Reviews (page 5 of 8)
Meh.
Boring, but it may be because the sound quality on You Tube is shit.
Argh, Madness, as a child in the UK in the 80s, this name is enough to elicit a primal reaction. It wasn't cool then, it's not cool now, and "Our House" is a poor cover of the CSNY classic, doesn't even use the same words or tempo...
our house ...lalala, auch sonst ganz nett
The album title describes the fluctuations within the album. Favorite Track: "Our House".
It's quite enjoyable. I'm glad I listened to it. But I don't feel the need to go out and buy it (I can't stream on Spotify, though I did find it on YouTube -- I see that this album was never released in the United States.) It's another "7 out of 10" that's good but that will get rounded down to 3 stars out of 5.
Bummed this wasn't on spotify for some reason. The youtube audio quality wasn't as good. But I was surprised by this album. Wish I could listen to it more easily.
This album only had 3 songs available on Spotify. I found a compilation album called “Madness” that contained all 3 available songs among others. I did enjoy it but I doubt I’d listen again.
A couple of good songs but the rest didn’t do much for me.
Had to stream this from YouTube since it’s not available on any other service in the US. Couldn’t stream it in the background - thanks YouTube :( Welp?! It wasn’t worth the effort. I would have liked the album, the songs were interesting at first. But that didn’t last long. Many of the songs sounded the same and it dragged on. What made that worse was not being able to skip ahead in the song. I ended up not listening to a few songs because they sounded like the previous song.
A huge disappointment after the first 3 albums. Only the hit song Our House rises above the rubbish.
Our House is ok, the rest are pretty bad
This seemed like pretty standard Madness. They are alright, not my favourite vibe though. Simpsons: No
Not for me
Found this one very boring wouldn't recommend it
I did not enjoy this at all and I thought I would. New Delhi was a choice, as was the album cover.
Not an album and it's fine
7/10
I've never been big on Madness except for the odd song. It's a very poppy version of Ska. The album is okay, but not anything special. 3/5
very cheeky
Meh....cept for the tune I knew. Spotify only played a few tunes....I didn't mind it being over quick.
Only 3 playable songs on this one, no good bit 3 stars on those
I could not find this album on Tidal, Apple Music, or Qobuz
Very well produced, just not really my style. The UK approach to vocals in a rather cheeky manner during this era is very grating to me. Listened to: on Amtrak to NYC. Favorite track: Tomorrow’s (Just Another Day)
Yeah it's a madness album, sounds EXACTLY how I thought it would. Meh
A goofy pop blend Saturated with brass horns And catchy lyrics
Shortest album ever??
Strong album
Quick
1 stern
I really thought I would like this more than I did.
It was fine but the best stuff is commonly played on the radio and the other stuff is noticeably less inspired
Fun but not really a relisten
Had to go to YouTube because for some reason Spotify only has a three song EP version of this? Get your shit together Spotify! And then practically every song was interrupted by ads? Get your shit together YouTube!! Solid album, though. Our House gets a five, but the entire package lands just shy of 4. 3.7
Not bad, but kind of forgettable.
Didn’t know who tf this was but lot of famous songs I knew very well, crazy
One extra star for the nostalgia of our house
Sort of fun but also quite mid and forgettable.
Its ok, parts are great, and others are not so. I like the range of instruments, but some of the piano parts are a bit bad. Favourite songs: Tomorrow's (just another day), primrose hill, our house, calling cards, house of fun. Overall around 6/10
En nyt oikein jaksanut noita vitsibiisejä. Our house on aina hauska ja hyvä, mutta torventöräyttelyt muualla oli liikaa. Mut jotenkin jaksoi silti tunnin kuunnella.
Tämä on parhaimmillaan kaikista toistelevimmillaan (Tomorrow's ja Our House, joista jälkimmäinen on neroutta). Yleissoundi on kuitenkin liian hupsu, liian Yellow Submarine yhdistettynä ska'han. Jään hieman skeptiseksi.
Pretty cool pop album
Really fun listen. Ska is not in my top genres but this was a nice diversion while I was working.
Geezer Pop. Not for me.
This isn't a poor album. But there' only so much you can take of the plodding music hall formula in one sitting. Madness were always at their best as a singles band. The perfectionism of Our House demonstrates this.
3,5/5 synes det er rigtig fint album. Kan godt lide lyden. De er åbenbart lidt komiske i deres tekster og lyd (ska?) lyd som er inspireret af jazz, carribean og alt muligt andet.
Yeah this was fine, the hits hit and the others are listenable
A lot of nostalgia for Madness as their greatest hits was one of the first albums I bought. Listening again after all this years was a bit of a struggle to be honest. Suggs vocals are pretty irritating and whilst they do have some catchy tunes (like our house) - it all feels a bit moronic and music for people who don't really like music. A very low 3
The Rise & Fall I used to love my cassette copy of the best of Madness when I was about 12. I have memories of playing Super Kick Off on my Game Gear while listening to it on my Sanyo walkman in the back of the car driving through France on holiday. They are definitely one of the best greatest hits bands, loads of excellent (and some not so excellent) singles, but I’ve never listened to one of their ‘proper’ albums. I know Suggs can divide opinion, and he’s not the greatest vocalist, but he is quite distinctive, he does give the songs some character and he does have some good lines and lyrics. It may be through familiarity but Tomorrow’s Just Another Day and Our House are the standouts, both excellent bits of pop music, with Tomorrow's Just Another Day’s sombre lyrics contrasting nicely with the upbeat chorus. But there are other decent songs too, Rise and Fall, Blue Skinned Beast, Sunday Morning, Tiptoes, That Face, Calling Cards. There’s a definite sense of maturity on many of the songs that falls outside the House of Fun Nutty Boys persona, and more influences on top of their core ska foundation, a fair bit of jazz and music hall in the piano in particular. The playing is good as well, the keys and piano underpin a lot of it and they can still create a nice lilting ska-style groove on most tracks, Tiptoe for example is great on this count. Not everything works though. I do not care for Madness (Is All in the Mind) at all, the jazziness feels overly confected and the whole thing is annoying. New Delhi is also a bit of an odd one - I actually like the groove and tune, but it doesn’t necessarily feel that sincere in its approximation of Indian sounds and instruments in the way that other songs by other people in that vein do. And the Indian accents in the outro sound quite jarring to modern ears It’s a solid album that’s very listenable. A couple of great tracks, a handful of decent ones and a few that miss the mark. I think that makes it mid-high 3. 💹➕🍂 Playlist submission: Our House
I read someone comparing this album to Village Green Preservation Society and Parklife - and it rightly takes it's place as a snapshot of English life at a particular time, sitting alongside those classics. 'Our House' has some of the most affecting melodies and lyrics ever committed to record. I love the way Rise and Fall just kicks straight into vocal. 'Tomorrow's Just Another Day' is one of my favourite Madness songs. 'Blue Skinned Beast' is pure pop until the unexpected chorus, tempo change, more in the minor key, fat piano hook - another barnstormer, and complete earworm. And there's more, although it does dip towards the end, depriving it of top marks. I have overlooked Indian accents and that cover 🫣
I actually really really liked this. Loved it honestly.
