Customer Reviews

Dangermen Sessions 1

5 star:		(10)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(0)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Thirteen years after their reunion at MadStock with Mike Barson in tow after his years in residence in Holland (and his original defection being what made the band call it a day to start with), Madness have been back at it and the latest is this album of old ska standards when the form was still called bluebeat along with ska reworkings of old 1960s soul/mod songs (Supremes, Kinks, etc.) that Paul Weller used to toss off over in a similar black suit and tie.

Being a fan of the nutty boys since their appearances on The Young Ones in the 1980s (yeah, I'm old, I know), it's nice to see them back and that they waited until that awful fratska boom of the mid-1990s had used up its half life so as not to seem as if they were cashing in as an oldies act, going "Hi! Remember us? Sorry about that swing revival that came about indirectly."

Madness did the impossible as far as not being necrophiliacs as far as the past goes. This is a fine album, even if there are no originals and therefore no chance of a new "House of Fun" or "Night Boat to Cairo" or even "Baggy Trousers" (anyone else remember when the melody to it was used for the Colgate ad when they introduced the Colgate Pump?) Let's hope the lads keep it together for a new release of new material. 'Til then, see if their cover of "Lola" doesn't best Ray Davies' original.

Signed,
epsteinsmutha

Fine I'm a sucker for Madness, granted. But if you are as well, you must own this disc. The 'nutty sound' is alive and so very, very well.

After all of the box sets and re-releases, this CD of all new material is a real treat. My favorites are the wonderful remake of "You Just Keep Me Hanging On," (take THAT Kim Wilde)a fun tongue in cheek take on "Lola," "Shame and Scandal" classic Madness storytelling at it's best, and a surprisingly sexy "Rain."

The last all new Madness I purchased was the record (tells you how long ago that was) Keep Moving -- by and large a disappointment to me.I skeptically purchased Dangermen hoping it would be best foot forward -- this far exceeded my expectations.

I say, treat yourself to some classic, old school ska from a group of lads who perhaps didn't invent the genre, but certainly perfected it.

The first time I heard Madness was with their "Work Rest and Play EP", and fell in love with the hit single, "Night Boat to Cairo." The Dangermen Sessions are everything I remembered the band to be. For summer afternoon lounging -- you can't go wrong with this album. I highly recommend it!

I am also a Madness nutter, and was thrilled when I stumbled across this CD. I watched their Melkweg gig online from last July, and it does my heart good to see the complete band back on stage again.

As for the album, it is Madness back to its roots...ska! They were always a talented and entertaining band, but they ventured further away from their reggae roots the more popular they got. Well, they return home with this album, and as the previous reviewer stated, if you like Madness, then it is a 'must-buy'! They seem to be having fun with it, and that was the point in the first place now, wasn't it?!? I only wish I could see the band live, but as I am back in Texas it is doubtful. Not much chance they will play in the Lone Star State.

This album will do until they can put out another batch of originals. It's on a par with Elvis Costello's "Kojak Variety:" well-picked covers done well.
Perhaps a tad too many mid-tempo songs, but hey it's ska.
Anyhow, Madness has nothing at all to prove after 1999's masterpiece of a comeback "Wonderful." They still got it and probably always will.
Best three cuts are "So Much Trouble in the World," "You'll Lose a Good Thing," and "Shame and Scandal."

Granted I'm a huge fan of Madness to beginning with even to the point of spending a year or two of my college life on some madness mailing list and message board, however this album is totally solid. There aren't any flakes or half-done compositions, awesome old school reggae (no dancehall/dub) but with the occasional Madness twist and a 2005 update. I can't wait for a volume #2. Two Dekker songs and another Prince Buster song - great selections. "You'll lose a good thing" is along the lines of Hepcat - just awesome. Good job boys - come back to the East Coast USA!

