In No Sense? Nonsense! contains some of the Art of Noise's most compelling work. With this album, Anne Dudley and company expanded their new wave experiments to include more instrumental firepower. In addition to full rock band production (including electric guitars, drums, and synthesizers), this record makes use of brass band, orchestral, and choral music. The result is about as rich and complex as they ever got. In No Sense? Nonsense! is probably best known as the album that included their take on the theme from the '50s cop show Dragnet, used in the 1987 film version that starred Dan Akroyd and Tom Hanks. That track is certainly the most accessible on the record, but it somehow seems a little too punchy for the primary ambient pop surroundings. It might fit better on a different album. This record is more notable for tracks like "How Rapid?" and "Opus for Four" that engage in fanciful genre blending. At times, the sound almost begins to anticipate later ambient dance artists like Enigma and DJ Shadow. But the Art of Noise are aptly named and consequently limited. Their artful noise collage lacks the visceral impact afforded by those later bands. In No Sense? is more often interesting than beautiful. ~ Evan Cater, All Music Guide
In No Sense? Nonsense!
01/01/1987
All Music Guide Review
Track Listing
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Credits
- Peter Oxer
- Violin
- Bernard Partridge
- Violin
- Frank Ricotti
- Percussion
- Paul Robinson
- Drums
- Marilyn Sanson
- Cello
- Dietmar Schillinger
- Mixing Assistant
- Graeme Scott
- Viola
- Colin Sheen
- Trombone
- Galina Solodchin
- Violin
- Mark Thomas
- Violin
- Nicolas Varak
- Assistant Engineer, Mixing Assistant
- George Webley
- Bass
- Donald Weekes
- Violin
- Barry Wilde
- Violin
- Peter Willison
- Cello
- Robert Ahwai
- Guitar
- Ian McKinnon
- Violin
- Roger Dudley
- Engineer, Mixing
- Lance Phillips
- Assistant Engineer
- Dave Watt
- Vocals (Background), Tenor (Vocal)
- Norris Bosworth
- Viola
- John Pasche
- Art Direction
- Cathy Giles
- Cello
- Benjamin Adderley
- Choir, Chorus
- Francis Ambrose
- Choir, Chorus
- Tim Barthope
- Vocals (Background), Alto (Vocals)
- Douglas Bowen
- Choir, Chorus
- Keith Burrowes
- Choir, Chorus
- Jonathan Edge
- Choir, Chorus
- Benjamin Greatorex
- Choir, Chorus
- Adrian Hum
- Choir, Chorus
- Richard Lewzy
- Engineer
- Matthew Meynell
- Choir, Chorus
- Peter North
- Vocals (Background), Tenor (Vocal)
- Jay Bee
- Mixing Assistant
- Antonina Bialas
- Violin
- Alexander Costello
- Choir, Chorus
- Alan David
- Photography
- Alastair Stout
- Choir, Chorus
- Alistair Taylor
- Choir, Chorus
- Tony Martin
- Double Bass
- Paul Smith
- Bass (Vocal)
- Peter Ahworth
- Photography
- Quentin William
- Cello
- Paul E. Smith
- Vocals (Background)
- Robert Howe
- Choir, Chorus
- Desmond Bradley
- Violin
- Richard Clover
- Bass (Vocal), Vocals (Background)
- Benjamin Dixon
- Choir, Chorus
- David James-Roll
- Choir, Chorus
- Harold Lindsay
- Vocals (Background), Alto (Vocals)
- Timothy Morgan
- Choir, Chorus
- Peter G. Hanson
- Violin
- Arthur Wills
- Director
- Robert Abwai
- Guitar
- James Archer
- Violin
- Howard Ball
- Violin
- John Bradbury
- Violin
- Stuart Breed
- Engineer
- Mike Brittain
- Double Bass
- Dave Bronze
- Bass
- Barry Clempson
- Engineer
- Alan Dalziel
- Cello
- David Katz
- Violin
- Liz Edwards
- Violin
- Robin Firman
- Cello
- Tony Fisher
- Trumpet
- Roger Garland
- Violin
- Rusen Gunes
- Viola
- Tony Harris
- Viola
- Ted Hayton
- Engineer, Mixing
- Jon Jacobs
- Mixing
- Bob Kraushaar
- Engineer, Mixing
- The Art of Noise
- Arranger, Producer, Main Performer
- Simon Harris
- Choir, Chorus
- Peter Rowan
- Voices