WOW WE HAVE A NEW REASON TO DING AN ALBUM A STAR, fucking, BROWNFACE, Justin Trudeau is in Madness. Jesus between this and the skinhead thing they’re on thin fucking ice. Anyway. It’s ska. It sucks. It’s hard to find. Every now and then something fun happens.
I knew it from back in the day. It seems kinder and gentler now. I enjoyed alot.
Very good album that took some looking for as it was not released in the US. Listened to it through YouTube which affected the sound quality but overall a really enjoyable album. Several of the tracks I had heard before, with some being on multiple playlists of mine. Our House is still one of my favorite songs from the early MYV era. The other songs are more diverse than the typical Madness songs that I have heard before. Very good listening. I was troubled by the cover with a white guy in blackface and appreciate that Amazon put a sticker over it more recently. I understand why the band thought it was funny and why the character is there but it didn’t age well and even in the early 80’s was known to be in bad taste for several decades at that point. Although at least in the US, I don’t think that people of non African descent were placed in a similar category as other people of color. As far as the music, I’d definitely recommend it and listen to it again multiple times.
One decent song and the rest is more annoying than good. 2 stars or D+ for me.
Good band from the 80’s till now. Some good songs to remember them by.
noniin kuunnellaas heti tänään ettei tarvi mennä historiaan laittamaan arvosteluja.. jahas mitä vittua. yksi hyvä biisi muu on jotain satunnaista höslinkiä.. Eastern influences - Kirjaimellisesti jokainen setä, täti ja lapsi tiellä tuijotti minua suu auki. En liioittele sanoessani, että näin 80-90 ihmistä kirjaimellisesti pysähtyvän ja kääntyvän katsomaan minua. Heidän tuomitsevat silmänsä jättivät ryömivän tunteen iholleni. Eikö Delhin ole tarkoitus olla tämän "supervallan" pääkaupunki? Eikö Delhin pitäisi olla "metropolitan" kaupunki? Voimmeko me intiaanit tehdä tämän vakavasti parhaiten? Harkitsen vakavasti muuttoa tämän yhden tapauksen perusteella. Koska katu on erilainen - kaikki on vieraita. Eniten sattui, kun tulin kotiin kaikkien heränneiden jälkeen. Vaimoni alkoi itkeä, kun kävelin taloon. Omat lapseni jäätyivät edelleen kauhusta. Isoäitini sai sydänkohtauksen ja kaatui lattialle. Lepää hänen sielunsa rauhassa. Intia ei ole turvallinen paikka kaljuuntuville keski-ikäisille miehille lähteä juoksemaan urheiluliiveissä ja saappaissa shortseissa. heh our house
Interesting, mostly fun, and worth a listen, but it doesn't have the craziness of One Step Beyond or the catchiness of Absolutely. Best: Our House (of course), Mr Speaker, Calling Cards. House of Fun comes up as a bonus track
couldn't even find it anywhere i could actually play it. And the couple songs i heard were nothing great. not sure what's so amazing about this album lol
Oh. Not much to comment on here. Didn’t really feel like an album at all. I knew of “Our House” thanks to the Sirius XM 80’s channel. Other than that small hint of nostalgia, this wasn’t memorable.
Only 3 songs is… interesting… Primrose is not very memorable, some cool riffs but for the most part just sounds like any British band. Our house has always been meh to me. It’s catchy but not in a good way. House of Fun is aptly named as the horns at the beginning made me think of a circus. And then it turns into a song that is very deliberately doing just that, again just not great. Kind of annoying. Glad this only took 9 minutes to get through.
The nice thing about such a short album is you can listen to it many times. Those key changes on Our House get me every time
The album itself is nice enough, but man what is this cover?
I didn’t mind this. It was kinda funky, but sometimes got circus-y and that was too much for me
Yeah this kinda sucks. There's a song in the beginning that reminds me of the MST3k theme though. And Our House. 2
This is some weird shit, but I can dig it. There's a lot of hate for this online, and if I was forced to listen to it on the radio or by my parents, I'd probably hate it too. But I wasn't, so I don't. 3.5 / 5 rounded up to 4 just to be cheeky. Was not expecting to hear "Our House", but also wasn't fully surprised by it either.
great album for a great band
My friend's a fan so I went into this expecting it to be good. I had only heard Our House prior to this and found the the other tracks were a fun listen, although borderline racist?
boring.
Interesting album. I’m not very familiar with this group, but it sounds like they put out a very experimental effort, which I appreciate. It’s about a 3 for me. Deduct a star for the racism sprinkled throughout, but add a star for the banger that is Our House. So 3 stars it remains.
This album is almost impossible to find in completion, but the big single was Our House. That says a lot.
"Our House" ist ja recht bekannt. Der Rest: naja
The conditions were ripe for one to become a pretty big Madness fan. “House of Fun” had a big impact when one first experienced on MTV – the revelation was that music could be this free, fun and wacky and still be cool. But then “Our House” felt too tame and sentimental and much less cool. (Interestingly, it sounds pretty decent today) Today, this doesn’t do a bunch, while being perfectly fine overall – “Are You Coming with Me?” is solid, eg. There are subtleties of range – bit of ska, bit of music hall, some vaguely Roxy Music vibes (“Sunday Morning”) – but only subtleties, with a net effect of one-notedness. Simply hasn’t aged as well as one might’ve thought.
