Madness -

Five Songs, 8/16/2023

Posted on August 16, 2023 | Joshua Buergel

Waxahatchee, “La Loose”

I went and checked what I’ve said about Waxahatchee in the past, because sometimes I try and avoid repeating myself too much. Sometimes. It was then I discovered that this is the third time we’ve had this exact song. Still good! Go read what I said the last two times! Or not, it’s your time.

Madness, “Razor Blade Alley”

Mostly, the third wave of ska was following in the footsteps of the Specials, but I think that the Madness was also an important ingredient in the mix. In particular, the irreverence of Madness is something that a lot of the third wave really picked up on. The attitude, more so than the music, is one that they borrowed and extended.

Five Songs, 1/6/2022

Posted on January 6, 2022 | Joshua Buergel

Oneohtrix Point Never, “Lost but Never Alone”

Magic Oneohtrix Point Never is probably my favorite record from him since Replica. In a lot of ways, it evokes that record, giving a rare treat of throwback sounds from an artist who is always restlessly exploring. There’s a metaphor of flipping around a radio that ties the record together, which also feeds into my love of plunderphonics.

Madness, “One Step Beyond”

The second wave of ska, the two-tone bands from the UK, did not last very long, and didn’t really encompass that many bands. Part of the problem is that by the time this stuff got noticed outside of the UK, the key bands had pretty much all broken up or stopped playing ska. But the highlights of the second wave are great, and Madness’ first album is one of those highlights. It’s a fine example of the melding of ska with punk energy, and it’s hard not to smile through this.