Madness
Suggs(Graham McPherson) Vocals
Barso (Mike Barson) Keyboards
Chrissy Boy (Chris Foreman) Guitar
Bedders (Mark Bedford) Bass
El Thommo (Lee Thompson) Sax, Vocals
Woody(Dan Woodgate) Drums
Chas Smash(Carl Smyth) Backing Vocals, Dances, Trumpet
Intro
I never see any Madness reviews by web reviewers. They're too busy wacking off to Yes records anyway.
Madness is a late 70's/Early 80's Two Tone Ska Band. A style of Jamacian R&B in the late 50's/Early 60's before reggae. Combining Ska with a mix of New Wave and old-school R&B. They created a sort of a "nutty" ska sound. Influencing shitloads of crappy Ska-Punk bands
. Their only hit in the USA was "Our House", but in the Uk. They were one of the biggest singles acts in the 80's.
One Step Beyond 1979
Best: One Step Beyond, Night Boat to Cairo, In the Middle of the Night
Worst: Chipmunks are go
Grade: A
None of these guys are great musicians and Suggsy sings in a Cockney accent. But these guys have a knack for writing melodies. Most of the lyrics are about life in the UK, some are about other wierd stuff. Anyways, they start off with a Instrumental "One Step Beyond" that just makes you want to dance. "Night Boat to Cairo" is probally their best song ever(next to Our House) with a kick-ass Horn intro to start and neat string arrangments at the end, "Land of Hope and Glory" is like a drill song with a bluesy guitar riff in the middle,"In the Middle of the Night" just hooks you in with great melodies, "Rockin in Aminor" is a a "nutty" cover a surf tune(I think). The only stinkers in this album are the Chas Smash written tunes "Tarzan Nut's" and "Chipmunks are Go" which drags this album from being perfect. This is a great start by a great band.
Absolutley 1980
Best: Overdone, You Said,
Worst: Solid Gone
Grade:A
Madness gets less nuttier in this album. The lyrics are more serious, and there less danceable tunes on this album. The rhythm section reallly stands out here. They mess around with funk "Close Escape" , rockabilly "Solid Gone"(Which is a funny as fuck ripoff of Elvis "Hartbreak Hotel"), 50's stlye slow dance "Return of the Los Palmas", and slower tempo reggae "Not Home Today". "Baggy Trousers" and "Embarrassment" Suggs is mumbling about school life. "Overdone" is a fuckin awesome funky ballad about child abuse with awesome piano solo by Barson. There is still some great "nutty" ska. "You Said", "In the Rain", "Shadow of Fear". And Chas Smash still can't write a damn tune. But this is another great album.
2 1981
Best: Shut Up, Mrs. Hutchenson, Grey Day
Worst: There's no stinker here
Grade: A+
This album is almost entirely keyboard pop. But its damn good keyboard pop! The Ska influence is almost entirely gone, while Barson's Keyboards and Thommpson's Sax are dominate here. Chas Smash finally co-writes a good song in "Cardiac Arrest." "Shut Up" is another great mid-tempo piano song with a good sitar solo by Foreman in the middle. Barson writes a silly "Mrs. Hutchenson" with hilarious lyrics. Thompson writes or co-writes the entire second side. Foreman cranks the distorion some in the ballad "Grey Day". "Benny the Bullfrog" is funny as fuck. Suggs commentates about English life on on the final song "Day on the town". 7 is hated by most Madness fans, because there's no ska. But Madness is maturing into a great pop band.
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