Search - Madness :: Total Madness - Very Best of Madness

Excuse us for caring, but there are a few things shamefully wrong about this long overdue salute to the immortal Nutty Boys. For starters, any self-respecting Madness package should open with "One Step Beyond," not end with it. And a meager 12 tracks (43 minutes) from the hugely prolific ska/pop kings of the early '80s is a tad miserly. To justify the title, Geffen could have made stronger efforts to license gems like "Baggy Trousers," "Night Train to Cairo," and "Embarrassment" from Sire. The liner note ode by Dicky Barrett of the Mighty Mighty Bosstones is small compensation. --Jeff Bateman