Protest Songs 1924-2012

The Specials are a band with a trademark sound if there ever was such a thing, but a quick look at their catalog reveals only one of their albums truly reflects it. Their instant-classic 1979 debut defined the tough, furious dance groove that made them the greatest act from the U.K. ska revival of the late 1970s and early '80s. However, the follow-up, 1980's More Specials, was a deliberate detour into the then-unhip world of lounge music, and 1984's In the Studio was as stylistically diverse as Jerry Dammers knew how to make it. Thirteen years into the Specials' improbable reunion, the group includes three original members -- lead singer Terry Hall, guitarist and vocalist Lynval Golding, and bassist Horace Panter -- and their second record after returning to action, 2021's Protest Songs 1924-2012, isn't a ska album. The Specials had intended to make a roots reggae album before the COVID-19 pandemic upended their plans, and they opted to instead take on a more intimate project, covering 12 songs that express politically and socially conscious themes in different ways. That's certainly a concept in line with the band's firmly held ideals, and the stripped-down arrangements present the material with heart and conviction. The great moments here include a spare, powerful reworking of Talking Heads' "Listening Wind." ~ Mark Deming