The Ruts - The Crack

The Crack, released in September 1979, is the definitive debut studio album by the London-based punk rock band The Ruts. It stands as a towering achievement of the UK punk era, seamlessly blending ferocious, politically charged street punk with tight, authentic reggae and dub rhythms. Anchored by the urgent, sirens-wailing hit single "Babylon's Burning" and the fiery "Something That I Said," the album captured the social tension, racial unease, and economic anxiety of late-1970s Britain. The record received critical acclaim for its exceptional musicianship and the powerful, commanding vocals of frontman Malcolm Owen, whose tragic death in 1980 cut the band’s prime short.

The single-disc Expanded Edition of the CD preserves this historic release while enhancing it for fans and collectors by adding three essential bonus tracks. These additions consist of the band’s highly sought-after 7" vinyl B-sides from the era: "Give Youth A Chance," "I Ain't Sofisticated," and the title track "The Crack." By integrating these rare studio recordings into the running order immediately following the original twelve tracks, this specific reissue provides a comprehensive, single-disc overview of the band's peak creative period and serves as the perfect entry point into their influential discography.

When evaluating the history of British punk rock, few debuts hit with the same sophisticated ferocity as The Ruts’ 1979 masterpiece, The Crack. Emerging near the end of punk’s initial wave, the West London quartet bypassed the amateurish, three-chord limitations of their peers by delivering a record characterized by astonishingly tight musicianship and sharp rhythmic shifts. Frontman Malcolm Owen’s commanding, street-level vocals anchor the album, providing an authentic voice to the social unrest of late-70s Britain. Tragically, Owen’s fatal drug overdose in 1980 meant this would be the only studio album completed in his lifetime, transforming The Crack into a bittersweet monument of wasted potential and undeniable genius.

Musically, the record is celebrated for its flawless integration of heavy reggae, dub, and muscular street punk—a cross-pollination that rivalled, and occasionally surpassed, the sonic experiments of The Clash. The album bursts to life with the dizzying, siren-fueled adrenaline of "Babylon's Burning", anchored by John "Segs" Jennings' nimble bassline and Paul Fox's blazing guitar riffs. However, the true centerpiece of the album's diversity is the nearly seven-minute "Jah War", a brilliant, horn-laden roots-reggae track written in the emotional aftermath of the 1979 Southall riots. Rather than sounding disjointed, these distinct styles coalesce naturally, demonstrating a band completely in control of their eclectic tastes.

Lyrically, The Crack serves as an essential, unblinking time capsule of a fractured society. The band targeted institutional corruption and systemic oppression with remarkable precision, notably on "S.U.S.", which fiercely condemned the controversial stop-and-search police powers of the era. Tracks like "Dope for Guns" took an angry, prescient stance against the global narcotics trade, a subject that carried a devastating personal irony given Owen's own struggles with addiction. Throughout the tracklist, the band balances these heavier political statements with blistering, crowd-pleasing anthems like "Something That I Said" and the chaotic energy of the live closer, "Human Punk".

This single CD Expanded Edition elevates an already classic album by seamlessly appending three essential period B-sides that highlight the band’s dual identity. The inclusion of "Give Youth A Chance"—the dub-heavy flipside to "Babylon's Burning"—provides another stellar example of their mastery of roots reggae. It is balanced perfectly by the raw, aggressive thrash of "I Ain't Sofisticated" and the blistering title track "The Crack". By packaging these rare 7" singles alongside the original tracklist, this specific CD reissue delivers a flawless, definitive portrait of a legendary band at the absolute zenith of their powers.

Ripped to MP3

1. Babylon's Burning (3:16)

2. Dope for Guns (2:11)

3. S.U.S. (3:49)

4. Something That I Said (3:53)

5. You're Just A... (2:55)

6. It's Not True (3:23)

7. S.A.S. (3:14)

8. Jah War (6:55)

9. Criminal Mind (1:34)

10. Backbiter (3:02)

11. Out in Cold (2:59)

12. Human Punk (4:34)

Bonus Tracks (Tracks 13–15)

13. Give Youth A Chance (B-side to "Babylon's Burning")

14. I Ain't Sofisticated (B-side to "Something That I Said")

15. The Crack (B-side to "West One (Shine On Me)")

Plus a few more...