Arcadia - The Promise (EMI)

Despite exceedingly danceworthy rhythm guitar and extra vocal bits by Sting, this isn't as exciting as "Election Day" and can at first sound a little drab. But it grows on you, believe me. And grows and grows. P.S. There may be a 12", although we didn't get one. This 12" may contain the version with an utterly corking keyboard solo by Herbie Hancock. I hope it does. (Dave Rimmer, Smash Hits, January 15, 1986)

Come on, admit it. . . by the time you'd seen/heard "Election Day" for the tenth time on the video jukebox, you'd, begrudgingly at first, grown quite accustomed to the first and long-awaited sampler from the Taylor/Rhodes/Le Bon collective. Well, in that case, you'll be pleased to discover that "The Promise" goes one better. Maintaining a more pleasurably seductive mood throughout, Simon indulges in aesthetic extravagance and somehow manages to stifle the urge to wail with impromptu vigour. As expected, the goods are immaculately packaged - for maximum enjoyment on consumption. A promising endeavour! Duran Duran take heed. (Anna Martin, No 1, January 18, 1986)

Hot from the desert that is So Red The Nose, it starts with what sounds alarmingly like a Thin Lizzy riff. Simon groans manfully, the bass boings sleepily into action before our Si launches himself into vocals that are truly painful to hearken unto. A predictable review for a predictable record. This is obviously what Duran Duran do in their sleep, so I pity their good lady wives. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, January 18, 1986)

Talk Talk - Life's What You Make It (EMI)

And here it is. . . the surprise bundle in this week's box of tricks. Talk Talk are one of those mystifying bands that revel in glorious success throughout Europe but fail to make any mark in the UK charts. Dismissed by many and ridiculed by others, TT sustain an unfathomed quality all of their own - one that requires further investigation. After an 18-month absence, "Life's What You Make It" offers a rare glimpse at the possibilities. Hopeful. (Anna Martin, No 1, January 18, 1986)

Reluctantly placed in the latter category simply because these young men don't seem to get off the starting blocks in this part of the world. A slow and smouldering song that grew on me after a while. I've a feeling I could take to it a bit more, minus the angst ridden vocals. A bit too laid back for Radio One, I trow. And what they say, still goes unfortunately. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, January 18, 1986)

New Order - True Faith Remix (Factory)

I wouldn't normally bother with reviewing a remix but this one, by my favourite miscreants, deserves a mention as it's radically different from the version currently on offer. Remixed by Shep 'Pet Shop Boys' Pettibone, it rivals his "Love Comes Quickly" remix as one of the all time greats. An interesting variation on the theme and a sure fire dance classic. Buy and be damned. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, August 8, 1987)

The Mock Turtles - Pomona EP (Imaginary)

Sounds a bit like Eighties hippies to me. All big violins and big production with effete little acoustic bits running underneath, giving way to a screamy guitar solo in the middle eight. Vocally it leans towards Bowie in his finer moments, but the Mock Turtles at least know a tune when it hits them so they're excused on those grounds. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, August 8, 1987)

Red Box - Heart Of The Sun (WEA)

This lot last graced the chart with the jolly "For America" - a tune with a great video and an irresistible hook that everyone was humming in spite of themselves. Before that they pioneered pop music for the deaf (!?) with a video for the single "Lean On Me" which included a person in the corner of the screen signing the lyrics to the song. Looks like they've just run out of good ideas. (Pat Thomas, No 1, January 31, 1987)

Talk about finding the formula and milking it dry. Do Red Box know the meaning of the word variety? It's the same as the previous saccharine-laden objects of inanity, destined to be bought by thousands with no taste. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, January 31, 1987)

Paul Haig - Heaven Help You Now (Operation Afterglow)

Paul Haig once said that he was quite happy making records that satisfied his own standards and public approval was just a bonus. Haig's attitude is honest but he could do with the added luxury of a hit. "Heaven Help You Now" isn't one of his strongest moments. It lacks the dramatic punch of "Big Blue World" which should have been monstrous, and concentrates instead on a slick rock momentum and Haig's own super butch delivery. (Max Bell, No 1, October 12, 1985)

The opening twiddly bits sounded familiar and I thought, ah yes, an ex-Associate at work here. In fact, Alan Rankine produced it. Curiously charming and likeable. Trouble is, it only re-emphasised to me how much I miss that magic Mackenzie/Rankine partnership of yore ... maybe one day, eh boys? (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

Timbuk 3 - The Future's So Bright I've Gotta Wear Shades (IRS)

