Protest Songs 1924-2012 [Deluxe Edition]

by The Specials

Overview

The Specials are a band with a trademark sound if there ever was such a thing, but a quick look at their catalog reveals only one of their albums truly reflects it. Their instant-classic 1979 debut defined the tough, furious dance groove that made them the greatest act from the U.K. ska revival of the late 1970s and early '80s. However, the follow-up, 1980's More Specials, was a deliberate detour into the then-unhip world of lounge music, and 1984's In the Studio was as stylistically diverse as Jerry Dammers knew how to make it. Thirteen years into the Specials' improbable reunion, the group includes three original members -- lead singer Terry Hall, guitarist and vocalist Lynval Golding, and bassist Horace Panter -- and their second record after returning to action, 2021's Protest Songs 1924-2012, isn't a ska album. The Specials had intended to make a roots reggae album before the COVID-19 pandemic upended their plans, and they opted to instead take on a more intimate project, covering 12 songs that express politically and socially conscious themes in different ways. That's certainly a concept in line with the band's firmly held ideals, and the stripped-down arrangements present the material with heart and conviction. The great moments here include a spare, powerful reworking of Talking Heads' "Listening Wind." ~ Mark Deming

Product Details

Release Date:	10/01/2021
Label:	Island
UPC:	0602438406999
Rank:	151324

Tracks

1. Freedom Highway
2. Everybody Knows
3. I Don't Mind Failing in This World
4. Black, Brown and White
5. Ain't Gonna Let Nobody Turn Us Around
6. Fuck All the Perfect People
7. My Next Door Neighbour
8. Trouble Every Day
9. Listening Wind
10. Soldiers Who Want to Be Heroes
11. I Live in a City
12. Get Up, Stand Up
13. The Lunatics [Live at Coventry Cathedral, July, 2019]
14. We Sell Hope [Live at Coventry Cathedral, July, 2019]

Album Credits

Performance Credits

The Specials   Primary Artist
Terry Hall   Vocals
Tim Smart   Trombone (Bass),Trombone
Nikolaj Torplarsen   Harp,Organ,Piano,Guitar,Vocals,Clapping,Dulcimer,Melodica,Accordion,Harmonica,Harmonium,Keyboards,Mellotron,Glockenspiel
Pablo Mendelssohn   Trumpet,Flugelhorn
Horace Panter   Bass,Vocals,Clapping,Double Bass,Standup Bass,Guitar (Bass),Bass (Electric),Fender Jazz Bass
Steve Cradock   Guitar,Vocals,Clapping,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)
Kenrick Rowe   Drums,Vocals,Clapping,Keyboards,Percussion,Tambourine
Tony Uter   Drums,Drums (Bass)
Michael "Bami" Rose   Drums,Guitar (Bass)
Hannah Hu   Vocals,Guest Artist
Jim Hunt   Saxophone,Sax (Tenor),Sax (Baritone)
Lynval Golding   Guitar,Vocals,Clapping,Guitar (Acoustic),Guitar (Electric)

Technical Credits

Brian Eno   Composer
Malvina Reynolds   Composer
Terry Hall   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Nikolaj Torplarsen   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Horace Panter   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Liam Larkin   Assistant Engineer
Big Bill Broonzy   Composer
Chip Taylor   Composer
San Francisco   Composer
Roebuck "Pops" Staples   Composer
George Murphy   Engineer,Recording
Tim Debney   Mastering Engineer
Sharon Robinson   Composer
Jerry McCain   Composer
Pop Staples   Composer
Robert Sellens   Mixing Assistant
Marcos Ferrari   Mixing,Recording
Camden Clarke   Mixing Assistant
Traditional   Composer
Leonard Cohen   Composer
Bob Marley   Composer
Frank Zappa   Composer
Cenzo Townshend   Mixing
Shane O'Neill   Photography
David Byrne   Composer
Lynval Golding   Arranger,Composer,Producer
Rod McKuen   Composer
Pete Seeger   Engineer
Peter Tosh   Composer
Neville Staple   Composer