light of the fact that many of the songs obviously have been re-mastered for at least another compilation. Most people won't notice the difference though and I admittedly seldom listen so closely that it matters. This is, however, a drawback.

To summarize, this is an immaculate collection of the hits of UB40 but suffers somewhat from the sound quality. In whole, I recommend this set.


Need to Know!, 25 Nov 2005
Five stars for the music, but...
Is this a remastered stuff?

Can't wait for its release!!!, 02 Oct 2005
Defo a fabolous compilation of UB40 songs, this one includes Kiss And Say Goodbye for the 2005 latest album Who You Fighting For?. I don't have the old 2 cds and I think It will be better to get this one.

A non-missing compilation for any reggae lover.

It’s a sleepy, laid-back kind of vibe that runs through Man Like I, the debut album from North London’s Natty, but don’t mistake it for laziness. The tales we find within mark our narrator out as neither saint nor sinner, bouncing round London’s streets with a badman swagger and an eye for the ladies, but with a skill for a deft, lyrical narrative and a social conscience learnt from his heroes, “Marcus, Mandela and Marley”. And while Bob Marley is a fair reference point to Natty’s shuffling, light reggae skank, it’s just as easy to locate these tales of life, love, and misadventure on the streets of London in the neighbourhood of Lily Allen, Kate Nash, and their attendant clan of new-school songsmiths. Some of it, then, is pretty simple fare--see “Last Night”, a break-up number that sees Natty reach for the spliff and the bottle--but elsewhere, there’s politically charged numbers like “Burn Down This Place”, a lament for his slave ancestors, or “Hey Man”, which sees our narrator lash out at the political apathy displayed by his peers. “My father’s generation had fires in their belly, man/We sat there like living room furniture, in front of our tellys, man”. --Louis Pattison

Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

Pretty Special, 24 Aug 2006
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

A masterpiece yes, 01 Jun 2006
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

A Classic., 13 Feb 2006
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !, 25 Sep 2004
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!

Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?, 15 Aug 2004
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

SKA-TASTIC, 24 Nov 2003
This is a top ska collection, it contains plenty of classics including a few from the godfathers of SKA music, The Specials. Defenite stand out tracks are Rat Race, Rudy, a message to you and Ghosttown.
Its cheap and you get over 50 tracks to chose from, there has to be some you like in that lot!

Best of Ska, 21 Nov 2003
Just received this mixture of 60s (original) and 70s Ska. It's fantastic to hear artists like Lord Tanamo, the Maytals and Desmond Dekker for the first time since the early '70s. There's a good mixture on all three CDs. Five stars fo the Ska nostalgist, probably not so high for the purist

UB MAD NOT 2 BUY IT. , 06 Jul 2006
this was a big favourite of mine, growing up in the 80's and early 90's. this album is by far the best reggae collection of ub40's. i also bought the ub40 dvd which has a few others which do not feature on the collection. if you want relaxing, soul trippin music this summer, then i suggest this album. totally superb.

this is a must for anyone who not only likes ub40 but enjoyed the 80's and its music.

Complete UB40 - Great value but inferior sound quality, 18 Jun 2006
UB40 have been a constant within the music scene for almost 3 decades by now. The first 15 years they were constant hit makers with consistent album sales. It seems that after that period, all of a sudden their time as a big selling artist was up as if the public had had enough.

These 2 CDs cover that period in a thorough manner. Basically, the CDs are simply re-issues of their Best of collections, volume 1 & 2, put into a single packaging. Two songs, Swing Low and Kiss & Say Goodbye are tacked at the end of volume 2; both songs would have been hits had UB40 still retained the popular appeal. Every UB40 Top 20 hit in the UK is here, i.e. until 1995, plus a few other notable singles (excluding Swing Low, UB40 have only had two other minor Top 20 hits since then). The only omission I notice is The Way You Do the Things You Do. It is one of their best known songs in the US but did not, however, even manage for some reason to crack the Top 40 in the UK, making the omission understandable. By excluding that period the listener also is spared the awful cover of Light My Fire included on their Very Best of 1980-2000 collection.

Their music has aged very well and many songs are becoming standard classics, even ones that were standards in other versions. In short, if you like UB40, even casually, this is the set to buy.

I am, still, deducting a star from this great set. It seems that despite being released in 2005, i.e. this combined version of the two volumes, the sound has not been re-mastered in accordance to current standards. My old Volume 1 CD has the exact same sound quality as the version on the volume 1 disk in this set.

