https://www.amazon.co.uk/Complete-Studio-Recordings-Beat/dp/B00J5C4YYM?crid=2ZRTMEG628Q52&dib=eyJ2IjoiMSJ9.V3u7DQdovQ9Wj0Xtf7EOdg.eYcE21NBScAy-2TIFg1dIvWvkpW0jtvlr1moknomeQI&dib_tag=se&keywords=740155401337&nsdOptOutParam=true&qid=1727644695&sprefix=740155401337%2Caps%2C81&sr=8-1&linkCode=ll1&tag=mabasreofcdbl-21&linkId=7902cc46f895d733befbd43ea394e2b0&language=en_GB&ref_=as_li_ss_tl
"...A Bright New Tomorrow..."
What blasts you most about
re-listening to Birmingham's THE BEAT is the sheer Pork Pie Hat nuttiness of it
all. Still fresh – still kicking – still sounding like you're 18 – this music
reeks of bopping up and down like a demented fool in a nightclub or a local
hall or a cool city bar – completely lost in that irrepressible and fabulous
rhythm - sweating like a Sicilian Ethics Teachers in a Vatican confessional.
God were these guys good. "I Just Can’t Stop It" is damn right –
because this is music that makes you feel young.
Here are the finite Skatalite
details…
UK released 12 May 2014 (20
May in the USA) - "The Complete Studio Recordings" by THE BEAT on
Edsel EDSB 4013 (Barcode 740155401337) is a 4CD Mini Box Set of Remasters and Previously Unreleased Material and breaks down as
follows…
Disc 1 (36:28 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 12 are their
debut album "I Just Can't Stop It" – released May 1980 in the UK on
Go Feet Records BEAT 001 (it reached No. 3 on the Album charts).
Disc 2 (39:57 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 12 are their 2nd
album "Wha'ppen?" – released May 1981 in the UK on Go Feet Records
BEAT 3 (it also reached No. 3).
Disc 3 (39:34 minutes):
Tracks 1 to 12 are their 3rd
album "Special Beat Service" – released September 1982 in the UK on
Go Feet Records BEAT 5 (it reached No. 21).
Disc 4 is a BONUS ALBUM
(73:08 minutes):
1. Tears Of
A Clown
2. Ranking Full Stop – Tracks 1 & 2 are the A&B-sides of their debut non-album 7" single released
November 1979 in the UK on Two Tone Records CHS TT 6
3. Too Nice
To Talk To
4. Psychedelic Rockers – Tracks 3 & 4 are a non-album 7" single released December
1980 on Go Feet Records FEET 4
5. Hit It
6. Which Side Of The Bed…? – Tracks 5 & 6 are the A&B-sides of a non-album 7" single released in November 1981
on Go Feet Records FEET 11
7. What's Your Best
Thing – Track 7 is the non-album B-side of "Save It For Later" – released April 1982 as a 7" single on Go Feet Records FEET 333
8. Cool Entertainer
by Ranking Roger – Track 8 is the non-album B-side to "Pato & Roger (Ago Talk)" –
released 1982 on Go Feet Records FEET 14
9. March Of The
Swivel Heads – Track 9 is the non-album B-side to "Jeanette" – released September 1982 as a UK 7" single on Go Feet Records FEET 15
10. Can't Get Used
To You (1983 Mix) – Track 10 is the A-side to a UK 7" single released April 1983 on Go Feet
Records FEET 17
Tracks 11 to 17 are The Dub
Tracks – all non-album B-sides…
The mini box set has the 3
original vinyl albums in 5" Mini LP card repro sleeves with a new card for the fourth
BONUS ALBUM that uses a GO FEET black and white promo photo as its artwork. The
16-page booklet has the Rhoda Dakar liner notes truncated from the 2012 2CD
reissues for all three albums. There's repro'd front sleeve artwork, recording
details and credits, shots of the group, a 7" single advert and a few other
promo items from the time. If I'm truthful – the booklet is a tad disappointing
given that they could have photo'd all those great Go Feet sleeves, badges,
posters and the whole memorabilia that went with the British Ska Revival scene
of the time (their debut Two Tone single isn't even in here - their fab cover of
Smokey Robinson & The Miracles "Tears Of A Clown"). Don't get me wrong –
for the price, it's very nicely done – but it could have been so much more.
However that all goes out the window when you clock your lugs on the sheer
sonic wallop of the remasters…
The remasters by PHIL
KINRADE at Alchemy are clean, full of presence and power – and it really brings
out the original Ska Rock production values of engineering genius Bob Sargeant
(he produced all three albums). As most fans will know "I Just Can't Stand
It" was the first digital album out of the UK and therefore sounds
unbelievably punchy – grabbing you by the throat and never letting go. The
other two are the same.
Opening with the total
winner of "Mirror In The Bathroom" and featuring the hit singles "Hands Off –
She's Mine" and "Best Friend" – their debut album is a total gem. But for me my
fave-raves have always been the Prince Buster/Band Original combo of "Whine
& Grine/Stand Down Margaret" where The Beat show their strong CND
credentials. And the short but demented "Click Click" sounds like The Knack on
too many tabs of acid. It's just fabulous.
The second album only
cemented the Ska/Dub/Rock sound and is held in real affection – sporting
winners like "Doors Of My Heart" and "Drowning" which sounded like no one else
at the time (excepting The Specials of course). Which brings me to their sound.
Front men Ranking Roger and David Wakeling had that great vocal twang - but for
me the hero of the hour was always Jamaican Saxophonist Augustus Martin known
simply as 'Saxa'. Already in his Fifties by 1980 – Saxa had played with Reggae
legends Prince Buster, Laurel Aitken and Desmond Dekker – and his contribution
was to make their songs feel happy – even if the lyrical content was often dark
and even angry.
The third album saw the hits
trail off with "Save It For Later", "Jeanette" and "I Confess" just about
charting. As you can see from the total playing time - the 4th CD BONUS ALBUM
is generously filled out and has one of my favourite B-sides of all time – the Dub
version of "Stand Down Margaret" (flip-side to "Best Friend"). I used to DJ it
all the time back in Dublin when I was doing parties and weddings – and it
slayed the crowd every time (lyrics above). So many goodies on here like this…
As an alternative to the
more comprehensive but pricey Shout Factory 5CD Box Set of 2012 (The Complete
Beat) – "The Complete Studio Recordings" is a reasonably priced and tastily
presented 4CD mini box set. And Along with THE SOUND 4CD Box Set I recently
reviewed – this is another properly brilliant reissue for 2014.
If you're on the fence
instead of making those dance moves – then this is the place to get out that
Prince Buster Greatest Hits teeshirt and dig in.
Genius – ranking full stop.
