STEEPED in the tradition of their Jamaican ska forebears, Madness turn their scatty attentions to a wealth of classic tunes for this happy-go-lucky covers album.

Assuming their Dangermen personas, Madness line up a set list that, while far from obvious, could easily have come from a late 60s Trojan album by the likes of John Holt, Desmond Dekker or Nicky Thomas.

There's a cover of The Kinks' Lola (not exactly a highpoint) which takes its lead from Thomas' version - a point Madness merrily acknowledge - while Holt inspires their (excellent) downbeat reading of You Keep Me Hanging On.

Prince Buster's Girl Why Don't You is in safe hands, Jose Feliciano's Rain is an unexpected joy, but Marley's So Much Trouble In the World gets a less assured treatment.

Whatever. Criticising the odd track makes me feel like a party pooper who's heard too many of UB40's over-earnest, ham-fisted attempts at doing similar records.

Forget any notion of a ska revival cash-in, this is Madness returning to their knockabout roots and having a whale of a time in doing so.

Be glad - Nick Churchill