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)

The Monochrome Set - Wallflower (Blanco Y Negro)

Bid and the rest of his motley crew try to build on the limited success they had with "Jacob's Ladder" by pouring on the '60s influence. This ends up not a million miles from The Smiths. A hit? Could be, could be. (Paul Bursche, No 1, June 1, 1985)

Quite pleasant. The track did not offend my ears, but then again it didn't make me tap my feet. Even my girlfriend Lizzie, who liked the previous single, "Jacob's Ladder", could find nothing in this track to inspire her. However, if you like The Farmers Boys etc., this is a must. (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Thereza Bazar - The Big Kiss (MCA)

In 1982 Thereza Bazar was the golden girl in Dollar, with her perfect pop lovingly crafted by Trevor Horn in preparation for his future ZTT extravaganzas. Now she's all alone, with her hair carefully cropped and miming in a ludicrous rubber skirt on Wogan. And her pop is now far from perfect. "The Big Kiss" is so bland it adds a brand new dimension to the words plinkety plonk. Bring back Sooty, I say. (Adrian Jones, No 1, June 8, 1985)

A happy medium somewhere between Madonna and Cyndi Lauper. I like this track for some unknown reason. Everything in it has been done before but it fits nicely somehow. Really 'catchy'. (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 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)

Madonna - Crazy For You (Geffen)

Madonna can sing! That means she is perfect after all. This is a really slow, smoochy number bearing no relation at all to tracks like "Material Girl" or "Lucky Star". After this she might be taken seriously and not just ogled at by moronic men (such as me). Taken from the soundtrack of Vision Quest, which is pretty good as well. (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Jeepers! It sings! For all of three minutes Maddy drops the teasy-tarty routine and comes on like some mad Crystal Gayle in a song from the movie Vision Quest. I hear Madonna's been having acting lessons herself recently, so it's a pity she couldn't have applied them here. Instead she sings with all the sincerity of a concrete rubber dinghy salesman. (Paul Bursche, No 1, June 1, 1985)

David Bowie - Loving The Alien (EMI America)

Masterclass. "Tonight" was a bit flaccid by Bowie's standards, with occasional highlights. This is magnificent. Dynamite string arrangement, perceptive lyrics, gatefold sleeve, excellent artwork. On a scale of one to 10 - 11. (Martyn Fry [ABC],Record Mirror, June 1, 1985)

Outclasses everything else this week. I like the bit in the middle that sounds like "See My Baby Jive". Sadly I don't think it'll be a hit. (Mark White [ABC], Record Mirror, June 1, 1985)

If you like Bowie then you'll like this. If you don't like Bowie after 1978 (like myself) it'll sound like the usual boring Bowie (I don't think I'll bother him by writing that). (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Yes, we do love you, don't we David? After all the image changes he's growing up gracefully. And he still has the edge over most of his rivals. This is a surging, middle-aged drama telling how good causes can become obscured during the passage of time. Although it's jerky and disjointed there's something haunting and even spooky about it. Quite brilliant. (Paul Bursche, No 1, June 1, 1985)

Nick Heyward - Laura (Arista)

If you go out with some one called Laura and it's her birthday then buy this for her. If your girlfriend isn't called Laura then don't. As with all his records it's well produced, well played and will go into the charts (and on Top Of The Pops). So If you like Nick, don't listen to me. (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Guitars, bass and vocals all merge together to make a pleasant sort of sound, and as usual, Nick has no trouble whatsoever in picking out a tune. "Laura" is a departure from his recent, funkier efforts (like "Warning Sign"). Its also one of his best. Sold in a package with some of the best Haircut tracks this is unmissable. May his wackiness remain forever untarnished... (Paul Bursche, No 1, June 1, 1985)

The guitar reminds me of Paul McCartney's version of the Crossroads theme. It's a nice pop song. It's Radio One material. If the weather's nice, I'm outside and hear it, it would be good. (Leee John [Imagination], Record Mirror, June 8, 1985)

Shriekback - Nemesis (Arista)

Shriekback have been knocking around on the periphery of rock for a good few years without achieving the success their talent deserves. They're interesting without being pretentious or obscure, and some of their rhythms are fab. Despite the gloomy name and dark lyrics "Nemesis" is fiercely cheerful. A dark comedy with a real dance beat. (Paul Bursche, No 1, June 1, 1985)

A very raucous record. Very hard to define this one - they don't quite sound like anything. It's sort of a footstomper with lyrics all about cannibals and the dead. Very jolly! (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Glenn Frey - Sexy Girl (MCA)

The girl on the cover is sexy; the record is monotonous. That's all I can say. (Simon O'Brien, Smash Hits, May 22, 1985)

Personal note: one of the few singles reviews from back in the day that I remember word for word. Confusingly, the standard UK picture sleeve featured Glenn Frey on the front and not the model.