The Waterboys - The Whole Of The Moon (Island)

Mike Scott is getting to sound more like a cross between Bob Dylan and Cat Stevens with every record. But nasal whines aside, the four tracks on the 12 inch single, two from the album This Is The Sea, draw out the drama in Scott's barnstorming pop poetry to raging effect. Should bring water to both your eyes and your mouth. (Roger Morton, Record Mirror, October 19, 1985)

The Tom Tom Club - The Man With The 4 Way Hips (Island)

The Tom Tom's last single "Under The Boardwalk" saw them treading water after the very wonderful "Genius Of Love". Now they're sinking slowly without so much as a melody to cling on to. (Paul Simper, No 1, July 23, 1983)

Bright and bouncy this song is simply jam-packed with goodies. Oozing synthetic vocals wash over a bubbly concoction of - you guessed it - summery sounds that celebrate the joys of being a physical jerk. You can't have everything I suppose. (Peter Martin, Smash Hits, August 4, 1983)

Desperate as somebody trying to break out of locked cupboard. Tom Tom Club stagger through a track sounding like a Metal Mickey novelty song. (Robin Smith, Record Mirror, July 23, 1983)

Martin Ansell - The Eighth Wonder (Island)

Martin Ansell's "I'll Be In The Jungle" was one of my top ten singles for '83. Now the ex-Tom Robinson and Captain Sensible guitarist proves himself still, unerringly, on target. "Eighth Wonder" is fresher than a sandwich in a pyramid and catchy enough to get the sphinx up and bopping. Joint single of the week. (Martin Townsend, No 1, February 23, 1985)

Amazulu - Excitable (Island)

Amazulu have a brilliant and colourful image but so far that image has been more memorable than their music. Well hopefully that'll all change now with this energetic toe tapper of a summer single. The strength of this bouncy tropical pop song actually lies in the fact that it's so deliciously simple and repetitive. (Debbi Voller, No 1, July 6, 1985)

I must be going mad, because I was sure there were six members of Amazulu. And on this super-shiny pop reggae it sure sounds like more than one woman making all those noises. Must have been mistaken, because if there were six of them, they wouldn't show the prettiest member - the most "marketable" one - on the cover and publicity shots now, would they? No, of course not. (Eleanor Levy, Record Mirror, July 29, 1985)

Could these reggae gals be the new Bananarama? No. Even the "rams" never came this close to sounding like a Coco Pops commerical. (Tom Hibbert, Smash Hits, July 3, 1985)

Amazulu - Things The Lonely Do (Island)

If Amazulu's last single was an embarrassing attempt at doing Mrs Mills in a reggae stylee, this is another nail in the coffin of a once promising band. Even a lazy, hypnotic sax solo fails to save this slow, pretty but empty-headed song. One day, there'll be a female group who won't be made to look stupid by the men they sign their careers away to. (Eleanor Levy, Record Mirror, March 8, 1986)

A bouncy, mellow reggae ballad that shows off vocalist Anne-Marie's rich and husky voice to the full. It's much lazier than "Excitable" but lacks none of the bite and I predict a hit. Good to see some female bands back in the charts again - oops! Sorry Nardo - Amazulu do of course have one male member. 3/5 (Debbi Voller, No 1, March 8, 1986)

Julian Cope - World Shut Your Mouth (Island)

Chop my right leg off and feed it to Ozzy Osbourne, I never thought the day would come when I'd like anything by the eccentric Copey. But what a splendid piece of listenable trash this is. Cope belting his way through a song that knocks down even the strongest walls of apathy. One hell of a rousing theme, I just hope it gets the airplay it so justly deserves. Single Of The Week. (Robin Smith, Record Mirror, September 20, 1986)

One of the great lovable English Eccentrics of pop returns with an uncharacteristically crude crash-bang-wallop affair complete with kerranging guitar and a totally out of place '60s solo. It is, however, the proud possessor of a real tune wot you can hum, and the words - about flying in the face of fashion and telling the world what it can do - might have been written for the reclusive one himself. A splendidly individual effort. (Ian Cranna, Smash Hits, September 10, 1986)

A fair stomper. Julian Cope used to front Teardrop Explodes before he went off on some artistic quest or other. Now, suitably enlightened, he returns after a few false starts with a typically loud declaration to a groovy rock and roll beat. Perhaps this time the world will kindly open his ears. 3/5 (Paul Simper, No 1, September 20, 1986)

Note: Another Top Of The Pops performance I remember from thirty years ago - especially that microphone...

