NEW RELEASES
THE SPECIALS
PROTEST SONGS 1924-2012
ISLAND RECORDS
★★★★
FRUSTRATED BY LOCKDOWN, AND INSPIRED BY GROWING CALLS FOR EQUALITY, THE SPECIALS FOLLOW UP ENCORE WITH AN UNEXPECTED EXPRESSION OF FREEDOM
Such was the excitement surrounding Terry Hall’s return to The Specials for 2019’s Encore that they swiftly reconvened in early 2020 to begin a new album. This – for obvious reasons – is not that album, and, by the time they gathered in September, with COVID’s second wave incoming, it was clear recording in the familiar fashion remained impossible. So, suffering lockdown fatigue, but inspired by demonstrations about George Floyd’s death, they instead planned a fourth covers album.