In praise of "I Just Can't Stop It" by the English Beat

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I didn't find such a thread, but I truly think this is a magnificent album, a 10 out of 10 with any measures.
It's called ska, but very much different from the Specials or Madness.
My favourites are the dashing, post-punk songs like "Click Clock" or "Noise In This World", but there are no weak tracks at all.
And yes, David Steele was the best bassist ever born, at least for me. Also liked the sometimes Byrds-like guitar play of Andy Cox, and of course Saxa is the coolest member of the band.
The other two albums are good also, but not such a big classic as this one.
So am I the only fan??

― zeus, Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:15 (8 years ago) Permalink

Well, it's definitely on my personal want list. I'll probably buy it when I see it available somewhere.

― What we want? Sex with T.V. stars! What you want? Ian Riese-Moraine! (Eastern Ma, Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

No, you're not the only one. It's one of my all time faves as well. It was probably my favorite album around the age of 14 or 15. I can't believe there's really never been a thread about the Beat though. I tried to search but it was all Beatles stuff and I lost patience.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, I couldn't buy it in the UK last year.
I've had it on tape for a few years, but finally a friend brought it from the US!

― zeus, Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

Ooh did I love this in 1982 ... "Two Swords" and "Tears Of A Clown" roXor! I WANT TO HEAR IT AGAIN.

― mnra, Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:24 (8 years ago) Permalink

Absolute fucking classic. "Two Swords" seconded.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

i love the consistancy of sound on this album. probably the darkest sounding ska album ever made!!!

― charleston charge (chaki), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:31 (8 years ago) Permalink

The first Specials record is pretty dark, tho', Chak.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Thursday, 7 April 2005 22:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

What a debut! Unstoppable Classic

― tipustiger, Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:50 (8 years ago) Permalink

Not a bad thing on the record, one of my faves, fuck yes.

― Matos-Webster Dictionary (M Matos), Thursday, 7 April 2005 23:52 (8 years ago) Permalink

That's "Click Click" for one.

"Noise in this world"? Don't know that one.

But yeah, best ska (1980s) album that wasn't the Specials, for sure.

(Noise in this world...?)

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 8 April 2005 00:10 (8 years ago) Permalink

Their best album, one of the best of the 80s, and KILLS anything by Madness or the Specials.

― Burr (Burr), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:00 (8 years ago) Permalink

The 12-string guitars on "Best Friend" are fucking gorgeous. My other favorite moment is "Can't Get Used to Losing You," which on this otherwise giddy and propulsive album is bleak and sad and haunting, like a Pet Shop Boys ballad with ska guitars.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:30 (8 years ago) Permalink

Did anyone catch the "Bands Reunited" special on the English Beat. Poignant and depressing - Ameer or whatever his name was acted like the Beat and the Alarm or the Motels were interchangeable. Apparently David Steele wants nothing to do with them; he's pulled a Roland Gift style disappearing act. Saxa's like Yoda after a few bong hits.

― Alfred Soto (Alfred Soto), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:35 (8 years ago) Permalink

Yeah, I saw that one -- and I also bristled at the notion that the Motels and/or Berlin were as significant as the Beat. But it was still a compelling episode.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:41 (8 years ago) Permalink

This is a magnificent album. This is the album that makes me say "but wait" when a friend of mine laughs at ska music and calls it "hokey happy ass carnival music." (Otherwise he's right.) I love the darkness of this record- best and most sincere, tragic version of "tears of a clown".

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:54 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rainbow Bum, get one Skatalites.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 8 April 2005 01:58 (8 years ago) Permalink

which one should i get, rickey?

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Friday, 8 April 2005 02:05 (8 years ago) Permalink

probably the darkest sounding ska album ever made!!!

I don't know, a lot of that 2-Tone stuff was pretty dark. I think I'd choose the Selecter as the darkest.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:12 (8 years ago) Permalink

And the Beat only got happier as the went along while the Specials got darker and more bleak w/ Friday Night Saturday Morning, Do Nothing, More Specials, Special AKA, etc.

