Madness will release an expanded version of their chart-topping album, ‘Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’, on June 7.
The deluxe edition of the album features five brand new studio tracks – I’d Do Anything (If I Could), No Reason, Hello Sun, Long Goodbye and Culture Vulture – all recorded during their ‘C’est La Vie’ album sessions.
Also on the album are seven live tracks recorded on last year’s ‘C’est La Vie’ tour – Theatre of the Absurd, C’est La Vie, Hour of Need, Round We Go, Run For Your Life, In My Street, and a cover of The Specials’ Friday Night Saturday Morning.
On the release, Suggs says “What do we ave ere’ then? Only some more blinding tunes for a bumper version of our No.1 album ‘Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C’est La Vie.’
“We’ve had a blast playing the new songs for you so thought we’d throw in some live version too. Hope you like them!”
‘Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie (Enhanced Edition)’ is available to pre-order here. Listen to new track, No Reason, below.
Tracklist: Madness – Theatre of the Absurd Presents C’est La Vie (Enhanced Edition)
CD1
1. Prologue: “Mr Beckett Sir…”
2. Theatre Of The Absurd
3. If I Go Mad
4. Baby Burglar
5. Act One: “Surrounded on all sides..”
6. C’est La Vie
7. What On Earth Is It (You Take Me For?)
8. Hour Of Need
9. Act Two “The damsel in distress..”
10. Round We Go
11. Act Three: “The situation deteriorates..”
12. Lockdown And Frack Off
13. Beginners 101
14. Is There Anybody Out There?
15. The Law According to Dr. Kippah
16. Epilogue: “And so Ladies and Gentlemen..”
17. Run For Your Life
18. Set Me Free (Let Me Be)
19. In My Street
20. Fin.: “Ladies and Gentlemen..”
CD2
1. I’d Do Anything (If I Could)*
2. No Reason*
3. Hello Sun*
4. Long Goodbye*
5. Culture Vulture*
6. Theatre of the Absurd (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
7. C’est La Vie (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
8. Hour of Need (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
9. Round We Go (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
10. Run For Your Life (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
11. In My Street (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
12. Friday Night, Saturday Morning (Live From The C’est La Vie Tour)*
*Previously unreleased
The group will play across the UK in celebration of their latest album, with the 19 dates launching in Margate on June 14, playing in cities such as in Newcastle, Lincoln, Edinburgh and more through July, before wrapping in August.
Tickets for Madness’ 2024 shows are on sale now and available here. The full list of dates is below.
JUNE 2024
14 – Summer Series, Margate
15 – Summer Sessions, Plymouth
16 – Summer Sessions, Southampton
28 – Racecourse, Newcastle
29 – Lincoln Castle
JULY 2024
5 – Edinburgh Castle
6 – Lytham Festival
12 – Open Air Theatre, Scarborough
13 – International Musical Eisteddfod, Llangollen
14 – Summer Sessions, Derby
18 – Cardiff Castle
19 – Englefield Estate
26 – Kirkstall Abbey, Leeds
27 – Ludlow Castle
28 – Uptown Festival, Blackheath
31 – Sandown Park Racecourse, Esher
AUGUST 2024
2 – Audley End, Essex
9 – Custom House Square, Belfast
10 – Galway Airport, Ireland
Madness’ new LP is their 13th overall and gave the band their first UK chart-topping studio album.
Reacting to the news, the group said in a statement: “Would you Adam and Eve it?! It only took us 40 years to get there but we’ve just gone and ruddy scored our first no 1 album with ‘Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’ and we thought, what better way to celebrate than to announce a summer tour.
“There are still a few tickets left for some of the Christmas leg if you can’t wait until then though.”
In a review of the album, RETROPOP called ‘Theatre Of The Absurd Presents C’est La Vie’ one of the band’s “most varied and diverse” albums and “without question the band’s most pop-oriented in years”.
