Dream into Action

In a retrospective review for AllMusic, Stephen Thomas Erlewine observed that in contrast to the "sleekly electronic" ''Human's Lib, Dream into Action'' "is a big, bright album that epitomizes the sound of the mainstream in the mid-'80s, a time when computers worked overtime to disguise themselves as human sounds". He concluded that it "is, in many ways, the apotheosis of Howard Jones' career: he'd yet to drift into softened adult contemporary, and he still had enthusiasm for his hooks, his machines, and his positivity, the very things that distinguished him from the legions of synth poppers in the mid-'80s." == Track listing ==

All songs are written and composed by Howard Jones. UK version Side one • "Things Can Only Get Better" – 4:02 • "Life in One Day" – 3:39 • "Dream into Action" – 3:45 • "No One Is to Blame" – 3:28 (initial issue), 4:13 (later reissues, single version) • "Look Mama" – 3:53 • "Assault and Battery" – 4:51 Side two "Automaton" – 4:04 "Is There a Difference?" – 3:33 "Elegy" – 4:20 "Specialty" – 3:58 "Why Look for the Key" – 3:23 "Hunger for the Flesh" – 3:59 CD bonus tracks "Bounce Right Back" (B-side of "Like to Get to Know You Well") – 4:33 "Like to Get to Know You Well" – 3:58 US version Compared to the UK LP version, the US LP dropped "Specialty" and "Why Look For The Key", and added "Like To Get To Know You Well" and "Bounce Right Back". Side one • "Things Can Only Get Better" – 4:02 • "Life in One Day" – 3:39 • "No One Is to Blame" – 3:28 • "Dream Into Action" – 3:45 • "Like to Get to Know You Well" – 4:01 • "Assault and Battery" – 4:51 Side two "Look Mama" – 3:53 "Bounce Right Back" – 4:34 "Elegy" – 4:20 "Is There a Difference?" – 3:33 "Automaton" – 4:04 "Hunger for the Flesh" – 3:59 • In May 2024, Cherry Red Records released new Special Edition versions of both Dream into Action and Jones' debut studio album, ''Human's Lib'' (1984) as CD + Blu-ray packages. The releases feature new mixes of the albums by Stephen W Tayler. The Blu-ray contains both 5.1 DTS HD Master Audio and 96/24 LPCM stereo versions by Tayler, plus Dolby Atmos versions of "Things Can Only Get Better" and "Like to Get to Know You Well" mixed by Bob Clearmountain. == Personnel ==

• Howard Jones – vocals, instruments, programming • The TKO Horns (Dave Pleurs, Alan Whetton, Jim Patterson, Brian Maurice) – horns (1) • Helen Liebman – cello (9) • Afrodiziak (Claudia Fontaine, Caron Wheeler, Naomi Thompson) – backing vocals (1, 2) • The Effervescents (Tania Matos, Kirstie Fulthorpe, Laura Bishop, Elizabeth Holden) – girls' voices (6) Production • Produced by Rupert Hine for Gestalt • Recorded and mixed at Farmyard Studios, England by Stephen W. Tayler • Recording assistant – Andrew Scarth Other credits • Album sleeve photography – Simon Fowler • Graphic design – Rob O'Connor for Stylorouge == Charts ==

Weekly charts Year-end charts == Certifications ==