UB40

UB40 earned its status as Britain's most popular reggae act not because the group is racially mixed or homegrown but because it has consistently taken a pop-friendly approach to the music. That's not to denigrate UB40's way with riddim, for the group has done a remarkable job in keeping up with the changes in reggae over the decades. But however supple or in-sinuating the beat, it's Ali Campbell's warm tenor and the group's melody-centered songwriting that make UB40 consistently worth hearing.

Although its earliest material (that is, the Graduate recordings, which include Signing Off and the compilations The Singles Album and The UB40 File) is fairly traditional reggae fare, the group's sound becomes progressively funky and dubwise through Present Arms (which features the throbbing "One in Ten") and UB44 (which boasts the soulful, rhythmically vibrant "So Here I Am"). The compilation album 1980–83 introduced the band to American audiences, with no noticeable reaction, but U.S. interest picked up with Labour of Love, a collection of cover tunes that reprises many of the band's favorite early reggae hits. Campbell's vocals are particularly expressive, and the album eventually became a hit on the strength of the chart-topping single "Red Red Wine." Trouble is, it took four years, during which time UB40 had long since moved on. Indeed, Geffery Morgan picks up where UB44 left off, adding more dub effects and continuing to play off the resilience of the rhythm section. There's also a growing eloquence to the songs' social content, for even though UB40 -- whose name derives from the standard U.K. unemployment compensa-tion card -- always had a political edge, songs such as "Riddle Me" and "As Always You Were Wrong Again" expertly articulate anti-Thatcherite class resentment.

UB40's next album, Baggariddim, wasn't released in its entirety in this country. In the U.K., the album combines an EP featuring a charming "I Got You Babe" (cut with Chrissie Hynde) with an album of dub remakes of tracks from Labour of Love and Geffery Morgan; in the U.S., Little Baggariddim delivers the EP plus a couple of dubs for a less-satisfying package. Nor does Rat in the Kitchen entirely return the band to strength, for despite the urgently percolating pulse of "All I Want to Do" and the engaging groove behind the title tune, songs such as "Don't Blame Me" and "The Elevator" seem forced.

With UB40, the band's pop instincts return to full working order. Hynde makes another guest appearance, this time covering the Sheila Hylton hit "Breakfast in Bed," but the band hardly needs the help, as the songs are wonderfully strong, from the relentless "Dance with the Devil" to the insinuating "I Would Do It for You." Labour of Love II isn't quite as appealing as its predecessor, despite the soul-cum-reggae groove of the Al Green tune "Here I Am (Come and Take Me)," but Promises and Lies is as strong as any album in their catalogue, thanks to "Bring Me Your Cup" and the irresistible "Reggae Music."

Unfortunately, that was the band's last truly great album of original material. Guns in the Ghetto has good instincts and solid playing but generally weak material, while both Labour of Love III and Fathers of Reggae depend on oldies, although in the latter case, the oldies were written by UB40 and are sung by such reggae greats as Toots Hibbert, John Holt, Ken Boothe, Gregory Isaacs, and Alton Ellis. (Think of it as Labour of Love in reverse.)

As for the various best-of collections, The Very Best of, is, in fact, the very best, distilling the cream of the band's work into 18 solid-gold tracks. The other two sets offer more depth, but frankly would be a better buy as a double-disc set than as two individual albums. (J.D. CONSIDINE)

From 2004's The New Rolling Stone Album Guide