Yup, another long time fan here. My first Madness gig ticket cost me the princely sum of three pounds sterling back in April 1980, haha....and a sterling gig it was too! The same can be said for The Dangermen Sessions, Volume 1. On first listening, it reminded me a bit of Sugg's Lone Ranger album. Maybe because they're about the only 2 Madness related recordings not produced by Langer/Winstanley. Anyway, the Magnificent 7 have done a great job of covering some good ol' ska classics. We all know that the boys need a bit of a shaking to get motivated and they probably couldn't be bothered writing anything just now! Don't quote me on that, but doing ska covers not only gives us something that we are already familiar with, but it takes us back to their roots at the same time. The sound still has the Madness feel to it and yet is slightly updated, maybe due to different producers. It would also seem that gone are the days when that Nutty Sound was to english for other countries to get a grip of. Tho' they have always had die-hard fans from around the world, it appears they are now picking up a new generation of fans as the Madness train steams on. Keep it lively, boys! So from a long-term fan now based in NZ, it's top marks from me and I look forward to more Dangermen Sessions.

I have been a Madness fan since the 80's and this CD is a gem! What was old is new again, eh? I love the upbeat ska grooves and my kids enjoy it too. Highly recommended--the boys have done good!

Madness started out as the North London Invaders, a ska revival outfit in London during the late 1970s. After a few name switches, they ended up as Madness and produced some of the period's most memorable ska covers, as well as a handful of great original tunes. As the UK music scene (including Australia) moved on from the ska revival, Madness did, as well. They retained the sound but integrated it into more pop-sound songs like "It Must Be Love" and "Grey Day," as well as underrated album tracks like "The Opium Eaters" and "Mr. Speaker Gets the Word."

After Mike Barson left in 1984 following the completion of Keep Moving, the band lost a lot of its energy. Barson had been the chief musical orchestrator, and his absence in the band was noticeable in the 1986 release Mad Not Mad, easily the poorest showing put out the by group.

After all 7 original members reformed in 1999, they produced the album Wonderful. For their follow up, Madness released The Dangermen Sessions 1, which features the band going back to its roots in the first wave ska classics and Mo-town hits of the early 1970s. In a way, this album feels like the real return of Madness. Wonderful was fun, but it felt like an experiment, a gesture to the lifelong fans who just wanted another little taste of what the band had to offer. The Dangermen Sessions 1, on the other hand, is a band doing it for themselves and having fun doing it.

As a guy who got into Madness during the 3rd Wave ska explosion in America, I revel in their return to making great ska. While the title may just be for fun, I hope that nutty boys opt to make a few more sessions, perhaps with a cover of "Pressure Drop." Despite their return to their ska roots, the album is not a return to the nutty sound, at least not entirely. The wild and sometimes amateurish sounds of One Step Beyond and the Work Rest and Play EP that were so endearing were the result of an inexperienced, enthusiastic group of boys in their late teens and early twenties. This album is done by seasoned pop musicians reaching middle age, who record with finesse and verve. Also gone are the cockney accents (though they show up a little in the song "Rain") If you want an reprisal of the One Step Beyond and Absolutely days, then you'll be disappointed, at least at first. Hopefully, after a couple listens, you'll understand why this sound is, well, better!

One weakness to Madness I've noticed since Wonderful, I should point out, is that Suggs's voice sounds a little worse for wear. I'm not sure if it's age or smoking, but it's not as fluid as it used to be. Just sayin'.

Star tracks:

Shame & Scandal (nuttiest track award)
I Chase the Devil A.K.A. Ironshirt (best sing along song)
Israelites (Madness at their mellowest)
John Jones (overall strongest track)

Weak tracks:

Rain (I've always hated the use of synth strings in Madness tracks; I know some fans from the period love the song, but "Wings of the Dove" has to be the worst song they ever made, at least for me!)
So Much Trouble in the World (Not a Bob Marley fan, but those who are will like the cover)

I've been sitting here waiting for Amazon to get The Liberty of Norton Folgate to me. Until then, I have this album on repeat.

This is a very good album of Madness. One of their best.
But they can do better

Rob