Mad Not Mad

by Madness

Overview

This ironically peppy set of '80s pop would prove to be Madness' final studio album, and the band was clearly not in the best of moods while they recorded it. Their previous album had suffered the weakest chart showing of the band's career, and they had recently lost their founding father figure (keyboardist Mike Barson). They had left their record company, setting up their own "Zarjazz" label. Like the Beatles' Let It Be, this record has "One Last Stab" written all over it. The album opens with a bitingly overt declaration of the band's determination to hang on in the cynically mercurial music business ("I'll Compete") and concludes with one of many images of an inevitably approaching ending ("shivering to a halt...no one wants to speak too soon, although we all knew"). Several songs dwell on themes of transience and aging ("Time," "Yesterday's Men, "), and the title track openly broods over the sting of Barson's departure. The album almost seems to fortell its own lack of success. Its ultimate failure to reignite the group's popularity might be blamed on the slickly synthetic over-production. Clive Langer and Alan Wistanley occasionally strike an inspired balance between soulful pop and subtle reggae rythyms, but more often they replace the warmth of Barson's pianos with a cold emphasis on drum machines and synthesizers. Some of the songwriting, however, is on par with the band's most mature work, and the lively melodies lend a perfect irony to the band's wry social commentary and personal brooding. ~ Darryl Cater

Product Details

Release Date:	07/01/2022
Label:	Union Square Music
UPC:	4050538618808
Rank:	70897

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Madness   Primary Artist
Adrian Levine   Strings,Violin
Judd Lander   Harmonica
Bill Benham   Violin,Strings
Luis Jardim   Percussion
Steve Nieve   Keyboards
Lee Thompson   Saxophone
Roy Davies   Piano
Mark Bedford   Guitar (Bass)
Jimmy Helms   Vocals (Background)
Jimmy Thomas   Vocals (Background)
Jimmy Chambers   Vocals (Background)
Suggs   Vocals
Gary Barnacle   Horn
Rusen Gunes   Viola
David Bedford   Strings
Afrodiziak   Vocals (Background)
Cathal Smyth   Vocals (Background)
Basil Smart   Violin
Trevor Ford   Strings
Tom Morley   Drums,Computers
Dan Woodgate   Drums,Keyboards,Sequencing,Drum Sequencing
Belinda Blunt   Violin,Strings
Rupert Bawden   Viola
Christopher Foreman   Guitar
L.J. Thompson   Horn

Technical Credits

John Stoddart   Photography
Neal Foulds   Composer
Green Gartside   Composer
Lee Thompson   Composer
Mark Saunders   Producer,Assistant Producer,Associate Producer
Mark Bedford   Composer
McPherson   Composer
Suggs   Composer
Anton Corbijn   Photography
Alan Winstanley   Producer
Foreman   Composer
Clive Langer   Composer,Producer
Matt Howe   Producer,Assistant Producer,Associate Producer
Richard Sullivan   Producer,Assistant Producer,Associate Producer
Cathal Smyth   Composer
Simon Halfon   Design
Graham "Suggs" McPherson   Composer
Ian Wright   Illustrations
Dan Woodgate   Composer,Drum Programming
Carl "Chas Smash" Smyth   Composer
Clare Muller   Photography
Christopher Foreman   Composer
Chris Foreman   Composer