San Francisco Bay Guardian
July 8, 1998

by Derk Richardson

The founder of the Bobs has worn a lot of hats since leaving that new wave a cappella band in 1991. He has composed for film, theater, dance, and radio; written and recorded an instrumental album of lovely waltzes, Spinning World; and supplied the Sammy Davis Jr. Vocals for HBO’s forthcoming Rat Pack. But it’s as a David Byrne meets-Rinde Eckert art-pop singer-songwriter that he wears his musical heart of his sleeve. Playing piano, organ and guitar, Madsen explores the internal workings of different faith-tested, vulnerable, paranoid, dirty, desperate, and naive minds. Madsen creates an absorbing song cycle that narrowly escapes self-absorption by lifting the lid on a busily percolating cranium.