Originally
released last year, I decided to wait until now to review Anne Dudley Plays The
Art Of Noise as it was only available as a very expensive Japanese import.
An
entire album of cover versions is not a new idea as some of the biggest
recording artists of all time have recorded one, with only a few managing to
successfully pull off such a feat. Technically this isn’t a true album of covers
as Anne, Art of Noise’s longest serving member, co-wrote the greater part of
the material within it, but it is the first time that she has recorded the
majority of those pieces as a solo artist, reimagining some of the group’s best
known tracks as stripped down piano pieces, rather than arranging them for an entire
orchestra as one may have expected.
Selections
are taken from Who’s Afraid Of The Art
Of Noise, In Visible Silence, Below The Waste and The Seduction Of Claude Debussy with the odd surprise or two thrown
in for good measure. Although each track has been reduced to its lowest common
denominator to produce this album, there are times as an established Art of
Noise listener that one can be forgiven for almost hearing JJ Jeczalik &
Gary Langan’s wizardry sounds playing along with Anne’s performance, making this
an extremely interesting collection to listen to as it’s her minimal programmed counterpoints
providing the new backing with a few original Art of Noise sounds that are reused
as brief nods to the past.
Six
of the group’s biggest hits, Close (To The Edit), Beat Box, Paranoimia, Legs, Instruments Of Darkness and Moments In Love are included and have
all be turned
on their heads. On Being Blue* and Il Pleure (At The Turn Of The Century)* are far
superior to the original versions that appeared on The Seduction Of
Claude Debussy
album, with other favourites like Backbeat, A Time For Fear (Who’s
Afraid), Robinson Crusoe and Camilla providing Anne with a new sound
canvas to play
with.
What
makes this special from other cover albums is the obvious personal connection
to the music, giving it a genuine soul of its own that manages to create
something new and extraordinarily different making one take in each note
that is played.
Anne Dudley Plays The Art Of
Noise is an excellent example of musical juxtapositions and
re-working material without alienating the listener that can also be enjoyed for
what it is, a carefully crafted album which will appeal to fans and the uninitiated.
*excluded from the vinyl edition
