- Artist: Madness
- Title: Madness
- Year: 1983
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 10
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: 1983 – Kempmill Records in Springfield, VA.
- Keeper: Yes
I’m not sure what the deal is with this self-titled Madness album. Mary thinks it was a US-only release that the label put out after the single “Our House” was a hit everywhere else. Before that tune nobody in the US knew who Madness were. Nobody, except the cool kids that is. It includes songs from their first four records. Anyhow, I couldn’t find any info about it on the official Madness site or Wikipedia’s page about Madness.
I like everything on this record, but I think my favorite is “Grey Day.” The piano, bass and concert chimes together sound so heavy.
“Madness is all in the mind.”
- Artist: Madness
- Title: Absolutely
- Year: 1980
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 10
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: 1982 ? – Olsson’s in Georgetown, DC.
- Keeper: Yes
Yesterday the packing tornado ripped the turntable out of my sweaty hands and it’s about consume this keyboard. The moving truck comes tomorrow morning, and what’s not already in a box will be shortly. But, yes, I did in fact play the records I hope to log over the next week in flurry of rock and roll yesterday.
Today is an “M” day. Madness, the band, strikes again. They’re always popular at our house, no pun intended. This record, “Absolutely”, has the super-fun-hit-that-everybody-knows… “Baggy Trousers.” On matters of Madness I always defer to Mary.
Me: What would you rate this?
Mary: A 10.
Me: “Absolutely”?
Mary: It’s Madness!
Not sure I like it as much as “One Step Beyond”, but she has a point. It is Madness.
- Artist: Madness
- Title: One Step Beyond…
- Year: 1979
- Format: Vinyl 12 in.
- Rating (1-10): 10
- Owner: Mary
- Acquired: 1981 ? – Unknown origin.
- Keeper: Yes
Madness in general, and the album “One Step Beyond…” in particular is at the top of everyone’s list of favorite music in our house. Everything on here is a hit in some way. “One Step Beyond”, “Night Boat To Cairo”, “The Prince”, the greatest ska version of “Swan Lake” ever recorded, and my favorite, “Bed & Breakfast Man.” B&B is a complete tease with verse after verse until they finally give up the chorus one glorious time at the very end. Excellent album and we play it all the time. More about Madness.
