The English Beat, What is Beat?, 1983 on I.R.S. Records

This is the North American version of this release (as evidenced by the “English”) which collected a number of singles, remixes, and live tracks as well as a number of tracks from the first three English Beat albums, serving as a kind of “best of” in the US.

There’s a 2xLP version with a different cover, attributed to The Beat, which was available in Europe. Still looking for a copy of that one.

As though IRS Records could get any cooler in the early 80s. Andy Cox, David Steele, Dave Wakeling, Ranking Roger, Dave Blockhead, Saxa, and Wesley Magoogan make up the band across the tracks, and producers include Bob Sargeant, David Peters, Mike Hedges, and The Beat.

My copy—via Slipped Disc at a record fair at Mill No. 5 in Lowell MA—is a 1983 pressing from RCA’s Indianapolis plant, with

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