Published on Jul 1, 1999
Even if you’re not a big fan of classical music, chances are
you’ve at least heard of the piece “Clair De Lune” by Claude
Debussy. Long ago, when I took piano lessons, it was one of the
pieces that I had to learn, and though I was very much a butcher on
the keyboards, sometimes I got it to the point where the piece’s
magic came through.
Even if you’re not a big fan of dance music, chances are you’ve
at least heard of the band Art Of Noise. First coming to fame in
the ’80s with their hit “Beat Box,” they probably are best known
for their cover of old what’s-his-name’s song “Kiss,” featuring Tom
Jones. But it’s been some time since the world has heard from
Trevor Horn and company, and for those who have been patiently
waiting for some new output from the band, your wait is over.
The Seduction Of Claude Debussy is not so much a dance album
as it is an ambient work in progress, an experience that must be
sppreciated as a whole, not broken up into singles. You’re not
going to walk away with a greater respect for Debussy (as the music
doesn’t seem to deal with the composer himself), but courtesy of
the spoken word, you’ll at least know a little about the man, as
well as a respect for the way he viewed music. Simply put, it’s
incredible.
The band – Horn, Lol Creme, Anne Dudley and Paul Morley – seem
to have taken a page from the German group Enigma, whose debut
album also seemed to put the focus on the whole picture rather than
individual songs. With narration from John Hurt, and guest
appearances from such artists as Donna Lewis, Sally Bradshaw, Carol
Kenyon and Rakim, listening to this disc is almost like walking
through an art gallery late at night, with only colored flourescent
lighting guiding you along the way. It’s both exciting and
intriguing, and almost gives you an insight into what the
musicians, like Debussy, was thinking along the creative path.
Tracks like “Dreaming In Colour,” “Il Pleure (At The Turn Of The
Century)” and “On Being Blue” all show how far Art Of Noise has
come over the years, and how important their presence is on the
music scene today. Granted, you’re not going to hear a lot of these
tracks on the radio, simply because program directors are probably
ripping their hair out trying to figure out how to program these
songs. Just the fact that the band created an album that
de-emphasizes the hit single is a bold move, and in this case, one
that works perfectly. (Whether Art Of Noise did this intentionally
or not, I don’t know… but I’d like to think the answer is
“yes”.)
Not surprisingly, most of the vocal work done on
The Seduction Of Claude Debussy blends in with the ambience
of the performances. It’s almost impossible to tell when Lewis adds
her part, or when any of the other guest musicians (who are too
numerous to list in a review) add their contrbutions, but this
actually works to the benefit of Art Of Noise, who are able to take
the creations of others and fold them into the mix seamlessly.
There are, of course, two exceptions to this. Hurt’s narration
stands out on its own throughout the course of
The Seduction Of Claude Debussy, as well it should, acting
as a guidepost along a very strange, very beautiful journey. On the
other hand, Rakim’s raps seem to distract from the moments that the
band tries to create, even though those moments are often the more
alive, raucous ones on the disc. This isn’t an indictment against
Rakim’s talents, but one questions why the band chose to add raps
into this sort of a mix.
Fans of the “hit-single” Art Of Noise may flinch a bit at
The Seduction Of Claude Debussy, but if given the right time
and atmosphere – preferrably listened to in a dark room through
headphones – the music will actually provide the light to brighten
up the room. It’s been a long time since any album I’ve listened to
has been able to make such a claim. Art Of Noise might have been
gone for a long time, but
The Seduction Of Claude Debussy proves that the wait was
well worth it.