Madness - Hit Parade [Silver UK Import]

Madness throw a party on Hit Parade, a limited silver vinyl UK import that squeezes the Nutty Boys' finest moments onto a single LP.

Formed in Camden Town in the seventies, Madness grew out of the 2 Tone ska explosion and quickly became something bigger, a very British pop group with a music-hall wink and a gift for songs about ordinary life. This collection follows them from those first ska stompers through decades of reinvention, with a couple of live recordings thrown in for good measure.

"One Step Beyond" still bursts out of the speakers like a stampede, and "Baggy Trousers" turns schoolday memories into a gleeful singalong. "It Must Be Love" shows their softer side, all swaying charm, while a live take of "Our House" turns their best-loved slice of family life into a full-throated celebration. Later singles prove the band never lost their knack for a tune or their eye for a character.

Suggs's deadpan vocals, Mike Barson's bouncing piano and Lee Thompson's honking saxophone remain one of pop's most recognisable combinations, and every track here carries that unmistakable stamp.

Silver suits a band that has always known how to dress up, and this pressing makes a fine introduction for newcomers or a handy party record for the faithful.