The English Beat were one of the very few ska bands worth giving a shit about … ever. The key to their success: songs. Instead of just layering horns on top of proto-reggae rhythms, Dave Wakeling and crew incorporated actual melodies into tracks like “Mirror in the Bathroom” and “Save It for Later.” This terrific five-disc box includes their three albums along with a bunch of rarities like dub remixes, live cuts, and radio sessions. — Gallucci
This article appears in Jul 11-17, 2012.
