HomeMadnessThe Liberty of Norton Folgate
The Liberty of Norton Folgate
Pop · 2009 · 22 tracks · 1h 25m

The Liberty of Norton Folgate

A sprawling, cinematic love letter to London. Orchestral arrangements and music-hall storytelling elevate their signature ska into a sophisticated masterpiece.

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It's like a Mike Leigh film set to the best ska-pop you've ever heard.

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

The Liberty of Norton Folgate · vs · Madness
Orchestral Arrangement+1.8σ

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

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 Waiting 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.
Sits BesideSee all
Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
Oui Oui, Si Si, Ja Ja, Da Da
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