Search - Various Artists :: Ska Wars

5 Stars, but 2-Tone Ska is an "acquired taste"

Shona | Clairton, PA USA | 01/19/2008

(5 out of 5 stars)

"Ok, first off, I'm curious as to why the editorial review says there are tracks from the 60s on here. I really don't think there are. This is a 4-disc set of pure, unadulterated 2-tone (or 2nd wave, as it's called nowadays) ska music. Actually, "UK ska" music. Prince Buster and Laurel Aitken (Jamaicans from the 1st wave of ska) do in fact contribute to the set; but on recordings made in the 70s with a 2-tone backing band.



I actually brought this set twice (because one of my exes took off with the first one). There were some differences in tracks and order between the two; although I do not remember what the differences where exactly. In both cases, I paid very little for this set brand new; which is amazing in that this is basically an import and you get loads and loads of music.



This set has some great songs by Maroon Town (it's hard to find their stuff...although they're very good), some chart hits from the Selecter (like "On My Radio", "Missing Words" {live} and "Three Minute Hero" {live}), as well as some other treats like "Return of the Ugly" by Bad Manners, "Shame" by Big 5 and all of the Judge Dread tracks of course!



As expected, you get your share of filler on this set. But in my experience, when playing around people who know their ska; including the skinhead and mod crowds, this will start an all out sing-a-long...so be warned!



Two-tone ska is an acquired taste. It is not as musically interesting as the original Jamaican ska and is not as diverse as 3rd wave ska. In fact, if you had a keyboard, could toot on some horns, and sported a black suit with a pork pie hat, you could have been a ska sensation in the two-tone era. But it's danceable and fun...and "speaks" to subculture youth everywhere.



So if you are someone who is looking for just one comprehensive two-tone collection to set you straight, or you are looking for a cheap way to add some odd stuff into your music collection, this set is definitely recommended."