Too Much Pressure

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Of the many bands that charged out of the gate after the Specials launched the British Ska Revival in 1979, the Selecter were one of the strongest, and one who had a musical mind of their own. Though the Specials' hot-rodded take on the vintage Jamaican sound was a clear influence, the deeper grooves of roots reggae were a significant part of their formula, and with lead vocalist Pauline Black, their music had a subtle but clear feminist undertow that was a welcome alternative to the boy's club perspective of their peers. Like many of their fellow 2 Tone groups, the Selecter's initial run was short, resulting in just two albums (though they would have a long and productive life after reuniting in the 1990s); however, their debut, 1980's Too Much Pressure, was one of the best LPs to arrive in the wake of the Specials' breakthrough. The vocal interplay between Pauline Black and Arthur "Gaps" Hendrickson was inspired, with the rougher, more aggressive tone of his voice adding ballast to Black's more flexible instrument, and the group's political broadsides were more effective for their unified report. Songs like "Three Minute Hero," "They Make Me Mad," "Murder," and the title cut are taut, nervy, and pack a welcome punch. Elsewhere, the dubwise reworking of "James Bond" splits the difference between Jamaican ska and early reggae and works on both levels, and "My Collie (Not a Dog)" is an amusing homage to recreational marijuana use. Bassist Charley Anderson and drummer Charley "H" Bembridge were a potent rhythm section who could gracefully turn on a dime, Desmond Brown's keyboards add abundant color and texture to the arrangements, and the guitar work from Neol Davies and Compton Amanor is sharp and concise. The Selecter never won the larger audience that the Specials, Madness, and the (English) Beat would command, but Too Much Pressure confirms it was never because they lacked the talent, and this remains one of the most satisfying LPs from the first salvo of British ska.
© Mark Deming /TiVo