Madness "Wonderful" (1999)

Wonderful
release date: Nov. 1, 1999
format: digital
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,94]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Lovestruck" - 3. "The Communicator" - 5. "The Wizard" - 6. "Drip Fed Fred" - 9. "Saturday Night Sunday Morning"

8th studio album by Madness is the band's first studio album in 11 years, and once again it features the producer-duo Langer-Winstanley. More importantly the album is the band's first in its classic septet line-up since its 5th album Keep Moving from 1984, which means Suggs, Chas Smash, Foreman, Bedford, Barson, Woodgate and Thompson are united as Madness.
The new set of songs has been written like in the 'old days' with all members contributing on various tracks and an attempt has been made to reconsolidate the band's image as a group playing ska revival instead of the more polished pop / rock as heard on The Madness from 1988. Ian Dury features with "guest vocals" on track #6 - a decent attempt to add some of the familiar humor.
The album is not the great comeback album many had hoped it would be, but it's clearly bettering the band's previous two attempts without coming close to former heydays. Langer-Winstanley have produced a nicely sounding album, and my guess is (from listening to the songs) that the band aimed for something that would follow in the footsteps of Keep Moving. Yes, they incorporate elements from ska revival but it's very much mere associations of that style where the dominating style clearly is pop / rock - and a sound that was wide-spread in the mid-80s. In essence, the album sounds as if released in '86 and not '99.
All in all, it's no near great. Just above average and an album that really doesn't add songs to a new best of album.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5 stars ]

Madness "The Heavy Heavy Hits" (1998)

The Heavy Heavy Hits (compilation)
release date: Jun. 1998
format: cd
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Compilation album by Madness containing 23 tracks is basically a repackage of Divine Madness from 1992 with the addition of one track, "Sweetest Girl" (track #22) - the track order is identical with the extra track taken from the Mad Not Mad '85 album (informed on the back of the inlay: "Previously available as Divine Madness [except Sweetest girl]". This is in essence a compilation of all the band's singles from 1979 to 1986. The album was issued as Virgin began re-issuing new remastered and expanded editions of the band's back catalog after Madness had been reunited and had made legal contract with Virgin to record new songs for a comeback album.
The Heavy Heavy Hits is a mighty fine compilation, I think. The tracks have been ordered accordingly to release date, and the inlay info is accompanied by info about every track's chart position as a single release. However; if you already know Divine Madness this is (nearly) completely obsolete (and just another commercial stunt) - but if you haven't got the '92 compilation, this is the one to get.
Highly recommendable.

The Madness "The Madness" (1988)

The Madness
release date: May 3, 1988
format: cd
[album rate: 2,5 / 5] [2,38]
producer: 'The Three Eyes'
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Studio debut album by The Madness, or [rather] the 7th studio album by Madness, who had come together as a quartet consisting of the two vocalists Suggs (Graham McPherson) and Chas Smash (Cathal Smyth) together with guitarist Chris Foreman and Lee Thompson on saxophones and backing vocals. Founding member pianist Mike Barson had already left the band after Keep Moving (1984), and the remaining members bassist Mark Bedford and drummer Daniel Woodgate don't participate in this incarnation of the band. Actually, it could've been released under a completely different name as the members discussed other band names before settling on the smallest possible name change, which makes it easier to file... The album is produced by 'The Three Eyes' - unofficially credited the band, although, it seems certain that it's the first album without the Langer-Winstanley producer duo. As a natural consequence of the absence of both a band keyboardist, drummer and bassist - the quartet is sided by the necessity of a handful of additional musicians. Steve Nieve, who had replaced Barson on Mad Not Mad, is one of several additional keyboardists, which also includes Jerry Dammers (of The Specials), and also bassists Bruce Thomas (of The Attractions) and Earl Falconer (of UB40) take part as additional musicians. As drummer, only Simon Phillips is credited on two tracks, and the remaining songs are recorded using drum machines only.
The style is difficult to narrow in, but it's mainly mainstream pop / rock with sophisti-pop, new wave / synth pop influences.
The album peaked at a low #65 on the national charts list (historical low compared to other albums by the band), and the first single "I Pronounce You" (Feb. '88) reached #44 on the singles charts list and "What's That" the second and last single release from the album just made it into top 100 peaking at #92.
The Madness wasn't met by critical acclaim but rather negative reviews sums the picture of what remains a sole album as The Madness, which was a shelved project later that year in the aftermath of poor sales numbers.
Musically, it's not poor as such, it just doesn't contain any fine or valuable compositions. The sound is overall ruined by (cheap) drum machines, synths, strings / horn sections and 1980s guitar & bass sound when it's worst. Some tracks touch on musical styles and a production sound embraced by UB40 (later albums) and pop funk band Level42, which is really unheard of before considering previous albums by Madness, and this doesn't add anything worthwhile to an album that seems made more out of interests more than artistic drive.
In my mind, this is together with Mad Not Mad the low-point in the career of Madness, and of the two this is easily at the very bottom.
[ almusic.com 2 / 5 stars ]