― walter kranz (walterkranz), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:12 (8 years ago) Permalink

I love the bassline on "Mirror In the Bathroom", it is really slippery sounding. It is my favorite tune on the album.

― Earl Nash (earlnash), Friday, 8 April 2005 03:33 (8 years ago) Permalink

I have an English Beat T-Shirt, one of the few music related T-shirts I even wear anymore, but usually, no one cares at all.

― The Silent Disco of Glastonbury (Bimble...), Friday, 8 April 2005 05:13 (8 years ago) Permalink

That "Bands Reunited" was a pretty sad affair, it would've been good to see them again.

"Noise In This World" is track no. 9 I think.

― zeus, Friday, 8 April 2005 05:17 (8 years ago) Permalink

The sax on this record is simply a thing of unique majesty.

― Alex in NYC (vassifer), Friday, 8 April 2005 05:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

It's one of those albums I listened to a lot when it came out, the promptly forgot about. About two years ago I got it on CD and was immediately blown away. It sounds better now than ever.

― Jazzbo (jmcgaw), Friday, 8 April 2005 10:18 (8 years ago) Permalink

This was a big favourite of mine, but as I haven't heard it for about 20 years, it's hard say much about it. Always good guitar sounds though if I remember and love that echoey public lavatory sound that 'Mirror in the Bathroom' has. 'Twist and Crawl' was great too!

Wha'ppen was good too. Only just found out recently that that's Cedric Myton of the Congos on 'Doors Of Your Heart'. I never knewed! Also, 'Drowning' was great, but what a weird choice of single!

― NickB (NickB), Friday, 8 April 2005 10:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

No, you are right about "Noise in this world"...

I'll have to check the lyrics to remind me.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 8 April 2005 13:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

.. nope.

That's not like me.

― mark grout (mark grout), Friday, 8 April 2005 13:21 (8 years ago) Permalink

The sax on this record is simply a thing of unique majesty.

OTM

This album played at every party I went to that year.

― M. White (Miguelito), Friday, 8 April 2005 14:29 (8 years ago) Permalink

Was "twist and crawl" in the 'greatest basslines' thread? I don't feel like looking, but I'd put it near the top.

― superultramega (superultramarinated), Friday, 8 April 2005 14:32 (8 years ago) Permalink

That record truly brings back fond memories of my later high school years. M. White is OTM about this being a party record. I used to carry the vinyl to parties with me, just in case.

― kwhitehead (stephen schmidt), Friday, 8 April 2005 15:58 (8 years ago) Permalink

Rainbow Bum -- there's a great two-CD set, not hugely expensive, called 'Foundation Ska' that's a killer introduction. I could listen to it all day.

― Rickey Wright (Rrrickey), Friday, 8 April 2005 21:40 (8 years ago) Permalink

Thaks rickey i'll keep an eye out!!

I think i will go see the Beat in a month. They're playing in Buffalo NY right near my house. It's cheap. Anybody else seen them recently? I had no idea they were touring.

― -rainbow bum- (-rainbow bum-), Friday, 15 April 2005 01:20 (8 years ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

they were an incredibly musically sophisticated group. there's something daft about their records that reminds me of pre-rock pop. like how they maintain a certain sophisticated cool, a certain distance, even in songs with despairing lyrics.

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Wednesday, 4 May 2005 18:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

although i think their best moments are "i confess" and (esp.) "save it for later" (best version is on the 12").

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Wednesday, 4 May 2005 18:53 (8 years ago) Permalink

bdonk

― Amateur(ist) (Amateur(ist)), Saturday, 7 May 2005 01:23 (8 years ago) Permalink

amst did you find all your 2-tone tapes tonight or something?

― strng hlkngtn, Saturday, 7 May 2005 01:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

I always liked the melancholy of The Specials and the twisted nuttiness of Madness better. The Beat had an excellent version of "Can't Get Used To Losing You" was classic though.

― Geir Hongro (GeirHong), Sunday, 8 May 2005 00:26 (8 years ago) Permalink

9 months pass...