Too british. Favorite track: Our House. Overall score: 4.6/10
Always a fun listen
Unfortunatly on 3 songs from this album are avaiable on spotify.
Had a hell of a time finding this album, apparently it was never released in the US. Anyway YouTube came through. I had no idea that the 80’s classic “Our House” came from this, but there it was. That’s obviously the highlight, but the rest was actually quite enjoyable as well. It’s a good 80’s new wave, synth, horn/ska time.
I don't really have much criticism of this. I just find it a bit light and jokey. Almost too nice. Maybe I'm just a miserablist. 3
Sucks you can't listen to this easily, had to resort to some random YouTube Playlist
I enjoyed it but it was far too long to justify how one tone the tracks were, as single songs every song is fantastic but as a whole experience, simply not my thing
Ton of fun. The album isn't very diverse but it works pretty well, expecially lived the instrumentals mixing pop and some jazzy influences, very unique
i liked crazy ska madness a bit more. whats up with the racist stuff?
Not my thing
2 stars. Nearly 3. Definitely a greatest hits band, and probably suffered cause ots mostly the hits I've heard.
I found little joy in listening to this album. Hearing "Our House" for the first time in about 10 years was kind of nice, like an oasis in the middle of a desert. This just felt weird all over the place. Very English. Not very cohesive in any way. I was glad when it was over. Unless an un-cohesive sound was what they were going for. If it was, then they succeeded.
This was fine. Not great, not bad.... Just fine.
Another good one! Didn't know any music of theirs besides Our House but this was a good album.
Whimsical pop, recognized Our House
only 3 of them are on spotify but that’s fine, probably best in small doses
While I love TuTone ska in general I've never been able to get into Madness, the well known songs (Our House, One Step Beyond, It Must Be Love etc) are solid as are a few other songs on this album but honestly? Madness basically makes the same song over and over again. They aren't as "ska" as bands like the Selector or the Specials. They have always felt like the sterilized "safe" version of ska. This album is no different, not bad but not all that good either.
I am a big fan of Ska, and one of my favorite Ska songs is one Madness covered and is emblematic of the genre for me (One Step Beyond). But that's where my affinity for Madness seems to end. This was dull. Not dirty enough. Dare I say closer to Pop than Ska (not literally Pop).
Love this, brilliant band of London lad musicians. Always have been a great band. Suggs is the best too.
"Our House" is the only song that works. The other songs are just not that interesting.
Meh it was alright. The whole album was only 9 min long. I had heard only one of them, Our House. But I didn’t know it was these guys that sung it. 2 stars.
I thought I liked Madness until I heard this album. Singles good. The rest is not.
Fantastic singles band, never made a great album, although One Step Beyond should be in ahead of this. Solid greatest hits.
This is so British you can hear the crooked teeth
"Our House" is clearly the standout track on this album. The rest of the tracks are almost aggressively bland and unremarkable.
Wesoły, zakręcony, kreatywny i swobodny. Wszystko czego człowiek potrzebuje, by poprawić sobie humor. Our House wielkim hitem bylł, jest i będzie, a kilka innych kawałków wcale nie zostaje w tyle. Czy ta płyta zmienia życie? Nie, ale na pewno czyni je nieco znośniejszym 7.5/10 równane w górę
boring
I must admit that I overlooked this album despite a growing fondness for Madness that I didn't necessarily have when they were at their height. I know a few of the songs, but I wasn’t prepared for such a powerful, mature, and thought-provoking collection. It’s like a loose concept album that explores childhood and London, similar in feel to the much later “The Liberty of Norton Folgate,” which I also enjoy. I’ve heard comparisons to the Kinks’ “Village Green Preservation Society,” and that makes sense. The humour in Madness’s singles is still present, and the album holds together remarkably well, with a level of sophistication that isn't necessarily gleaned from a casual listen to the band’s greatest hits, good though they undoubtedly are.
Our House sounds as good as ever. The album is fun & short.
So short but great!!!
Other than "Our House," this was super forgettable. A group of chimney sweeps playing toned down ska.
247/1001
i like madness because i have a soft spot for ska but they are definitely more of a singles band than an LP band. some great songs off this album though fav songs: house of fun, tiptoes, our house
Our house in the middle of our house.
It loses a star for Barso in blackface. Otherwise poignant, wistful and bouncy
Goofy mix of Ska, Music Hall, Jazz and New Wave. One of the most British albums out there. I will say "Our House" is catchy and much better than I thought, but the rest doesn't peak my interest". "The album is not on Spotify"
1.75
Don't love the black face on the cover, but the music iss undeniably catchy andd memorable. Fun album
This isn’t available in North America. Our House tho
Our house is still a jam. The rest is pretty meh & not worth being on this list.
Classic Madness tracks. Quality.
Pretty good, catchy.
Slightly disappointed if I'm being honest, because I do really like Madness. I love their style and what they're about, and they have some great hits. This album is a bit hit and miss for me. It is interesting, and has a variety of different styles, but not all the tracks are landing for me. Our House is SUCH a tune and is definitely the stand out. Spotify actually randomly skipped it on the playthrough, so I was really confused about how I could have worked through it and not noticed. The rest of the album doesn't hold up to that track unfortunately.
It's a funny coincidence that this album was generated back-to-back with The Village Green Preservation Society. Blur's Parklife came up only a few weeks ago. I like The Rise & Fall but I don't think it's as good as either of those albums.
Our house is the only song that i like. the rest is very English, It was like a musical film.
This band always makes me smile. I mean, aside from "Our House" and "It Must Be Love" which are two GREAT songs, they always seem to have a fun time. There was a lot of times I bopped my head during this album (and btw, why was this not on Spotify??). Some of the songs were a bit... out there. But, hey, it had "Our House" on it, so that's a plus. Top tracks: "Our House," "Tomorrow's (Just Another Day)", "That Face," "Callong Cards"
Fine, I guess. A little kooky, a little adventurous, a little varied in musical sounds, a little boring. For a ska band and album, they don't really push the boundaries as much as I expect for this genre. At least they got the only song from these guys I've ever heard of? (Our House) But I'm still not going back for more.
My reaction to each song - "this is ok." That pretty much sums up the album. A lot of tracks sounded almost like a soundtrack for Halloween (e.g., Tomorrow's Just Another Day and Mr. Speaker Gets the Word. Favorite tracks: Our House (mainly because I know it), Tomorrow's Just Another Day, Blue Skinned Beast.
