The Liberty of Norton Folgate

Pop · 2009 · 22 tracks · 1h 25m

The Liberty of Norton Folgate

March 23, 2009 · Union Square Music

A sophisticated, widescreen celebration of city life that balances nostalgic warmth with sharp social observation.

Tracklist · 22 Tracks · 1h 25m

01

Overture

1:07

01

Let’s Go

3:31

02

We Are London

3:40

02

Idiot Child

3:19

03

Sugar and Spice

2:52

03

Mission From Hell

3:50

04

Forever Young

4:36

04

Seven Dials

2:54

05

Dust Devil

3:45

05

Hunchback of Torriano

3:12

06

Fish and Chips

2:42

06

Rainbows

3:22

07

Bingo

4:08

07

That Close

4:10

08

MK II

2:27

08

NW5

4:15

09

On the Town

4:32

09

One Fine Day

3:59

10

Clerkenwell Polka

4:20

10

The Kiss

4:07

11

The Liberty of Norton Folgate

10:12

11

Africa

4:20

Moments Worth Listening For

The ten-minute title track's transition from a creeping, mysterious intro into a full-blown, brass-led celebration of London's immigrant history.

The way the strings swell during the chorus of NW5, turning a song about a postcode into a sweeping, cinematic lament.

The rhythmic shift in Dust Devil where the classic Nutty Boy ska beat meets a darker, more sophisticated surf-rock edge.

Reviews

BBC Music

AllMusic

Where This Album Departs

How does The Liberty of Norton Folgate sound next to the rest of Madness's catalogue?

Orchestral Arrangement+1.8σ

The production is pushed notably harder into orchestral arrangement than this artist usually allows.

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