Madness were at the forefront of the UK ska revival at the end of the 70s, very much a regional thing. Madness were very London and they soon shed the two-tone image and became one of the most consistent UK chart groups of the following decade. This debut shows both sides, from the excellent blue beat signature tune "Chipmunks Are Go!" and a first class cover of Prince Buster's "One Step Beyond" to their own masterful pop, and in particular the highly polished "My Girl". What Lindisfarne are to Newcastle, and Fairport Convention are to Cropredy, so Madness are to Finsbury Park.

CMJ (1/5/04, p.6) - Ranked #19 in CMJ's "Top 20 Most-Played Albums of 1980".