The first album I’ve encountered on here that isn’t on streaming - had to goto YouTube for this one. But it was worth it! I’ve always like Our House because Dad introduced me to it, but never knew what album it came from. Overall a fun upbeat pleasant listen. Hopefully this gets added to streaming at some point so I can listen more often.
I wasn't too impressed with this album. I was about to stop listening mid-way and give it a 1 star until I hit 'My House'. That song made me listen to the remainder but it was really only ok.
eh. for a name like this i expected something wild.
I like madness, this was a bit conventional
Ska is good but way too long album.
AKA 'that album with the "Our House" song'. Some of these tracks are quite nutty, but overall it's a fun listen.
Fun 80’s Brit pop
Our house and two other songs. Very brief album
кажется мелодичнее чем ожидаешь от ска, но нельзя сосредоточиться на 28/30трековом альбоме и что-то осознать, понимание тонет в 10 версиях одной и той же песни
I actually liked this quite a bit. It was a fun little concept album that had good energy/vibes to the music. I was a little familiar with "Our House" but truly only in clips from a commercial maybe or a show? I'll look forward to a relisten for this.
Lots of spooky songs
2.5
Other than the ubiquitous hit, "Our House", the closing the closing track, "Madness (Is All In The Mind)" , and to a lesser extent "Tiptoes", (all of which are on side 2) this album is a total slog. The fact is that side one was actually a chore to sit through. I'm keeping this in the two star range. (4.7) ★★
The uttermost representative of Britishness in the 1980s. Not too high on ska-punk, but think it is done well here, and certainly enjoy quite a bit of this. 3.5 stars
"Our House" is good, but the rest is a little too British Granny Music for me. 2.5 Stars
3.5
No rising or falling, just a lot of ‘Midness’. House Of Fun is still a bop but really the only Madness record worth checking out is their Greatest Hits.
No way was I listening to a 1:45 hour compilation album, but I liked what I heard.
Was a time in my teenage years that I'd have counted Madness as one of my favourite bands. Those days are long, long past. They're excellent musicians, tight as a gnat's twat, and they did start to bring ska and two-tone to the UK. But their best works are straight up covers, and the "larf" attitude expressed in their music just doesn't quite feel right after all this time. I've met Suggs - twice - and he's a genuinely different from the stage persona, being more sober, less whimsical and actually a jolly decent seeming human. But I really can't listen to them anymore without thinking that I'd honestly prefer to be listening to either the British contemporaries like Bad Manners or The Specials - or even better, to Island acts like Prince Buster, the Skatellites. It's actually a bit of a shame because they're not a bad act - at all - it's just that I don't really dig them anymore.
Strange that this one isn't on Spotify, had to listen to the thing on YouTube. I actually don't mind Our House (maybe it's more nostalgia than anything else) but didn't really like the rest of it. I can't quite describe why I didn't like it, but this one just isn't for me.
Totally unremarkable
this seems pretty good i was enjoying the swinging and melodic semi-theatrical style but i didnt actually take a good look at the album cover until i was in the second half or so of the record and i was like Is That Fucking Blackface and then i just lost my whole train of thought for the rest of the album oops!
Didn’t listen to all of it since not on Spotify but I enjoyed what I heard.
Interesting
The album aged even worse than the cover art
Unavailable on Apple Music. Will revisit on YouTube.
Enjoyed this. Not an amazing album, but fun to listen to.
Lovely - takes me back. Some songs I'd not heard too. Madness really are one of a kind
I listened to this album a week ago and I remember nothing about it, probably would have the same reaction if I listened to it 30 minutes ago.
This was a fun album. I really enjoyed the old school feel. I think I might have given it 5 stars if I gave it another listen. Unfortunately it is not on spotify and I only have enough patience for one listen through on youtube.
Our House was the only familiar song to me. Didn’t particularly like the album but it wasn’t awful.
Oh this is BRITISH British. Highlights: Blue Skinned Beast, Primrose Hill, Mr. Speaker, Madness (Is All In The Mind) Nadir: New Delhi
Madness, and Suggs, were always firmly in that 80s irritating camp, but this record is surprisingly amazing. Their sound is dense and layered and you never know what's coming next, and Suggs' lyrics paint a colourful picture of London in the early 80s.
ironic...
As a child growing up in Britain in the 80s, Madness were a part of the cultural wallpaper. As I grew older they became the staple of office Christmas parties, where 50 year old sales managers would try and recapture their distant youth by doing the nutty boy dance to One Step Beyond or Baggy Trousers. As such, this has been my total exposure to Madness. This album is better and more nuanced than I thought it would be. The singles Our House and Tomorrow's (Just Another Day) are good, but they are not alone on this album. There is a lot to enjoy here, it's far better than I expected.
Love the ska elements. Some tracks were kinda confusing with their tempo and didn't fit in but the album was pretty good! Highlights: Rise and Fall Our House Tiptoes
Je pensais pas que Madness se taillerait une place dans la liste, mais jsuis bien content qu'ils soient inclus
No los conocía, pero me encantó.
No Bueno. Our house is the only saving grace but even that's not enough to make it a 2
Hated it, would have been 1* but for rise and fall and our house
Once went to a wedding where bunch of 40 year old blokes stormed round to our house with ties wrapped round there head. Put me off that song and the rest of this album is worse. To give them their due they’re distinctive and instantly recognisable, just not my cup of tea
Short album. Liked our house. Good variety. 3.5
Other than Our House, it kind of sucks...
I almost want to give this a 4 but I really don’t think I will listen again it seems to favor theme over music a bit too much. Our House great song.
For some reason only four songs from this album were available on Spotify, two of which I was familiar with since they were huge singles from the 80’s. I was enjoying all four songs and I’ll give the full album a listen in the future but for now I’ll rate what I’ve heard as a 3.5.
I've heard of Madness, and at times have experienced Madness, but this is my first listen. As I listen, I can't fit these guys into a particular box. At least, not on this album. A bit like The Clash, just different than any of their counterparts. Ah, wait, I've heard Our House... ok, yes. Good, catchy tune. I thoroughly enjoyed the song before it, though, Sunday Morning. That one is definitely a favorite. I'll give this a 4.
