DICE 1979-1993

While DICE formed in 1974 and cites progressive bands of the day as prime influences, this compilation mostly from their 1980s output is much more a product of its era, and sounds little like what DICE would become as the 1990s came to a close. This is basically 1980s rock with some pop sensibilities, conjuring up some of the more popular artists of the decade with a whiff of continental flavour.

I enjoy this up front style once in a while, and tracks like "Walking in the middle of the night" and "Try to Remember" are certainly pleasant enough upbeat tunes, while the excellent instrumental "Close Your Eyes" combines electronic ambience with programmed percussion quite nicely. The melody of the Buggles-like "Forgive me" later surfaces on the slowed down proggy "The Hope has Died Forever" on the first "Within/Without" recording. "God Bless you Mr Lennon" is an earnest tribute to the Beatle that sounds like something LINDISFARNE would do. Even the track "DICE" holds some interest as a jilted lover's tune. All that said, "Dice 1979-1993" is mostly dispensable except on historic terms, if you want to explore what some of the prog bands of today might have been doing during the between times.