This week’s new releases include brand-new studio albums from ska-pop outfit Madness (‘Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da’) and electronic group Delerium (‘Music Box Opera’), plus the fifth in a series of archival live albums from The Wedding Present, this one recorded at shows in Sweden and the U.K. in 1991.
British ska-pop Madness recently announced they’ll release their 10th studio album — the cheekily titled ‘Oui Oui Si Si Ja Ja Da Da’ — late next month, and, as Marco on the Bass points out, there’s now a seven-minute, full-album sampler on YouTube to whet fans’ appetites.
Welcome to the Week in Rock, where we round up all of the headlines posted on this site over the past week. This edition includes items about Dead Can Dance, R.E.M.’s Peter Buck, The Fixx, The Mission, OMD, Laibach, The Wedding Present, Killing Joke, Morrissey, Devo, Madness and more.
Ska-pop survivors Madness celebrated their appearance in Sunday’s mammoth, music-filled closing ceremony of the London Olympics — where they performed “Our House,” much like they did for the Queen earlier this summer — by releasing a free track off their forthcoming, as-yet-untitled 10th studio album.
This week’s Slicing Up Eyeballs headlines include news about The Cure, The Stone Roses, Pixies, The Cult, The Mission, Killing Joke, Bob Mould, Meat Puppets, Budgie, Morrissey, Dinosaur Jr, Madness, Sonic Youth, Peter Gabriel and PiL — plus our latest Auto Reverse mixtape for your downloading pleasure.
A who’s who of pop royalty — including Elton John, Paul McCartney, Stevie Wonder and Tom Jones — feted Queen Elizabeth on Sunday night at the massive Diamond Jubilee Concert, but long-running pop-ska band Madness had perhaps the best perch, performing two of its best-known hits from the roof of Buckingham Palace.
It’s an absolute crime that 1981’s ‘Dance Craze: The Best of British Ska… Live!’ isn’t available on DVD or Blu-ray, but at least we can share the full 85-minute concert film — featuring classic performances from 2 Tone-era acts The Specials, Madness, Bad Manners, The Beat and more — via the modern miracle of YouTube
Q&A: Daniel Ash on Love and Rockets’ reunion, his new band — and figuring out how to play “So Alive” 
Q&A: Chris Frantz talks Talking Heads, Tom Tom Club and new book ‘Remain in Love’ 
Q&A: Steve Wynn on The Dream Syndicate’s first new album in nearly 30 years 
Q&A: Bauhaus’ David J on his ‘accidental’ concept album ‘Not Long For This World’ 
Q&A: Peter Murphy on ‘Ninth,’ Bauhaus’ break-up, reuniting Dalis Car 
Q&A: Joey Santiago on Pixies’ ‘Doolittle’ tour, possible ‘Surfer Rosa’ shows, new album talk 
Q&A: Prefab Sprout’s Paddy McAloon on new album, changing the world with music 
Q&A: Peter Hook talks ‘Unknown Pleasures’ tour, re-recording Joy Division 