Will Powers - Kissing With Confidence (Island)

If this isn't a massive hit I'll eat my typewriter. It's certainly the most infectious and danceable single of the week. It's all sung by American photographer Lynn Goldsmith - even if she does sound deceptively like a man at times. It goes to show what a voice synthesizer can do for you. The song is a lecture for novices on how to be a clever kisser . . "Is your breath fresh? Do you have spinach on your teeth?" And " . . remember, you cannot get pregnant from kissing." (Debbi Voller, No 1, September 10, 1983)

U2 - A Celebration (Island)

These days, what with funk, futurism, electro-pop and all, young bands playing mainstream rock music are a rarity. U2 play it, though, and play it well. Though this Dublin combo's popularity has been increasing in leaps and bounds both here and abroad, they've yet to have a hit single. This may be the one to do the trick. (Dave Rimmer, Smash Hits, April 1, 1982)

Set The Tone - Dance Sucker (Island)

This Glasgow quartet bear the dubious distinction of more appearances on The Tube than any other band in living memory. They will, however, need more than this scratchy white "funk" to clock up as many on Top Of The Pops. The re-mixing by Francois Kervorkian (a New York DJ responsible, among other things, for the brill re-working of Yazoo's "Situation") helps, but not enough. (Dave Rimmer, Smash Hits, January 20, 1983)

More months than it seems possible after  the initial succulent promise of 'Here Comes A Surprise' they've finally delivered: at last, harder Brit dancephunk that puts the tongue in the cheek. the grin in grind. the bum in bump, goes against the grain and the groin. Scratch by scratch it's minimal but satisfying and hurts in all the right places They understand how to get physical. The best dance record of the year until the next Tone 12 incher. (Betty Page, Record Mirror, January 15, 1983)

Trevor Herion - Kiss Of No Return (Island)

Absolutely gorgeous. On a wafer-thin flan of electronics comes a haunting melody on the world's most romantic instrument - the accordion. Trevor croons away, mentions Paris and wins my heart. (Deborah Steels, Smash Hits, November 25, 1982)

U2 - Two Hearts Beat As One (Island)

Fast, furious, very dense and carried out with de rigeur anger. I quite like the guitar that sounds as if it's being sawn in half but otherwise it lacks either high or low points. I know all about their massive Irish following but I can't help feeling U2 take themselves more seriously than anyone else does. (Kimberley Leston, Smash Hits, March 31, 1983)

A ferocious record savagely splintered by the very best rock guitar. Minimal. "Two Hearts" makes a brave attempt at being both aggressive and dancefloor, but unfortunately melodramatic vocals and pedestrian tub thumping snatch a last minute away goal for the opposition. I don't really like U2, but if they make a few more records in this vein, they may yet get to twist my arm. (Jim Reid, Record Mirror, March 26, 1983)

Robert Palmer - I Didn't Mean To Turn You On (Island)

Old Bob attempts a cover version of an old song by soul songbird Cherrelle and this is much better than the original.
Bob is having trouble with one of his 'chicks' in this ditty. He just can't get rid of her. 'Hey babe, I didn't mean to turn you on' (what a lad, eh?) he croons over a staccato funk guitar rhythm.
Yes, a funky little number all round and oh, the video to this is exactly the same as the last one. 4/5 (Andrew Panos, No 1, July 19, 1986)

Ah yes, the man who does those sensitive, esoteric videos. Regular Palmer stuff here; clever  clever rhythms, laid-back singing and all that business. You know what I mean, don't you? (Stuart Bailie, Record Mirror, July 19, 1986)

The Triffids - Trick Of The Light (Island)

A tease of a song taken from the Australian six-stringers' 'Calenture' LP. Smiling spiralling guitars and levitating keyboards build and build, and then refuse to give you the expected chorus splash. A fine, airy piece of guitar pop with a touch of Lloyd Cole in the vocals and a lyric which contains the line 'The rim of her mouth was golden.' Too many fags I expect. (Roger Morton, Record Mirror, January 16, 1988)