MADCAP must have gotten lost in a giant cocoon or something last year, because they’ve newly emerged as a beautiful butterfly on “Under Suspicion.” That is quite possibly the worst introduction sentence to a review that I have ever written. After two discs for Side One Dummy, MADCAP has made the move to the multi-faceted Victory Records, and has further infused their melodic street-punk sound with gobs of spirit from THE CLASH and THE POLICE. The end result is dramatically surprising, and a seriously huge step up for the band. If my previous reviews of MADCAP were poisoned by a few hints of hostility, it was based purely on a band adorned with cliches and marginally interesting music. While themed cliches are still rife across “Under Suspicion,” the songwriting is fiesty, fun, and catchier than the West Nile virus in a mosquito pond. You’d pretty much have to be lacking a pulse to not appreciate the infectious nature of songs like “Lovesick,” “Youth Explosion,” and the aptly titled, “In My Head.” I definitely appreciate MADCAP’s subtle use of a Hammond organ, and a few horns make their way on here, courtesy of the guys in CATCH 22. The production quality is very restrained on “Under Suspicion,” taking a “classic punk rock” feel, but still being punchy in just the right places. MADCAP’s “Under Suspicion” may indeed just be a glorified tribute to the band’s wide range of influences, but I would be hard pressed to say that they haven’t pulled off such an attempt with the perfect dose of swagger, competence, and grace. Plainly stated, this is a release worth investigating.

Victory

www.victoryrecords.com