The Icicle Works - All The Daughters (Beggars Banquet)

What fake fur are they flinging at our kids? More poppy brass for the scouse gardeners - sounding more like Scott Walker with Teardrop Explodes than ever. A good earnest performance that nods along at the back - but is far too dated to offer much in the way of newsworthy style. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, May 25, 1985)

New Order - The Perfect Kiss (Factory)

New Order emerged as the reincarnation of Joy Division after the suicide of singer Ian Curtis. Bald, boring history on a page, and most people already know it. But it's still important because it allows New Order to exercise a simple talent for understatement – the slight but beautiful 'chorus' to "The Perfect Kiss" – and allow that aura, the aura of tragedy, to vest it with significance. In the end what is basically a quite competently played and produced dance single becomes, like "Blue Monday", almost anthemic. (Martin Townsend, No 1, May 25, 1985)

Though New Order have created one of the largest walls of sound in current popular music, they still tend to grab hold of the most twee melody and milk it dry. This new ambidextrous love song looks at everything through a rose-tinted monocle and still fails to focus itself properly. Nevertheless, a good record that will get better with each listen. One hopes. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, May 25, 1985)

 

Prince - Paisley Park (WEA)

The man in the violet loon-pants returns to us via an acid-drenched ballad called "Paisley Park". But doesn't Prince know that the paisley revival was strictly last year? In all honesty this sounds like one of the songs that didn't quite make the Beatles' White Album. If "When Doves Cry" conjured up images of tight spandex trousers ... then this is definitely flare city. Mutton dressed as lamb. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, May 25, 1985)

When all the flower power and Sergeant Pepper jokes have died away, Prince's Around The World In A Day LP will stand as a momentous achievement. Despite the pressure of mega-success it's patently not 'Purple Rain Vol. 2', but it marks yet another deft re-definition of the Prince sound. Across funk rhythms as dry and brittle as parchment he's scrawled guitar lines which are little more than feedback, with pained vocals that swoop, dip and finally crack completely. "Paisley Park" exorcises all these elements while it evokes a place where casualties of city life buy a "lifetime lease" to hippy happiness. A nursery rhyme tune pitched above Prince's range, it teeters on a tightrope between the ridiculous and the brilliant. And Prince – alone, currently, among all the major stars – will walk that rope till it's as thin as thread. (Martin Townsend, No 1, May 25, 1985)

Talking Heads - Slippery People (EMI)

David Byrne's got bigger and better suits than Yohji Yamamoto, but never mind the width - what about the quality? Well, the Heam,' musical accomplishments continue ,) surpass even their sartorial achievements, and this two-headed blast of pure dance-floor intelligentzia is living proof of that. Since their first LP in 1977, they've been a constant source of mature moods and homely madness, never ever missing a single beat. Lifted from their forthcoming celluloid venture Stop Making Sense (filmed on their last tour), the sound quality is beyond excellence, whilst the puns are pure fun: get ahead - get a Talking Head. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, October 20, 1984)

More live meandering from David Byrne and a cast of thousands. Typically Headsy without expunging the memory of their late '70s peak, 'Slippery People' jerks along on Fenders, funk and Steve Scale's subtle percussion. The Squawking Teds pioneered this style so long ago it now fails to sound new. Very average. (Max Bell, No 1, October 20, 1984)

China Crisis - King In A Catholic Style (Wake Up) (Virgin)

These boys just keep turning out good tracks. This is a good lively tune with a real nice beat. You may think I'm biased towards Liverpool bands and you'd be right. However, all bias apart, this one really is worth 'getting into' (and I told our Rich, "African And White" was a one-off!) (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

China Crisis are now the state of art in easy listening. The harder roots of early singles like "African And White" have withered away and left the band to develop pure, weightless melodies around Gary Daly's soft vocals. Crisis – what crisis? Unfortunately for a band that now stands or falls on its tunes, there are few good ones on the new LP and "King In A Catholic Style" is not one of them. It bounces along merrily enough on Walter Becker's airy production. But there are none of those essential shivers up the spine. (Martin Townsend, No 1, May 25, 1985)

An incessant and badgering ram-a-lam-a-ding-dong refrain keeps this going for longer than it deserves.  China Crisis are still too wordy for their own good but some considerable points scored in scooping Walter Becker as producer. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, May 25, 1985)