Madness "Mad Not Mad" (1985)

Mad Not Mad
release date: Sep. 30, 1985
format: cd (2000 remaster)
[album rate: 3 / 5] [2,88]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "I'll Compete" - 2. "Yesterday's Men" - 3. "Uncle Sam" - 6. "Sweetest Girl" - 7. "Burning the Boats"

6th studio album by Madness is the band's last to be produced by the Langer-Winstanley duo originally released on Zarjazz. It's the band's first and (so far) final studio album on the band's own newly-established label Zarjazz and also the first without Mike Barson who is replaced by The Attractions' keyboardist Steve Nieve. Paul Carrack (of Ace) replaced Barson on tours prior to the studio recordings.
The album marks an even stronger change of style than ever before in the lifespan of Madness. The music has grown into a sophisti-pop version of pop / rock with a bold use of horns, strings and backing vocals, and there's frankly not much left that links this over-produced album with the band's former releases.
Only the single "Yesterday's Men" fared decently reaching #18 on the single charts in the UK - the next two single releases "Uncle Sam" and "Sweetest Girl" (a cover originally performed by Scritti Politti) didn't make it into top 20 - and the album became the band's least successful to date peaking at #16 on the national album charts list. The band now experienced its most unfruitful artistic time and in '86 they had recorded material for a new album but internal discussions about musical direction ultimately led to the decision to call it a day and put an end to the band. In Sep. 1986 the band officially announced the split. Lead vocalist Graham McPherson has in later interviews labelled the album as a 'polished turd'. An early attempt to revive the band as a quartet was already made in '88 when McPherson, Smyth, Thompson and Foreman recorded and released new songs under the name of The Madness; however both album and singles failed to meet their former successes and in early '89 the project was disbanded.
In my mind, this is only above mediocre. The typical 80s Langer-Winstanley production is at their most inferior. There are only few fine songs on the album and the highlights presented above are at worst only the decent echoes of the band's former repertoire.
Not really recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 2,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 2 / 5 stars ]

Madness "Keep Moving" (1984)

Keep Moving
release date: Feb. 20, 1984
format: vinyl (GHS 4022) / cd (2010 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,64]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Geffen - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: A) 1. "Keep Moving" - *2. "Wings of a Dove" (4 / 5) - 5. "March of the Gherkins" - 6. "Michael Caine" - - B) 2. "Victoria Gardens" - 4. "One Better Day" (4,5 / 5)
*track only included on the US version

5th studio album by Madness and originally released by Stiff Records is (as usual) produced by Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley. This particular edition of the album is an American issue with a different track listing and the replacement of two songs. The US issue includes the hit single "Wings of a Dove" - released as a stand-alone single in the UK - and "The Sun and the Rain" - these two exclude "Waltz Into Mischief" and "Time for Tea".
The band has slowed a bit down on its release-pace, as it has taken the band 1½ years since the last full studio album. In '83 the band released its second best of album, simply titled Madness and primarily for the American market after experiencing unexpected success with the single "Our House". from The Rise & Fall, which hadn't had a release there.
Keep Moving is once again a little more mainstream-shaped than its predecessor, and at the time of its release I basically regarded it as a clearly lesser release - a bit of a disappointment, really. But it's far from mediocre. It contains several truly fine songs, "One Better Day" being one of the band's absolute best, as I think it more than any contain that specific touch and tone that synthesizes the soul of the band - and then the voice of Graham McPherson is just spot on. In the 80s, I didn't like the broader production sound of the band much - too many additional arrangements and vocal harmonies, the absence of the characteristic ska revival, which altogether made Madness sound like so many other artists at the time. The track "Michael Caine" is another genius gem from an album that contains more than meets the eye.
Founding member Mike Barson took part in the recording sessions for the album but basically had left the band at the time of the album release. He would be replaced by Steve Nieve (Elvis Costello & The Attractions).
The album is not one of the band's best albums, but it doesn't need to be to be better than average.
This is still quite original and also a recommended release of the mid-80s. As I have both the US and the original EU issues, I do think the US version easily wins the battle. Both exchanged singles are better songs, which only increased the value.
[ allmusic.com 3 / 5, Rolling Stone 4 / 5 stars ]

Madness "The Rise & Fall" (1982)

The Rise & Fall
release date: Nov. 1982
format: vinyl (SEEZ 46) / cd (2010 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,92]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Stiff Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Rise and Fall" - 2. "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" - 3. "Blue Skinned Beast" (5 / 5) - 4. "Primrose Hill" - 6. "" - 7. "Our House" (5 / 5) - 10. "That Face" - 11. "Calling Cards" - 12. "Are You Coming (With Me)" - 13. "Madness (It's All in the Mind)"

