Anthony Moore - 1981 - World Service

Anthony Moore

1981

World Service

01. World Service 5:05
02. Pieces Of The Puzzle 4:02
03. Run Right Back 3:36
04. Flame Failure (The Argument) 4:20
05. Lucia Still Alive 3:53
06. Nowhere To Go 3:36
07. More Pieces Of The Puzzle 4:02
08. Broke 'N Idle 2:04
09. Outta Angels 3:39
10. Still Nowhere To Go 4:30
11. Angels Revisited 3:58

Backing Vocals – The Berlin Voices (tracks: 6, 7, 9), The Dawn Chorus (4) (tracks: 2 to 4)
Double Bass – Hans Hartmann (tracks: 6, 9)
Drums – Leo (tracks: 6, 7, 9), Orb (tracks: 2 to 4)
Guitar – Anthony More (tracks: 1 to 8, 10 to 11), Le Bleu (tracks: 1 to 3, 7, 9)
Piano – Anthony More (tracks: 4, 5)
Synthesizer [Arp 2600] – Le Bleu (tracks: 1, 10)
Vocals – Anthony More
Written-By – Anthony More

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".

The immediate follow-up to Anthony Moore's career pinnacle, Flying Doesn't Help, World Service is nearly as strong though less immediately accessible. The sound of the album is quite similar to Peter Gabriel's third and fourth solo albums, with a pronounced African and Middle Eastern feel to some songs, particularly the politically tinged title track. Moore lacks Gabriel's innate optimism, however, and the album's tone veers from darkly bitter (on the ironically poppy, upbeat "Broke 'n Idle") to downright bleak (the climactic "Still Nowhere to Go," which recalls some of John Cale's late-'70s work). World Service is a richly satisfying album with layered, complex arrangements -- along with Moore's multi-instrumentalist skills, the album features Ollie Halsall on guitar and one of the earliest appearances of Alex Paterson under his nom de disque the Orb on percussion and saxophone -- and pristine but not overly slick production, and its darker tones complement the comparatively light Flying Doesn't Help. [The CD reissue of World Service features some alternate versions of songs -- reportedly selected by Moore -- that differ from those in the album's original vinyl release. In 2012 the Floating World label paired this alternate edition of the album with Flying Doesn't Help in a two-disc set.]