New Madness Record Imminent!

I know, another bit of ska news from Mojo (hey, they are one of the few mainstream publications reporting on ska, so what am I gonna do? And the ska scene is hot in the UK right now...), but their August 2008 issue (with Nirvana on the cover) is reporting that Madness will be releasing a new studio album this September! Titled The Liberty of Norton Folgate, and produced by Clive Langer (who along with Alan Winstanley produced many of their previous albums, including the extraordinary and essential One Step Beyond), it's being billed as a concept album, a la Sgt. Pepper's, about the "semi-autobiographical, metaphysical history of London...a city born of blood, mud and immigrant." Something about the memories of events in that city's long and storied history being carried in its very stones. Okay. (Are you putting us on?)

Suggs does assure the reader that the record "get[s] back to the classic Madness pop-reggae sound."

All in all, I'm intrigued and can't wait to hear it.

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Also of note, all members of The Specials (except Neville Staple, who was prevented from attending by travel delays) showed up at Mojo's annual music awards ceremony to receive The Mojo Hall of Fame Award, which was presented to them by Dennis Alcapone(!). There is a lovely testimony to the band written by the Mojo staff, if you can snag a copy of this mag to read...