The Beat had an excellent version of "Can't Get Used To Losing You" was classic though.

this is 100% true!

― Eisbär (llamasfur), Saturday, 4 March 2006 00:22 (7 years ago) Permalink

3 years pass...

dudes i have been spinning this record all week and can't get enough of it. uberclassic!

― Anton Levain (jdchurchill), Friday, 26 February 2010 23:27 (3 years ago) Permalink

You just can't stop it.

― Inculcate a spirit of serfdom in children (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Saturday, 27 February 2010 03:44 (3 years ago) Permalink

2 years pass...

A few years back I bought a couple of hundred shaggy old lps off a friend of my dad's for a couple of bottles of chablis. Lots of shite, some gold. Good deal. I thought I'd found all the good stuff by now, but this morning I came over "I Just Can't.." in the lower regions of the pile. That made me very happy.

― Mule, Saturday, 9 June 2012 10:00 (11 months ago) Permalink

"Tears of a Clown" is not on it, though.

― Mule, Saturday, 9 June 2012 10:02 (11 months ago) Permalink

y'all gonna buy those reissues? mine are in the mail right now.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Saturday, 9 June 2012 21:01 (11 months ago) Permalink

I'd buy them if I hadn't just bought reissues of the first three a few years back. But really, there's nothing on those albums that I don't like. One of the most underrated pop acts ever.

― Josh in Chicago, Saturday, 9 June 2012 21:02 (11 months ago) Permalink

^ otm, but damn, that first LP...

― contenderizer, Sunday, 10 June 2012 04:42 (11 months ago) Permalink

The 12" dub mix of Too Nice to Talk To is something special

― Dr X O'Skeleton, Sunday, 10 June 2012 16:17 (11 months ago) Permalink

^ the Congos otm

― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Monday, 11 June 2012 08:13 (11 months ago) Permalink

David Stubbs interviews Ranking Roger and Dave Wakeling of The Beat

― Ima Pay Close Attention To Your Post (Doran), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 10:43 (11 months ago) Permalink

Thanks Doran! Had never heard Psychedelic Rockers before, it's great:

Another one of those tracks like Too Nice To Talk To where there seems to be quite an afropop influence - or is all that rhythmic bustle just stuff they're picking from reggae?

― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 13:14 (11 months ago) Permalink

I think it's fair enough to say there's an Afropop influence. It's probably their most far out track?

I had no idea how much older their sax player was...

― Ima Pay Close Attention To Your Post (Doran), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 13:21 (11 months ago) Permalink

Think he was about 25-30 years older than the rest of them. Remember reading a piece on them in Smash Hits or No 1 or somewhere where it said that he was 50 and I remember thinking 'fuck me, that's ancient!'

― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 13:26 (11 months ago) Permalink

So good to hear that he's still around though!

― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 13:27 (11 months ago) Permalink

― Zaireeka Badu (NickB), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 13:32 (11 months ago) Permalink

otm.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Tuesday, 12 June 2012 20:52 (11 months ago) Permalink

how are Dave Wakeling's fake Beat live?

― akm, Wednesday, 13 June 2012 03:53 (11 months ago) Permalink

a 3rd rep for "two swords"

might be my favorite beat song.

― nicky lo-fi, Wednesday, 13 June 2012 19:11 (11 months ago) Permalink

2 weeks pass...

So the 2CD/DVD reissues are out in the UK. Anyone have a quick review?

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:01 (10 months ago) Permalink

amateurist?

― a regina spektor is haunting europe (Alfred, Lord Sotosyn), Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:16 (10 months ago) Permalink

Are they different from the US versions? Because I have everything but the DVD and they seem pretty good to me. I mean, it's the English Beat, a band so good that adding "English" to their name somehow made them even better!

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:20 (10 months ago) Permalink

how are Dave Wakeling's fake Beat live?

Would be curious to this as well, as I passed on them in town a few months ago.

