Customer Reviews
Treading water - By: Magic Rat, 30 May 2007 
This was UB40's "difficult third album". Coming on the heels of the excellent & impact-making "Signing Off" & "Present Arms", I can remember at the time feeling just a little bored with UB40. That indeed was a view shared by many as the lead-off single "I Won't Close My Eyes" failed to set either the charts or the fans alight. The band seemed to have become set in that easy groove launched in the first album, that by now had become almost somnambulent. "Don't Do The Crime" is a wonderful, moving & strong track, but Ali Campbell's delivery veers on the comatose (although therein always lies a lot of Ali's appeal as a vocalist). "The Key" is a great, mighty, dub-drenched homage to reggae artists & "Folitician" sees Astro in the toasting form begun on "Lamb's Bread" from "Present Arms". Intoxicating basslines on both tracks. "The Prisoner" at times has a backing so redolent of Manu Dibango. So, alll is not lost on "UB44".
"Love Is All Is Alright" is summery & smooth, but somehow a bit of the edge had briefly been lost on this album. Not that it is not a pleasant listen, you definitely got the feeling that something had to change, & quickly, to stop the band disappearing nowhere fast. "Labour Of Love" was to do just that.
Probably the best UB40 album there is - By: , 12 Jun 2001 
Out of alll the UB40 ablums that have been released this is the most underated one there is, quite simply because alll the songs represent the true UB40 style, which is writing songs that have a strong social & political meaning in them. From Forget the Cost to Don`t Do the Crime, you just have to listen to the words to see what I mean. If you liked other early UB40 albums like Present Arms & Signing off then this will surely not disappoint
