Not out until February 1 2019, but here's the first review of The Specials' Encore album

Encore will be available via Universal Music/Island Records from February 1 next year, but The Specials' biographer, Paul Williams, who used to live in York, has been given early access to the ten tracks recorded by Terry Hall, Lynval Golding, Horace Panter and co.

Here is his verdict:

"Over this past year, I have been honoured and extremely privileged to be privy to the process and progress of the brand-new Specials album, entitled Encore.

As in all things, history tells its own story and the Specials’ history is a colourful one. Members have come and gone, and the sad passing of drumming legend John Bradbury could have brought an end to proceedings.

But Brad had been a keen advocate of recording new material and had jammed with the rhythm section on embryonic versions of new tunes, with the intention of taking the band to the next step, before his untimely passing.

The seeds were already planted and earlier this year, original members Lynval Golding, Horace Panter and Terry Hall were joined in a quiet London studio with the familiar touring band that have joined them on-stage for the last few years.

Artists on board included Nikolaj Torp Larsen on keyboards, who has been with the band since they first reunited, Steve Cradock on guitar and Kenrick Rowe, the multi-experienced ska/reggae drummer.

So, set history aside and remove yourself from who is and is not appearing on the album. Remove preconceptions and prejudices and allow Encore to speak for itself.

The album intends to pick up where More Specials left off 38 years ago in 1980 and is the first Specials album to feature Terry Hall since then. But don’t expect to step back in time.

This album is unashamedly modern, extremely dark, a moody, brooding beast of a collection. If debut album Specials was the complete snapshot of 1979, and Ghost Town was the anthem of 1981, then Encore is the snapshot of the world today – and on a global scale.

In typical Specials style, the band holds up an unforgiving mirror to contemporary society and asks why things haven’t changed for the better.

If you are expecting an all-out ska album, then expect to be disappointed. But then, The Specials were always so much more than a ska band. Ska was an influence and a layer to the band’s sound, which encompassed a broad church of influences from rock, pop, reggae, blues, soul, funk. All these and more modern influences are expertly stirred into the mix of Encore.

The Specials in concert

For the traditionalists, there is a reworking of The Valentines’ Blam Blam Fever, which harks back to old influences and recalls Too Hot in its arrangement. The track addresses the current issue of gun crime in America.

This is one of three covers. What will prove to be a surprise for some, The Lunatics Have Taken Over The Asylum, Fun Boy Three's debut release, is on the album. Personally speaking, I feel this song was a natural follow up to Ghost Town, and here it is done in Specials 2018 style.

With hints and echoes of The Special AKA’s In the Studio album in 1984,  the lyrics remain relevant and sit superbly with today’s political climate.

10 Commandments is based loosely around the ultimately sexist Prince Buster tune. Cleverly turning this track completely on its head, and with more than a nod to the #metoo movement and womens’ rights, vocal duties are given over to Saffiyah Khan, the girl who wore The Specials T-shirt and faced off the EDL in Birmingham with a smile. With biting and unshrinking lyrics, this is an expression of the female experience in 2018, backed by Sir Horace’s stonking reggae bassline! Boom.

In continuation of the hard-hitting themes, B.L.M. is a heart-on-the-sleeve story of Golding’s experiences of casual and aggressive racism. Beginning from his father’s experiences on his Windrush arrival in the UK, to the modern day, the song asks you to consider the realities of Black Lives Matter, and with a sorry trickle of racist events appearing on social media and news at the time of writing, the track is more than timely.

Continuing the theme of race and in the tradition of The Specials, Black Skinned Blue-Eyed Boys is originally a tune by The Equals. This version really opens the eyes and sees nods to many of the musical influences. Reggae and disco? You better believe it! With controversial lyrics - "one world, one people" - it sits well with the other content.

The Life And Times Of A Man Called Depression is a complete bearing of the soul by Hall, addressing his mental health issues. Cheer up Terry? Here’s why he is who he is. Terry’s spoken, and poignantly honest, lyrics are backed by a bouncing soundtrack. Great brass riff in there also.

Vote for Me is awesome: a political stab at the leaders of the country. The lyrics are intelligent and smart, wrapped up in a haunting melody and a great trombone from Tim Smart. This is an album highlight for me, what The Specials were conceived for.

Then there is the bouncing oompah (yes oompah) reggae of Breaking Point. One thing that’s happened over the years is that Terry Hall's voice has matured to great depths and this song is a fine example of that, with lyrics like “Social media is a trend that’ll send us all around the bend” smothered in a richly dark tune (I can hear bits of Madness in this).

Embarrassed By You is a Golding/Hall duet, again with great lyrics covering contemporary issues of knife crime and moped gangs. “We never fought for freedom for nasty little brutes like you, to come and undo the work we do – you bring shame on this country for true, embarrassed by you”. Cutting, precise and forceful lyrics, wrapped up in layers of instrumentation.

The final track to discuss is album closer We Sell Hope, which, for me, is another highlight. Grown-up Specials. An amazing tune with so many layers of instrumentation. Lyrics to match with more social commentary and everything you’d expect from The Specials. A possible single contender?

Encore will prove to be controversial and divisive. Not all original fans will warm to it, but as is always the way, they are damned if they do and damned if they don’t. I believe they have delivered. This is mature Specials, well and truly with two feet placed squarely in 2018 not 1979. This Are The Specials 2018 - Encore!

Review by Paul Williams, The Specials biographer, Specialized Project founder and lead singer of The Skapones ska group