I own the US version of the Very Best of 1980-2000 collection and took a few comparison samples. It was unfavourable for this version. On Here I Am the bass, which is prominent in the mix, is much more vibrant and the whole sound staging has audibly more depth on the US version, whilst on Kingston Town the synthesizers are clearer and the slight echo in the singing channel more natural, giving the song more of its special aura. These songs and other newer tracks have an added edge on the US version over the Best of Vol. 1&2 which is in a way analogous to the difference of a brand new LP verses a worn one.

On older tracks the difference is more audible, since the recording technology during the later period is more similar to what is used today. 1 in 10 has a significantly lower and more muddled sound and their first single, Food For Thought, is so vastly different sonic wise it is as if a blanket has been put over the speakers on the Best of Vol. 1&2 version (incidentally, the Left-Right channelling is reverse on the Food For Thought mixes).

Why the songs were not updated sound wise is beyond me, especially in light of the fact that many of the songs obviously have been re-mastered for at least another compilation. Most people won't notice the difference though and I admittedly seldom listen so closely that it matters. This is, however, a drawback.

To summarize, this is an immaculate collection of the hits of UB40 but suffers somewhat from the sound quality. In whole, I recommend this set.


Need to Know!, 25 Nov 2005
Five stars for the music, but...
Is this a remastered stuff?

Can't wait for its release!!!, 02 Oct 2005
Defo a fabolous compilation of UB40 songs, this one includes Kiss And Say Goodbye for the 2005 latest album Who You Fighting For?. I don't have the old 2 cds and I think It will be better to get this one.

A non-missing compilation for any reggae lover.

Enjoyable, disposable summer soundtrack, 22 Oct 2008
This album is not going to change your life or revolutionise the reggae world, but if those were the criteria by which we judged music we'd all own much fewer CDs.
Natty is a pretty talented new artist, with a good voice and a solid lyrical base. He's the kind of singer who could end up being a big deal in his own genre, but who I wouldn't expect to become a major chart hit. You'll find it hard not to feel relaxed listening to 'Man Like I', and it holds up on repeat visits but you won't find it making much of a lasting impression.
This CD makes a good summer sountrack to have on in the backgound while you're doing something else, it's cool and fairly consistent with a couple of particular standout tracks ('Cold Town', 'Bedroom Eyes' and in particular 'Revolution') that would make excellent singles.
At the end of the day it's hard to find much you can say about this album. It's not a masterpiece by any means but it is a good album and it is worth listening to. It's not an incredible breakout hit, but it's more than enough to establish Natty as an artist to watch out for in the future.


Natty is superb, 19 Oct 2008
I went to see Natty in Bristol last night and just thought he was amazing.
The album is obviously immense by itself,but seeing im live makes everything even better.
The stand out tracks for me are Last Night,Bedroom Eyes,Bad Man and Burn Down This Place. The first two were my favourites already but the live atmosphere made the latter so poweful,exciting and exhilarating.

Wonderful album,cxan't wait for more from him. And if you havem't seen him in action you really should as it is such a worthwhile experience!

Smooth as butter voice and rhythm., 18 Sep 2008
A smoky voiced crooner from north London, 2008 has been Nattys summer with this his debut album selling well here and abroad and being widely acclaimed as a 'Soundtrack to the Summer' by major English tabloids.
Kicked back tunes and songs that actually mean something give this album the edge over most of the summers output; It is ideal music for driving in London traffic, as well as cruising down the motorway with, allowing you to sing along to its easy beats and words ,letting the miles fly by while scaring the locals with your inevitably strangled renderings of this already classic performance.
If your not too sure of the artist but like the genre of laid back funky reggae-lite than give it a try, I can almost be certain you will not be dissapointed.

Really good, 28 Aug 2008
Anyone expecting to find the future of roots reggae or dub on Natty's debut album will find little to please them. A friend of the Adele and Kate Nash set he offers instead engagingly breezy, reggae-fied feel-good vibes that go down well with a cold glass of cider and a barbequed sausage and only occasionally lean on Rasta-man cliches. The 24-year-old North Londoner is being pitched as our answer to Jack Johnson and on occasion he's as chilled out - but his fusion of social commentary and pop is closer to 80s UK ska acts like The Beat than US surfer dude.