I remember seeing someone in the high school band always wearing a Madness shirt. When I asked about it, they were adamant that "Our House" was good, but the band was bigger and better than that. Today, I will find out. Three tracks in, I'm happy to hear all of the real instruments involved. The 80's involved alot of synth (to great effect at times), but this sound is more organic, and they have a real horn section! I especially like the horn feature on "Mr. Speaker (Gets The Word)," and I can see the appeal to a high school band member whose instrument isn't often found in radio songs outside of ska. The jazzy intervals of the "Sunday Morning" riff sounds like what plays behind a Tom & Jerry cartoon when Tom's trying to sneak up to Jerry. "Our House" is the most accessible song on the album and was rightly chosen as the single. The skill in writing and composition is evident throughout the album, but with changing tempos and sections of musical escapism, it's hard to settle into a groove with the album. "Are You Coming (With Me)" is probably the other most accessible song, this time with a jazz lean. This was a fun listen, and I haven't heard anything else on this list quite like it. The best experimental bands try new things but package them in an accessible way. (This is what made the Beatles so good; their ability to blend more sophisticated musical ideas like time signature changes into short and catchy songs ("Here Comes The Sun" for example)). Madness is good, but they tip the scales too much towards experimental and away from accessibility.
I was new to most of the material here, and while I feel like it was less Ska-flavored than I was expecting for a 2 Tone artist, it was still pretty enjoyable. As cliché as it is, the highlight for me was still "Our House." The energy of that intro can't be denied, and even though I've heard it a gazillion times, it's still a banger. This band was far, far bigger in the UK than they became in the us, and it was nice to have an opportunity for me to hear more from them.
The album was alright, the songs were enjoyable but not great or super interesting. 'Our House' stands out among the pack and is pretty well known around these parts. Unfortunately the rest of the album doesn't hit like that again. Maybe the lyrics are more interesting, but I somewhat forgot to listen to them because my attention wasn't held Standouts Rise and Fall Our House 3/5
Some bands are lucky enough to have their own "sound" and no other band could ever sound like them. Madness is one of those bands. No matter what song comes on and even if you've never heard it before, you know it's Madness and you also know that at the very least it'll make you happier. Wonderful stuff.
It's a fun enough album. Not the best in the world. But it DOES have Our House, and then there's a few more fun songs. Just a tad above average, I think
2. It's not unlistenable, just pretty much a slog. I like all their instruments and harmonies.
I know 'Our House' but every other song is a lil too goofy for me
3☆/5 09.26.2024
Ik heb een beetje een hekel aan ska, maar Madness is daarop wel een kleine uitzondering, die kan ik vaak redelijk goed hebben. Ik weet niet zeker of dit specifieke album echt onder ska valt, maargoed genrehokjes zijn voor mensen op het spectrum. Track 7 is 'Our House', het nummer wat bij mij specifieke herinneringen oproept aan Harry Vermegen die een rijtjeswoning van wc tot keuken compleet oranje ging inrichten, waarbij dit nummer altijd werd afgespeeld. De aanloop naar deze bekende track is een taaie. Ik weet niet precies wat ze aan het doen zijn, maar het is met vlagen een beetje antimuziek. Chaotisch kermistheater. En na de hit gaan we weer verder met dat soort niet zo veel zeggende tracks. Qua streamaantallen zie je ook een enorme kloof en dat is in dit geval wat mij betreft terecht. Ik vind dit niet zo'n heel sterk album. Eigenlijk staat er behalve 'Our House' geen enkel leuk nummer op. Ik ga voor 2 sterren.
90% Best: Rise And Fall; Tomorrow's (Just Another Day); Blue Skinned Beast; Primrose Hill; Mr Speaker (Gets The World); Sunday Morning; Our House; Tiptoes; That Face; Are You Coming (With Me); Madness (Is All In The Mind) Must-Hear? Yes
I didn't expect much from the band that gave us "Our House," a catchy one hit wonder type song I remember from early 80's teen-dom. But this has an enjoyable, intelligent pop sound, and the album is very even. Too bad it's not on Spotify, I had to listen to this one via YouTube. Another reason to give the band a break and round 'em up to 4.
This was a pleasant surprise! I wish I could've used Spotify to hear the entire thing, but I'll keep an eye out and do another listen. 3.5/5
Great songs, and quintessentially North London
Link went not to a full album, found the self-titled “Madness” had all the correct songs. Pretty good album with lots of layering, seems pretty underrated. I did know ‘Our House’ 3.5/5
A ska band trying to move beyond ska. I didn't really like it as much as I like their previous album, 7 probably because of that. Not as much upbeat fast tempo music but there were some great hits here like Our House and Madness
Why wasn't this ever released in US? We got a different album with same singles but different album tracks. This is better than that one, too. Madness is probably my #3 second wave ska band, behind Specials and English Beat. I bet they put on a helluva live show, but their albums don't have a lot of depth to them.
I enjoyed getting to listen to a band I've never really heard of before (although I definitely heard plenty of "Our House" on the radio), even if this isn't a particularly great or memorable album or band. Lots of effervescent pop sounds--I'm not sure why they're labeled ska, unless my understanding of "ska" is very flawed? ("Tiptoes" was the only track that seemed ska-like.) Outside of "Our house", I'm not sure there are many other tracks that were all that distinctive for me; maybe I'd call out "Tomorrow's (just another day)", "Mr Speaker gets the word", and the Talking-Heads-reminiscent "That face", plus the fun video for "Calling cards". (I really wanted to like "Blue skinned beast" given the political skewering of Thatcher, but the song got in the way of my enjoyment.) Although it's not nearly as cohesive or interesting, I can see why the "1001 Albums" editor likened this album to "The Kinks Are the Village Green Preservation Society", as there's a sort of snapshot element to many of the songs. And I *will* say this was substantially more interesting to listen to than, say "Simply Red" or "Pet Shop Boys" (who I feel like have some affinity to Madness).
At first I thought this must be the songs for a musical but I looked it up and realized they're just not very good songs. Nice finally know for sure who does the "Our House" (in the middle of the street) song, not the "Our House" (is a very very fine house) song.
