Customer Reviews

World Service

5 star:		(2)
4 star:		(1)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(0)

 

 

This CD masquerades under the title "World Service" but is NOT a digitized version of the original vinyl. For the most part, it seems to be out-takes and demos, perhaps working versions of the songs recorded for the "World Service" LP release. The versions presented here are spare, and demonstrate the depth of Moore's writing and arranging talent without the gloss of the LP's excellent production. Very interesting and enjoyable, but what happened to the masters of the vinyl release? I'd like to have the original in digital format as well...

The rocked up version of "Lucia" is great, and there are a couple of renditions of "Out of Angels" that are both very listenable, but neither have the atmosphere of the vinyl release.

A good addition to the collection that expands the scope of an under-recognized writer, producer, and performer. Now let's find the original masters!

I was so excited to see this on CD. When I received my order I put in the CD expecting to hear the original classic album with bonus tracks. I got, like the first reviewer pointed out, a collection of outtakes. Fine because Anthony More is an awesome artist, most have never heard of, but the songs paled in comparison to the ones on the original album. This released with the original would have been incredible, but maybe asking too much. I would therefore gladly take the original. Please someone tell me what happened and please release the original. That was an undiscovered masterpiece that deserves a release. Please

XRay Spex is absolutely correct: no messsing around with the original album should have been considered or deemed necessary. But I learned why it happened, and will tell you about it in a moment. But all the same, it's beside the point: the proper thing for the label to have have done in the first place would have been to apprise fans that the tracks were not only re-ordered, but in some cases completely re-done/ in alternate version ( and my guess is that re-workings are of a more recent vintage as opposed to being discovered in a dusty archive.) For example, the gloriously cloud bursting bolero of the original Broke N Idle is expunged from this release and replaced with a stripped down more pop oriented up-tempo version. I was quite livid when I purchased this CD some five years ago and discovered the original album had been mucked with. I understand your frustration XRAYSPEX. My world did not turn day-glow either, but my blood pressure certainly did elevate. Letter after letter to the record company finally got me a surprising posting from the great man himself, Anthony More!. He put the blame squarely on himself: he said he was not satisfied with the configuration and versions of some of tracks of the original album and so opted to replace the offending versions. He was a real gentleman about it in light of my consternation (and he was doing well, btw, as a music professor at a university in...can't quite remember now... Belgium?) Anyway, in subsequent years I've cooled down about it, but I haven't changed my mind. In my opinion it's not that the alternate versions shoudn't have appeared: they're not bad or anything like that, but again, in my opinion, they're not as strong as the originals. They could have easily been appended to the original album as bonus or even designated as preferred by AM versions, and the listener could have then been judge.
I don't blame him at all: it's his music and he has every right to do what he wants with it. But I still do blame the label; they could have mentioned the changes in their catalog descriptions or on their website, or on the cd itself. By no means avoid this CD, but do try to scout out the original vinyl. Me, I recorded the original on a cdr and put it in a double cd pack with this release.

Anthony More a.k.a Flag Face is one of those artists who really should have became better known. His music is part progressive and part new wave. At times he's slightly reminiscent of the Police and David Bowie. "World Service" is More's best album. With tribal sounds in the title track to overlaying vocals in the rocking "Run Right Back". A. More's music is well produced and the guitar is a main force and is performed with skill and adventure. If you're looking for a new favorite from the eighties KROQ era- Anthony More (now Moore) is the one to check out. Also worthy is his preceding album "Flying Doesn't Help".

Anthony Moore (sometimes "A. More") has always been a musical journeyman, a musician with open ears and a creative mind. He's also someone who knows how to get the desired effect in the studio. *World Service* is the culmination of the journey that begins with *Flying Doesn't Help*. In the interval between these albums, the music becomes harder, the vocals more intense, the whole vibe angrier and more jaded. This change is evident in "Lucia Still Alive": a rework of a formerly bright, piano guided number that brings deeper colors and more angst to the equation. This is the type of album that inspired the present purveyors of depresso-industro-emotico-aggro. The vinyl has been nearly unobtainable... Now the companion piece to *Flying* has landed. Now it's time for a Singles and B-Sides compilation.