-
9.0
109275
9.0 |
God Is In The TV
Much of Encore is an absolute blast
Read Review
-
8.0
109153
8.0 |
Evening Standard
The spirit of The Specials endures on a comeback that complements their mighty legacy
Read Review
-
8.0
109151
8.0 |
Clash
Remarkably, it’s everything we’d want from a Specials album in 2019… and more
Read Review
-
8.0
109157
8.0 |
NME
The veteran ska-punk band addresses Brexit, austerity, Tory rule, Black Lives Matter and mental health on this welcome return. We need right-thinking rebel records like ‘Encore’ now more than ever
Read Review
-
7.0
109175
7.0 |
Rolling Stone
The Specials return in top form
Read Review
-
7.0
109545
7.0 |
Uncut
Encore is a perfectly good record – it skanks and bubbles in all the right places, explores some interesting sonic territories, and features at least two tracks that will have live audiences singing along as if they were 40-year-old singles. But one can’t help but wonder how Dammers’ wayward genius might have added a level of glorious unpredictability to proceedings
Read Review
-
7.0
110449
7.0 |
Under The Radar
Encore won't change the world, it won't inspire the youth to fight but it cements The Specials place as vital political commentators with a legacy that can't be understated
Read Review
-
6.9
109382
6.9 |
Paste Magazine
It’s danceable, sure, but there’s a sinister edge, and the album spans more than just your classic ska and reggae beats
Read Review
-
6.0
109152
6.0 |
The Arts Desk
The politically engaged lyrics veer between the trite and the pithily urgent
Read Review
-
6.0
109154
6.0 |
All Music
Encore is a definite step up from the covers albums the Specials made surrounding Y2K: they feel like a band with a purpose, even if they're not making an especially big deal about it
Read Review
-
6.0
109155
6.0 |
The Guardian
Amid disputes over the group’s authenticity, Terry Hall, Lynval Golding and Horace Panter are best when sounding both anthemic and doom-laden
Read Review
-
6.0
109156
6.0 |
The FT
With feminist reworkings and nods to gun violence, the band are fewer in number but just as political
Read Review
-