I will be honest I love all things Madchester, used to be a Madchester Dj and I still wear super loose fit jeans out of a homage to the Happy Mondays. From 1989-92 British music soared to exciting highs and drug filled lows. The music mostly resembled the Byrds, with chiming guitars licks, and with a rythmn sections influenced by James Brown. Wah wah pedles were as big as the flares and Alan "Wreni" Wren (Stone Roses drummer) laid down beats that were previously more at home on hip hop records.Sounds good you say, but there is a problem here. I am trying to be objective because although I do like every song on this album, and they are put together well, it does quite work. You see, are some tunes missing that really shouldn't be. These albums claim to be definitve collections, and to tell the story of the musical sence, but this one fails.
Madchester the album does exactly what it says on the can,it provides you with a smattering of the great good form the period. You got the Happy Mondays, The Charlatans and the Stone Roses, and yes you also have The paris Angels superb song Perfume, taken form there much underrated debut Sundew. Full marks on that front. The annoying Soup Dragons and the splendid Mock Turtles (Steve Cogans Brother apparently) but where is "Weekender" by Flowered up, "Box set go" by the High" "Standing here" by the Mill Town Brothers. Lets face it, most of the madchester bands outside of The Roses and The Mondays and the Charlatans were one hit wonders so unless your a demented fool like me your not gonna want to spend years wandering around record fairs looking for the albums. (Chicken rythms by Northside apart see it buy it.)
There are other Madchester compliations out there, Weekender for instance. So check them out as well, because whilst this album is good, it is not definitive and it may be worth your while shoppping around for the particular nuggets of madchester delights that you want rather than ending up buying this one and realising your favourite isn't on it.
