Specials Still Know How To Shake Things Up

Mon., June 22, 1998

Katherine Koedinger West Valley

The Specials “Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent”

Bands like No Doubt and The Mighty Mighty Bosstones might lead some to believe that ska is just another trend in popular music, but this isn’t so.

Ska truly is the genre that never really goes away. The Specials are certainly the band to prove this, having influenced both current radio favorites mentioned above. They even came before Madness. Remember them? “Our house… the middle of our street…”

I’m not saying that the current popularity of such bands didn’t inspire The Specials’ new album “Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent.”

The eight-piece group, which has gone through more line-ups than the Red Hot Chili Peppers, is missing a keyboardist and vocalist from the last line-up. But who can tell?

These veterans can still blow their horns with the best of them. Their efforts are uplifting and auspiciously poignant.

Songs “Leave it Out” and “No Big Deal” present the band’s negative view of violence and positive view of thinking for yourself.

“Bonediggin”’ is the best song on the album; it samples The Munster’s theme song and has Castlevania-like sound effects.

“It’s You” has been released as a single, probably because it’s the closest thing to “two-tone” for the masses on the album. Bland in comparison.

Also, if you run out and buy this record right now, you can gain the incentive of three live performance hidden tracks on early presses. Included in these is the classic “Concrete Jungle,” which embodies the energy of a younger version of the band.

“Guilty ‘Til Proven Innocent” keeps in line with a tradition that most ska bands carry on - short songs, long tracklist. This pattern makes for an always changing, never boring listening session, which I personally enjoy. Lots of newer bands could learn from this.

It’s hard to believe that these guys, in some form or another, have been around for 20 or more years.

They can’t jump around like Gwen Stefani, but they can still rock, in a dignified way, and should be respected for that.

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