The Specials - Vinyl reissues

Discussion in 'Music Corner' started by mc7t, Apr 24, 2019.

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  1. mc7t

    mc7t Forum Resident Thread Starter

    Hi all,

    Any opinions of the reissued albums by the UK band The Specials?

    Just ordered their second album because Uk originals are pretty scarce in decent condition... Any comments or opinions are appreciated.

    Cheers.
     
    footprintsinthesand likes this.
  2. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    I have a Canadian original of the first record that breaks out of the speakers like, well...Gangsters!
     
  3. jimod99

    jimod99 Daddy or chips?

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON
    Gangsters sounds wrong on the first album, as it was only added to non UK copies.
     
    hutlock likes this.
  4. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    To you it does. I’ve never known different, and it works just fine as one of the last tracks on Side 2
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  5. uzn007

    uzn007 Watcher of the Skis

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    I also like having the longer, American version of the English Beat's debut on LP, but none of this is really germane to the OP's question (which I don't have an answer to, either).
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  6. jimod99

    jimod99 Daddy or chips?

    Location:
    Ottawa, ON
    Yet in some other countries its track 3 on side1!
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  7. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Just ordered the 40th anniversary reissue, coming out on Oct.11. Two discs, 45rpm, from the original master tapes, done at Abbey Road studios by Miles Showell.

    One of my favourites, so a real no brainer. Quite excited.
     
  8. Satrus

    Satrus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cork, Ireland
    Have you any idea who is pressing this 2 LP set? As far as I can see, Optimal presses many of the Abbey Road Half Speed Remasters but it seems that GZ Vinyl may also be involved in some releases. I am wary of the latter!
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  9. Billy Bird

    Billy Bird Forum Resident

    Location:
    UK
    It’s Optimal.
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  10. Satrus

    Satrus Forum Resident

    Location:
    Cork, Ireland
    Thanks for that! I am going to shoot an email off to my dealer right now to ask him to reserve a copy for me. :righton:
     
  11. bRETT

    bRETT Senior Member

    Location:
    Boston MA
    And it replaces the dub of Too Much Too Young, which is the album's only dead spot (and not really even a dub). Great improvement.
     
  12. englishbob

    englishbob has left the SH Forums...19/05/2023

    Location:
    Kent, England
    Any views on the new x45 rpm cut so far?

    The last one I bought (Scott Walker's 4) was a pressing travesty.
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  13. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Any UK friends pick the 40th anniversary yet? It’s still not available in North America yet.
     
    neruda likes this.
  14. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Just got the 40th reissue, 2lp 45rpm AAA

    Oh my goodness, it is fabulous. It’s not just jacked up levels...it’s the clarity, definition and superbly balanced bottom end! The vinyl is perfect so far...flat, centred, clean. It is a sonic beauty.

    Get it, Bob! Get it everyone! Wooooooo! This record is too hot, rude boys!
     
  15. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Oh yes...for all you UK fans, you know that Gangsters is not on this, though it is on all of my North American versions. So I had never heard the complete Done Too Much, with the extended reggae coda. Great stuff.

    So I guess I have to keep my past versions, too! Such hardship...
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  16. neruda

    neruda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I appreciate and share your enthusiasm for the 45 rpm cut of The Specials. But I don’t think it is AAA.

    I did some poking around online and there are some articles where Miles Showell, the engineer on these, explains the half-speed mastering process. It seems he uses a digital step (hi-res) because it gives him ultimate control over what he’s cutting during the process.

    Granted, he’s explaining the process in general, not specifically for The Specials.

    Also, I bet the hype sticker would shout “AAA” from the mountain tops if it were indeed the case.

    I could be wrong, but this is what I could best surmise.

    Regardless, I am impressed with this release and have indeed heard more detail on The Specials than ever before.

    Everyone should get it!!
     
    Satrus and uzn007 like this.
  17. Leepal

    Leepal Forum Resident

    Location:
    Swindon, UK

    Yes, the Abbey Road half speed mastered albums are not AAA. Miles Showell says this in an interview that is on YouTube. Before buying this record I had 2 other albums which have had the Abbey Road treatment, one by The Police which I didn't think the sound was that good and one by Siouxsie and the Banshees which sounds really good to me.

    So I didn't really know what to expect with this Specials album and was pleasantly surprised by how good it is.
     
    neruda likes this.
  18. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    Thanks for that info! You’re absolutely right...AAA would be advertised in a big way if it were thus.

    Oh well, glad it’s so good.
     
    neruda likes this.
  19. uzn007

    uzn007 Watcher of the Skis

    Location:
    Raleigh, N.C.
    Yeah, I'm very tempted on this. I don't normally go for the 2x45RPM format but this album is one of my seminal records and my old Chrysalis copy is getting a little beat up.
     
  20. Chemguy

    Chemguy Forum Resident

    Location:
    Western Canada
    And my old Chrysalis is really terrific, but this thing is stoopid good. I got it for the same reason you have...it’s one of my all time important albums.
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  21. neruda

    neruda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    I’m with you on that ... this album was formative for me when I first heard it in 1998, 22 years ago. It was already two decades old then, but it grabbed me and has held my attention to this day.

    I’m not one to get into multiple copies of the same album. But for The Specials I have the original US CD, the original UK CD, and the 2015 remaster.

    On vinyl I have the original US release, a New Zealand original, and now this stellar 45 rpm version.
     
    Chemguy likes this.
  22. MGSeveral

    MGSeveral Augm

    They changed the version of "Concrete Jungle", the original vocal being Roddy, the other being Terry.

    When did that happen?
     
  23. neruda

    neruda Forum Resident

    Location:
    Los Angeles
    That’s weird. I hadn’t noticed, but I should have.
     
  24. django68

    django68 Forum Resident

    Location:
    Dartford
    Really? The only studio version with Terry on vocal was a BBC session. Are you saying they have a previously unreleased version on this re-issue? I can't believe it until I hear it. Any sound samples?
     
    uzn007 likes this.
  25. MGSeveral

    MGSeveral Augm

    Hang on, will just pop over to Spotify..
     
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