Grand Hotel - Mad Pudding

Advantages: See text
Disadvantages: See text

...999,998 dollars...999,999 dollars... As some of you may or may not know, I am a U2 fan. May I point out however, that I am not enough of a U2 to go out and spend 15.99 or whatever on a CD which has ONE previously unreleased U2 song, and three songs from Bono . However, I saw this CD for 5.99 before this damned Euro came into Ireland, and I decided that if it has Bono, U2, Daniel Lanois AND Brian Eno that's good enough for me. This is, as the title suggests, the soundtrack to The Million Dollar Hotel, hence my clever name for this opinion. The film is supposed to be rubbish, although who am I to judge? I haven't seen it. It's supposed to be very arty and the like, so its not really my type of film. It's also, I think, partly directed by Bono, and let's not kid ourselves people, Bono can talk a load of old cobblers when he... Read review

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Advantages: It's Madness need more be said... well ok then the tunes are stunning, the lyrics are wonderful
Disadvantages: No one bought this album.. WHY WHY O WHY!!!

...After such a long time some people probably doubted that Suggsy, Barson etc would be able to recapture the same lyrical genius. With this album they have succeeded, although the 3 singles released were all woefully undersold. Lovestruck for example got to number 10 in the charts, when in a chart with taste, it surely would of got to number 1. Lovestruck ********** - the most popular single and was surely my contender for single of the year, lyrically and musically this song was a tour de force. Madness have the uncanny knack of taking a subject such as alcohol abuse, and turning it into a jaunty sing along tune. The lyrics were also extrmeley clever in that the song had a double meaning. For example "I've fallen for a lampost, spilling out my deepest feelings" The proper meaning is obvious, he is leaning on a lampost... Read review

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Advantages: Nostalga, Ska, foot stomping.
Disadvantages: Some dross amongst the diamonds.

...I have been making some playlists on my ipod recently and added a Madness track (playlist was called Paul 16-18), then another, and before I knew it I thought I might as well buy the album. It works out cheaper on itunes to do that anyways. Madness first hit the charts and radio as I was leaving school, or about to. Although they first formed around '76, I first heard of them in '78, I left school in '79. In case you don't remember, this was the line up: Suggs - Vocals Mike Barson - Keyboards Chris Foreman - Guitar Lee Thompson - Sax Mark Bedford - Bass Daniel Woodgate - Drums Chas Smash - Vocals and resident dancer Madness released their first single, entitled 'The Prince' in 1979 on 2 Tone records, who also signed The Specials and other bands in what was to become a real Ska revival. The song was a dedication... Read review

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