UB40 "Labour of Love" (1984)

Labour of Love
release date: Sep. 12, 1983
format: vinyl (LP DEP 5) / digital
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,76]
producer: UB40 and Ray "Pablo" Falconer
label: DEP International - nationality: England, UK

4th studio album by British octet UB40 is the band's complete commitment to mainstream pop. There are bonds to reggae and still examples of dub, but the overall style is one of pop reggae.
The band had always sold well and all of its albums were top-5 albums on the UK albums chart list, but with this, they sold multi-platinum and UB40 became an international success.
I recall, purchasing the album, and initially thinking "Red Red Wine" was a mighty fine pop song, but within a couple of weeks my feelings for the album had cooled down, and the song became painfull in the long run. And that pretty much sums up my sensations for the album. It's fine as a mainstream pop album, it contains nicely-wrapped compositions, but it's just too slick, and too much of the same. As a sales product, the album is a mighty success, but as an example of UB40's artistic level, I think the band sold out. It was my last purchase with the band, and in retrospect, I have always preferred their earlier works.

UB40 "UB44" (1982)

UB44
release date: Sep. 13, 1982
format: vinyl (LP DEP 3) / digital
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,52]
producer: UB40 and Ray "Pablo" Falconer
label: DEP International - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "So Here I Am" - 2. "I Won't Close My Eyes" - 4. "Love Is All Is Alright" - 5. "The Piper Calls the Tune" - - B) 3. "Folitician"

3rd studio album by UB40 and the bands second studio album on DEP sees the band move into a more mainstream-sounding style. Credited band members on the album are: James Brown on drums, syncussion [synthesised percussion / electronic drum pads] and vocals, Ali Campbell on vocals & guitar, Robin Campbell on guitar & vocals, Earl Falconer on bass, Norman Hassan on percussion & trombone, Brian Travers on saxophones, Michael Virtue on keyboards and Astro on toasting, trumpet and vocals.
UB44 still bonds to roots reggae and dub but some tracks are composed with an ear for harmony vocals and more traditional pop compositions. That said, it's really much of a transitional album. The successor, Labour of Love (1984) and the predecessor, Present Arms (1981) may not have much in common, but UB44 is the album that sort of glues them nicely together.
The first UK pressings of the album were issued with a hologram-cover.

UB40 "The Singles Album" (1980)

The Singles Album (compilation)
release date: 1980
format: vinyl (GRADSLP 3)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Bob Lamb, UB40, Ray "Pablo" Falconer
label: Graduate Records - nationality: England, UK

Tracklist: A) 1. "Food for Thought" - 2. "King" - 3. "My Way of Thinking" - 4. "I Think Its Going to Rain Today" - 5. "Dream a Lie" - - B) 1. "Tyler" - 2. "Adella" - 3. "Little by Little" - 4. "The Earth Dies Screaming" (12" Version)

1st compilation album by UB40 released in the same year as the band's debut album, which may seem a bit strange, but fact is, the band released four singles in 1980 - the first single with "Tyler" as A-side had two tracks on the B-side ("Adella" and "Food for Thought") and the other three singles consisted of two tracks each, which makes a total of nine tracks, and that's exactly the number of tracks on this album. Also, the band released these singles on Graduate Records, while signing for DEP International in late 1980, which perhaps better explains the purpose of this issue.
Six of the tracks are actually found on the strong debut album, which was a double vinyl release containing 13 tracks.
The album is a fine collection displaying the band's initial take on roots reggae in combination of dub reggae completely without the band's later taste for melodic pop.