I hate when albums aren't on Spotify. But at least this one had an official playlist from the band's YouTube page instead of being uploaded by some random dude who recorded it off a cassette. Those are always fun... As for the record - I'd only ever heard Our House before. And I don't really feel like I'm missing a whole lot. It was fine, nothing really stuck out and it wasn't bad. Just forgettable. It's...fine. But like others have said, what the hell is going on with the cover?!?! Yeah pretty sure blackface is not something you should showcase like that. 2/5.
Not bad, but I can see why Our House is the only enduring song they had
of a midwest princess?? oh mb it's just Madness.
This album is amazing. They have a really cool sound. The opening title track sets the tone - it's quite dark overall, focused on minor chords/scales, but with a very punchy upbeat rhythm and timbre (I think they're featuring a glockenspiel). That's just a winning combo for me. The CD overall maintains that theme pretty consistently, but with enough diversity in sound to keep it interesting. They've got a lot of voices on here - horns, lots of backing vocals, lots of keys, on top of the standard rock palette. They're also not at all afraid to try stuff - witness the jarring breaks between the major and minor segments on "Blue Skinned Beast". And you see a lot of experimentation with rhythm and meter, e.g. on "Sunday Morning", it's borderline prog. The most complete song might be "Our House", which I had actually heard before (but had not recalled the name of the band). It really puts all the pieces together - wonderful and prominent backing vocals, a fun upbeat singalong chorus (complete with a set of jarring key changes towards the end), and super-abrupt changes between the very minor verses and the major chorus. This album really blew me away, having never heard of the band before. Their main limitation is the singer isn't very good, but the best way to cover for that is with a wide range of instrumental voices and/or backing vocals picking up the slack, and they do that in spades. Note that this album is not on Spotify in its entirety, only one or two songs are on there. Total shame.
A painful reminder that life is also suffering. 1.5
Interesting hotchpotch of vaudeville, ska, jazz, cockney music hall. Tomorrow’s Just Another Day and Our House are the big hitters but the latter’s chorus irritates the hell out of me especially with those fake key changes. Stephen Thomas Erlewine compared it to The Kinks’ The Village Green Preservation Society (at least in concept) but that’s a real stretch. In truth it’s a little rambling and unfocused musically for me to be ranked in the top tier
Quirky original, and sometimes dark 80s new wave Brit pop that has big instrumentation and lots of clever writing.
I actually quite enjoyed this album. It was pretty unknown to me but I enjoyed this album as if I already knew them really well. My enjoyment obviously peaked at Our House which never fails to put me in a good mood.
Jovial and hopping fun but overplayed and too rhythmically standard for my taste
Hey it's that our house song!
give me back my cigarettes and a stench of hate you can keep the furniture with the dust on the shelf three kids in the chimney and a spark in there as well car parked in the forest dont want anyone to stare burn down the whole hotel, release me release me
Love a good, short-album. This has fun and good hooks. Along with a massive 80s hit.
When I was a kid growing up in the 80s a new song (and video) from the ‘Nutty Boys’ was always a treat, but I’ve never listened to a whole album. On this, their fourth album, they find a different tone, delving into nostalgia for childhood and family life, and tackling darker topics like depression and the aftermath of the Falklands War. This was originally a concept album but it drifted slightly (and let’s not mention the misstep of New Delhi and the cover)
This is pretty OK; I like the atmosphere of the album, that is a mixture of joy (it's ska after all) and nostalgia/melancholy. It's pretty diverse too. But if I can see its qualities, I'm not really fond of the result and if the production is good, it sounds a bit dated nonetheless.
Our House still catchy as hell....but seems like this is a one-hit wonder band.
really like our house
Always thought I didn’t like madness due to the baggy trosuers song. This album was much better than I expected, worthy of this list.
Our house in the middle of the street and some other interesting sounds from eclectic styles actually
Where has this record been? I knew several of the songs, but the record as a whole is simply wonderful. the entire thing is not on my streaming service so I had to track down each individual song, but it was worth it.
Bizarre. Their whole thing has become ‘yer uncle loves these guys live and has seen them 87 times’ but listening to this I can’t imagine anyone thinking it’d be a vibrant live experience, it comes across as very low energy as if Suggs is sitting on a stool knackered going through the motions. I was expecting it to be quite formulaic but some of the music is actually quite interesting in a ‘Jolly ironic haunting’ kind of way. Removing Suggs sluggish nature and this was really good
Power Pop from Britain at its best. This is fine, fun music.
The confidence of “Our House” is immediate and convincing: next to the rest of this amiable album, this declares itself the hit. The rest is fine, thoughtful and not without hummables, but don’t demand my attention. “New Delhi” brings the cringe.
Like The Specials, Madness were popular with the big, scary boys so I never really got into them (I'm still a bit wary of "House of Fun"). This is pretty good, killer singles and diverse, tuneful other tracks, worth the effort it took to find online. I still don't love em, though, a bit samey and not as inventive as their Kinks forebears
The Rise and Fall has a few Madness classics that make some of the other tracks seem like filler. It's still a fun listen though.
Loveeee. Works so well for me. I like how it sounds and the themes it explores. 5 and will revisit
****A great fun album. Totally enjoyed
4.5
I was tired of the britishness by the time the 3rd song finished Standout: Our House
Boooooooring. Also, its has a shady background (and cover)
Quite enjoyable English pop ska. Will seek out future listens.
Conflicted. Grew up with Madness, one of the earliest bands I paid attention to. But can't fight the feeling the best Madness album is "the best of Madness" or whatever. You don't often think of Madness album tracks do you. Plus I kind of feel oddly racist listening to this lol. It does feel Brexitty. It also feels oddly thin, listening in 2024. I do enjoy the oddly melancholy sound to many of the tracks. Album gets seriously flabby towards the end.
Fun tunes, but a few songs is enough
It’s nice but I do realise there’s a reason I heard of them before but never really listened to them
Has some addicitive tunes, but did not impress me enough to get a higher score.
Great vibe
Huge hit in Our House. They added like 5 versions of this song to the album. The rest of the songs sound very similar. Okay listen but will not return. 3/5
Fun album, actually exciting in a way that the band members made it clear they love what they do; and are good at it. 3.4
Great Madness album, still like it a lot.
I like the jumpiness and cheerfulness, the occasional melancholy as well, and this is a overall a very coherent album.
Ok nothing special
Thank you fellow reviewers for making me notice the blackface on the cover, wtf. Kind of a fun album, said ska but not what I expected.