Current single July - with its memories of "girls in skimpy bikinis" and summers long gone in "Costa Del Southend" - is sweet, radio friendly and by no means a fluke. If anything the rapid-fire MC-ing of Badman and exuberant ska of Bedroom Eyes are even more accessible and irresistibly catchy.


I was expecting better, 21 Aug 2008
I'd heard a lot of good things about Natty, so was looking forward to this album. But i was left a bit disappointed. Whilst there are some very good and intelligent lyrics, i felt that musically it is lacking a little. The tunes weren't anthing exceptional, and it didn't add anything to reggae. It felt a bit dated. 2000s lyrics to 1970s music.

The young Frederick "Toots" Hibberts honed his vocal skills in the church. No surprise then that the music he recorded with The Maytals is largely gospel-tinged and very effectively backed up by the fervent, energetic rhythms of ska, the sound of the era in which much of it was recorded. Concentrating on their most productive period (between 1966 when Toots was released from jail on a cannabis charge and 1974), this collection features most of the group's biggest hits, many of which were successful in the UK as well as back home. It's a pure joy to listen to classics such as "54-46 That's My Number" (famously sampled by the Rebel MC in later years), "Pressure Drop" (covered by The Clash), "Bam Bam" (which won them the Jamaican Festival Song Competition), "Monkey Man" (a much covered hit that went down a storm in the UK) and "Do The Reggay", allegedly the record that coined the name, albeit with a different spelling. There is more than a dash of reggae and roots vibes sprinkled throughout these tracks and Toots's voice shines through the often heavy riddims with a beautiful, soulful clarity that cannot be denied. --Paul Sullivan

Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

Pretty Special, 24 Aug 2006
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

A masterpiece yes, 01 Jun 2006
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

A Classic., 13 Feb 2006
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !, 25 Sep 2004
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!

Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?, 15 Aug 2004
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

SKA-TASTIC, 24 Nov 2003
This is a top ska collection, it contains plenty of classics including a few from the godfathers of SKA music, The Specials. Defenite stand out tracks are Rat Race, Rudy, a message to you and Ghosttown.
Its cheap and you get over 50 tracks to chose from, there has to be some you like in that lot!

Best of Ska, 21 Nov 2003
Just received this mixture of 60s (original) and 70s Ska. It's fantastic to hear artists like Lord Tanamo, the Maytals and Desmond Dekker for the first time since the early '70s. There's a good mixture on all three CDs. Five stars fo the Ska nostalgist, probably not so high for the purist

UB MAD NOT 2 BUY IT. , 06 Jul 2006
this was a big favourite of mine, growing up in the 80's and early 90's. this album is by far the best reggae collection of ub40's. i also bought the ub40 dvd which has a few others which do not feature on the collection. if you want relaxing, soul trippin music this summer, then i suggest this album. totally superb.

this is a must for anyone who not only likes ub40 but enjoyed the 80's and its music.

Complete UB40 - Great value but inferior sound quality, 18 Jun 2006
UB40 have been a constant within the music scene for almost 3 decades by now. The first 15 years they were constant hit makers with consistent album sales. It seems that after that period, all of a sudden their time as a big selling artist was up as if the public had had enough.

These 2 CDs cover that period in a thorough manner. Basically, the CDs are simply re-issues of their Best of collections, volume 1 & 2, put into a single packaging. Two songs, Swing Low and Kiss & Say Goodbye are tacked at the end of volume 2; both songs would have been hits had UB40 still retained the popular appeal. Every UB40 Top 20 hit in the UK is here, i.e. until 1995, plus a few other notable singles (excluding Swing Low, UB40 have only had two other minor Top 20 hits since then). The only omission I notice is The Way You Do the Things You Do. It is one of their best known songs in the US but did not, however, even manage for some reason to crack the Top 40 in the UK, making the omission understandable. By excluding that period the listener also is spared the awful cover of Light My Fire included on their Very Best of 1980-2000 collection.

Their music has aged very well and many songs are becoming standard classics, even ones that were standards in other versions. In short, if you like UB40, even casually, this is the set to buy.

I am, still, deducting a star from this great set. It seems that despite being released in 2005, i.e. this combined version of the two volumes, the sound has not been re-mastered in accordance to current standards. My old Volume 1 CD has the exact same sound quality as the version on the volume 1 disk in this set.

