The Specials - Guilty 'til Proved Innocent

This is the album The Specials were touring to support when I saw them on the Warped Tour back in 1998. The Specials are the godfathers of ska, and as such my mind was pre-blown when I saw them in 1998 and I was inclined to like this album a little more than might've otherwise. When I bought Guilty 'til Proved Innocent I had not yet heard any of their late 70's and earl 80's output, so I didn't really know how much better their old stuff was.

Even though The Specials sound a little tired and a little out of ideas on this album, there are still some fine tracks. "Call Me Names," "It's You," and "Bonediggin'" are as strong as anything else The Specials ever did. There are three hidden live tracks tacked onto the end of this album, but Guilty 'til Proved Innocent is a bit too long as is, so it's hard to enjoy three live cuts from The Specials prime by the time you get to them. This album is not required listening for the casual fan, but will provide a few delights for the hardcore two-tone faithful.