The English Beat Albums (3)
What The Critics Say
In Britain, The (English) Beat were moving very much in the wrong direction, as their chart placements made clear. "Save It for Later" released in April 1982, barely made the Top 50, "Jeanette," their new album's taster, just brushed Number 45, "I Confess" didn't even chart, probably because it's flip "Sole Salvation" was also culled off the album, while "Ackee 1 2 3" played outside the Top 50. The slippage had started with Wha'ppen, as the group had veered sharply away from their frenetic roots, Special Beat Service would take them even further from their early punk-fired fury. Still, Wha'ppen still boasted cultural themes, its angry and angsty lyrics sharply edging the set. Service didn't even have that, and after two Top Three albums, the group were forced to settle for a placement just outside the Top Twenty.But in the US their sun was on the ascendant, and a band who had yet to place a platter into the Top 100 suddenly found itself with a Top Forty hit album. The singles that barely scratched the charts in the UK found happy homes in the clubs, slotting nicely around the mix of New Wave and burgeoning New Romantic numbers American clubbers craved.And so "I Confess" with its Joe Jackson-esque piano line, Dave Wakeling's sweet vocals soaring towards heaven, the jazzy sax, all cossetting the insistent drums and bouncing tablas; the fast and furious "Jeanette" with its French street flair and ever more surreal rhymes; "Save It"'s superb blend of jangly Byrd- esque guitars and stomping beats; "Salvation"'s nod to mod that hints at The Jam's "Beat Surrender" which arrived the same month; and the calypso party atmosphere of "Ackee," all set listeners feet tapping.These were the ones that hit with the DJs, but the whole set was equally worthy, and moves onto the dancefloor with abandon. Producer Bob Sargeant gives it all a bright and brash sound, which may not have favored more reggae-heavy numbers like "Spar Wid Me" and "Pato and Roger a Go Talk," but The Beat were diving into the New Wave with gusto, and the production emphasizes those currents. Songs like "Sugar & Stress" where the sax storms across the driving rhythm, whilst still retaining the Brit-Beat flavor of the guitars and keyboards were a revelation. Even a more downbeat number like the gorgeous "End of the Party" glows under his attentions.In it's own way Service was just as musically adventurous as its predecessor, and boded well for the group's future. Or would have if The Beat hadn't celebrated their success by promptly calling it a day. The music however lives on in all its glory. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
Wha'ppen? Well their early fans might ask, but The (English) Beat were growing up fast, and for every member of the Two Tone army that bemoaned the lack of punk fire found here, they enlisted a new recruit taken with their maturing sounds and more diverse stylings. The album's taster Drowning," coupled with another album track "All Out to Get You," may have disappointed chartwise, barely breaking into the Top 25, but it did not reflect the fate of the full-length, which soared to Number Three. It spun off a further single, Doors of Your Heart," that didn't quite make the Top 30, but it's surprising it charted at all, considering it's flip, "Get a Job" was also pulled from the album. So what had happened? The group's anger hadn't cooled, not if their lyrics were anything to go by. Paranoia reigns across "All Out," "Monkey Murders" and "A Dream House in NZ" are filled with angst, "Drowning" is equally downbeat, "I Am Your Flag" vehemently tackles jingoistic nationalism and "Over and Over" the cult of violence, while "Cheated" and "Get a Job" take headers into the paucity of British life and opportunities in general. Which means it's all downhill mood-wise from the unity themed opener "Doors," with its dreamy, sax-fired-pop laced with dub. But the music is moving in another direction entirely, actually in a variety of directions, as The Beat blend ever further flung influences into their sound. "Get Out" stirs up a "la bamba" dish with funky flavoring and douses it with pop. "French Toast," the album's sole cover, only French connection is the lyrical language, the arrangement mixes a calypso flair and Afrobeats, with Mediterranean spices. "Drowning" juxtaposes reggae with the art-rock experimentation of Gang of Four, a musical journey continued across "Dream House." And so the group go, mixing and melding their way across the island. Friends join the party, adding marimbas, trumpets, and steel drums, but the most notably guest is The Congos Cedric Myton, who adds his crystal falsetto to "Doors." A splendid album that might not have the urgency of its predecessor, but was more adventurous and twice as interesting. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
What The Critics Say
I Just Can't Stop It was a late arrival onto the checker- boarded scene, the Specials, Madness and the Selecter had all beat the (English) Beat to the punch, but luckily this wasn't a race. Besides, the band had already primed the pump with a trio of Top 10 singles -- the double A-sided "Tears of a Clown"/"Ranking Full Stop," "Hands Off She's Mine" and "Mirror in the Bathroom," their debut album followed hard on "Mirror"'s heels, picking up the latter two songs and "Full Stop" to boot. Two more of the tracks within set followed them onto the chart, later that summer on another double A-sided single -- "Best Friend" coupled with a dub version of "Stand Down Margaret"." So this was a hit filled set. And so popular were such songs as "Rough Rider," "Twist and Crawl," "Too Nice to Talk To," "Can't Get Used to Losing You" and "Whine & Grine," becoming such staples, that fans can be forgiven for assuming they too were released on 45. Intriguingly, "Losing You" came courtesy of Andy Williams, and highlighted the softer styling that would swiftly overtake the Beat. But "Rough" and "Whine" had solid ska credentials, both were Prince Buster hits, while "Jackpot" was one of slew of racing themed rocksteady smashes that drove The Pioneers too fame, The Specials had opened their own account with another -"Longshot Kick the Bucket"." And it was this sheer diversity of influences that set The Beat's sound apart from their compatriots. Their own compositions were heavily cultural in theme -- the radical cries to depose the prime minister on "Margaret," the slashing anti-violence of "Two Swords" and even more ominous and feverish "Click Click," through the cultural nihilism of "Mirror" itself. With a few softer love and lovelorn tracks taking some of the edge off. Stop was a stunning achievement, its driving, frenetic numbers grounded in punk's fury smashing into the loose-limbed grooves and melodies of rocksteady inspired songs, and banging head on into sweeter pop fueled pieces. The album remained on the British charts for a whopping eight months, eventually peaking at Number Three. Time has not diminished its glory, the songs remain hugely as their continued inclusion in the band's offshoot's repertoire have proved. ~ Jo-Ann Greene, All Music Guide