I own the US version of the Very Best of 1980-2000 collection and took a few comparison samples. It was unfavourable for this version. On Here I Am the bass, which is prominent in the mix, is much more vibrant and the whole sound staging has audibly more depth on the US version, whilst on Kingston Town the synthesizers are clearer and the slight echo in the singing channel more natural, giving the song more of its special aura. These songs and other newer tracks have an added edge on the US version over the Best of Vol. 1&2 which is in a way analogous to the difference of a brand new LP verses a worn one.

On older tracks the difference is more audible, since the recording technology during the later period is more similar to what is used today. 1 in 10 has a significantly lower and more muddled sound and their first single, Food For Thought, is so vastly different sonic wise it is as if a blanket has been put over the speakers on the Best of Vol. 1&2 version (incidentally, the Left-Right channelling is reverse on the Food For Thought mixes).

Why the songs were not updated sound wise is beyond me, especially in light of the fact that many of the songs obviously have been re-mastered for at least another compilation. Most people won't notice the difference though and I admittedly seldom listen so closely that it matters. This is, however, a drawback.

To summarize, this is an immaculate collection of the hits of UB40 but suffers somewhat from the sound quality. In whole, I recommend this set.


Need to Know!, 25 Nov 2005
Five stars for the music, but...
Is this a remastered stuff?

Can't wait for its release!!!, 02 Oct 2005
Defo a fabolous compilation of UB40 songs, this one includes Kiss And Say Goodbye for the 2005 latest album Who You Fighting For?. I don't have the old 2 cds and I think It will be better to get this one.

A non-missing compilation for any reggae lover.

Enjoyable, disposable summer soundtrack, 22 Oct 2008
This album is not going to change your life or revolutionise the reggae world, but if those were the criteria by which we judged music we'd all own much fewer CDs.
Natty is a pretty talented new artist, with a good voice and a solid lyrical base. He's the kind of singer who could end up being a big deal in his own genre, but who I wouldn't expect to become a major chart hit. You'll find it hard not to feel relaxed listening to 'Man Like I', and it holds up on repeat visits but you won't find it making much of a lasting impression.
This CD makes a good summer sountrack to have on in the backgound while you're doing something else, it's cool and fairly consistent with a couple of particular standout tracks ('Cold Town', 'Bedroom Eyes' and in particular 'Revolution') that would make excellent singles.
At the end of the day it's hard to find much you can say about this album. It's not a masterpiece by any means but it is a good album and it is worth listening to. It's not an incredible breakout hit, but it's more than enough to establish Natty as an artist to watch out for in the future.


Natty is superb, 19 Oct 2008
I went to see Natty in Bristol last night and just thought he was amazing.
The album is obviously immense by itself,but seeing im live makes everything even better.
The stand out tracks for me are Last Night,Bedroom Eyes,Bad Man and Burn Down This Place. The first two were my favourites already but the live atmosphere made the latter so poweful,exciting and exhilarating.

Wonderful album,cxan't wait for more from him. And if you havem't seen him in action you really should as it is such a worthwhile experience!

Smooth as butter voice and rhythm., 18 Sep 2008
A smoky voiced crooner from north London, 2008 has been Nattys summer with this his debut album selling well here and abroad and being widely acclaimed as a 'Soundtrack to the Summer' by major English tabloids.
Kicked back tunes and songs that actually mean something give this album the edge over most of the summers output; It is ideal music for driving in London traffic, as well as cruising down the motorway with, allowing you to sing along to its easy beats and words ,letting the miles fly by while scaring the locals with your inevitably strangled renderings of this already classic performance.
If your not too sure of the artist but like the genre of laid back funky reggae-lite than give it a try, I can almost be certain you will not be dissapointed.

Really good, 28 Aug 2008
Anyone expecting to find the future of roots reggae or dub on Natty's debut album will find little to please them. A friend of the Adele and Kate Nash set he offers instead engagingly breezy, reggae-fied feel-good vibes that go down well with a cold glass of cider and a barbequed sausage and only occasionally lean on Rasta-man cliches. The 24-year-old North Londoner is being pitched as our answer to Jack Johnson and on occasion he's as chilled out - but his fusion of social commentary and pop is closer to 80s UK ska acts like The Beat than US surfer dude.

