The English Beat, I Just Can't Stop It

The English Beat is a ska band out of Birmingham, England. Their first show was in 1979, and their album I Just Can't Stop It, released in 1980, is probably some of the greatest ska sound that I have ever heard. The sound came from several genres. It smoothly crossed between soul, punk, reggae, and pop music. They put all these influences to a wonderful beat, the kind of music that you hear and then you have to dance to it. They use smooth saxophone sound and guitars, with kind of reggae and dance percussion, and a wide range of lyric styles. They sing about all sorts of things in this album: relationships, hypocrisy, sadness, sex, fighting, unity... All kinds of things.This album is something I think almost anyone could listen to and enjoy; no matter what way you listen. Like, if a rhythm to move to is what you care about, it's got that. If you listen to the melody, this album has great melody. If you want music that has something to say, well they had something to say.Take for an example the third song: "Two Swords". Sort of a fast steady drum beat, pop/rock sounding guitars, and lyrics like this:"Are you fighting the front, or just fronting a fight?Sometimes it's hard to see the left from the right.Are we angry?Are we looking for peaceor just trying to win the war by killing all the enemy off?" Again and again in I Just Can't Stop It, the Beat sends their messages, and it sounds good, too, with so many different styles and rhythms. I think honestly that this is something everyone can enjoy and should have the chance to hear.-Marta Csejtey