All this talk of Rough Riders led me to purchasing The (English) Beat's first album, I Just Can't Stop It, from iTunes. Originally, I was going to get Rough Riders, but I had to commit to a classic 2-tone ska album. Let me tell you this is a fine album.
You can't Beat it.
I only listened to The Beat in compilation form -- the best of the best as compiled by purveyors of pop music. This means I've only heard two of their songs, Mirror in the Bathroom and Sooner or Later. Of course, I'm hearing them also on the Trojan Records ska compilation, but most of that is live material consisting of covers. I've not heard their original stuff as put out in the second, 2-tone, ska wave.
Listening to this album is a revelation. It's very close to sounding like ska from Jamaica. Yet, it is 2-tone ska. You can't beat the sax on this album or the rythms. Yeah. I can't believe I hadn't heard this album in it's entirety until this year.
Is The Specials first album as energetic, too?