Current single July - with its memories of "girls in skimpy bikinis" and summers long gone in "Costa Del Southend" - is sweet, radio friendly and by no means a fluke. If anything the rapid-fire MC-ing of Badman and exuberant ska of Bedroom Eyes are even more accessible and irresistibly catchy.


I was expecting better, 21 Aug 2008
I'd heard a lot of good things about Natty, so was looking forward to this album. But i was left a bit disappointed. Whilst there are some very good and intelligent lyrics, i felt that musically it is lacking a little. The tunes weren't anthing exceptional, and it didn't add anything to reggae. It felt a bit dated. 2000s lyrics to 1970s music.

Simply brilliant, not a bad song on it!, 30 Aug 2008
I'm not one for writing reviews but seeing as no-one has bothered to write a review for this Toots & The Maytals CD, I thought I may as well be the first.

If your knowledge of reggae goes as far as Bob Marley, and that's it, then you seriously need to broaden your tastes, and as a starter I highly recommend Toots. This CD covers The Maytals career from 1966 to 1974 and all the hits are here - Monkey Man (later covered by The Specials), their brilliant debut single Bam Bam, 54-46 That's My Number and probably their most famous song Pressure Drop (later covered by The Clash).

There's 20 songs on this album and I can honestly say there simply isn't a bad song on here, this album played through from start to finish sounds fantastic.

Do yourself a favour and buy this album, if you like your reggae/ska then I promise you this album will not disappoint you.

Talk about high concept: Dub Side of the Moon features the house band of noted New York reggae label Easy Star covering Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon in the same sequence and in recognisable but reggae fashion. Here, the All Stars turn Floyd's strangely surreal world even stranger and more surreal, adorning the band's dark psychedelic music with slow reggae beats and head-spinning dub-style production that is both inspired and effective. "Money" opens with the sound of bong hits and coughing instead of the cash register, then grooves to a reggae beat as guitar and organ churn out the classic riff--there's even the mandatory sax break in the middle. The group hits it just right on "Great Gig in the Sky", retaining the soaring gospel voice, while the remake of the chiming bells on "Time" reveals a bit of irreverent humour. Tearing away at the alienation of the original, this infusion of new personality makes it all work, elevating the album's concept from the half-baked to visionary. --Tad Hendrickson

Smooth pacific styled reggae - get it now!, 26 Sep 2008
After hearing about this group through friends I had to check them out - a few expensive downloads later I had tickets to their concert and I haven't looked back since. This is a fantastic album from track one right through to the end.

Smooth lyrics, matched to even smoother basslines, piercing horn sections and samples adding that extra something. If you get the chance see them live, if you don't get this album. And if you like it, even just a little bit, explore some of the other brilliant music coming out of New Zealand.

Lush!, 07 Aug 2008
This has to be one of my most favorite albums i've bought in a long while. I like to see my taste in music as largely eclectic, i'll listen to anything once and that's what i did with this album... i knew nothing about the album or (less importantly the band) but by the time the first song "ernie" was over i knew i was going to love this album.

Fat Freddy's Drop (FFD) are from New Zealand, they wrote, engineered, produced, mastered and distributed this album off their own back - with no label. which for me is quite interesting as it's a mantra that definitely fits the tone of the music. This album is defiant, smooth & groovy and beautifully performed. the style of the band is really relaxed - almost as if they've jus sat in a room with people they know and love and jammed out an album - no rushing, no edit's and no artistic restraint - jus feel good tunes that are easy to connect with

this album in particular has done really well in the charts internationally with the album itself being in the NZ charts for almost a YEAR! and other tracks hitting the number one spot for months when all told

nuff of my opinions - jus listen!

FFD original, smooth grooves, 28 Oct 2007
Bought this album as a friend who heard of them whilst in NZ was raving about them. I can honestly say this is the best ever album i have ever bought. The music is sssoooo original, the songs take you through a range of moods and grooves, it's just such a funky, eclectic album. Buy it...then tell your friends to buy it you will not be dissappointed!!

