Hi all, hot on the heels of other reviews of 'Wonderful', this one's by Adrian Thrills in today's Daily Mail: ''STILL SO VERY COOL'' Madness and Eurythmics, two of the most successful British pop groups of the Eighties, return with excellent albums that exceed expectations. Wonderful, released on November 1, reunites the seven original members of Madness for the first time since 1984's Keep Moving. A resourceful album, Wonderful blends rousing choruses, sweeping strings and solid, punchy rhythms. There was a lot more to Madness than their 'nutty boy' image. They were at their best when they tackled serious topics in catchy pop songs, and the same applies to the first two numbers here. Lovestruck, beneath its jaunty exterior, is about the dangers of alcohol, while Johnny The Horse tells of the death of a homeless drifter. The sinister lyrical thread continues into the reggae-tinged Drip Fed Fred, which also features a commanding vocal contribution from the band's hero, Ian Dury, to whom the album is affectionately dedicated for ''his inspiration''. Madness's lighter side is evident on The Communicator. Fuelled by Lee Thompson's sax, it harks back to singles such as One Step Beyond and the band's ska roots. Their poppier side also surfaces on Saturday Night, Sunday Morning, which mixes a Motown beat with Mike Barson's near-classical keyboards. VERDICT: Rousing return by North London's finest. * * * * out of five. Incidentally, Eurythmics also got four stars with the verdict: Spirited comeback. Iain - ______________________________________________________________ Visit the Total Madness Mailing List website for: latest news, madmeet info, list charter, games, and more ... http://members.xoom.com/totalmadmail/ Contact the TMML Moderators at: [EMAIL PROTECTED] To unsubscribe, send an e-mail to: [EMAIL PROTECTED] and in the message body put: unsubscribe total-madness
