Art of Noise Album: “(Who's Afraid Of?) The Art of Noise!”

In the early 1980s, Trevor Horn was one of the most successful and bankable producers of his day. Years before he teamed up with Seal, Horn also produced albums from ABC, Frankie Goes to Hollywood, and this debut from the Art of Noise. "(Who's Afraid Of) The Art of Noise" is a strange yet engaging collection of dance beats, synth bleeps, and heart-stoppingly lovely arrangements. There's the hip hop swagger of their signature "Beat Box," the infectious groove of "Close (to the Edit)," and the ominous ring of "A Time for Fear (Who's Afraid)." There are also some downright strange tracks such as the title cut and "Momento," which really are collages of random noises, odd samples, and sounds. But the track that earns this album its 4 stars is the ten-minute excursion "Moments in Love," which is one of the most seductive and beautiful instrumentals ever. Proving that this album was no fluke, member Anne Dudley moved on to be an acclaimed composer, known for her work in films such as "The Crying Game." This quirky yet fun debut is recommended with my stamp of approval.

They may have had some sort of concept going here, but if you miss it (like I apparently did), no matter - the album is still very good. The politically tinged "A Time for Fear" starts things off on a most unexpected (but strong) note. "Beat Box" and "Moments in Love" are indisputed classics, although some might wish they weren't quite so long here. "Close (to the Edit)" is even better than either of those. I'd recommend the "daft" album, which gives you everything here (including a longer version of "Snapshot") and then some.

This was the second Art of Noise cd I bought. Unlike most reviewers so far, I had never even heard of "Moments in Love" prior to purchasing this album. ALL the songs are meaningful, and create a "mood". The first time I listened to the whole album, I was dissapointed by the whole last half. Once I listened to it more, I got the same feeling one gets when they are attempting to interpret a painting, or any work of art for that matter. The more I litstened, the deeper I delved, and the more I realized that The Art of Noise are musical geniuses. Give it a chance, and you will see that this noise is really art.

The early 1980s was dominated by synthetic and sampling technology. Brands like New England Digital's Synclavier, the Fairlight and Ensoniq could be found in many hi-tech recording studios. Crisp, thudding electronic drum sounds appeared on so many of the single of the time.

This album received a lot of critical attention on its 1984 release. A production genius -- Trevor Horn -- was on the march, and this LP was expected to give more insight into his methods. Up to this point, he had done some staggering work for Yes with '90125', Frankie Goes to Hollywood ('... Pleasuredome') and, I think, Grace Jones. Compressed orchestral samples -- as in Yes's 'Owner of a Lonely Heart' single -- were his trademark.

The Art of Noise was his backing band / production staff / co-composers -- call them what you will -- and this was their first showcase. Every sample is polished until it shines and sparkles. In the UK, 'Close (to the edit)' was the single that drew the record-buying public to the album, and 'Moments in Love' provided the justification for buying it. But the rest, although a couple of years ahead of its time, now sounds dated. The album provided a great demonstration of one possible musical future -- a future centred on sampling technology.

'Moments in Love' is a classic track that deserves all the praise heaped upon it by other reviewers here. Much credit is due to Anne Dudley, who went on to write material such as the soundtrack for 'The Full Monty'.

I first heard Moments in Love on my favorite jazz radio station. The DJ told me it was difficult to find but I was pleased to find it here. At first I was a bit disappointed because it is a different version than what I heard on the radio. After playing the whole album several times, I am very pleased with it. The other songs on the album sort of remind me of Lion Rock. I will definitly check out more Art of Noise in the future.