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analysis w/e 14.5.11 |
DVDs out 9.5.11 |
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@ DVDfever Youtube |
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May 11 2011 
DVDfever co uk
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More nuttiness from... the "Nutty Boys". Madness have always been the ultimate bloke band, and now they get a comprehensive hits – 21 and two album tracks. This album reminds us of the pop force they were in the late 70s and early 80s with a string of happy-go-lucky tunes that brought joyous Bedlam onto the dance floor of nightclubs and parties. Their music was totally infectious and from personal memories of DJing at time they brought a smile to everybody’s faces with their Ska infused energy. The Camden lads were regulars on Top Of The Pops which helped them sell in excess of six million singles. After starting out as The North London Invaders, then The Invaders, Morris And The Minors, they eventually settled on Madness, paying homage to the song by Ska-Reggae artist Prince Buster, with their UK debut single being called Prince , which made 16 on the British charts. For the next two years (Nov ’79 – Dec ’81) they were unstoppable, never failing to make the Top 10, starting with One Step Beyond up to and including It Must be Love. Sandwiched were classics My Girl, Baggy Trousers, and Embarrassment. In a 1979 article, Chris Foreman predicted the band’s music would move with the times and change style as they moved on. Album wise, unlike the first two album, their third 7 signalled the change, with Suggs’ Cockney accent less pronounced. 7 had a much popier sound which may well have alienated their hardcore fans.
At the beginning of 1982, they had a blip with Cardiac Arrest (#14) but three months later they bounced back with their only chart topper House Of Fun. Then came some of their best known songs – Driving In My Car, and Our House. Madness’s Top 10 domination began to wane with Michael Caine (#11 in 1984) their first outside since Cardiac Arrest, which signalled their decline as hit factory. There was one great song One Better Day a sumptuous, sophisticated and mature gem in the same year. A re-issue of It Must Be Love in 1992 reached the Top Ten at #6, soon followed by House Of Fun’s reissue peaking at a lowly #40, by which time the game was effectively up. Between 1993 and 1999 they were nowhere to be seen, then they resurfaced with and more expanded sound – strings boosted - for Lovestruck. They ended their chart love affair with Drip Fed Fred in 2000, not included here. In 2009 they remerged again with The Liberty Of Norton Folgate which hit number 5. This year they’ve become popular all over again with a Pyramid Stage stint at Glastonbury. The verdict – Madness gladness.
Weblinks: madness.co.uk(for 2009 tour info) / myspace.com/madnessofficial (Audio clips and videos)
The full list of tracks included are :
As of April 2009, Blu-rays and DVDs reviewed by the editor are watched on a Panasonic TH-37PX80B 37" Plasma TV with a Sony BDP-1500 Blu-ray player and played through a Yamaha DSP-AX820 amplifier. PC games reviewed by the editor are on:
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Review & concert pics copyright © Elly Roberts, 2004-2010.
