Madness, one of the UK's best-loved bands, have today announced an expanded version of their first number one studio album on the official UK charts. Theater of the Absurd presents C'est La Vie (Enhanced Edition) will be released on June 7, 2024 via BMG.
The expanded album includes 5 new studio tracks: I would do anything (if I could), Without reason, Hello sun, long goodbye and Vulture culture, all recorded during the sessions for the album C'est la vie. Also on the album are 7 live songs recorded on last year's C'est La Vie tour: Theater of the Absurd, This is life, hour of need, Round we go, Run for your life, in my street and a version of The Specials Friday night Saturday morning – a fan favorite on tour.
Speaking about the album repack, Suggs said “What do we have here then? Just some more dazzling tunes for an excellent version of our number 1 album 'Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C'est La Vie'. We had a great time playing the new songs for you, so we thought we'd include some live versions too. I hope you like them!”
The band released one of the new studio tracks presented today. Without reason is a vibrant and welcome addition to the original album and demonstrates that the band's melodic instincts are still intact. Suggs shows off his lyrical panache once again, singing “Pale sun, bright blue sky, I feel blue but I don't know why.” over a catchy and melodious melody. Madness' ability to juxtapose sentiment and underlying message allows them to create a unique sense of majestic sadness, a theme ever present on the album.
madness released The Theater of the Absurd presents C'est La Vie on November 17, 2023, which rose triumphantly to claim the band's first number one studio album in their 45-year career. The guiding principle is: “Let Madness be Madness”, Resulting in an album of typically timeless brilliance that also reflects the difficult years of its creation, these 14 songs represent the cream of the bumper crop of tunes the group cooked up and whittled down into this striking and focused set. Speaking about the success of the album, Madness said: “Would Adam and Eve do it?! “It only took us 40 years to get there, but we just did it and Ruddy got our first number one album.”
Madness will embark on their C'est La Vie summer tour from June to August, playing everywhere from racecourses to castles across the UK and Ireland. The massive 19-date tour will stop at Margate, Southampton, Plymouth, Newcastle, Lincoln, Edinburgh, Lytham Festival, Scarborough, Llangollen, Derby, Cardiff, Englefield Estate, Leeds, Ludlow Castle, Blackheath, Esher, Audley End, Belfast and Galway . Airport. Tickets are available from Locura.es.
The band emerged from the back streets of Camden Town in the late 1970s and recently launched an original three-part documentary series with television channel AMC about the band's beginnings in the area. Before We Was We: Madness by Madness, chronicles the rise of one of the most beloved bands in British culture.
Throughout their career, Madness have had one number one album on the official UK charts, two number one compilation albums, 10 UK top ten albums, 15 top ten singles and have won a multitude of awards. , including a prestigious Ivor Novello. They performed atop Buckingham Palace as part of the Queen's Jubilee celebrations and set the record for the highest audience for the BBC's live New Year's Eve broadcast, the most-watched television music event of 2018.
AVAILABLE FORMATS:
Limited edition 2CD hardcover book
Very limited edition vinyl format available exclusively from the official album store (a hardcover book vinyl format including 2 CDs, the 5 new studio tracks on a zoetrope vinyl and a flexi disc of a live version of The Specials Friday Night Saturday Morning). available here.
TRACK LIST (*Indicates unreleased tracks)
CD1
Prologue: “Mr. Beckett, sir…”
Theater of the Absurd
if I go crazy
baby thief
First act: “Surrounded on all sides…”
This is life
What the hell is it (what do you take me for?)
hour of need
Second Act “The Damsel in Distress.”
Round we go
Third act: “The situation deteriorates…”
Blockade and fracking
Beginners 101
Is there anyone out there?
The Law According to Dr. Kippah
Epilogue: “And so, ladies and gentlemen…”
Run for your life
Set me free (let me be)
in my street
End: “Ladies and gentlemen…”
CD2
I would do anything (if I could)*
Without reason*
Hello Sun*
long goodbye*
Vulture culture*
Theater of the Absurd (Live from the C'est La Vie tour)*
C'est La Vie (Live from the C'est La Vie tour)*
Hour of Need (Live from C'est La Vie Tour)*
Round We Go (Live from C'est La Vie Tour)*
Run For Your Life (Live from C'est La Vie Tour)*
In My Street (Live from C'est La Vie Tour)*
Friday Night, Saturday Morning (Live from C'est La Vie Tour)*
Tour dates and locations below
JUNE
14 – Margate, Summer Series
15 – Plymouth, Summer Sessions
16 – Southampton, Summer Sessions
28 – Newcastle, Racecourse
29 – Lincoln Castle
JULY
5th – Edinburgh Castle
6th – Lytham Festival
12 – Scarborough, Open Air Theater
13 – Llangollen, International Musical Eisteddfod
14 – Derby, Summer Sessions
18 – Cardiff Castle
19 – Englefield Estate
26 – Leeds, Kirkstall Abbey
27 – Ludlow Castle
28 – Blackheath, Uptown Festival
31 – Esher, Sandown Park Racecourse
AUGUST
2nd – Audley End, Essex
9 – Belfast, Customs Square
10th – Galway Airport, Ireland
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