Madness: The Liberty of Norton Folgate

In addition to a short interview with Suggs (as well as a feature on Island Records' 50th anniversary and a piece on Chris Blackwell that I haven't had the chance to read yet), the June 2009 issue of Mojo gives the new Madness album, The Liberty of Norton Folgate (Lucky Seven Records), four out of four stars. The rave review by Ian Harrison is as follows...

Thirty Years into their career, the Nutty Boys write a love letter to London. You can't accuse Madness of overdoing it; this is only their second album of all-new material since 1985's Mad Not Mad. Thankfully it was worth the wait. Named for a corner of the City of London that was legally autonomous until 1900, it's a themed, time-shifting salute to the capital in all of its infinite variety. Using the familiar pop-reggae sound of yore with singer Suggs, in tragi-comedian mood, it energetically represents the band's sombre, complicated side that doesn't always show at the hit-packed live gigs. In these songs marriages fail, things get worse as you get older and joys are fleeting, but it's depth not length that count in time, and ultimately, as on the blissful escape of Africa and the mystic title track's astonishment at a city "sprung up from the dark mud of the Thames," the results are uplifting. Still totally themselves, Madness have made the album of their career.

The Liberty of Norton Folgate will be available as an import in the US on May 19 through Amazon and other fine retailers.

Here's the first single from the album, "Dust Devil" (which is available as a 7", 10", CD single, and download on May 11th)...



And here's the band on Later with Jools Holland doing the same cut...



All of this kind of makes you wonder what all the fuss is about regarding The Specials "reunion" tour, right? The Nutty Boys at least had the decency to show up for the 30th anniversary festivities with (great) new material in hand.