Don't let the title, which is a bit of a mouthful, put you off. This is brilliant, clever and downright catchy. This husband and wife team from Texas prove that not all American musicians are sheep. Pat MacDonald and Barbara K go their own way and the result is the funniest, most positive and original debut in ages. Makes you feel good just thinking about playing it. The perfect antidote to a dismal couple of weeks. (Pat Thomas, No 1, January 31, 1987)

Horrible old hippies with a whacky little number that I find infuriatingly catchy. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, January 31, 1987)

The Blow Monkeys - It Doesn't Have To Be This Way (RCA)

Dr Robert can barely be forgiven for desecrating the memory of "Brief Encounter" on father week's The Tube, and can be forgiven even less for soiling my ears with this Kid Creole-meets-the-Style Council-and-produces-the-aural-equivalent-of-rubber-coated-marshmallows. Go boil your brains, young man, and come back when you've stopped trying to be either Marc Bolan or a venerable Sixties soul legend (preferably deceased). (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, January 31, 1987)

Very reminiscent of "Digging Your Scene" - and this is not a bad thing. The irrepressible and slightly weird Dr Robert has once again come up with the goods. Jaunty, jangly, jazzy and more besides. Slowly this group is carving a niche for itself. I reckon we best get used to them as they intend to be around for a while. (Pat Thomas, No 1, January 31, 1987)

Note: Prophetic words from Pat. Thirty years later, The Monkeys are still going strong.

The Armoury Show - Castles In Spain (Parlophone)

Having already extolled the virtues of the band's new LP, any further words of praise are icing on the cake. Possibly the strongest track on the album and I can't see any reason why this racy little stomper shouldn't be top 20 by, oh, next week? (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

Originally released back in July '84, it's been bunged out again in the hope that it'll be a hit this time round. In an unfortunate piece of timing, however, it's up against new singles by Simple Minds and Echo And The Bunnymen, and as it's so wildly derivative of both, "Castles In Spain" may not fare much better now. Still, if you like sweeping guitars and emotive vocals (courtesy of ex-Skidsman Richard Jobson) you'll like this. (Karen Swayne, No 1, October 19, 1985)

Thompson Twins - King For A Day (Arista)

The act of desperate men ... Rumoured to be the strongest track on their latest elpee and, as I've no wish to enter the arena with Alannah and lose my kneecaps, let this odious noise speak for itself. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

Eighth Wonder - Stay With Me (CBS)

Don't get me wrong, I'm all in favour of pretty girls flaunting it a bit. Silly boys with more money than sense will always fall for this kind of thing. However, the bottom line is that the much hyped, long-awaited product sounds horrifically like a Compact Records reject. And I'm telling you people, that is so bad as to be unimaginable. Unsubtle, unforgiveable hard-sell of a pair of big blue eyes. Does this girl have no shame? She certainly has no talent. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

Here's another lot who've been "hyped" for all the wrong reasons; namely, that their lead singer is a "curvaceous lovely" who once pretended to be a pea pod. The fact that she can't sing for toffee and her group's record is squeaky bubble-gum trash which would drive you completely bonkers if you were forced to listen to it more than once doesn't seem to bother anybody. Such is the way of the world... (Vici MacDonald, Smash Hits, October 9, 1985)

R.E.M. - Wendell Gee (IRS)

I have been known to like the odd country-flavoured band before now, but I'm not quite sure of the wisdom of releasing something quite so down tempo. I fancy it won't convert many barnstormers and I'd hazard a prediction of non-hit. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

It's Immaterial - Ed's Funky Diner (Siren)

One of those poor unfortunate Liver bands that seem to have gotten chewed about a bit. Still, a heartwarming and tuneful record that hints towards the type of thing that made the early Teardrops so lovable. Not half badd-o. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

The Jesus And Mary Chain - Happy When It Rains (blanco y negro)

Oh, I'm SO BORED with all these bands who should've been on the West Coast in 1967 supporting the Byrds! The JAMC trot out yet one more predictable single and try to make a happy record, but end up sounding wetter than this week's weather. Why is it so popular to sing about rain all of a sudden, too? (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, August 8, 1987)

It's good to see something makes the Brothers Grimm smile! I listen to the first opening notes with breath a-baited. 'April Skies' was too successful for their liking; Mike Smith loved it. So their next single would not be so commercial. The world asked itself "Would they go back to their electric guitar bashing and drilling days?" 'Fraid not, they're still as brilliant as ever. Looks like Mike Smith will like this one too - something else for the Chain to moan about. (Anita Strymowicz, No 1, August 8, 1987)

