One of the UK’s most beloved British bands Madness have today announced an expanded version of their first studio UK Official Charts No.1 album. Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie (Enhanced Edition) is set for release on 7th June 2024 via BMG.
The expanded album features 5 brand new studio tracks: I’d Do Anything (If I Could), No Reason, Hello Sun, Long Goodbye and Culture Vulture, all recorded during their C’est la vie album sessions. Also on the album are 7 live tracks recorded on last year’s C’est La Vie tour: Theatre of the Absurd, C’est La Vie, Hour of Need, Round We Go, Run For Your Life, In My Street and a cover of The Specials’ Friday Night Saturday Morning – a fan favourite on the tour.
Speaking on the album repack, Suggs said “What do we ave ere’ then? Only some more blinding tunes for a bumper version of our no.1 album ‘Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C’est La Vie.’ We’ve had a blast playing the new songs for you so thought we’d throw in some live version too. Hope you like them!”
The band have today released one of the new studio tracks featured. No Reason is a welcome, vibrant addition to the original album and proves the band’s melodic instincts are still very much intact. Suggs showcases his lyrical panache once again, singing “Pale sunshine, bright blue sky, feeling blue but don’t know why” over a catchy and tuneful melody. Madness’ ability to juxtapose the feeling and underlying message allows them to create a unique sense of majestic gloom, a theme ever present on the album.
Madness released Theatre Of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie on the 17th of November 2023 which soared triumphantly to claim the band’s first-ever No.1 studio album in their 45-year career. The governing principle is: “let Madness be Madness”, with the result being an album of typically timeless brilliance that also reflects the wonky years of its creation, these 14 songs represent the cream of the bumper crop of tunes the group cooked up, whittled down this punchy, focused set. Speaking on the album’s success, Madness said: “Would you Adam and Eve it?! It only took us 40 years to get there but we’ve just gone and ruddy scored our first no 1 album.”
Madness will be heading on their C’est La Vie’ summer tour in June through to August, playing everywhere from racecourses to castles all across the UK and Ireland. The huge 19-date tour will call at Margate, Southampton, Plymouth, Newcastle, Lincoln, Edinburgh, Lytham Festival, Scarborough, Llangollen, Derby, Cardiff, Englefield Estate, Leeds, Ludlow Castle, Blackheath, Esher, Audley End, Belfast and Galway Airport. Tickets are available from Madness.co.uk.
The band famously emerged from the backstreets of Camden Town in the late 70s and recently released a three-part original docu-series with TV channel AMC about the beginnings of the band in the area. Before We Was We: Madness by Madness, chronicles the rise of one of the most loved bands in British culture.
Throughout their career, Madness have now had one no.1 UK Official Charts album, two no.1 compilation albums, 10 UK top ten albums, 15 top ten singles and have won a multitude of awards including a prestigious Ivor Novello. They’ve performed on the top of Buckingham Palace as part of the Queen’s Jubilee celebrations and set the record for the biggest ever audience for the BBC’s Live New Year’s Eve Broadcast – the most watched TV music event of 2018.
FORMATS AVAILABLE:
Limited edition hardback book 2CD
Very limited edition vinyl format available exclusively on the official album store (a hardback book vinyl format including 2 CDs, the 5 new studio tracks on a zoetrope vinyl and a flexi disc of a live cover of The Specials Friday Night Saturday Morning.) Will be available here.
TRACK LISTINGS (*Denotes previously unreleased tracks)
CD1
Prologue: “Mr Beckett Sir…”
Theatre Of The Absurd
If I Go Mad
Baby Burglar
Act One: “Surrounded on all sides..”
C’est La Vie
What On Earth Is It (You Take Me For?)
Hour Of Need
Act Two “The damsel in distress..”
Round We Go
Act Three: “The situation deteriorates..”
Lockdown And Frack Off
Beginners 101
Is There Anybody Out There?
The Law According to Dr. Kippah
Epilogue: “And so Ladies and Gentlemen..”
Run For Your Life
Set Me Free (Let Me Be)
In My Street
Fin.: “Ladies and Gentlemen..”
CD2
I’d Do Anything (If I Could)*
No Reason*
Hello Sun*
Long Goodbye*
Culture Vulture*
Theatre of the Absurd (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
C’est La Vie (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
Hour of Need (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
Round We Go (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
Run For Your Life (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
In My Street (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
Friday Night, Saturday Morning (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
Tour dates and locations below
JUNE
14th – Margate, Summer Series
15th – Plymouth, Summer Sessions
16th – Southampton, Summer Sessions
28th – Newcastle, Racecourse
29th – Lincoln Castle
JULY
5th – Edinburgh Castle
6th – Lytham Festival
12th – Scarborough, Open Air Theatre
13th – Llangollen, International Musical Eisteddfod
14th – Derby, Summer Sessions
18th – Cardiff Castle
19th – Englefield Estate
26th – Leeds, Kirkstall Abbey
27th – Ludlow Castle
28th – Blackheath, Uptown Festival
31st – Esher, Sandown Park Racecourse
AUGUST
2nd – Audley End, Essex
9th – Belfast, Custom House Square
10th – Galway Airport, Ireland
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