Not their best, other than 2 tracks not a patch on the energy of their first 2 albums that are classics
what a quirky little band they are
Just great music
Strange and wild. Full of off beat vibes.
Rating: 3.5/10 My House saves this from being one star, what a slog to get through. Overall incredibly derivative and boring.
Unapologetically British, albeit sometimes painfully so. Fun shit. Madness is def one of the stranger groups in that late 70s/early 80s aka scene. Pretty playful and weird in a fun way. Feels like it would score an 80s comedy starring a Brit version of judge reinhold where he ends up randomly going in and out of an un-explained cartoon universe Fav tracks: Rise and fall and Primrose hill
Delightful. A new wave Village Green Preservation Society.
Too short of an album
Wasn’t able to listen to this whole album as it was not released in the US, but have always been a fan
Stuck between 3 and 4 for this one but I've been rounding up so 4 it is! Really fun album.
It was alright. I liked their sound. Our House is the obvious highlight.
3.4
Went downhill pretty fast after Our House.
Not my thing
'Our House' is obviously the banger single, but outside of that there isn't a weak song in the tracklist. They had some great songwriting abilities, fun basslines all over this thing, the horns add so much as always. Like the jazzier closing song too, great stuff overall.
Is there a more successful UK band in the UK outside of The Beatles? Go ahead, I'll wait. The record of Madness is amazing. 15 out of their first 17 singles went top 10 in the UK - 33 Top 40 hits all time. All but one of their 13 studio albums went Top 20 (9 Top 10's, 6 Top 5), and their latest release in 2023 was their first #1. WTF? This would be the 4th and last of what most would call their classic records with \"silly fun songs\". Some classic songs, but mixed in with a lot of songs that probably came from cranking out 4 albums in 4 years and initially trying a \"concept\" album. The boys grew up.
Sound good, but listened to it before the weekend, and two days later can't remember a thing from it, except singles
I don't like Ska. Madness are a gimmick band. Every song is like a theme tune for a slapstick villain.
Madness.
When it comes to hit songs, “Our House” has always been one of my top tracks. Beyond that, the only other Madness song I knew was “One Step Beyond,” which I found incredibly annoying. It led me to believe they were a one-hit wonder, especially since ska has never been my favorite genre. However, after giving “The Rise & Fall” and their 2009 album a listen, I’m pleasantly surprised by how much I enjoyed their music. I don’t know what their other albums sound like, but if they’re anything like these two, I’m excited to check out more.
a não cara...que coisa ruim. É um men at work sem a parte boa. Uma tentativa de ser tudo ao mesmo tempo, sem estilo definido. bem ruim. Sem graça, música de filme. De "madness" essa banda aí não tem nada.... é bem "normal"...
This album was really, really fun. Reminds me of The Beatles or ELO with all the unique sounds and intruments that show up, but certainly with an 80s twist. Rise and Fall is a good example of instrumentation, chord progression, and tenpo work thay just stands out against a sea of pop. Ironically, Our House is the poppiest and most time tested song here, but I think there are much more interesting songs here.
Meh. Inoffensive, but inessential. No desire to ever hear it again. 2.5/5
This had some good moments, even some jazzy parts, but overall it was too poppy for me…
started off funky and nice and for the first 3/4 songs it was nice then it got boring and by new delhi it was Bad.
I think I’ll stick to the Greatest Hits. That would be a 5
Rise and Fall 3 Tomorrow's (Just Another Day) 3.1 Blue Skinned Beast 2.8 Primrose Hill 3 Mr. Speaker (Gets the Word) 3.2 Sunday Morning 3.2 Our House 3.4 Tiptoes 3 New Delhi 2.9 That Face 3 Calling Cards 2.9 Are You Coming (With Me) 3.1 Madness (Is All in the Mind) 3.3 Score: 3.069230769
One of those with one absolutely great song, and a lot of filler. Glad I listened to it but will not put this on regular rotation.
I've gotten a few Madness records on this list, and found their move from ska to ska-tinged pop (which, being honest, comes across more jazzy than anything) interesting. It's not music I enjoy, but it's not music I find offensive. The topics covered (and sounds) in this one even stretch this record to what someone might call an early brit-pop record, i.e. the monotony of suburban living. It's fine, nothing I'm over the moon about, however. Favorite tracks: "Tiptoes", "Calling Cards"
Madness er fjörug hljómsveit. Smá ska. Smá hressleiki. Ég hef hlustað af og til á eitt og eitt lag en aldrei heila plötu. Þetta var reyndar ekki heil plat heldur. Höfundaréttur kom í veg fyrir það. Það virðist samt vera á viðbótarlögum sérstakrar útgáfu frekar en sjálfri plötunni þannig að ég dreg ekki jafnmikið niður.
What?! That’s it? Thirteen minutes of music? Dang, I was liking this, too. I could have gone for a few more songs.
"Our house, in the middle of the street"
misschien iets minder nutty dan we gewoon zijn van the nutty boys, maar de muziek blijft dansbaar, ook al zijn teksten soms wat serieuzer/nostalgischer... een plaatje dat misschien een beetje moet groeien, maar een zeer sterke
es goht afoch los ohni nüt irgendwie. afoch go. sie sind d our house boys und de song tönt au so. blöser, snare uf jede schlag wenn nöd achtel, parallel zweistimmig, trocheni chorus gitarre. tönt geil. tommorrows just another day au no geil. blue skinned beast chan au öppis, nostalgischer und denn weirde bridge teil? isch da de refrain? funny. saxophon chli frank vibes (aso afoch chli goofy) mit de ziit. primrose hill isch bitz zirkusmusig, aber sehr guet arrangierti blöser herr redber au wieder sehr goofy aber au dark? rieese arrangement? sundig morge funny rhythmus? ich ha chli s gfühl wennd nöd us england bisch cheggsch das album nöd ganz. our house absolut verdienterwiis sonen hit. riesig. sooo viel hooks. tiptoes wieder sehr goofy ass aber no herzig. diese gesicht wieder chli meh hooks aber sie sind weniger popsong struktur als ich denkt han. s klavier isch extreeem geil. calling cards nervt mi etz es bitz? find ihren sound uf ziit nld soo geil.
