Customer Reviews

Mad Mad World

5 star:		(19)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(1)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

Everyone remembers the fantastic hit "Life is a Highway". It is a catchy, upbeat "driving song" that still sounds great to this day. However, if you actually let the CD continue past that classic opening track, you are going to find some other true gems on here.

Take "Sinking Like a Sunset", where Tom showcases his lower vocal range to a cool beat. "Everything Comes Around" has a somewhat alternative vibe to it with its guitar chord structure, but in a good way....I loved the sound of this song before I ever really embraced anything that could be considered "alternative". I also love the somewhat slower vibe of such tracks as "The Secret is to Know When to Stop" and "Emotional Truth", while the title track and "Brave and Crazy" are good surefire rockers. "No Regrets" is another good pop-rocker that I remember briefly hearing on radio as a follow-up to the well-known monster hit.

A lot of good melodic pop/rock has come from Canada. Many of my generation are familiar with the Bryan Adams' and Loverboys of the world, and I also truly embrace certain obscure melodic rock acts from Canada such as Harem Scarem. This album from Tom Cochrane is another Canadian pop/rock gem...and for more reasons than the classic "Life is a Highway". Strong, enjoyable album from beginning to end.

MAD MAD WORLD is a thoughtful song cycle by a singer-songwriter who is very similar to Bryan Adams, but he's really a lot more than that. His style owes something to artists as diverse as Tom Petty, the Allman Brothers Band, and Bruce Cockburn. Unlike Adams, whose songs are mostly about love, romance, and having a good time, Cochrane's have a lot of subtle messages about personal survival, triumph, and hard work, although it's sometimes hard to figure out just what he's saying in many cases. This album will give you what you want, if you let it give you what you need.

Sure, it was "Life is a Highway" that grabbed me. The immediately catchy hook, the joyous chorus and frenetic pacing all contribute to that "feel good" feeling that certain songs produce. But there is a lot more here.
The second cut "Mad, Mad, World" immediately takes you to bit of a darker place, a bit reminiscent of Henley's "Dirty Laundry," but holds its own well. The music keeps driving forward, Cochrane knows a hook when he here's one and each song has a fairly strong beat to hang his words on. Lyrically he covers the basic points; relationships and life's choices, but he stays more towards the positive side which is a nice switch from the self-pity you often find in the singer-songwriter genre. While not entirely original sounding (When "Sinking like a Sunset" opens you immediately think Bruce Hornsby and there are other examples. There is a definite Bryan Adams feel here as well) his own vocal style and the infectious melodies support a continued listen. I'm glad "Life is Highway" led me to this and I found it was very much worth a purchase.

One of the finest albums this musician has put out. Its a shame his band Red Rider has not received the recognition from the the US music industry; he gives Bruce Springsteen and John Couger Mellancamp a run for their money.

Before 'Mad Mad World', Tom Cochrane was always credited with Red Rider. This was a truly excellent start to his career. Although I will admit to prefering 'Ragged Ass Road', this album contains many excellent songs. There are some fast songs on here, like the hit 'Life is a Highway' and 'Mad Mad World', as well as 'No Regrets', 'Brave and Crazy', and 'Bigger Man', but also some slow ballads like 'The Secret is to Know When to Stop' and 'All the King's Men', but my favorite on the album has always been the haunting and searing 'Get Back Up', a song about a man who has to watch the woman he loves become a victim of pills and alcohol.

Tom Cochrane is one of the best examples of a unique Canadian artist. Unfortunately, because of his Canadian status, Tom Cochrane never received the recognition he deserved in the States. Harder than Bryan Adams, Tom Cochrane was a unique Canadian alternative to many of the mainstream bands, combining rock with a taste of folk, country, and even alternative styles. He remains one of my favorite Canadian musicians, and one of my favorite musicians in general. (In regards to the case, which a few people have commented on, the one pictured is actually the original. I purchased the tape originally when it first came out, which featured the same cover as is pictured here. A later release featured the different cover.)

Continuing his catchy, tender rock style that fans have come to love, Tom goes Solo on Mad Mad World for the first time. And what a bang it was. It starts off with this huge, huge hit called Life is a Highway, one of his best songs EVER. A Catchy light hearted rock song that blasted its way into fan`s heart and became the evidence that the king was alive. Even better, the record is top notch from the beginning to the End.
Winnersongs on this album is:
-Life is a Highway. I admit that even though Tom hasnt gotten ANY worse later on, he has NEVER written a song this catchy and stunning.
-Sinking Like a Sunset. A Beautiful song, with a perfectly clear and sharp sound, catchy drums, a piano and guitar driven melody and a sweet text about dreams. This one is a winner.
-The Secret is to know when to stop. Ahh this song is just lovely. A slow and beautiful song built upon lots of instruments played carefully. Probably the most beautiful song on the record, with a memorable chorus.

-Bigger man. A Catchy rock song, hard to not like.
-Friendly Advice. Simply great. Crank up the volume for the Drums and the bass, and enjoy. A Superb melody, a wonderful text, it all comes down to a song you wont forget.
-Emotional Truth. Unforgettable. It sounds different from all the other songs, but manages to be one of the best. The Chorus is great.
-All the Kings Men. It starts off carefully, acoustic with a piano jamming in the background, and turns out to be a perfect finish to a fantastic album.

Tom Cochrane sounds great as usualy, the melodies are dead on, great texts filled with a meaning, not this mumbo jumbo text of today. This is serious quality, and the man knows exactly what he`s doing.

If there is ONE artist that should look back at what he gave the world and be proud, Tom Cochrane is the one.

A funny note on the Side. Anyone notice how "Everything comes Around" Sounds like a Tom Petty song?

Man, I got this album back when I was 14 right when it first came out. I just remember listening to every track, and hoping this guy would put something else out. Well I waited for a long time and nothing happened. Then I found out that in the last 9 years since Mad Mad World, Mr. Cochrane has been a busy guy, and he has done other albums. It's really a shame that Canadian artists like Cochrane have such a hard time making it in the states. It makes me wonder what else I've been missing from Canada.
Just a side note. The album cover for this album was different when I purchased it in 1992. It was orange and had pictures of Tom from his "Life is a Highway" video on the cover. I don't know why they changed it.

Sometimes Canadian rockers have more of the American rocker trait we expect American rock to be than those in America. Maybe Brian Adams, Loverboy, and Avril Lavigne are some of the good examples. Tom Cochrane�fs Mad Mad World released in 1992 really is pure American mainstream pop rock, Bruce Springsteen, John Cafferty, and John Mellencamp during 80s might have been well capable of.

I vividly remember Life Is A Highway because this song was used in Japanese TV program, Kyosen-no-Tukaenai-Eigo that shows practical American colloquial expressions to Japanese. The album is really excellent though it takes some time to get you hooked. Some of them are catchy such as NO REGRET, SINGING LIKE A SUNSET, dynamic such as BRAVE AND CRAZY, melodic such as THE SECRET IS TO KNOW WHEN TO STOP and FRIENDLY ADVICE.

Recommended for wide range of American, Canadian rock fans particularly, Hooters, Bruce Springsteen, Eddie Money, and John Mellencamp fans.

This is my all time favorate CD. I actually owned the tape before the CD. Very few albums can I say I know every word to every song. As soon as I heard Life is a Highway, I knew I wanted more. My cover is different from the one pictured, but I am sure Mad Mad World rocks just as hard.

As an TC fan knows, once acclimated to his work, his songs really touch you. Well TC did not disappoint on this work. There are at least 3 great songs on this album in addition to another 5 or so excellent tracks.