4th studio album by Madness is like all of their former studio albums produced by Clive Langer & Alan Winstanley. While recording the songs for the album, Stiff released the band's first best of album Complete Madness (Apr. '82), which nicely covers the band's first three albums, and truly is a nice bargain for someone looking for their best songs.
The Rise & Fall reflects the progression throughout the bands move towards a consistently stronger mainstream sound in a consistent manner. First and foremost it's a pop / rock release with clear bonds to ska revival, British pub rock, and to 1960s mod (as typified especially by The Kinks).
The album is by many considered the band's peak moment, although, it only reached #10 on the national album charts list, but as something contrary it fared very well in other countries, especially around Europe. Same thing happened to the two singles "Our House", which along the way has found almost monumental status 'only' made it to number #5 in the UK, but making better on the continent and in Ireland - also seen with "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)" reaching number #8 at home but peaking as number #2 in Ireland.
The album is the only Madness album to be enlisted in "1001 Albums You Must Hear Before You Die".
In 2010 the album was released in a 2 disc remastered Deluxe Edition on Salvo. This is a mighty fine issue with a Bonus disc consisting of an additional 17 tracks and 4 promotional videos. Four tracks are taken from the David Kid Jensen show on BBC Radio 1 (recorded 24/6-82 and first transmitted 26/7-82), and the remaining 13 tracks is a fine blend of extended mixes and alternate takes including one fine "Ship Building"-version of track #2 with Elvis Costello, which all in all makes it a very nice bargain.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]

Madness "Complete Madness" (1982)

Complete Madness (compilation)
release date: Apr. 23, 1982
format: digital (2003 reissue)
[album rate: 4 / 5]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

1st best of compilation album by Madness originally released by Stiff Records - the vinyl issue of the album was attached with an additional label saying: "16 Hit tracks".
The album is issued after only three studio albums, but it does fill out its role. Madness is by many associated with singles, specific songs and their always British comedy-directed videos.
In retrospect there are better albums compiling the band's material, but for someone looking for an album compiling the bad's earliest period this is a fine collection of songs. Six songs stem from the debut album One Step Beyond... (1979); four from the second album Absolutely (1980); three songs are taken from the most recent album 7 (1981); two A-side singles and one B-side are also included: "It Must Be Love" (cover of Labi Siffre 1971 song) from Nov. '81, "House of Fun" to be released May '82 (after this album release), and "In the City" (originally the B-side to 'Cardiac Arrest') from Feb. '82.
My only regret about it is the random order of the songs.
[ allmusic.com 5 / 5 stars ]

Madness "7" (1981)

7
release date: Oct. 1981
format: cd (1989 reissue) / digital (2010 Deluxe Edition)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,88]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records / Union Square - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Cardiac Arrest" - 2. "Shut Up" - 3. "Sign of the Times" - 5. "Mrs. Hutchinson" - 7. "Grey Day" - 9. "Promises Promises" - 10. "Benny Bullfrog"
*Disc 2: 2. "Sign of the Times" (BBC Richard Skinner session recording) - 7. "It Must Be Love" - 9. "In the City" - 10. "Cardiac Arrest (12" Extended Version)"
*2010 2 Disc Deluxe Edition

3rd studio album by Madness originally released by Stiff Records has like the first two albums the producer-team Langer-Winstanley - here with a title that simply refers to the size of the band.
The album sounds much like the predecessor with tracks pointing back in time with uptempo aggressive beats, songs that are more mainstream-founded and compositions with British pub rock attitude and humour. "Grey Day" was the first single from the album, and it does sound as if from another album in mind as it's a more political and rock-based track that would've been fitting for The Clash or the like.. The official video does, however quite nicely, try to make it a typical Madness production. It peaked as number #4 on the singles chart list. "Shut Up" reached number #7, but frankly I think, "Cardiac Arrest" would have been the easy choice for a single release - which it was though; however, not until Feb. '82 when it was issued in a remixed version [!?!] peaking at number #14...
Anyway, the album - reaching a position as number #7 on the albums chart list in the UK - didn't reach the same high sales numbers as its two predecessors, perhaps because the band still was hard to place: were they for the vast masses of mainstream pop / rock, or a cult-audience, and then why release an album that truly signals incoherence in terms of style, seriousness and production sound?
Well, I like it, and think of it as an album they needed to make before going mainstream. In retrospect it links nicely with Absolutely and the successor The Rise & Fall (1982).
The 2010 Deluxe Edition is a fine edition with relevant A- and B-side singles as bonus material. "It Must Be Love" (cover of Labi Siffre 1971 song) from Nov. '81 is an almost essential Madness song but it was only released as a single after the release of 7, hence otherwise only issued on compilation albums.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3 / 5 stars ]

Madness "Absolutely" (1980)