Bonnie Tyler - Here She Comes (CBS)

The new Giorgio Moroder-ised version of Metropolis has attracted some well dodgy geezers and boilers ... and why he wants to go and ruin such a great film by accompanying it with such dross as this - who knows? On the heels of the camp-fire favourite Freddie Mercury with his "Love Kills" opus, comes the Welsh wench of mammoth proportions ploughing her way through another track from the movie. Fritz Lang is currently turning in his grave. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, October 20, 1984)

Taken from the soundtrack to Metropolis, this could well be Bonnie's biggest hit since she made No.1 with "Total Eclipse Of The Heart". Slower than "Eclipse", it drifts along aimlessly on waves of melodic synthesisers . Besides helping out with Electric Dreams, Giorgio Moroder wrote this song, produced it and presumably contributed the keyboards. This time next year he should be a rich man. (Dave Ling, No 1, October 27, 1984)

Virginia Astley - Melt The Snow (Rough Trade)

For the past few years, Virginia Astley has been quietly producing enchanting music. Using piano, flute, and her wistful, choirboy voice, she creates an atmosphere of stillness in her songs, which are often moving and always tender. "Melt The Snow" is the latest of these, and one of her best yet. A gentle and optimistic song, it kisses away those winter blues. Single of the week. (Stuart Husband, No 1, March 2, 1985)

Virginia Astley is like Kate Bush reincarnated as Sebastian Flyte: at times the tinny choral tones are stretched as thinly as a sliver of smoked salmon at a vicar's tea party, but they're more than compensated for by those quaint old stringed instruments. Julian Cope, eat your heart out. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, February 23, 1985)

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Never Understand (Blanco Y Negro)

If my name was Gallup this one would shoot through the Top 40 like a laser gun through lard. Over a sublime racket of whistling guitars bobs a breezy melody curiously reminiscent of The Beach Boys. Its simplicity and individuality amid countless, cowardly records in the review pile striving to sound like each other is nothing short of exhilarating. Good vibrations. Single Of The Fortnight. (Andy Kershaw, Smash Hits, February 28, 1985)

The Jesus & Mary Chain re-invent the Ramones via the Beach Boys, a buzzsaw factory and several low-flying aircraft. It's a strangely compulsive record, but though it is hardly a classic - this is being championed by sections of the music press as the punk revival landmark of the century. Magic messiahs? Me thinks not. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, February 23, 1985)

King - Won't You Hold My Hand Now (CBS)

An obvious follow-up this. I reviewed 'Hold My Hand' first time round and although it's been fiddled with a bit it still sounds the best King single yet let out of The Tower. More raunchy than "Love And Pride", the boys use both their boots and guitars to kick ass. Of course I knew they were going to make it all along... (Paul Simper, No 1, March 16, 1985)

Though they've yet to produce a classic 45, the boys from Coventry have certainly tried their hand at just about every musical style in the book. "Love & Pride" was a ska-based Gary Glitter/Jobriath gallop, "Soul On My Boots" was Culture Club on amphetamine ... and this here disc is like a mutant Shadows gone haywire. However thin and lifeless King may appear, you can't get the damn tunes out of your head. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, October 20, 1984)

Ah ha - a hot property! King have finally got the success they believed themselves worthy of and Paul's become a sex symbol. Swoon! As for this, it's more forceful than "Love And Pride" - stronger where that seemed to have great gaps in the mix, more controlled, less boppy and very very professional. Re-mixed to squeaky clean perfection. I'm going to stick my neck out here... I think it might be a hit. (Eleanor Levy, Record Mirror, March 16, 1985)

It's catchy but I think the instruments drown his voice too much. Probably a hit but not as big as "Love And Pride". I do like this group and the song is good but the chorus is very boring. (Marshall O'Leary, Smash Hits, March 14, 1985)

Floy Joy - Until You Come Back To Me (Virgin)

The pastiche Matisse cover of a reclining nude and the Don Was production might make you believe Floy Joy are content to make an art of the inevitable. But appearances are deceptive. The Ward brothers search for soul has hit jackpot with singer Carrol Thompson. Her charming romanticism and the ingenious instrumental backdrop should give Floy Joy the hit they so blatantly deserve. (Max Bell, No 1, October 20, 1984)