good roots reggae with ocassional diversion to other places , 17 Jul 2007
i have just got this album and am listening to it as i write this review.
this album is really good.
well worth a listen.
really well written and arranged songs.
interesting lyrics
good production.
nice subtle and simple horn progression that sound authentic to the genre.
nice mix with other sounds and fusion with other genres not normally associated with reggae.
fender rhodes, moog sounding synth. funk, blues and a dance music sounding track or two (but not too heavey).
good fairly soulful lead vocals and harmonies. nice arrangment of vox. well recorded. bright. clean.
sweet!!!
As a musician/producer and reggae fanatic. I really apreciate this well balanced, sweet sounding and soulfull reggae-ish.
Nice one. Keep the tracks rolling in. :-)




one of the sweetest voices i've heard in a while, 15 Jan 2007
this album is packed with soul full reggae and ska with hip hop to boot and many more influences i'm sure. my sister has been banging on about them since returning from a stint down under and i saw them at sonar in the summer where they got me hooked. this album is perfect to play when all else fails. i especially enjoy walking along to it, brings colour and confidence to every step of ur journey. if ur a fan u probably already have it if ur not a fan, u will be when u buy it! this room as a stand out tune and this album is never off my mp3 player. buy it, enjoy it, fall in love with his voice.

Pretty Special, 24 Aug 2006
This is my favourite of the 2 Specials albums. 'More Specials' is quirkier, but this is equally fun and more up-tempo. I love to leap around to this record at every oportunity, (much to the annoyance of my neighbours). I could wiffle on about all of the profound lyrics and such and Terry Hall's deadpan style, but once you buy this record then you will find out for yourself. Suffice to say that this record is well worth getting for your collection. If you like that 2 tone sound, then it really doesn't get any better than this. And at this price it is a steal!!!!

A masterpiece yes, 01 Jun 2006
Whilst it is indeed masterpiece of pop creation and you really must own it. It is still only a pop creation, really very pop and i wouldn't really say it sounded "fresh" on every listen. Its good for a few plays, by which time it will all be in your head already - such is the quality of the songwriting. Buy, listen, love then place on a shelf and hum.

A Classic., 13 Feb 2006
This is without a shadow of a doubt one of the greatest albums ever recorded. If your are into Punk or Ska this really is a must buy.

A Classic of Musical Re-Invention. Brilliant !, 25 Sep 2004
The Specials album is and was without doubt, a fantastic album. Anyone with any appreciation for music whatsoever, should buy this. The beats are great, the lyrics are great, the tunes are great. A great shame so much of our modern music is so dull and spiritless compared to music like this. As much a breath of fresh air as it was all those years ago. Superb !!!!!

Am i missing something of the first hand Ska experience?, 15 Aug 2004
Having recently decided to correct one or two oversights in my music collection I bought this C.D. Ska was one of the few genres that passed me by originally.( The other being jazz funk which I've never considered a great loss.) Of course I heard all the singles and I even bought some of them but really I was far too pale and interesting and well dull to really explore music that despite it's often serious subject matter often seemed to me an excuse to indulge in lots of silly knees up dancing.

This 2002 re-mastered version of the 1979 debut album by The Specials seemed to me the perfect place to start. "Ghost Town" is after all one of the greatest number 1,s of all time while "Gangsters" is a superbly idiosyncratic song. Plus it's produced by a sprightly youth called Elvis Costello which is something I never knew till I read it on these very pages. ...And it's great, with some truly wonderful songs and an irresistible energy and laconic humour. However I don't think it's quite the all-out masterpiece that many of my fellow reviewers think it is, and I think I know why. The live cuts ,"Monkey Man" off this album and the single version of "Too Much Too Young" exude a tremendous blast of the hedonistic verve and sense of communal spirit that existed around the Ska scene and i, never experienced that first hand so in a sense I'm coming into this album cold and lacking the empirical knowledge of the Ska experience..
It's taut wired energy seems to be lifted straight from the aftermath of punk and the genesis of the new-wave movement but thrown in with rhythms of reggae, which of course bands like The Clash had already incorporated into their sound, and elements of dub and R & B it's an intoxicating mix and when it all gels together it's fantastic., but I found some of the material here a little repetitive (Which is one of the problems I have with reggae.) and one or two of the songs a touch mundane. "Too Hot" and "Blank Expression" are prime examples of this.

Mainly though this is terrific stuff." Concrete Jungle", "Little Bitch", "Nite Klub" and "You're Wondering Know" which sounds like a track off Enos,s "Here Comes the Warm Jets" particularly. Even the six minute version of "Too Much Too Young" though lacking the vivacious outrage of the live single version is great. "A Message to You Rudy" still sounds fresh as well.
I really missed out when I pompously ignored this stuff first time round and now I'm way too old to do the silly knees up dance............I think.

