Hey Now! As ever my good old record store has come up trumos, Virgin Megastore breaks the release date this time around, bought them this morning. The DFF/Elysium singles look pretty cool. Beware though as they look so alike in the cover art, I even thought there must have been only one release. Thankfully that is not the case though. Both are quite similar with a plastered poster saying �WE WANT FREDDIE FOR OUR LEADER� on CD1 and �VOTE FOT FRED� on CD2 splashed upon a newspaper stand. This is complimented in a blue background and quite nice on both covers, but watch out for the similar covers! CD1 (VSCDT 1768) 1. �Drip Fed Fred�-Conspiracy mix (4.13) (Barson /Thompson) This mix is quite similar to the original one that we are familiar mix but with added drums and percussion stuck onto it to give it a �refreshed� appeal. Its kind of strange reviewing a song we are all now so familiar with so I shall be brief. Actually the extra drumming reminds me of the cracking version of Mrs. Hutchinson they used to do live 1982/83, trainspotter stuff. The fade out too sees a cut in the Barson tinkling of the ivories in place of a repeat to fade chorus of �We want Freddie for our leader�. I honestly feel the infectious almost childish chorus will do the trick and get the masses to truly support the song and therefore vote for Fred! 2. �Elysium� (3.55) (Thompson/Woodgate) No difference here to the original, arguably on of the greatest songs the band have ever recorded. Such a shame to see this slip by the record buying public though deserves to be a stand-alone single itself. Madness par excellance! 3. �We Want Freddie� (3.40) (Thompson/Barson) This starts off like something from the Three Pyramids Club with heavy vinyl scratches to be met with an almost 8-track demo version of the song itself. Thompson takes vocals as if he�s on something to be backed by another voice out of sync with his own. Methinks this was done late one Saturday night after a night of heavy libation and strikes me as almost a solo effort by Kix himself. There are elements that we are familiar with the choral overdubs, kids laughing and Barson�s piano efforts. I like it, its so rough and strips the song down to its naked bare ass. Class! CD2 VSCDX 1768 1. �Drip Fed Fred�-Conspiracy mix (4.13) (Barson /Thompson) See Above! 2. �Elysium� (3.55) (Thompson/Woodgate) Ditto! 3. �Light of the Way� (2.41) (Smyth) Starts off a little like �You�ll never walk alone� and as already mention very gospel-like in its sound and sentiment. A slow paced number, again it sounds like it was done with relative ease, in and out of the studio, bish bash bosh. Mr. Smyth takes up vocals here too in a song that is once again quite different to what we are used to. However its catchy and very Smyth-esque, why this dude never had a solo album is beyond me. However the song is so short, by the time its gets going its finished, I reckon though its one of those jams that could drag on and on for hours with a familiar riff. It�s a song that could have been written decades ago, but surely will stand the test of time. Overall then a nice outing by the boys. However I was sad to see no enhanced video footage, thought Thompson�s camcorder exploits of the Xmas tour would have made fine footage, unfortunately though not the case this time round. Again the covers are very Bedford/Stimpson-esque and that can only be a good thing. I would have liked to have seen more B-sides but am perhaps being greedy and Elysium could have gotten more of a push as the double A side feature. In total though it adds to the great selection of goodies the band have brought us in the past few months and I hope this is not the last ever Madness single I will review! All the Best Vince! them this morning.... ===== "If it ain't Vince, it ain't worth a F*CK!" ICQ 46099201 NEVER SAY NO TO A MAD IDEA! __________________________________________________ Do You Yahoo!? Talk to your friends online with Yahoo! Messenger. http://im.yahoo.com - ______________________________________________________________ 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