Naming yourself after a well-known song undoubtedly puts an act one step ahead in the Awareness Factor Stakes, and that - coupled with the fact that Smash Hits told me they were trendy - encouraged me to play it to three friends. Here's a section of what they thought - Sheena Easton/Diana Ross/A young Lulu. Expect a remake of Spandau Ballet's "I'll Floy For You" any day. (DJ Mike Read, Smash Hits, October 11, 1984)

These sweet and sultry chatterbox hazy rhythms should place the Floy Joys on the chart-mart in next to no time. Don't listen to all those dour journalists revelling in the dark and dowdy exploits of some of pop's more trite-minded merchants . . . throw off those autumn anxieties and loop the loop to this most wunnerful 12 inch release. As a bonus to the torch-like ballad on Side A - we are also blessed with the "Theme From The Age Of Reason" and their debut LPs title cut "Into The Hot". Was Not Wasness at its most animated and uncluttered. One hundred per cent! (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, October 20, 1984)

Strawberry Switchblade - Since Yesterday (Korova)

Having missed the summer of love by a few years, the polka-dot girls try and take us into a winter of whimsy with their own sweet and sour brand of '80s psychedelia. How nice. (Adrian Jones, No 1, November 10, 1984)

This begins, if I'm not mistaken, with a snatch of something famous by the composer Sibelius, and then ventures into a wistful melody, sung in brittle harmonies which touches the heart. One of the few records this week which isn't trying to sound like something else. (Neil Tennant, Smash Hits, November 5, 1984)

After their impressive first outing "Trees And Flowers", this Scottish duo waltz back into the psychedelic drive-in with a jaunty little tale of love and loneliness that tastes of saccharine flavoured popcorn and steaming Kia-Ora. More sexy than Everything But The Girl, more cosmic than the 13th Floor Elevators and showing that they haven't put all their strawberries in one basket. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, October 20, 1984)

ZZ Top - Legs (WEA)

It's called "Legs", it has a pair of female legs on the sleeve, it has a video featuring 'a host of buxom Texas wenches', the B-side of the 7-in is called "Bad Girl", the flip of the 12-in is "Fool For Your Stockings" .. . ZZ Top are not cartoon characters. They're three ugly old men playing mid-70s style boogie that has absolutely nothing to do with their success. (Martin Townsend, No 1, February 23, 1985)

Like a life-size cartoon, ZZ Top's three caricatures look as ridiculous as a pop band can get. But somehow they get away with it. 'Legs' ain't as good as 'Sharp Dressed Man' or 'Gimme All Your Lovin", but it's good enough: a short, sharp, branded tune metered out by a group that never finds the necessity to gross-out on excess. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, February 23, 1985)

More irresistible raunch from the enlightened Texan stompers. However, it's a pity ZZ Top's almighty sound is so often a medium for dodgy sexist sentiments. Hang on. I'm sure there have now been more singles from Eliminator than there are tracks on the LP. No? (Andy Kershaw, Smash Hits, February 28, 1985)

It doesn't sound like ZZ Top because there's a synthesiser on it which isn't quite right somehow. I really like some of the stuff they've done, but it's actually more powerful than this. They're supposed to be a big group, big guys with big beards but they're definitely going for commercial success with this one. They're a rock and roll band, and that's the way I like them. (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

Roaring Boys - Every Second Of The Day (Epic)

Epic Records set their stylists loose on a group of former Cambridge crowd-pleasers called The Models, hire a haulage firm to deliver the advance and call the conspiracy Roaring Boys. Ignore the propaganda promise that these lads are going to be massive ("They'd better be. We've spent enough on them"). Resist the alluring fringes, dreamy eyes, soft pouts and sucked-in cheeks on the sleeve photo. Be honest with yourself. Hear it and admit it . . this is an unremarkable record. (Andy Kershaw, Smash Hits, February 28, 1985)

Let's keep cynicism at bay here. Any band that's inspired so much music biz hype as Cambridge's six Roaring Boys must have something going for them. But although the band - who include Kirsty MacColl's brother Neill - are reasonable looking this debut single is simply duff. Lots of huffing and puffing and being desperately young and energetic but not a spark of wit, wisdom or plain old excitement to be found. A very roar deal. (Martin Townsend, No 1, February 23, 1985)

Reputedly signed for a six figure sum with lots of nines in it, a lot is expected from the Roaring Boys. But frankly, on this debut they tread water to the extent of almost drowning. What is so special about the Roaring Boys? We wait and see ...  (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, February 23, 1985)

