COMPILATION SPECIAL!

Ok, this one is different. Compilation albums don't really require the depth of a real review, since they are literally just a collection of songs, and unless specially mixed/edited to form a new album (such as Hawkwind's Roadhawks or Bowie's All Saints) treat each component as an individual. So here's three compilation albums to enjoy!

Bob Marley & The Wailers - Legend

More people know of this album than any of Marley's albums proper. We get all the classic tracks here, No Woman no Cry(this live version is outstanding), Buffalo Soldier, I Shot The Sheriff etc, etc. As you can expect, these are all great songs, and this is a perfect introduction into the world of Tuff Gong. Chilled reggae grooves by a man who has something to say, a true icon and a true legend. The disc's title says it all. A total MUST HAVE!

Lee Perry - Reggae Genius 20 Upsetter Classics

It'd always be hard to come up with a good compilation for this man, producing so many reggae classics and introducing the world to dub, Lee 'Scratch' Perry is a true genius. Highlights include The Return Of Django and I Chase The Devil, this album focuses far more on his straight reggae side. We get some lovely phased effects on the tracks but nothing as bizzare as his dub work, there's no Super Ape Inna Jungle, here, which to be honest is a shame, but Disco Devil is still great. The fail to include Perry's dub works make this a difficult compilation to recommend. The music here is all outstanding, but it's just an incomplete compilation.

Madness - It's... Madness Too

As a previous single review may have hinted at, I am a massive Madness fan, always have been and always will be. This disk here in my hand is one I have owned since I was about seven years old! Thankfully it is not the standard 'greatest hits' style of compilation, missing out on tracks like Baggy Trousers and House Of Fun, instead we get some solid singles, and their great B-Sides. Stand out tracks are... man, these are all stand out tracks! Cardiac Arrest deserves special recognition though, a chart topping hit about a guy having a heart attack. Awesome. Anyways, this is a good collection of great songs, it doesn't contain all of Madness' best, but would still be a good introduction to the nutty boys.

Three compilation albums reviewed for the price of one!
This is also proof that I can write an album review in under 2,000 words.

Madness - Grey Day

I think every british person must know who Madness are, their songs like 'Our House' and 'I Like Driving In My Car' are lodged into the nation's collective conciousness along with Tea, Doctor Who and class division. Often known as a comedic pop group, Madness' more serious tracks have become ignored in favour of their popular ones. You won't hear 'Embarassment' on the radio, but you'll hear 'Our House' about five times a day! These rude boys are easily amongst my favourite bands, they managed to use popular music as a way to comment on social issues, consistently wrote excellent music, and always stayed ahead of the times. Grey Day is one of the best songs I have ever heard, so put your best listening ears on, and enjoy.

Grey Day covers the subject of depression, not in the more popular 'emo' way of whining and fake crying, but in a very honest way, which as a surferer myself, feels really true and sincere. It's an acurate representation of the thoughts and ideas going through my head on a daily basis. A thunderous drum fill pounds our ears as the song starts, and a melancholic riff takes hold. The rythm is muted ska, the overlayed riffs haunting, the voice feels lonely and isolated. Vulnerable. The chorus is a perfect display of the feelings on it's own:

In the morning I awake,  My arms my legs my body aches,
The sky outside is wet and grey
So begins another weary day.
So begins another weary day.

We're treated to a bridge, Madness' own blend of funfare-y music hall style, but now more melancholic. We return to the song, and after the final chorus, the main haunting riff takes over. It's depressing, a bittersweet melody, and fades to silent. It's a strong song, and contains a suprising amount of musical complexity, something Madness do not recieve as much credit for as they deserve.

The B side is called Memories, it's arpeggiated riff takes us into more standard ska fare. Fitting with the theme of depression set by the A side, Memories is a song about regret, mistakes and search for progression. The end of a relationship to be more precise. It's slow ska, melancholic ska, powerful and deeply emotional ska. It's great.

if Two-Tone ska is the combination of ska with punk attitude and music hall asthetics, then Madness really do stand at the top of the field. They have an amazing confidence when handeling controversial subjects, and a wealth of experience between them all.  As close to a perfect single as we can ever get. Buy it now!