Always was treasured
lukekw | New Zealand | 03/03/2003
(5 out of 5 stars)
"i got vinyl in '83. i too was a little taken aback when it first hit my ears, but then the more i listened, the more it grew on me until i was totally sold on the selecter as my favourite band from that period and one of my all-time favourites. it was a cleverly orchestrated album for them when you consider the scene from which they spawned, and especially following their first "influential" album of the era - no more than 2 years earlier. a new direction, or rather a tangent to the sound that was essentially theirs anyway, i think further propelled the group to a brave new level. alas, the rest of the world had moved along. nevermind, the spirit of the music that was the selecter, is still very much alive whenever i play any of their tracks. PS: i'll look around for the re-release cd as the vinyl went the way of a number of other classic albums from the era - eroded."
Fresh and relevant
jqr | Brooklyn | 05/11/2004
(5 out of 5 stars)
"Celebrate The Bullet is a must-own record. I have never heard another record with its mix of alluring vocals, topical lyrics, ska beats and luscious, textured orchestrations. The CD rerelease even includes several remixed dub versions that are worth an extra listen.I bought the vinyl many, many years ago and have always counted it as one of my favorite albums. When I saw the CD available, I jumped at the chance to order it. What I found is that the music still sounds fresh and inventive and the lyrics are even more apropos than ever. It's as if The Selecter were looking twenty years ahead in time when they put the record out. The CD release also includes a useful historical booklet with interesting facts (the title cut, for instance, was banned from the BBC because it was released the week that President Reagan was shot)."
Deep, Dark, Ska, Highly Recommended
Snazel | 03/21/2006
(4 out of 5 stars)
"This is not your normal British ska-revival record of the early 1980's. This isn't happy, teen-bop ska, designed to make 16 year old kids dance poorly. This is a dark, haunting, bluesy iteration of ska that has to my knowledge never been attemped before or since. For that reason it is a very unique record.
If you love the genre of ska, it is a must-have, for it delivers an interpretation of ska that quite simply cannot be found on any other disc."
Track Listings (15) - Disc #1