Swing Out Sister - Twilight World (Mercury)

Once you get to the 'Twilight world' hook this is OK but the first 30 seconds were really horrible. The production sounds so clean that it shows up a couple of really awful flat notes. I have to be careful about this band because Corinne's grandmother wrote to me around the time of "Breakout" and was almost threatening me if I didn't play it because I come from the same area as her. "Breakout" was a good single but I'm yet to be convinced by her voice. A hit only because of what's gone before, but they're not what I'd call an established band so they'll have to do better stuff than this if they want to last out the year. (Simon Mayo, No 1, April 11, 1987)

Fast becoming a band to reckon with, even if it is all a bit 1982, maaan. Classy, and has no great 'soul bro' pretentions, unlike some others I could mention. A bit like Marvin Gaye meets Astrud Gilberto. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, April 11, 1987)

The Pretenders - If There Was A Man (Real)

The goddess Chrissie turns in a fine vocal performance over a song that sounds completely unlike the Pretenders, due to the famous John Barry effect. He could make a washing machine sound like a Tchaikovsky symphony. The song itself follows in great Bond theme tradition and, as such, could be from any of this decade's Bond films. Somehow classic though it threatens to be, it doesn't quite make it since it lacks the familiar Pretenders bite. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, August 8, 1987)

Chrissie Hynde is renowned for being a bit of a bigmouth. She has plenty to spout out about how people should live their lives i.e. in a "wholesome" fashion like her, and she prides herself on doing and saying "the right things". It's a pity then that she doesn't apply this philosophy to her music. Why on earth she should record such a lifeless uninspiring ballad as this for the soundtrack of the latest James Bond movie [The Living Daylights] is beyond me. Unfortunately it seems as if The Pretenders are starting to live up to their name. (Ro Newton, Smash Hits, July 29, 1987)

Echo And The Bunnymen - Bring On The Dancing Horses (Korova)

"Bring On The Dancing Horses" is Echo at their least enigmatic and most political. The verses are charged to bursting with Mac pointing the finger of scorn at the fakers and liars who ruin the lives of ordinary people by selling them cheap dreams. This October song comes at an ironically apt time considering the current arguments about democratic socialism. Melodically this is also the Bunnymen in their strongest single form since "Never Stop". Will, Mac, Les and Pete concoct a multi-layer of effects from fragile to razor sharp. It's been a long while but it's more than worth the wait. (Max Bell, No 1, October 12, 1985)

The first Bunnies single in over a year and as someone who's not been knocked flat by their charms previously, I was more than pleasantly surprised. Lush and lovely. Bring on the windswept videos! Mac - I'm converted. I swear I could almost hear your heart beating. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, October 26, 1985)

Kim Wilde - Say You Really Want Me (MCA)

Gone are the days when Kim's brother Ricky Wilde would conjure up twee, frivolous songs for his sister to sing. Now she's moved up-market, gone all "sophisticated" and taken a fancy to clumsy disco dirges that don't mean anything at all. Kim sings with about as much passion as Hilda Ogden (sob!) doing the hoovering, while some bloke programmes the computer with a flimsy drumbeat that could just about raise a shuffle on the dancefloor. (Ro Newton, Smash Hits, July 29, 1987)

Good old Kim! She's a bit of a girl and I like girls with a bit of spike in their stilettos! However goddess-like Kim is though, the record is a bit pony and trap. I wish she'd find another good song like "View From A Bridge" or something. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, August 8, 1987)

Latin Quarter - Nomzamo (One People One Cause) (Arista)

I don't give a damn about how worthy this lot are. The tune is putrid, and I baulk at political pontificating. Far too insipid to do anything for the cause, however admirable. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, April 11, 1987)

I've heard this a number of times and it's definitely difficult to get into. South Africa's obviously an in-thing to write about but Latin Quarter always manage to come up with interesting songs in their own right. It won't get played on every radio show, but when you hear it you'll definitely be turning up the volume button and will want to hear it again. Possibly a minor hit. (Simon Mayo, No 1, April 11, 1987)

Band Of Holy Joy - Rosemary Smith (Flim Flam)

Fairground music which sits rather incongruously among the rest of this week's jingle bells, pop and slick, sick soul. Takes a while to get used to, but I'm assured by those who know at rm that this is well up to scratch. (Nancy Culp, Record Mirror, April 11, 1987)