{"product_id":"madness-7-uk-import","title":"Madness - 7 [UK Import]","description":"\u003cp\u003eMadness's 7, the band's third studio album, returns as a UK import LP due in 2027, catching the Nutty Boys in 1981 as their songs grew sharper and more thoughtful.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eBy then, One Step Beyond and Absolutely had already turned ska, music hall and pop into a run of hits. 7 kept the knees-up spirit but let a little gloom seep in, setting songs about routine, worry and everyday disappointment against bright horns and bouncing piano. It reached the UK top five and gave the band several of its best-loved singles.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eGrey Day is the standout, a song about dread and drudgery that somehow still makes you want to sway along. Cardiac Arrest sets a cheerful tune against the story of a stressed commuter whose heart gives out on the way to work, a classic piece of Madness mischief. Shut Up plays a small-time crook's protests of innocence for laughs, its melody so catchy you barely notice the irony.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eMike Barson's piano and Lee Thompson's saxophone keep everything moving, while the band's knack for London character sketches is at its sharpest.\u003c\/p\u003e\u003cp\u003eFor fans who know the singles, the full album reveals a group growing up in public without losing their sense of humour. It is the record where Madness started to sound like storytellers as much as entertainers.\u003c\/p\u003e","brand":"Alliance Entertainment","offers":[{"title":"Default Title","offer_id":57188201529649,"sku":"5063720305997","price":34.99,"currency_code":"USD","in_stock":true}],"thumbnail_url":"\/\/cdn.shopify.com\/s\/files\/1\/0704\/2026\/7313\/files\/Madness-7_UK_Import.jpg?v=1793289665","url":"https:\/\/vinyl.com\/products\/madness-7-uk-import","provider":"Vinyl.com","version":"1.0","type":"link"}