Recently I listened to the Specials self-titled 1979 album and really enjoyed it. I’ve been wanting to try out some Ska music for awhile now because it’s a genre I don’t know a whole lot about. What recommendations do you guys have as far as Ska music?
Streetlight Manifesto. I recommend the albums Everything Goes Numb and Somewhere in the Between.
Trojan Box Sets are great compilations that give an all over taste. Some you may have to search for but I had an excellent one which I might be able to get the Google drive link for later
I had a GREAT Trojan box some years ago. A triple CD that covered from the '60 to the '80s. Some absolutely PROPER tunes on it.
You can’t really go wrong with any of them, they’ve pretty much got everything covered. There’s some of their catalogue on streaming and YouTube etc but I’m sure I remember having more on CD.
The one I’m thinking of is Ska revival but all I can find is someone’s put Disc 3 on YouTube. I’m pretty sure it’s one of the one I backed up when I had to clear out my physical media though it was that good
The Toasters. They’re 3rd wave ska, after The Specials, who were 2nd wave. Try the early albums. Look for the song “Mister Trouble”.
Original rude boy ska. The best of all time:
- Desmond Dekker, “007 Shanty Town”, 1967
- The Skatalites, “Guns of Navarone”, 1965
- Tony Tribe, “Red Red Wine”, 1969
BONUS TRACK is it ska or is it rocksteady? either way one of my favorite songs in any genre:
- Toots and the Maytals, “Sun Moon and Stars”, 1969