noaml kenni nur our house aber mal luege es seg eis vo ihrne experimentelkste albe? ok die erste 2 lieder sind na funny aber hauet mi jz nöd um hmm ich finds ah sich cool mite blöser und de taktwechsel hie und da aber hautmi nüt us de socke mr. speaker het ener gnervt iwie ischs komisch, es sind klar anderi lieder, aber das klavier tönt immer chli glich und es isch jz öppe ide hälfti chli langwilig aso ozr house isch halt eifach en riese bop aber de rest findi echt rechr langwilig leider puh ja es zieht sich chli are you coming with me isch na cool madness findi eig no en coole closener. joa ohni our house würds glaub es 2 geh, sorry drei
Great music
Ahhhhhh.....Madness. I preferred their first album when they were a proper English Ska band. This isn't Ska, or even New Wave but P.O.P........(yes you read that right) Still, it's inventive Pop and a fun listen. Plus it's the only Madness on here and at least one album should make it.........I would give it 3 but on those lines it's a 5
The album cover is a red flag that this is not good. Half a song in and that snap judgement is proving absolutely spot on. New Wave or ska or whatever this is, it is awful. The early 80s were truly the nadir of modern popular music. This is like if the Clash were the worst band ever or like a cross between early Beatles and UB40. These guys make the Mighty Mighty Bosstones sound like Megadeth. Come on with the horns. This album is an early contender for the worst album in this project. Every song is like a new exercise in how annoying a throwback sound can be, in Mr. Speaker (Gets the Word)'s case, it's the barroom piano. This is the first album that's been so bad I'm questioning whether or not I'll be able to finish it. Our House...I didn't know they did this song and I'm sure it's their biggest hit, New Wave Ob-La-Di, Ob-La-Da. It gets worse (Are You Coming (With Me) is one of the worst songs I've ever heard. Thank God it's over.
I don’t think the full album is on Spotify so I’m sorry that I didn’t seek out all of it. Kinda cool, I liked when our house came on because I didn’t know it was these guys, the rest a kinda Todd rundgren fun house? Not bad I’d say
mal so mal so
No need for all the 12" versions, instrumentals, live cuts and remixes - a point off for that! The album itself is great though - right on the boundary between pop and serious music and any album with Our House - which contains one of my favourite lines in any song (the kids are playing up downstairs) - is fine by me!
I really wanted to like The Rise & Fall but it's really just Our House and then none of the other stuff that made Madness good or fun. It's too experimental, too morose in its delivery, camp but not camp enough to enjoy, and yeah, they have better work. 2. Also there's blackface on that album cover and I don't care to hear the explanation for why that happened.
This is too twee to really be taken seriously, and not fun enough to be a properly fun album. It's much more downbeat in the most part than what Madness are really known for. I don't see a particular reason to revisit this, it's catchy in places (too few) but really falls short of being memorable. Stick to the singles, 2/5.
Perfect
2 - This was so bad. Our house is good, but not great. The rest is just dross
I've always thought that I don't like Madness, and I still don't really like Madness, but I didn't find this album annoying as I do some of their most famous hits. Speaking of which, Our House is a quite undeniable bop. Fave Tracks: Our House 2.7/5
A bit tedious
SKA DEFINES WHO I AM AS A PERSON AND I WILL NEVER TURN MY BACK ON SKA
sorry suggs
Hard to believe a band with so many members results in such a thin sound. "Our house" bumped up the rating, if not for that it would have been probably a 1.
Quality Madness. Not their most mainstream work and a few of these songs we didn't know, but we really enjoyed this. They're a very cheery band.
Our house in the middle of our street...3/5
It's Madness. does exactly what you'd expect. Some great tunes but mostly goes by without much to note.
Do people actually enjoy listening to music like this? It sounds like circus music for handicapped people
Un toque de alegria y marcha muy refrescante.
Listened to a fair amount of ska in HS but other than Our House I didn’t know this album. I like the cheerful upbeat-ness of it and love the horns! But I can’t get over the blackface on the cover, which thankfully I don’t get on the streaming version of the album. I’m wavering between a 2 and a 3. But before I logged on today, I could not for the life of me recollect the album. So I guess it’s a 2.
Of the 80’s ska bands that made it, these guys probably hit the highest chart peak. Certainly weren’t the best in my opinion. Specials, The Beat, and The Selecter were all the real shit, while the “Our House” boys sold their precious souls for cash. Trite little tunes of 80’s joy. No harm, no foul. Just a bit boring. Go spin Too Much Pressure. Boom!
Rubbish. Not sure why the kept going. 2/5
Good time for sure. There is some interesting stuff and Our House is an 80s standard.
Madness undoubtedly have an iconic sound, however, completely insufferable to listen to as a full album. They are a band that’s made for random singles, they don’t have much to offer in large doses.
meh i like our house that's it
This was a rough one for me 😅 The music itself is interesting, very 80s with the loud drums and synth sounds. Makes me wanna roll up the sleeves on my sports coat 😎 But just about every song makes me think of kids cartoons, like Ghostbusters or Goosebumps 😂 I feel like the Cryptkeeper is gonna start laughing at any second. Some songs are just odd, like New Dehli and Tiptoes. Most songs seem to be about memory, what used to be and how. Their most well known hit, Our House, speaks of a childhood that seems so foreign to me but not unknown. It's very much not something I'd listen to on my own.
One of the better albums of that Genre.
I really like this album -- "Our House," of course, but most of the other songs too. They're catchy and fun, and I'd be happy to listen again.
pleasant enough. not sure if this is groundbreaking or unique in any way...decent but forgettable.
I had many of these songs on my Madness compilation tape from 1983, which was one of my favorites at the time. I really enjoyed hearing them again (It's been a long time!) as well as the rest of the content that I'd never heard before. Of course the song and video for "Our House" were favorites. This was very much fun!
I did very much enjoy this Madness sound.
I like their fun vibe and my enjoyment increased as the album progressed.
“Our House” is one of my favorite 80’s tunes… but this album was unknown to me (not surprising, since you can’t get it in the US even today - at least through traditional streaming channels). While I liked the rest of the album well enough, I felt a little disappointed. “Our House” seemed head-and-shoulders above the other tracks. The rest was alright.
If brexit was an album
Fun
Pretty solid album. First two stand out, as well as Our House. Rest I could do without, but they are cool and short.
Our house goes hard but the rest pretty mid 3.5 leaning 3
solid album with some bangers