Various- Spare Shells (Modern Interpretations Of Songs By The Specials)

Not another covers album! This time it's The Specials being re-interpreted in a tribute album, which was released in 2001.

The inclusion of Enjoy Yourself means we have a cover of The Specials' cover of a cover! This version brings to the table some frenetic sections, which work really well. The ending drags out a bit, but overall it's a nice touch to a classic song.

I'm a big fan of The Porkers' energy-packed style. It injects some much-needed interest into Little Bitch. In fact, I'd say it is actually carrying a sub-par song. While the end result is passable, there are many better Porkers songs out there.

Skavenjah's Hey Little Rich Girl benefits from having much better material to work with. And they make the most of it, with the ska trademarks of horns, organ and offbeat guitar being well executed. If I may make an unfair comparison though, I do prefer Amy Winehouse's version of this song. The version of You're Wondering Now also suffers the same unfortunate fate of being compared with a cracking Winehouse version.

Gangsters by The Louisville Sluggers is, on paper, a match made in heaven. The bravery in such a big change to a neo-swing style is to be admired, and they do make a decent fist of it. But I wish it flowed better, instead of jumping all over the place. This unusual cover has great novelty value, but it doesn't quite gel for me.

On the other hand, I much prefer The Skalatones' Stereotypes to the original. The upbeat energy of the music contrasts the lyrics nicely, and stops things getting too heavy. Musically, this version is quite a dog's breakfast, but that's not a problem at all!

(Dawning Of A) New Era is simple: classic ska song plus Area-7 equals excellence. Also, there is the historical significance of this song being where Area-7 got their name from.

Dr Raju's cover of Doesn't Make It Alright has a great chorus and great verse, but unfortunately don't sit together very well, thus partially undermining each other.

Stupid Marriage by Skarface is rough as guts, for example the eclectic drumming in the chorus is an annoying distraction. However, Judge Roughneck is hilarious in this version, and the chaos suits the story perfectly. Therefore, I actually prefer this version to the original.

The changes to Man At C&A are very subtle, and I think this is a wise choice. It's a brilliant song, and it benefits wonderfully from a light-touch updating.

The opposite is true for Too Much Too Young. Dave Smalley taken an otherwise forgettable Specials song and, using a unique "acoustic ska" style, turned it into something very special.

Rat Race is run-of-the-mill 2-tone ska, and there's nothing wrong with that! The extensive use of horns is a nice touch.

Favourite songs

Enjoy Yourself, (Dawning Of A) New Era, Stupid Marriage, Man At C&A, Too Much Too Young

Worthwhile?

Ummm, no. Maybe there's a subconscious effect present, that I somehow feel that The Specials' songs are too sacred to be messed with. Some of the songs are enjoyable, but overall the album feels more like a passing novelty than a work of art with lasting appeal.