Blancmange - The Day Before You Came (London)

The beginning is great but then .... It sounds almost comical and I like Neil Arthur's sense of humour, but it sounds a bit stupid in the music. It's an Abba song but it doesn't sound like one. I don't like the vocal but obviously it'll be a hit. Strange! (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

A dismal re-working of the old Abba hit, this also sound uncannily like the Thompson Twins. Bongos and banjos work at a furious pace in the background, but it's Neil Arthur's voice which spoils the whole package. For some reason he sounds as if he's singing with a hot potato in his mouth. Strange. (Linda Duff, Smash Hits, July 5, 1984)

Blancmange - I Can See It (London)

Hardly an obvious hit for Blancmange, especially after the way that their last single "Lose Your Love" failed to set the world alight. This newie is quite an anonymous offering by comparison. In fact, without knowing who the artist was beforehand you'd be hard pushed to guess correctly - until the Indian noises start creeping in towards the end. That's not to say it's an awful record, just stunningly average. (Dave Ling, No 1, April 26, 1986)

Blancmange - That's Love, That It Is (London)

Thankfully we are calm enough now to evaluate this record with some sense of hygiene. I like the song. So do the panel. The production, however, is a little bit 'standard contemporary'. (Jools Holland and The Panel, Smash Hits, November 24, 1983)

The dynamic duo return with a belter of a song which should quickly re-establish them at the top of the synthetic tree just in time for Christmas. With Tears For Fears also about to charge back into the scene, we can safely assume that we've seen the last of those nasty guitar bands for a while. (Paul Bursche, No 1, November 19, 1983)

Blancmange - Living On The Ceiling (London)

Blancmange once more come up with an interesting rhythmic idea and throw it away on an indifferent song. (David Hepworth, Smash Hits, October 28, 1982)

Stunningly similar to Simple Minds circa "I Travel", which is to say it sounds a lot better than the eyeliner kids do today. Meaty, beaty and only slightly Gumbie-ish, but there's a 'bloody' in the first line that the radio people won't like much. (Sunie, Record Mirror, October 23, 1982)