Talking Heads - The Lady Don't Mind (EMI)

This track is nowhere near as good as "Slippery People". In fact it's only. .. very good! Talking Heads can turn out genius every time. This will be another of their tracks which brings the weird dancers onto the floor of trendy nightclubs up and down the country, MacMillans in Liverpool being the first! (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Concerning the Heads' renovated image; they have taken several leaves out of the ABC catalogue of cartoon capers, mixed and thrashed it with a multitude of multitones plus bits and pieces from Crolla cast-offs ... But not to worry, because musically they have come full circle and now sound as brash, as exciting and as vibrant as they did way back in '77 when they came to England supporting the likes of the Ramones. This is a marvellous record that has its cachet and nouse in all the right places ... knee deep in a niche. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, May 25, 1985)

Simple Minds - Don't You (Forget About Me) (Virgin)

In which Jim Kerr goes all Billy Idol (brooding, dreamy, erotic) and the song goes all American. Taken from the film The Breakfast Club, it highlights the `filmic' qualities of their music. I don't know what the film's about but it sounds like it should be set in sunny LA. - you know, all blazing blue skies, long open roads eaten up by gleaming, flash, speeding cars full of people with healthy tans and meaningful glances. Then again, it just might be a cartoon. (Peter Martin, Smash Hits, April 11, 1985)

Ironic (innit)? For years Simple (Minds) have been delighting us with their beautiful (filmic) music that could have provided some wonderful soundtracks for, ooh, at least a dozen movies. The New Gold Dream (LP) and Bladerunner (film) would have been good together for instance. But now, with a genuine movie at their fingertips - the forthcoming (The) Breakfast Club - they pull out all the stops only to come up with something that sounds like Billy Idol ! It's a (nice) song - very gentle and melodic - but (the) Minds are capable of much more (than) this. What are all these brackets doing here? (Debbi Voller, No 1, April 13, 1985)

Streamlined Simple Minds sound, produced by Keith Forsey  - as featured in the new movie The Breakfast Club. Though hardly shattering, their earnest and hard-earned 'Community AOR' image - this is one of their most pleasant songs to date. Jim Kerr and his merry men were constantly accused of being a bunch of tortured artists making trite and unsophisticated pseudo-philosophical rubbish that was bludgeoned into the public with massively lengthy tours... but they have seen the light at the end of the tunnel. The feeling is UP! (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, April 13, 1985)

Oh, The Irony: I'm not sure if Peter and Debbi were at all aware that Simple Minds recorded the song only after Billy Idol turned it down, Keith Forsey being his long time producer. By far and away Simple Minds' biggest chart hit, Billy attempted somewhat belatedly to reclaim the song - adding his own recording to a Greatest Hits compilation many years later.

Julian Cope - Sunspots (Mercury)

Poor old Julian. The Teardrop Explodes were the first of those Liverpool bands (Bunnymen, Wah!, etc.) to make the charts. They were also the first to go down the dumper and the singer has not exactly made a frantic success of his solo career since - though this is as much his fault as anyone else's: people who parade around with turtle shells strapped to their backs are bound to be thought slightly eccentric. The man remains however capable of making breathtaking records - like "Sunspots". This is a stern, strident and invigorating march through some lunatic wasteland where tinny guitars slash, people whistle out of tune and someone pipes up on a jaunty recorder during the most compulsive sway-along chorus (featuring heavenly celestial choir) since long before Foreigner. In other words utterly, utterly brilliant and Single Of The Fortnight. (Tom Hibbert, Smash Hits, February 14, 1985)

The ex-Teardrop Explodes' leader, who squatted naked under a turtle shell for his Fried album cover leaps out twanging furiously at his . . . erm .. guitar. "Sunspots" is Jules in determinedly hippie mood, recreating - in mock serious tones - a psychedelic stroll through the sunshine. Amusing lyric but a rather ragged and directionless song. He still needs the discipline of a band to channel his wayward talent. (Martin Townsend, No 1, February 23, 1985)

Julian Cope has obviously taken the paisley revival too far, and is now wearing a coat of far too many colours. This EP has two records, four tracks - three of which are new, and a gatefold sleeve, but surely Sunspots have fried his marbles. (Dylan Jones, Record Mirror, February 23, 1985)