Madness: Beginners 101
Well, it took them a mere 44 years but, finally, Madness bagged a number 1 studio album in the UK, with their 2023 release “Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est la Vie”. Even more remarkable was the fact that it actually knocked the all conquering Taylor Swift’s mega-selling “1989 – Taylor’s Version” from the same lofty perch in the process.
Personally, I really do think this album was a much welcome return to form after the previous album which, to my ears, just didn’t sound like the finished article. The songs were there, for the most part, but the arrangements and most definitely the production seemed haphazard and rushed, with the end result sounding more like a collection of demos than a release-ready album.
Maybe the fact that the new album was recorded shortly after lockdown had a lot to do with it. The band, like the rest of us, had a lot of time on their hands so they were able to write a big pile of new material to choose from. And, with the help of producer and engineer, Matt Glasbey, they also built their own recording studio in a disused industrial unit in Cricklewood. This meant they could spend as much time as they needed to on the songs without having to worry about paying for studio time – Which, if you’ve ever been in one, you’ll know it definitely doesn’t come cheap.
The end result was a much more polished sounding album, more reminiscent of the albums from their 80s heyday, like “Seven”, “The Rise & Fall” and “Keep Moving”. A concept album of sorts, helped along by the spoken word of long-time Madness fan (and rather well known actor) Martin Freeman, who’s thespian tones appear every now and then to link one part to the next.
The track I’ve chosen, “Beginners 101” is, in my opinion, the best track on the album. That said, experience tells me that, when it comes to Madness songs, my favourites tend to change as frequently as the good old British weather.
