Music

Album reviews: Madness return with ... a concept album? And it’s quite good

Madness are back with an album about Brexit, pandemic lockdowns, political disbelief, and distrust in various institutions

Madness, Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie (BMG) ****

Despite its serious subject matter – Brexit, the pandemic, losing trust in institutions – the legendary ska band’s poptastic DNA is fully intact

As befits a pop group of a certain vintage (and not just any pop group, but one of the most highly regarded and successful of the past 40 years), there comes a time when you have to disregard audience expectations and ...