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:''For the 2009 film, see [[Today's Special (2009 film)]]. For the Canadian children's TV show (1982-1987), see [[Today's Special]].''
{{About||the 2009 film|Today's Special (film)|the Canadian children's TV series|Today's Special}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=April 2022}}
{{Infobox Album <!-- See Wikipedia:WikiProject_Albums -->

⚫
| Name = Today's Specials
{{Infobox album
⚫
| Type = [[Cover album]]
| Artist = [[The Specials]]
| name = Today's Specials
| Cover = Today's Specials.jpg
| type = [[Cover album]]
| Released = May 14, 1996
| artist = [[the Specials]]
⚫
| cover = Today's Specials.jpg
⚫
| Recorded =
| Genre = [[Ska]]
| alt =
| released = 15 April 1996<ref>{{cite magazine|date=13 April 1996|title=New Releases: Albums|url=https://worldradiohistory.com/UK/Music-Week/1996/Music-Week-1996-04-13.pdf|magazine=[[Music Week]]|page=26|access-date=7 November 2022}}</ref>
⚫
| Length =
| Label = [[Virgin Records|Virgin]]
| recorded =
| Producer = Tom Lowry, [[Neville Staple]], Stoker
| venue =
| Reviews =
| studio =
⚫
| genre =
⚫
* [[Allmusic]] {{Rating|2|5}} [{{Allmusic|class=album|id=r235396|pure_url=yes}} link]
*[[Ska]]
⚫
| Last album = ''[[Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection]]''<br/>(1996)
*[[Pop music|pop]]<ref name=allmusic/>
| This album = '''''Today's Specials'''''<br/>(1996)
*[[reggae]]<ref>{{cite web |publisher=Punk News |last=Gorman |first=Chris |url=https://www.punknews.org/review/648/the-specials-todays-specials |title=The Specials - Today's Specials |date=October 25, 2001 |access-date=November 30, 2024}}</ref>
⚫
| Next album = ''[[Guilty 'Til Proved Innocent!]]''<br/>(1998)
⚫
| length = 47:41
| label = {{hlist|[[Virgin Records|Virgin]]|Kuff}}
| producer = Tom Lowry, [[Neville Staple]], Stoker
⚫
| prev_title = [[Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection]]
| prev_year = 1996
⚫
| next_title = [[Guilty 'til Proved Innocent!]]
| next_year = 1998
}}
}}
{{Album ratings
|rev1 = [[AllMusic]]
⚫
|rev1score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref name=allmusic>[{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r235396|pure_url=yes}} Allmusic review]</ref>
}}<!-- Automatically generated by DASHBot-->


'''''Today's Specials''''' is a cover album by [[The Specials]], released in 1996 (see [[1996 in music]]). It is the first studio album by the group since 1984 although not in the full original line-up.
'''''Today's Specials''''' is a [[cover album]] by [[the Specials]], released in 1996. It is the first studio album by the group since 1984, albeit not involving the full original line-up. Original members [[Neville Staple]], [[Roddy Byers]], [[Lynval Golding]], and [[Horace Panter]] are joined by new members Mark Adams and Adam Birch, along with a number of sessions musicians. Lead vocals are mostly handled by Staple and Golding, with Neville's daughter Sheena Staples contributing backing vocals to the album.

The album was released exclusively on [[CD]] in the US, UK and Canada, and on CD and [[cassette tape]] in the Netherlands. It did not receive favourable reviews from media or fans, with many reviewers decrying in particular the over-use of synthesizers and pre-programmed drums beats.<ref>{{Cite web|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/todays-specials-mw0000183147|title = Today's Specials - the Specials &#124; Songs, Reviews, Credits &#124; AllMusic|website = [[AllMusic]]}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web|url=http://dropd.com/issue/26/CD/TheSpecials/|title = CD Review: The Specials, "Today's Specials"}}</ref> Neville Staple claims that several of the recordings were actually produced demos, and regrets including them on the album.<ref>Original Rude Boy: From Borstal to The Specials by Neville Staple with Tony McMahon; Chapter 10: The Third Wave - America Revive's Ska</ref>

⚫
The tracks "[[Pressure Drop (song)|Pressure Drop]]" and "Hypocrite" were released as singles in the UK.


==Track listing==
==Track listing==
{{track listing
#"[[Take Five]]" ([[Paul Desmond]]) - 3:56
⚫
| title1 = [[Take Five]]
⚫
#"[[Pressure Drop (song)|Pressure Drop]]" ([[Toots Hibbert]]) - 4:18
| writer1 = [[Paul Desmond]]
⚫
#"Hypocrite" ([[Bob Marley]])- 3:25
| length1 = 3:56
#"Goodbye Girl" ([[David Gates]]) - 3:57
| title2 = [[Pressure Drop (song)|Pressure Drop]]
⚫
#"A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You" ([[Neil Diamond]]) - 4:32
| writer2 = [[Toots Hibbert]]
#"Time Has Come" ([[Ziggy Marley]]) - 5:09
| length2 = 4:18
#"[[Dirty Old Town]]" ([[Ewan MacColl]]) - 3:33
| title3 = Hypocrite
#"Somebody Got Murdered" ([[The Clash]]) - 3:06
| writer3 = [[Leroy Sibbles]]
#"Shanty Town 007" ([[Desmond Dekker]]/[[Leslie Kong]]) - 3:57
| length3 = 3:25
#"[[Simmer Down]]" (Marley) - 3:46
| title4 = Goodbye Girl
#"Maga Dog" ([[Peter Tosh]]) - 2:54
| writer4 = [[Ken Boothe]]
⚫
#"Bad Boys" (Beckford Bailey) - 5:08
| length4 = 3:57
⚫
| title5 = [[A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You]]
| writer5 = [[Neil Diamond]]
| length5 = 4:32
| title6 = Time Has Come
| writer6 = [[Slim Smith]]
| length6 = 5:09
| title7 = [[Dirty Old Town]]
| writer7 = [[Ewan MacColl]]
| length7 = 3:33
| title8 = Somebody Got Murdered
| writer8 = [[The Clash]]
| length8 = 3:06
| title9 = [[007 (Shanty Town)|Shanty Town 007]]
| writer9 = [[Desmond Dekker]]
| length9 = 3:57
| title10 = [[Simmer Down]]
⚫
| writer10 = [[Bob Marley]]
| length10 = 3:46
| title11 = Maga Dog
| writer11 = [[Peter Tosh]]
| length11 = 2:54
| title12 = Bad Boys
⚫
| writer12 = Beckford Bailey
| length12 = 5:08
}}


