THE ART OF NOISE ONLINE www.theartofnoiseonline.com

Articles

Source:	Unknown
Author:	Lloyd Bradley
Publication Date:	October 1989

	THE ART OF NOISE Below The Waste CHINA 839404 LP/Cass/CD The Art Of Noise's last album was monstrously self-indulgent, seeming to exist merely to brag about what con be done if you're clever enough. This time out, at least they are starting off in the right direction by creating several songs with foundations conventional enough to hold the attention. The trouble is, that once the ideas are set out in the crisp backing tracks they don't know how (or simply don't bother) to take them anywhere. It's as if making the desired references - MFSB-ish soul, grungy heavy metal and spritely jazz/funk in particular -was enough, but it leaves the listener badly frustrated. Only on the current single Yebo - featuring vocals by Mahlathini & Mahotella Queens - and a reworking of the Bond theme (in the style of their Dragnet extravaganza) is there enough focus to make the tracks sound finished, and neither of these are at all typical of the album. ** Lloyd Bradley