This Is Madness (Spec) [Import, Special Edition]

The Last Poets | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (December 2, 2003)
• Number of Discs: 1
• Format: Import, Special Edition
• Label: Sunspots
• ASIN: B00006HI77
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #555,398 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Track Listings

1. True Blues

2. Related to What Chant

3. Related to What

4. Black Is Chant

5. Black Is

6. Time

7. Mean Machine Chant

8. Mean Machine

9. White Man's Got a God Complex

10. Opposites

11. Black People What Y'all Gon' Do Chant

12. Black People What Y'all Gon' Do

13. O.D.

14. This Is Madness Chant

15. This Is Madness

Editorial Reviews

Limited edition digitally remastered reissue of 1971 album,packaged in a miniature gatefold LP sleeve. Sunspots. 2002.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

4 of 6 people found the following review helpful:

2.0 out of 5 stars Two poets carry on., June 3, 2005

By 

Michael Stack (North Chelmsford, MA USA) - See all my reviews
(VINE VOICE)    (REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Is Madness (Spec) (Audio CD)

The followup to their startling debut, "This is Madness" finds the Last Poets short one member-- Abiodum Oyewole had been arrested and sentenced for robbery, but poets Alafia Pudim and Omar Ben Hassen together with percussionist Nilija carried on, with the concept relatively unchanged. The difference is largely in the mood of the music-- Oyewole presence and his aggressive, political statements (the sort of revolution is coming, don't be scared and get up and take it) is gone.

The result is a somewhat less aggressive and more homogeneous album-- there's really only ten tracks, the "chants" are just the backing vocals more exposed. It works in some areas, but its clear the band wants to move on and doesn't quite know how to-- the really exciting material that keeps the aggressive moods of the opener ("True Blues", "Time", "White Man's Got a God Complex") work best, the rest isn't quite as interesting.

This release features really nicely cleaned sound and mini-LP sleeve artwork and really makes quite a nice presentation.

Start with their debut, if you enjoyed that one, try this one out, its got its share of good material, but the debut is better.

5.0 out of 5 stars I Beg You to Get " This is Madness ", November 11, 2008

By 

Peace - See all my reviews

This review is from: This Is Madness (Spec) (Audio CD)

I purchased the original LP album in 1970-1971 (graduated from high school in the late 1960's) and now listen to it on CD since 1995!!
The drumming and rhythm are so soothing to my soul that it takes me back to growing up in Harlem,New York City; The lyrics sent a message of what was happening in the ghettos, history, and rememberance of the African ancestors that was so powerful and relevant in the past that it is of greater importance today since the music has been "watered down" and lyrics are little more than "low base" expressions!!

I am in hopes that Amazon will make more copies( This is Madness )available for others to be edified!

5.0 out of 5 stars PLEASE..., June 25, 2008

By 

Kevin Buckner (Washington, DC) - See all my reviews
(REAL NAME)   

This review is from: This Is Madness (Spec) (Audio CD)

'This is Madness' an excellent companion piece to the mind-blowing debut 'The Last Poets'. One without the other is incomplete. Mean Machine, This is Madness, Black Folks...etc., are just as relevant today as they were 35 years ago...don't be misled, this is the 'Fat Man' to the debut's 'Little Boy'.