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The Complete Beat by The Beat

Album cover for The Complete Beat - The Beat
1. Mirror in the Bathroom
3:09
2. Hands Off… She's Mine
2:60
3. Two Swords
2:19
4. Twist and Crawl
2:35
5. Tears of a Clown
2:40
6. Rough Rider
4:53
7. Click Click
1:28
8. Ranking Fullstop
2:47
9. Big Shot
2:32
10. Whine & Grine / Stand Down Margaret
3:47
11. Noise in This World
2:16
12. Can't Get Used to Losing You
3:05
13. Best Friend
3:03
14. Jackpot
4:18
1. Too Nice to Talk To
3:07
2. Doors of Your Heart
3:46
3. All Out to Get You
2:45
4. Monkey Murders
3:09
5. I Am Your Flag
2:54
6. French Toast (Soleil Trap Chaud)
3:29
7. Drowning
3:53
8. Dream Home in NZ
3:12
9. Walkaway
3:11
10. Over and Over
2:41
11. Cheated
3:28
12. Get a Job
3:11
13. The Limits We Set
4:16
14. Psychedelic Rockers
3:52
15. Hit It
3:02
16. Which Side of the Bed?
4:12
1. I Confess
4:31
2. Jeanette
2:48
3. Sorry
2:32
4. Sole Salvation
3:05
5. Spar Wid Me
4:31
6. Rotating Head
3:24
7. Save It for Later
3:34
8. She's Going
2:09
9. Pato and Roger a Go Talk
3:20
10. Sugar and Stress
2:56
11. End of the Party
3:30
12. Ackee 1 2 3
3:12
13. What's Your Best Thing?
3:48
14. March of the Swivel Heads
3:31
15. Cool Entertainer
3:32
16. A Go Talk (Tappy Luppy dub)
8:39
1. Hands Off . . . She's Mine (extended)
4:36
2. Twist & Crawl (extended)
5:00
3. Stand Down Margaret (dub)
3:33
4. Too Nice to Talk To (Dubweiser)
4:58
5. Psychedelic Rockers (Dubweiser)
5:31
6. Doors of Your Heart (extended)
5:51
7. Drowning (dub)
5:14
8. Hit It (extended)
6:29
9. Which Side of the Bed? (extended)
7:27
10. Save It for Later (extended)
4:54
11. What's Your Best Thing (dub)
3:50
12. Cool Entertainer (extended)
5:50
13. Jeanette (extended)
4:08
14. March of the Swivel Heads (extended)
5:15
15. I Confess (Dave Allen remix)
5:46
1. Tears of a Clown (Peel Session: November 5, 1979)
2:54
2. Rank Full Stop (Peel Session: November 5, 1979)
3:02
3. Click Click (Peel Session: November 5, 1979)
1:30
4. Mirror in the Bathroom (Peel Session: November 5, 1979)
2:25
5. Big Shot (Peel Session: November 5, 1979)
1:53
6. Too Nice to Talk To (Peel Session: September 22, 1980)
4:10
7. Psychedelic Rockers (Peel Session: September 22, 1980)
4:19
8. Monkey Murders (Peel Session: September 22, 1980)
3:13
9. Walk Away (Peel Session: September 22, 1980)
3:14
10. Spar Wid Me (Peel Session: March 29, 1982)
3:48
11. End of the Party (Peel Session: March 29, 1982)
3:01
12. She's Going (Peel Session: March 29, 1982)
2:07
13. Save It for Later (Peel Session: March 29, 1982)
3:10
14. Sole Salvation (Peel Session: March 29, 1982)
2:44
15. Pato and Roger a Go Talk (Peel Session: March 29, 1982)
4:03
16. Best Friend (Opera House - Boston, MA: November 19, 1982)
2:59
17. Tears of a Clown (Opera House - Boston, MA: November 19, 1982)
3:34
18. Twist & Crawl (Opera House - Boston, MA: November 19, 1982)
2:45
19. Get-A-Job / Stand Down Margaret (Opera House - Boston, MA: November 19, 1982)
6:45

Shout! Factory's The Complete Beat is the kind of deluxe set that fans would dream about but never expect to happen: a five-disc set containing expanded remastered versions of all three of the group's albums, plus two discs of Bonus Beat -- a CD of 12" mixes and dubs, a disc of Peel Sessions and four cuts live from a November 1982 gig in Boston. The Beat -- the "English" was added for the American market -- were only around for five short years, following the 2-Tone path trailblazed by the Specials but speedily developing their own distinctive style, one that was a bit brighter and bearing a stronger Motown influence. Also, the Beat had a knack for pop that culminated on their 1982 swan song, Special Beat Service. That contained their signature hit, "Save It for Later," a contender for a perfect single if there ever were one, but it also opened with the sparkling "I Confess," a gorgeous confection that pointed the way toward Dave Wakeling's subsequent outfit General Public. But unlike Madness, there never was a time when the Beat's main business was pop: they always had one foot firmly planted in ska and blue beat, always could hunker down and dig deep into the groove. This powers I Just Can't Stop It, a ska revival record that rivals the Specials' debut, and it underpins their rapid expansion on Wha'ppen? Each of their albums has a distinctive character, something that carries through to the three Peel Sessions -- one delivered in support for each album -- on the Bonus Beat disc. As always, the extended mixes and dubs are something that appeals to a particular taste -- those who prefer the pop end of the Beat's equation won't find them compelling -- but their rangy, elastic reworkings underline the adventure and excitement at the core of the Beat. They grew up strong and they grew up fast, so fast that their recordings retain a visceral force that makes The Complete Beat something more than a dream come true for fans: it is a convincing argument for their greatness.

Playful hedonism may be Katy Perry’s hallmark (“Yeah we danced on tabletops and we took too many shots/Think we kissed, but I forgot”, she burbles on “Last Friday Night (T.G.I.F.)”, but there’s a palpable, laser-sighted focus to this second album. Once more masterminded by banger architects Dr. Luke, Max Martin and Benny Blanco, it leaps giddily from euphoric dance uplift (“Firework”) to glitchy electronica (“E.T.”). Polished, challenging and precise, this is bubblegum with a bite.

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