Vice – 1981-1984 A Plain Reprise & More (CD Album – Infrastition)

Genre/Influences: New-wave, 80s.

Content: Vice got some recognition during the early 80s, but it for sure has not been the band that has conquered the globe. Infrastition is specialized in recovering old 80s bands from the dust and it’s not the first time they went in search for old bands from The Netherlands.

This CD is a collection of their full discography featuring a 12”, LP and some nice extras like a live-demo song plus tracks performed on the National Radio. From start on you’ll directly recognize the typical 80s spirit this band was driven by. Vice was not composing the typical new-wave style rather than a mixture of new-wave music and some typical funky wave style. The early years of the band featuring the 12” “Vice” sound quite rudimentary. The songs remain pretty restful and funky-wave like through the typical guitar play. The bass lines are very 80s-minded. Vice reveals a rather minimal and simplistic song writing style, which doesn’t affect me.

The album “A Plain Reprise” originally released on vinyl in 1984 (released by Akzidanz) sound a bit more elaborate. The synthesizer parts inject an extra touch to the composition. It all sounds more accomplished. The use of a saxophone is another very 80s characteristic, which is also present on this album. I here discover a few interesting cuts although I can’t speak about a fully successful release.

A last essential item about this release is the text about Vice written by Frans de Waard (Kapotte Muziek, Beequeen and founder of Korm Plastics label), which you’ll find inside the booklet.

Conclusion: This album rather appears to be a historical document about a long-time forgotten band from The Netherlands. I can’t speak about a major success although I’m once more affected by the great efforts of Infrastition to bring a lost part of the 80s back to life.

Best songs: “Outlines”, “Extort”.

Rate: (Elise Din:5/6)ED.

Band: www.fonofactory.nl/vice.html

Label: www.infrastition.com / www.facebook.com/pages/Infrastition/150742551617246

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