It isn't Mick Karns album however, it's a great piece of work by Gary Numan with some of his most original songs. "Crash" still sounds tough and the two slow 9 minute songs "Slowcar to China" and "Cry the Clock Said" still makes me feel like there's no world outside my own head. "Dance" lacked any real hit songs allthough "She's got Claws" sold pretty well. It is one of the two songs on the original album that could have been released as a single in my opinion. The other one is "You Are, You Are" which reminds me a bit of Ultravox at the time. The real hit single on this CD however is one of the extras: "Stormtrooper in Drag". A great song with the most interesting song title ever. The other extras are good too and the song "Dance" had never been released before this CD came out. "I Sing Rain" however should never have been released.

If you are new to Numan buy this CD. It does not sound like "Pure" or "Exile". It does not sound like "The Pleasure Principle" or "Telekon" either. It is kind of in a style of it's own. Don't get to disapointed if you don't like it that much the first time you hear it though. It's the type of music that gets better after hearing it some times. And don't expect to dance to it. The title of the album must be one of the most misleading ones in history.

Friends for Charm
Surprisingly, Gary Numan has stated in his biography that 'Dance' was the wrong type of album to release just after the success of 'Telekon', and this maybe the reason why only one single,'She's Got Claws' was released from it. To me, this has always been Gary Numan's crowning moment, the moment where he left his imitators behind and revealed possibly the most 'Numan' album of them all. Side 1 consists of four eerie electronic moodscapes that deal with sleaze and betrayal, yet in a highly sophisticated and stylish way. Apparently, many of the songs here were written around the time of the end of a disastrous relationship, and it shows. Side 2, however, is more upbeat, apart from the sublimely melancholic 'My Brother's Time'. It is strange that Numan's critics should call him detached and emotionless, because this was released back in 1981, and provides a plethora of very human and emotional subjects, dealt with in a polished, but sinister way.Helped out on the album by Roger Taylor, Mick Karn and Nash the Slash to name but three, there is a 'fuller' sound on 'Dance' than on previous albums. Numan wouldn't be quite this good again for quite some time.

If you like numan you will like this CD
I have been into gary numan for several years now, and I am 20 years old. I got this album originally when I was 18, and was immediately impressed. It is the type of CD that grows on you. Dont be scarred away by albums such as berserker, the fury, or machine and soul. These were some of numans worst. Well dance I would classify as the last of the 'classic' numan. It is definitely different from the telekon sound, or any sound on a numan album. But it contains the essential elements needed for a great numan recording. A song that not a lot of people have mentioned in these reviews is 'moral.' Moral is the sequal to the song 'metal' that was released on the pleasure principle album and also served as a b side to cars. Its fun to listen to metal then moral sequentially. Another great song is 'stories' that has a very creepy theme paired with a very creepy sound. Numans talents really shine in this epic recording.

Numan at his Very Best
I was rather surprised to see only eight reviews of this incredible record, to which I have been very addicted for years! There have been numerous re-releases since the vinyl original. The dynamic contrasts are considerable, with lots of extremely quiet passages, so CD was essential, but an original re-release had omitted "Cry the Clock Said," much to my dismay. Fortunately, later releases include that song along with bonus tracks. I have yet to hear the title track in its entirety, so this review will be of a 1993 Beggar Banquet re-issue.

The strong opener, "Slowcar to China" clocks in as one of the longest Numan pieces. It is atmospheric and jazzy, one of his best pieces. "Night Talk" has wonderful rhythms, awesome bass, and soaring synthesizer. The lyrics "Boys like me aren't supposed to cry, but it's so easy to do." Another gem of musical perfection. "A Subway Called 'You'," as the reader may surmise from other customer reviews, is well-liked, and rightly so. It continues in the same vein as the first two: atmospheric, complex rhythms, music that floats in space, beautifully engineered recording. "Cry the Clock Said" is quite simply Numan's most introspective song ever, not to mention beautiful. After a leisurely introduction that features reverberant electric piano, Numan sings cryptic, despondent lyrics, fragmentary, and sufficient to evoke a sense of disappointment and longing.

"She's Got Claws" features some of Numan's vicious, somewhat misogynistic humour, accompanied by sly sax and quirky rhythms that go right back to "Cars." "Crash" is even more evocative of "Cars," but Numan's tenor was never so unleashed as here. "Boys Like Me" revisits a theme introduced in "Night Talk," and ends with a woman's ad-lib in spoken Italian. The content is mainly incomprehensible, but obviously sexual, and at the end she asks, innocently, "Is that okay?" "Stories" sounds like a carnival song in slow motion. The woman who sits alone asks, "Isn't it odd? You remind me of songs that I'd rather forget." "My Brother's Time" is much slower and moody, a contrast to the manic "You Are, You Are." The original album ends with a slow march, very much in keeping with the subdued tone overall of this excellent work. Some of the bonus tracks are superb. "Stormtrooper in Drag" is great, with a catchy beat. "Take that smile off your face," Numan sings out. I quite agree with other reviewers that "I Sing Rain" is a real loser, an irritating improvisation that is mercifully short, but so what? I always let it play, and the next song, "Exhibition" more than makes up for it, another gem that has more the sound of Telekon than Dance. "Loves Needs No Disguise" is another excellent bonus track, a rhythmic and melodic song that fits in well with the feel of Dance.

Extra Tracks Make This CD A Must!
If you already have a copy of the original Dance (probably on good ol' vinyl) and are wondering if it's worth buying again for the extra tracks, don't worry--it will be money well spent! The extra tracks are all amazing! "Stormtrooper in Drag" was a single with the late Paul Gardiner. It's a wonderful slow song. "Face To Face" was orignally released as a B-Side to Warriors' single "Poetry and Power." It was given the wrong title of "Letters." The sound of this song definitely belongs with this collection. "Exhibition" is a beautiful ballad, one of my favorite Numan B-Sides that ranks right up there with the best of Dance. Many Numan fans ridicule "I Sing Rain" featuring Numan's ad lib wailings, but I think it's a unique little song that ends this collection very well. If you have all the B-Sides, buy this CD for the recently dicovered title track. It's a 2:45 ballad with wonderful lyrics. It's a simple song, with just Numan, keyboards, and a little percussion.

If you do not own Dance, you are in for a treat! This is Numan's most interesting and mature-sounding albums. Those who only know Numan for "Cars" and his electronic masterpieces, may need to listen to this CD a few times. I had to. I didn't really like it at first, but something about it made me keep listening to it. Everytime I hearh it I discovered something different. Each song has been my favorite at one time or another (right now, it's "Subway"). It took me a while to realize what masterpieces the long, slow tracks are ("Slowcar" and "Cry the Clock Said"). It's very mellow with a few jumpier tracks ("Crash", "Claws" and "You Are, You Are"). Dance is a style of music I can't even classify! If anything, this CD is wonderful background music that becomes very addicting!
Digitally remastered reissue of the cult new waver's 1981 album. Features all 11 of the original cuts, plus five unmarked bonus tracks, 'Stormtrooper In Drag', 'Face To Face', 'Dance', 'Exhibition' and 'I Sing Rain'. 16 tracks total. 1999 release.