Post by petchy on Nov 16, 2012 4:15:05 GMT
A review of Oui Oui etc from Ramp.ie
ramp.ie/index.php/Album-detail/album-review-madness-oui-oui-si-si-ja-ja-da-da/
4/5
Pros:
‘Classic’ Madness harking back to their early career. Ska with a trademark stamp
Cons:
Almost a step backwards after the stunning amalgamation of style and content that was The Liberty Of Norton Folgate. They’re treading water in places.
Older, wiser and not-so-nutty, Madness are back with an effortless collection of ska-inflected numbers that showcase a more mature side to their 2-Tone roots
by Justin McDaid
Full Article
The one-time Nutty Boys are an institution these days, from the affable presence of Suggs on every television show ever produced to the nostalgic re-union that brought tears to the eyes of ex-hardmen throughout the lands. Never let it be forgotten though that Madness are one of the finest bands England has ever produced, and with the Liberty Of Norton Folgate in 2009 came a genre-hopping, career defining album that was a dazzling melting pot of style and content. It was always going to be a hard act to follow so they don’t try to, embracing their 2-Tone roots with a more conventional record that sits alongside The Dangerman Sessions and classic Madness albums of yore.
Proceedings kick off with the multi-lingual affirmation of the title and ‘My Girl 2’, a soul cut poles apart from the troubled relationship of its predecessor. From here on all the classic Madness trademarks are present and familiar, especially those rolling keys of Mike Barson and Suggs’ knowing laconic delivery. A horn-led ‘La Luna’ could be a Norton Folgate leftover, complete with that wonderful skewed carnival music that inflects their output and evokes Danny Elfman’s film scores.
This is a ska record at heart though. ‘How Can I Tell You’ sees Suggs imparting a life’s wisdom to a child over a dub reggae bassline. Cynics beware – the platitudes are plentiful and the sentiment is as subtle as a size ten Doc Marten to the face: “Don’t worry darling/ I’ll love you when you grow old”. ‘Kitchen Floor’ is Madness’ nod to the rude reggae Desmond Dekker did so well, but with a dark edge compounded by a Thompson sax solo. “You can do it on the kitchen floor/ Hanging on the bathroom door” As always, their songs often betray their content with surprisingly dark subject matter hidden within the upbeat music.
The band can knock out the likes of ‘Misery’ in their sleep, a bouncy but unremarkable ska tune, while ‘Never Knew Your Name’ is Madness 101 and could be from any point in their mid-period. So accomplished was Norton Folgate that every release from that record onwards in will be comparable, but taken as a ‘classic Madness’ release this will do nicely. Nobody does this kind of thing better.
ramp.ie/index.php/Album-detail/album-review-madness-oui-oui-si-si-ja-ja-da-da/
4/5
Pros:
‘Classic’ Madness harking back to their early career. Ska with a trademark stamp
Cons:
Almost a step backwards after the stunning amalgamation of style and content that was The Liberty Of Norton Folgate. They’re treading water in places.
Older, wiser and not-so-nutty, Madness are back with an effortless collection of ska-inflected numbers that showcase a more mature side to their 2-Tone roots
by Justin McDaid
Full Article
The one-time Nutty Boys are an institution these days, from the affable presence of Suggs on every television show ever produced to the nostalgic re-union that brought tears to the eyes of ex-hardmen throughout the lands. Never let it be forgotten though that Madness are one of the finest bands England has ever produced, and with the Liberty Of Norton Folgate in 2009 came a genre-hopping, career defining album that was a dazzling melting pot of style and content. It was always going to be a hard act to follow so they don’t try to, embracing their 2-Tone roots with a more conventional record that sits alongside The Dangerman Sessions and classic Madness albums of yore.
Proceedings kick off with the multi-lingual affirmation of the title and ‘My Girl 2’, a soul cut poles apart from the troubled relationship of its predecessor. From here on all the classic Madness trademarks are present and familiar, especially those rolling keys of Mike Barson and Suggs’ knowing laconic delivery. A horn-led ‘La Luna’ could be a Norton Folgate leftover, complete with that wonderful skewed carnival music that inflects their output and evokes Danny Elfman’s film scores.
This is a ska record at heart though. ‘How Can I Tell You’ sees Suggs imparting a life’s wisdom to a child over a dub reggae bassline. Cynics beware – the platitudes are plentiful and the sentiment is as subtle as a size ten Doc Marten to the face: “Don’t worry darling/ I’ll love you when you grow old”. ‘Kitchen Floor’ is Madness’ nod to the rude reggae Desmond Dekker did so well, but with a dark edge compounded by a Thompson sax solo. “You can do it on the kitchen floor/ Hanging on the bathroom door” As always, their songs often betray their content with surprisingly dark subject matter hidden within the upbeat music.
The band can knock out the likes of ‘Misery’ in their sleep, a bouncy but unremarkable ska tune, while ‘Never Knew Your Name’ is Madness 101 and could be from any point in their mid-period. So accomplished was Norton Folgate that every release from that record onwards in will be comparable, but taken as a ‘classic Madness’ release this will do nicely. Nobody does this kind of thing better.
