release date: Apr. 17, 1981
format: vinyl (CHR 1339) / cd (2004 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [4,06]
producer: Doug Bennett
label: Chrysalis Records - Northern Ireland, UK
Track highlights: A) 1. "Roots, Radicals, Rockers and Reggae" (5 / 5) (live) - 2. "Just Fade Away" - 3. "Go for It" - 4. "The Only One" - 5. "Hits and Misses" - - B) 1. "Kicking Up a Racket" (4 / 5) - 2. "Safe as Houses" (4 / 5) - 3. "Gate 49" (4 / 5) - 4. "Silver Lining" - *11. "Mr. Fire Coal Man" - *12. "Doesn't Make It All Right" (Bonus track) - *13. "Back to Front" (Bonus track)
*Bonus tracks on 2004 cd reissue
3rd studio album by Stiff Little Fingers originally released on Chrysalis is the bands last album with producer Doug Bennett, who produced all their previous albums. The first two albums document the simple and raw energy of punk rock with the second album as a more complex and well-produced release, this then shows the band on the border to punk rock. "Roots, Radicals, Rockers and Reggae" is a fantastic song. It's a cover-version of a track originally written and performed by Bunny Wailer (original song titled "Roots, Raddics", from the album Dubd'sco Vol. 1, 1978) but in SLF's completely altered version it comes alive in a new form. Many punk rock bands were highly influenced by reggae, because both genres were for and about the people, the working class, and the lyrical subjects were often the same, however, most punk rock artists incorporating reggae in their music, played rocksteady, ska revival or reggae - this version is a perfect clone of two very different outputs, rarely heard this energetic. The second track, "Just Fade Away" shows SLF in a new shape mixing many styles: pop / rock, new wave and with some punk rock. "The title track is an instrumental, which quickly became the band's theme song - a song that would be played just before the start of any concert. "The Only One" is another fine example of a blend of punk rock and reggae, which comes through on several tracks on this album. "Gate 49" is a different mix using more traditional 1950s American rock & roll.
The cd version includes the great "Mr. Fire Coal Man" another reggae cover of Wailing Souls as well as a fine cover of "Doesn't make It All Right" by The Specials, (also album version on Nobody's Heroes) and it ends with a more than 25 mins. interview with Jake Burns.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5 stars ]