SKA-TASTIC, 24 Nov 2003
This is a top ska collection, it contains plenty of classics including a few from the godfathers of SKA music, The Specials. Defenite stand out tracks are Rat Race, Rudy, a message to you and Ghosttown.
Its cheap and you get over 50 tracks to chose from, there has to be some you like in that lot!

Best of Ska, 21 Nov 2003
Just received this mixture of 60s (original) and 70s Ska. It's fantastic to hear artists like Lord Tanamo, the Maytals and Desmond Dekker for the first time since the early '70s. There's a good mixture on all three CDs. Five stars fo the Ska nostalgist, probably not so high for the purist

UB MAD NOT 2 BUY IT. , 06 Jul 2006
this was a big favourite of mine, growing up in the 80's and early 90's. this album is by far the best reggae collection of ub40's. i also bought the ub40 dvd which has a few others which do not feature on the collection. if you want relaxing, soul trippin music this summer, then i suggest this album. totally superb.

this is a must for anyone who not only likes ub40 but enjoyed the 80's and its music.

Complete UB40 - Great value but inferior sound quality, 18 Jun 2006
UB40 have been a constant within the music scene for almost 3 decades by now. The first 15 years they were constant hit makers with consistent album sales. It seems that after that period, all of a sudden their time as a big selling artist was up as if the public had had enough.

These 2 CDs cover that period in a thorough manner. Basically, the CDs are simply re-issues of their Best of collections, volume 1 & 2, put into a single packaging. Two songs, Swing Low and Kiss & Say Goodbye are tacked at the end of volume 2; both songs would have been hits had UB40 still retained the popular appeal. Every UB40 Top 20 hit in the UK is here, i.e. until 1995, plus a few other notable singles (excluding Swing Low, UB40 have only had two other minor Top 20 hits since then). The only omission I notice is The Way You Do the Things You Do. It is one of their best known songs in the US but did not, however, even manage for some reason to crack the Top 40 in the UK, making the omission understandable. By excluding that period the listener also is spared the awful cover of Light My Fire included on their Very Best of 1980-2000 collection.

Their music has aged very well and many songs are becoming standard classics, even ones that were standards in other versions. In short, if you like UB40, even casually, this is the set to buy.

I am, still, deducting a star from this great set. It seems that despite being released in 2005, i.e. this combined version of the two volumes, the sound has not been re-mastered in accordance to current standards. My old Volume 1 CD has the exact same sound quality as the version on the volume 1 disk in this set.

I own the US version of the Very Best of 1980-2000 collection and took a few comparison samples. It was unfavourable for this version. On Here I Am the bass, which is prominent in the mix, is much more vibrant and the whole sound staging has audibly more depth on the US version, whilst on Kingston Town the synthesizers are clearer and the slight echo in the singing channel more natural, giving the song more of its special aura. These songs and other newer tracks have an added edge on the US version over the Best of Vol. 1&2 which is in a way analogous to the difference of a brand new LP verses a worn one.

On older tracks the difference is more audible, since the recording technology during the later period is more similar to what is used today. 1 in 10 has a significantly lower and more muddled sound and their first single, Food For Thought, is so vastly different sonic wise it is as if a blanket has been put over the speakers on the Best of Vol. 1&2 version (incidentally, the Left-Right channelling is reverse on the Food For Thought mixes).

Why the songs were not updated sound wise is beyond me, especially in light of the fact that many of the songs obviously have been re-mastered for at least another compilation. Most people won't notice the difference though and I admittedly seldom listen so closely that it matters. This is, however, a drawback.

To summarize, this is an immaculate collection of the hits of UB40 but suffers somewhat from the sound quality. In whole, I recommend this set.


Need to Know!, 25 Nov 2005
Five stars for the music, but...
Is this a remastered stuff?

Can't wait for its release!!!, 02 Oct 2005
Defo a fabolous compilation of UB40 songs, this one includes Kiss And Say Goodbye for the 2005 latest album Who You Fighting For?. I don't have the old 2 cds and I think It will be better to get this one.

A non-missing compilation for any reggae lover.

