The Liberty of Norton Folgate is the ninth studio album from Madness and widely considered to be their magnum opus. Originally released in May 2009, and taking nearly three years to make, the record was the first with the full band since 1999’s Wonderful and was developed as a concept album about the band’s home town. The 10-minute long title track tells the history of a part of East London (Norton Folgate, 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 finds the band in full creative flow, with song after song showcasing the maturity and depth of their songwriting prowess. Home to the singles “NW5,” “Dust Devil,” “Forever Young” and “Sugar and Spice,” this extended 180g vinyl 2LP version features seven bonus tracks. The proceedings are housed in gatefold packaging featuring 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.
