Madness - The Liberty of Norton Folgate [DELUXE] (CD)

After breaking up, getting back together, and releasing a covers album, Madness returned with their ninth studio album, and first album of original songs in 10 years; The Liberty of Norton Folgate, which was widely considered to be their magnum opus. Originally released in May 2009, and taking nearly three years to make, the record was the first with the full band since 1999's Wonderful and was developed as a concept album about the band's home town.

The 10-minute long title track tells the history of a part of East London (Norton Folgate, near Spitalfields) which, for a period, remained free from the Crown's ruling and was therefore referred to as a 'liberty,' where normal rules of city life did not apply.

The album finds the band in full creative flow, with song after song (including the tracks that didn't make it onto the standard CD or LP release) showcasing the maturity and depth of their songwriting prowess. The record includes the singles NW5, Dust Devil, Forever Young and Sugar and Spice, and this extended 2CD version contains nine bonus tracks, including two cover tracks (Bittersweet and The Roadette Song).

The set is presented in a digipak with a 24-page booklet featuring exclusive new liner notes containing interviews with Suggs, Lee Thompson, Chrissyboy Foreman, Daniel Woodgate and Mike Barson, as well as an exclusive poem by Cathal Smyth.

_________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________________


Tracklist:

CD 1:
1. Overture
2. We Are London
3. Sugar and Spice
4. Forever Young
5. Dust Devil
6. Rainbows
7. That Close
8. MKII
9. On the Town
10. Bingo
11. Idiot Child
12. Africa
13. NW5
14. Clerkenwell Polka

CD 2:
1. Let's Go
2. Mission From Hell
3. Seven Dials
4. Hunchback of Torianno
5. Fish & Chips
6. One Fine Day
7. The Kiss
8. Bittersweet
9. The Roadette Song