Enjoyable, disposable summer soundtrack, 22 Oct 2008
This album is not going to change your life or revolutionise the reggae world, but if those were the criteria by which we judged music we'd all own much fewer CDs.
Natty is a pretty talented new artist, with a good voice and a solid lyrical base. He's the kind of singer who could end up being a big deal in his own genre, but who I wouldn't expect to become a major chart hit. You'll find it hard not to feel relaxed listening to 'Man Like I', and it holds up on repeat visits but you won't find it making much of a lasting impression.
This CD makes a good summer sountrack to have on in the backgound while you're doing something else, it's cool and fairly consistent with a couple of particular standout tracks ('Cold Town', 'Bedroom Eyes' and in particular 'Revolution') that would make excellent singles.
At the end of the day it's hard to find much you can say about this album. It's not a masterpiece by any means but it is a good album and it is worth listening to. It's not an incredible breakout hit, but it's more than enough to establish Natty as an artist to watch out for in the future.


Natty is superb, 19 Oct 2008
I went to see Natty in Bristol last night and just thought he was amazing.
The album is obviously immense by itself,but seeing im live makes everything even better.
The stand out tracks for me are Last Night,Bedroom Eyes,Bad Man and Burn Down This Place. The first two were my favourites already but the live atmosphere made the latter so poweful,exciting and exhilarating.

Wonderful album,cxan't wait for more from him. And if you havem't seen him in action you really should as it is such a worthwhile experience!

Smooth as butter voice and rhythm., 18 Sep 2008
A smoky voiced crooner from north London, 2008 has been Nattys summer with this his debut album selling well here and abroad and being widely acclaimed as a 'Soundtrack to the Summer' by major English tabloids.
Kicked back tunes and songs that actually mean something give this album the edge over most of the summers output; It is ideal music for driving in London traffic, as well as cruising down the motorway with, allowing you to sing along to its easy beats and words ,letting the miles fly by while scaring the locals with your inevitably strangled renderings of this already classic performance.
If your not too sure of the artist but like the genre of laid back funky reggae-lite than give it a try, I can almost be certain you will not be dissapointed.

Really good, 28 Aug 2008
Anyone expecting to find the future of roots reggae or dub on Natty's debut album will find little to please them. A friend of the Adele and Kate Nash set he offers instead engagingly breezy, reggae-fied feel-good vibes that go down well with a cold glass of cider and a barbequed sausage and only occasionally lean on Rasta-man cliches. The 24-year-old North Londoner is being pitched as our answer to Jack Johnson and on occasion he's as chilled out - but his fusion of social commentary and pop is closer to 80s UK ska acts like The Beat than US surfer dude.

Current single July - with its memories of "girls in skimpy bikinis" and summers long gone in "Costa Del Southend" - is sweet, radio friendly and by no means a fluke. If anything the rapid-fire MC-ing of Badman and exuberant ska of Bedroom Eyes are even more accessible and irresistibly catchy.


I was expecting better, 21 Aug 2008
I'd heard a lot of good things about Natty, so was looking forward to this album. But i was left a bit disappointed. Whilst there are some very good and intelligent lyrics, i felt that musically it is lacking a little. The tunes weren't anthing exceptional, and it didn't add anything to reggae. It felt a bit dated. 2000s lyrics to 1970s music.

Simply brilliant, not a bad song on it!, 30 Aug 2008
I'm not one for writing reviews but seeing as no-one has bothered to write a review for this Toots & The Maytals CD, I thought I may as well be the first.

If your knowledge of reggae goes as far as Bob Marley, and that's it, then you seriously need to broaden your tastes, and as a starter I highly recommend Toots. This CD covers The Maytals career from 1966 to 1974 and all the hits are here - Monkey Man (later covered by The Specials), their brilliant debut single Bam Bam, 54-46 That's My Number and probably their most famous song Pressure Drop (later covered by The Clash).

There's 20 songs on this album and I can honestly say there simply isn't a bad song on here, this album played through from start to finish sounds fantastic.

Do yourself a favour and buy this album, if you like your reggae/ska then I promise you this album will not disappoint you.

quirk side of the loon, 08 May 2008
This is an astonishing record! On paper the idea of a reggae cover of Dark Side Of The Moon sounds demented - but in practise it's truly fabulous. The All-Stars perform dub alchemy, conjuring roots rock out of prog rock like it was the most natural progression. Great Gig In The Sky had me sobbing at its beauty - honestly.

Any Floyd fans with a passing interest in reggae - or, alternatively, any reggae-ists with a passing interest in Pink Floyd - this is for you. Carefully treading that fine line between homage and