― Austin, Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:42 (10 months ago) Permalink

My understanding is that the Fake Beat is pretty good. I almost saw them last week, but given that the Romantics were also on the bill, I was wary of what the crowd would be like.

― Josh in Chicago, Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:49 (10 months ago) Permalink

Hmmph. They were headlining here.

I probably should have gone.

― Austin, Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:51 (10 months ago) Permalink

The Edsel versions are better than the US versions.

The US box set has four live tracks which are exclusive to it, plus an exclusive live CD. The live CD will be available later on its own.

The UK releases (collectively) have an exclusive four-song Mike Read session from 1980, an exclusive five-song live set from 1982, an exclusive outtake called "It Makes Me Rock", an exclusive song from a David Jensen radio session, and nine exclusive remixes.

So the UK releases have 20 songs not on the US box - some of them crucial. The US box has four songs not on the UK releases - none of them crucial. (Disregarding the US live CD you can buy on its own, if you like, and disregarding the 3 DVDs on the UK releases.)

The US box set is cheaper - you save about $15 and gain four tracks . . . but lose three DVDs and twenty other songs. I''ve already bought the UK ones.

― crustaceanrebel, Thursday, 28 June 2012 01:56 (10 months ago) Permalink

I saw the Fake Beat in a tiny club outside of Boston last year and they SLAYED. Really! They played everything you could possibly want to hear with verve, sweat and presence. Dave was really approachable and cool and they all looked like they were having fun. If you get the chance, see them.

― Gerald McBoing-Boing, Thursday, 28 June 2012 02:42 (10 months ago) Permalink

do they have some other guy doing all the toasting?

i pre-ordered the USA box before i knew of the UK reissues. maybe i'll turn the USA box around and get the UK reissues. who knows.

― flesh, the devil, and a wolf (wolf) (amateurist), Thursday, 28 June 2012 08:56 (10 months ago) Permalink

― gonna send him to outer space, to hug another face (NickB), Friday, 29 June 2012 23:26 (10 months ago) Permalink

saxa's appearance in that video is so great

― gonna send him to outer space, to hug another face (NickB), Friday, 29 June 2012 23:29 (10 months ago) Permalink

do they have some other guy doing all the toasting?

Yeah, they do.

I saw the Fake Beat in a tiny club outside of Boston last year and they SLAYED.

I haven't seen them that recently, but twice in the last 5 or 6 years and yes indeed, they were great both times. Would go see them again in a heartbeat. Wakeling's definitely still got it, and the band/arrangements are as tight and grooving as you could want thirty years on.

― Mafia-owned bar for transvestites (Dan Peterson), Monday, 2 July 2012 14:35 (10 months ago) Permalink

5 months pass...

I played this at the last Devon Record Club get together. Just packed with great songs, played by a band with a beautiful, compact sound. They don't get anything like the credit they deserve.

http://devonrecordclub.wordpress.com/2012/12/14/the-beat-i-just-cant-stop-it-round-41-robs-choice/

― J-Lo Biafra (Rob Mitchell), Friday, 14 December 2012 12:02 (5 months ago) Permalink

1 month passes...

So the Fake Beat did a tour last year with The Paul Collins Beat called, wait for it, "The Two Beats Hearting As One Tour."

― Leopard Skin POLL-Box Hat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 January 2013 16:00 (3 months ago) Permalink

That sounds awesome. I've seen Paul Collins live but never the English Beat. I want to put this record on now but my wife is taking a nap so I'm stuck with listening to mp3s on headphones instead.

― Just noise and screaming and no musical value at all. (Colonel Poo), Saturday, 26 January 2013 16:18 (3 months ago) Permalink

I want to put it on now but my turntable finally broke a while back and my records are being improperly stored

― Leopard Skin POLL-Box Hat (James Redd and the Blecchs), Saturday, 26 January 2013 16:29 (3 months ago) Permalink

That sounds like a fun tour, especially considering how great Dave & co. were when I saw them last week.

― EZ Snappin, Saturday, 26 January 2013 16:30 (3 months ago) Permalink

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