Absolutely
release date: Sep. 26, 1980
format: vinyl / cd (2000 remaster)
[album rate: 3,5 / 5] [3,68]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Stiff Records / Virgin (remaster) - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "Baggy Trousers" - 2. "Embarrassment" - 3. "E.R.N.I.E." - 4. "Close Escape" - 6. "On the Beat Pete" - 7. "Solid Gone" - 10. "Disappear" - 13. "You Said"

2nd studio album by Madness who has by now become a septet as regular associate / lyricist / contributor Cathal Smyth (more commonly known as Chas Smash) has joined the band on backing and co-lead vocals and trumpet. The album picks up the style established on the debut album with a slightly more polished production pointing towards a more mainstream audience without losing grip with the 2 Tone ska revival sound.
This album was my first acquisition with the band after having heard One Step Beyond..., and I always considered it a very fine album without being truly great. I do think my feelings about it only has increased making me think of it as yet another corner stone of British pop / rock music of the 1980s. Back in 1980, I think I thought of the band as being too silly, and certainly, even by comparing Madness to contemporaries like The Jam, The Clash, Siouxsie and The Banshees and Joy Division do seem like a bit silly; however, they unquestionably were among a handful of artist [which include Ian Dury, Toy Dolls, Undertones] who brought a [laugh and a] positivity into contemporary popular music, which was basically unheard of at the time.
The album fared quite well peaking at number #2 in the UK, and "Baggy Trousers" and "Embarrassment" reached number #3 and #4 respectively on the British singles chart making Madness one of the hottest names of popular music. Music critics were divided about the whole ska revival thing. Not surprisingly, the English press loved the band, although, some saw Absolutely as weaker and less raw than the debut, and the band sold well in the Netherlands, but the style wasn't embraced with the same enthusiasm on the other side of the Atlantic. Actually, far from it. Rolling Stone still rates it 1 / 5 stars and refers to another famous band of British ska revival from 2 Tone Records: The Specials, simply as 'not very good'. I guess something similar would've happened as British critics should review a new pure country album.
Anyway, the album is essential when speaking of the 1980s music.
I don't really think of it as a lesser work compared to the debut album. The only striking difference is an improvement in sound.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 3,5 / 5, Rolling Stone 1 / 5 stars ]

Madness "One Step Beyond..." (1979)

One Step Beyond... [debut]
release date: Oct. 26, 1979
format: cd (2000 remaster)
[album rate: 4 / 5] [3,78]
producer: Clive Langer, Alan Winstanley
label: Virgin Records - nationality: England, UK

Track highlights: 1. "One Step Beyond..." - 2. "My Girl" (4 / 5) - 4. "Believe Me" - 6. "The Prince" - 9. "Bed and Breakfast Man" - 13. "Mummy's Boy" - 14. "Madness"

Studio album debut (originally released on 2 Tone Records) by English band Madness - up until the recording and release of the album a sextet consisting of Graham McPherson [aka Suggs] on lead vocals, Mike Barson [aka Monsieur Barso] on keyboards, Chris Foreman [aka Chrissy Boy] on guitars, Mark Bedford [aka Bedders] on bass, Lee "Kix" Thompson on saxophones and backing vocals, and with Dan Woodgate [aka Woody] on drums and percussion. Seventh member Cathal Smyth [aka Chas Smash] takes part on the album and would formally join the band a few weeks after the album release. The band took its name from Jamaican ska artist Prince Buster's track "Madness", from his studio debut album I Feel the Spirit from 1963, Also the title track [original song] stems from a B-side single to the track "Al Capone" from '65 is by Prince Buster.
One Step Beyond... is the first in a long row of albums to be produced by the Clive Langer / Alan Winstanley team, who would later go on and work with artists such as Elvis Costello, Dexys Midnight Runners, They Might Be Giants, Morrissey, and David Bowie.
Stylistically, this is at the core of what would be known as 2 Tone, British ska or more precisely: ska revival as the style builds on the original 60s rocksteady and Jamaican ska, and also it's heavily inspired by British pub rock bands like Brinsley Schwarz, Kilburn & the High Roads, Eddie and the Hot Rods, and Ian Dury & The Blockheads. And British pub rock with its humour plays a central part in the music by Madness.
The track "The Prince" (by Lee Thompson) pays tribute to one of the original Jamaican ska artists Prince Buster (aka Cecil Bustamente Campbell) was a minor hit and the band's first single, which paved the way for a place on the [pre-MTV] TV show Top of the Pops.
The album is almost great as it contains some really classic songs of that particular period, and it's also made up of some minor fillers serving more as entertaining bits, but all in all it's a classic album, and a 'must-have' in any collection of modern pop music.
Highly recommendable.
[ allmusic.com 4,5 / 5, Mojo, Q Magazine 4 / 5, Rolling Stone 3,5 / 5 stars ]