(originally posted on Facebook)
The only song I definitely knew was by Madness is that "Our House" song that everyone in the 90s fell in love with at the tail end of ska's third-wave movement. Now three songs into The Rise and Fall, my first full-album Madness experience, I have to say it's a shame I misjudged Madness as "just another ska band". This being their fourth album maybe they started out that way, but The Rise and Fall is influenced by more than ska. I'd probably call it new-wave-baroque. Very grand, theatrical, and intricitly arranged but with a heavy tinge of cheesy 80s-ness. In this case that's not such a bad thing because there's very little synth. Most parts are played by real people with instruments. The variety of instruments and the changing beats and styles between the songs make for a pleasing listening. I could have done without the stereotypical New Delhi accents at the end of that one song. Seems kinda racist. Anyway I think I might have actually liked this album. What the hell, 4 stars.
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