The Method to Our Madness

In 1985, singer Stiv Bators spoke on the album's musical direction, saying: "When we first got together it was a nice mixture of our different personalities. We didn't know what we were supposed to sound like, so we more or less discovered ourselves. On the second album we discovered various different styles we could do, but not in a unified direction. Now we have finally settled in a direction."{{cite web |first=Martin |last=Neal |url=http://www.angelsinexile.com/sites/lords/html/lordpre6.htm |title=The Evening Echo - Lords find their way |website=angelsinexile.com |date= 15 March 1985 |accessdate=March 28, 2019}}

Initially, the band felt very stimulated playing, writing and recording together. Their first two self-produced albums went "really, really well," according to guitarist Brian James, but Method to Our Madness was more of a struggle. Furthermore, the band's record company, I.R.S., wanted to use an outside producer, because the band was "losing its dynamic a bit," said James in 2007.{{cite web |first=John |last=Clarkson |url=http://www.pennyblackmusic.co.uk/MagSitePages/Article/4303/Brian-James-Interview-Part-2 |title=Penny Black Music - Brian James Interview Part 2 |website=pennyblackmusic.co.uk |date= 18 May 2007 |accessdate=March 28, 2019}}

The Method to Our Madness was produced by Chris Tsangarides, who had previously worked with hard rock acts like Thin Lizzy, Gary Moore and Tygers of Pan Tang.{{cite web |first= |last= |url=https://www.therockpit.net/2010/vintage-interview-chris-tsangarides-producer-musician-song-writer-2010/ |title=VINTAGE INTERVIEW: Chris Tsangarides – Producer, musician, song-writer 2010 |website=therockpit.net |date= 15 March 2010 |accessdate=March 28, 2019}} The album features, among others; French jazz pianist Jacques Loussier, at whose Miraval Studios parts of the album was recorded; former Manfred Mann member Mike Hugg on keyboards; and the Lords' longtime session and touring keyboardist Matt Irving from Manfred Mann's Earth Band. The Lords' manager and label boss, Miles Copeland, makes a cameo appearance on "Method to My Madness" with a few spoken lines.{{cite web |first= |last= |url=https://www.stivbators.com/BIOGRAPHY.htm |title=Stiv Bators Biography|website=stivbators.com |date= |accessdate=March 28, 2019}}

{{Music ratings

|rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1Score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/the-method-to-our-madness-mw0000651610 |title=The Method to Our Madness - AllMusic review|publisher=AllMusic |accessdate=28 March 2019 |last=Cassel |first=Bill}}

| rev2 = Encyclopedia of Popular Music

|rev2score = {{Rating|2|5}}{{cite book|last1=Larkin|first1=Colin|date= 2011|title=Encyclopedia of Popular Music: Concise|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=_NNmFiUnSmUC&q=encyclopedia+of+popular+music+lords+of+the+new+church&pg=RA13-PA2000 |publisher=Omnibus Press|isbn=9780857125958|accessdate=28 March 2019|edition=5th}}

| rev3 = Sounds

|rev3score = {{Rating|4.5|5}}{{cite web |first=Dave |last=Roberts |url=http://www.angelsinexile.com/sites/lords/html/lordpr29.htm |title=Alter Egos |magazine=Sounds |via=angelsinexile.com |date=10 November 1984 |p=37 |accessdate=March 28, 2019}}

}}

AllMusic's Bill Cassel wrote that The Method to Our Madness sounds more like a debut album, with the band "bursting with energy" and with a much rawer production than on their first two albums. He noted that "the aggression level stays pretty high, dipping only for a couple of ballads." Ira Robbins of Trouser Press described the album as a cross between The Stooges' Raw Power and Billy Idol's Rebel Yell. He called it "the band's least distinctive - but most popular-sounding - record."{{cite web |first=Ira |last=Robbins |url=http://trouserpress.com/entry.php?a=lords_of_the_new_church |title=Trouser Press - Lords of the New Church |website=TrouserPress.com |date= |accessdate=March 28, 2019}} In his Encyclopedia of Popular Music, Colin Larkin felt that the album "revealed a band treading water with stifled heavy rock routines."

{{Track listing

| all_writing = Stiv Bators and Brian James, except where noted

| total_length = 40:01

| title1 = Method to My Madness

| length1 = 3:15

| title2 = I Never Believed

| length2 = 3:38

| title3 = Pretty Baby Scream

| length3 = 5:00

| title4 = Fresh Flesh

| length4 = 3:33

| title5 = When Blood Runs Cold

| length5 = 3:47

| title6 = Murder Style

| writer6 = Bators, James, Dave Tregunna

| length6 = 4:12

| title7 = The Seducer

| length7 = 4:31

| title8 = Kiss of Death

| length8 = 3:37

| title9 = Do What Thou Wilt

| length9 = 4:11

| title10 = My Kingdom Come

| length10 = 4:08

}}

{{track listing

| extra_column = Notes

| headline = 2003 re-issue bonus tracks

| total_length = 56:16

| title11 = Dreams and Desires

| writer11 = Bators, James, Tregunna, Nick Turner

| note11 = B-side to "Live for Today" 12"

| length11 = 4:15

| title12 = A Gun Called Justice

| note12 = B-side to "When the Blood Runs Cold (Special Remix)"

| length12 = 3:29

| title13 = Good to Be Bad

| note13 = from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 soundtrack

| length13 = 4:45

| title14 = Mind Warp

| note14 = from The Texas Chainsaw Massacre 2 soundtrack

| length14 = 3:46

}}

{{track listing

| extra_column = Notes

| headline = US version

| total_length = 40:12

| title1 = Method to My Madness

| length1 = 3:17

| title2 = I Never Believed

| length2 = 3:38

| title3 = Pretty Baby Scream

| length3 = 5:02

| title4 = S.F. & T.

| length4 = 3:34

| title5 = When Blood Runs Cold

| length5 = 3:44

| title6 = Murder Style

| writer6 = Bators, James, Tregunna

| length6 = 4:12

| title7 = The Seducer

| length7 = 4:12

| title8 = Kiss of Death

| length8 = 3:35

| title9 = Do What Thou Wilt

| length9 = 4:11

| title10 = My Kingdom Come

| length10 = 4:11

}}

Credits adapted from the album's liner notes.{{cite AV media notes|title=The Method to Our Madness |type=CD liner notes|others=The Lords of the New Church|publisher=Illegal Records|year=1984}}

;The Lords of the New Church

• Stiv Bators – vocals
• Brian James – guitar
• Dave Tregunna – bass, vocals
• Nick Turner – drums, percussion, vocals

;Additional musicians

• Matt Irving – keyboards
• Chris Tsangarides – keyboards
• Mike Hugg – keyboards
• Jacques Loussier – piano
• Vicki Brown – vocals
• Samantha Brown – vocals
• Helen Chappelle – vocals
• Tricia Ronane – vocals
• Paola Pieroni – vocals
• Tanya Landau – vocals
• Miles Copeland – voice on "Method to My Madness"
• Hein Hoven – string arrangements on US version of "When Blood Runs Cold"

;Technical

• Chris Tsangarides – production
• Andy Warwick – production assistance
• Sheila Rock – photography
• Graphyk – design

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Category:1984 albums

Category:Albums produced by Chris Tsangarides

Category:The Lords of the New Church albums

Category:I.R.S. Records albums