Madness
	Produced by Clive Langer and Alan Winstanley
	Released on 1983
	US CHART POSITION #41
	Find it at GEMM
GEFD-4003 cover [high resolution scan]

A house of a different color, as Geffen fused together hits past and present with half of the recent Madness Present The Rise And Fall. The result feels like an historically inaccurate greatest hits album. No matter, I suppose, since the whole purpose was to expose US audiences to newer songs like “Our House” and “Tomorrow’s Just Another Day” (the pair not coincidentally lead off the album). “Our House” became a big hit in the US, thanks in part to a fun video, and Geffen no doubt recouped their money on the repackage, so all’s well that ends well. But wait. Why not just release Madness Present... in the US? Or why not make this a proper compilation and leave off songs like “Blues Skinned Beast” and “Rise And Fall” for a “Baggy Trousers” or “One Step Beyond?” Instead, Geffen opted to ride in the middle of two lanes, in effect blocking the release of Rise And Fall while delaying a proper hits compilation in this country for more than a decade. That’s why the album gets an orange rating: for blocking as much good product as it delivers. Despite the distinctly English sound of Madness, songs like “Our House,” “Grey Day” and “It Must Be Love” should appeal to American ears. If you’re expecting more of “Our House,” however, let me show you the door. The opening moments of “Shut Up” and all of “Grey Day” will catch your ear, but the rest of the album is fussed-over English pop music that bears the Langer/Winstanley stamp of music-hall-gone-mad production. In fact, American pop fans might find more to tickle their fancy on Keep Moving, which did get an American distribution (thank you, “Our House”). As the highest-charting of Madness’ American releases, Madness (the album) deserves a place in the band’s honorable mentions, but ideally you’d have studiously collected the earlier imports.

GEFD-4003 lyric sleeve

TRACK LISTING

1. OUR HOUSE    (Carl Smyth/Christopher Foreman)    3:21
2. TOMORROW'S (JUST ANOTHER DAY)    (Carl Smyth/Michael Barson)    3:12
3. IT MUST BE LOVE    (Labi Siffre)    3:24
4. PRIMROSE HILL    (Graham McPherson/Christopher Foreman)    3:34
5. SHUT UP    (Graham McPherson/Christopher Foreman)    3:26
6. HOUSE OF FUN    (Michael Barson/Lee Thompson)    2:58
7. NIGHT BOAT TO CAIRO    (Graham McPherson/Michael Barson)    3:16
8. RISE AND FALL    (Graham McPherson/Christopher Foreman)    3:14
9. BLUE SKINNED BEAST    (Lee Thompson)    3:20
10. CARDIAC ARREST    (Carl Smyth/Christopher Foreman)    2:58
11. GREY DAY    (Michael Barson)    3:38
12. MADNESS (IS ALL IN THE MIND)    (Christopher Foreman)    2:52

CREDITS

MIKE BARSON -- keyboards
MARK BEDFORD -- bass
C.J. FOREMAN -- guitars
G. "SUGGS" McPHERSON -- vocals
CARL SMYTH -- vocals and trumpet
LEE THOMPSON - saxes
D.M. "WOODY" WOODGATE -- drums
David Bedford -- brass band and string arrangements
The Hendon Brass Band -- brass band (4)
Roy Moore -- arrangement (3)
Gregory Rose -- arrangement (7)
Richard Seireeni -- art direction
Moshe Brakha -- photography

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