Pitchfork: Madness Skank Up West Coast

Last seen during MTV's halcyon days, jockeying for airtime with the likes of Billy Squier and Pat Benatar, ska revivalists Madness are back with a new album and a short tour through the west coast of America. Despite a pretty remarkable run of smart, catchy singles in the early 1980s, Madness is generally known for their "nutty sound," and in North America particularly, the band is seen solely as a one hit wonder for their "Our House" video. Pitchfork finds it hard to believe that a band comprised of members with the businesslike names of Suggs, El Thommo, Woody, Mister Smash, Bedders, and Monsieur Barzo has trouble being taken seriously. The teeny-weenie tour will be in support of their new covers album, The Dangermen Sessions Vol. 1, which was released through V2 on August 16. Hold onto your bowler hats:

09-17 San Bernadino, CA - KROQ Inland Invasion
09-18 San Diego, CA - House of Blues
09-20 Los Angeles, CA Troubadour
09-21 San Francisco, CA - Bimbo's
09-23 Portland, OR - Crystal Ballroom
09-24 Seattle, WA - Fenix Underground

In case you haven't heard the album yet (what�s wrong with you?!), the seasoned skankers croon versions of songs by Desmond Dekker, the Kinks, the Supremes, and appropriately enough, the man who first made "Madness" and "One Step Beyond" famous, Prince Buster. Tracklist:

01 Intro / This Is Where
02 Girl Why Don't You
03 Shame & Scandal
04 I Chase the Devil (a.k.a. Ironshirt)
05 Taller Than You Are 06 You Keep Me Hanging On
07 Dangermen (aka High Wire)
08 Israelites
09 John Jones
10 Lola
11 You'll Lose a Good Thing
12 Rain
13 So Much Trouble in the World