The Liberty Of Norton Folgate

The Liberty of Norton Folgate is the ninth studio album from Madness and is widely considered to be their magnum opus. Originally released in May 2009, the record took nearly three years to make. It was the first album with the full band since 1999's Wonderful and was developed as a concept album about the band's hometown. The ten-minute-long title track narrates the history of Norton Folgate, a part of East London near Spitalfields, which, for a period, remained free from the Crown's ruling and was therefore referred to as a 'liberty', where normal rules of city life did not apply. The album showcases the band's full creative flow, with each song demonstrating the maturity and depth of their songwriting prowess. The album includes the singles 'NW5', 'Dust Devil', 'Forever Young', and 'Sugar and Spice'. This extended 2LP version features seven bonus tracks. Available on heavyweight vinyl in gatefold packaging, this edition also includes exclusive new liner notes containing interviews with Suggs, Lee Thompson, Chrissyboy Foreman, Daniel Woodgate, and Mike Barson, as well as an exclusive poem by Cathal Smyth.