The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1

by Madness

Overview

What does a veteran band do when it's some 25 years into its career and wants to record a new album but doesn't have any new original songs? Why, record a covers album of course! And that's exactly what Madness, the kings of British ska revival, have done for their ninth studio album, 2005's The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1. It's their first new album since 1999's Wonderful, but they've been active in the interim, playing gigs on a regular basis. This means that the group sounds supple and professional, even if the lack of new songs in six years does suggest that the band doesn't really have anything to say at this point, and would just rather play, relax, and have a good time while encouraging others to have a good time. And that's fine -- The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1 is pleasantly laid-back, a good soundtrack to a lazy summer afternoon. Madness demonstrate a stronger reggae bent than they ever have, which does mean that album can be reminiscent of UB40's similar venture, Labour of Love, but Dangermen never sounds too sleepy or refined, as UB40's sequels to their 1983 commercial breakthrough did. In other words, it still has that nutty Madness sound, only it's not nearly as frenetic as it was 25 years ago -- it's mellow and relaxed, and rather charming because of it. That doesn't mean that The Dangermen Sessions, Vol. 1 is something that even hardcore fans will play all that often, but anybody who has liked Madness in the past will find it hard not to enjoy this CD as it plays. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine

Product Details

Release Date:	09/16/2022
Label:	Union Square Music
UPC:	4050538618839
Rank:	91063

Tracks

1. This Is Where
2. Girl Why Don't Ya
3. Shame and Scandal
4. I Chase the Devil (Ironshirt)
5. Taller Than You Are
6. You Keep Me Hanging On
7. Dangermen (High Wire)
8. Israelites
9. John Jones
10. Lola
11. You'll Lose a Good Thing
12. Rain
13. So Much Trouble in the World

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Madness   Primary Artist
Steve Dub   Drums,Synthesizer,Vocals (Background)
Patrick Kiernan   Violin
Janet Kay   Vocals (Background)
Dennis Bovell   Timbales
Ellie Hajee   Vocals (Background)
Mark Bedford   Bass
Mike Barson   Keyboards
Julian Leaper   Violin
Perry Mason   Violin
Warren Zielinski   Violin
Joe Auckland   Brass
Simon Wilcox   Trumpet
Gavyn Wright   Violin
Boguslav Kostecki   Violin
Jackie Shave   Violin
David Bedford   Music Direction,Musical Direction
Graham "Suggs" McPherson   Vocals
Christopher Tombling   Violin
Chris Foreman   Guitar
Kix Thompson   Saxophone

Technical Credits

Steve Dub   Mixing,Engineer,Producer,Programming
Bob Marley   Composer
Ingo Vauk   Programming
Lamont Dozier   Composer
Edwin Astley   Composer
Madness   Engineer,Producer
Huey P. Meaux   Composer
John Jennings   Producer
Dennis Bovell   Engineer,Producer
Jose Feliciano   Composer
Mark Bedford   Composer
Max Romeo   Composer
Bryan Atkinson   Composer
Ray Davies   Composer
Rudy Mills   Composer
Mike Barson   Composer
Isobel Griffiths   String Contractor
Dacres   Composer
Astley   Composer
Joe Auckland   Engineer
Cecil Campbell   Composer
Lee "Scratch" Perry   Composer
Steve Jones   Producer
Desmond Dekker   Composer
Leslie Kong   Composer
Lord Melody   Composer
Pinard   Composer
David Bedford   String Arrangements
Cathal Smyth   Composer
Tony McGee   Photography
Hilda Feliciano   Composer
Jill Furmanovsky   Photography
Graham "Suggs" McPherson   Composer
Jason Olliffe   Assistant Engineer
Peter Rudge   Management
Ben Thackeray   Engineer,Assistant,Assistant Engineer
Desmond Dacres   Composer
Lancelot Pinard   Composer
Michael Barson   Composer
Barbara Lynn Ozen   Composer
Joseph Gordon   Composer