==Personnel==
==Personnel==
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*Adam Birch - trombone, trumpet, horn, flugelhorn
*Adam Birch - trombone, trumpet, horn, flugelhorn
*Aitch Hyatt - drums, backing vocals
*Aitch Hyatt - drums, backing vocals
*Kendell Smith - DJ Vocals
*Sheena Staple - backing vocals
*Sheena Staple - backing vocals
*Stoker - producer, mixing
*Stoker - producer, mixing
*Tom Lowry - producer, programming, engineer
*Tom Lowry - producer, programming, engineer
*Jim Lansberry - programming, mixing, engineer
*Jim Lansberry - programming, mixing, engineer
*Mike Exeter - Engineer (Hypocrite)

==References==
{{reflist}}

{{The Specials}}
{{Authority control}}


[[Category:1996 albums]]
[[Category:1996 albums]]
[[Category:The Specials albums]]
[[Category:The Specials albums]]
[[Category:Virgin Records albums]]
[[Category:Virgin Records albums]]
[[Category:Covers albums]]
[[Category:1990s covers albums]]


{{1990s-album-stub}}
{{ska-album-stub}}

Latest revision as of 15:17, 30 November 2024

For the 2009 film, see Today's Special (film). For the Canadian children's TV series, see Today's Special.

Today's Specials
Studio album by
the Specials
Released15 April 1996[1]
Genre
Length47:41
Label
ProducerTom Lowry, Neville Staple, Stoker
The Specials chronology
Too Much Too Young: The Gold Collection
(1996) 		Today's Specials
(1996) 		Guilty 'til Proved Innocent!
(1998)
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[2]

Today's Specials is a cover album by the Specials, released in 1996. It is the first studio album by the group since 1984, albeit not involving the full original line-up. Original members Neville Staple, Roddy Byers, Lynval Golding, and Horace Panter are joined by new members Mark Adams and Adam Birch, along with a number of sessions musicians. Lead vocals are mostly handled by Staple and Golding, with Neville's daughter Sheena Staples contributing backing vocals to the album.

The album was released exclusively on CD in the US, UK and Canada, and on CD and cassette tape in the Netherlands. It did not receive favourable reviews from media or fans, with many reviewers decrying in particular the over-use of synthesizers and pre-programmed drums beats.[4][5] Neville Staple claims that several of the recordings were actually produced demos, and regrets including them on the album.[6]

The tracks "Pressure Drop" and "Hypocrite" were released as singles in the UK.

Track listing

[edit]
No.TitleWriter(s)Length
1."Take Five"Paul Desmond3:56
2."Pressure Drop"Toots Hibbert4:18
3."Hypocrite"Leroy Sibbles3:25
4."Goodbye Girl"Ken Boothe3:57
5."A Little Bit Me, A Little Bit You"Neil Diamond4:32
6."Time Has Come"Slim Smith5:09
7."Dirty Old Town"Ewan MacColl3:33
8."Somebody Got Murdered"The Clash3:06
9."Shanty Town 007"Desmond Dekker3:57
10."Simmer Down"Bob Marley3:46
11."Maga Dog"Peter Tosh2:54
12."Bad Boys"Beckford Bailey5:08

Personnel

[edit]
  • Neville Staple - vocals, producer
  • Roddy Byers - vocals, guitar
  • Lynval Golding - guitar, vocals, harmonica, mixing
  • Horace Panter - bass guitar
  • Mark Adams - organ, keyboards, backing vocals, programming, mixing
  • Adam Birch - trombone, trumpet, horn, flugelhorn
  • Aitch Hyatt - drums, backing vocals
  • Kendell Smith - DJ Vocals
  • Sheena Staple - backing vocals
  • Stoker - producer, mixing
  • Tom Lowry - producer, programming, engineer
  • Jim Lansberry - programming, mixing, engineer
  • Mike Exeter - Engineer (Hypocrite)

References

[edit]
  1. ^ "New Releases: Albums" (PDF). Music Week. 13 April 1996. p. 26. Retrieved 7 November 2022.
  2. ^ a b Allmusic review
  3. ^ Gorman, Chris (25 October 2001). "The Specials - Today's Specials". Punk News. Retrieved 30 November 2024.
  4. ^ "Today's Specials - the Specials | Songs, Reviews, Credits | AllMusic". AllMusic.
  5. ^ "CD Review: The Specials, "Today's Specials"".
  6. ^ Original Rude Boy: From Borstal to The Specials by Neville Staple with Tony McMahon; Chapter 10: The Third Wave - America Revive's Ska


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