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)

Everything But The Girl - Mine (Blanco Y Negro)

The subtle use of percussion and smoky tones of Tracey Thorn's voice turn this into another late-night affair. A haunting tale of a girl left holding the baby, this, like all their records, turns me all moody. (Linda Duff, Smash Hits, July 5, 1984)

It's brilliant, isn't it? I like all this jazz based stuff that's happening now because its good for people to get into that level of musicianship and also make it commercial at the same time. It's getting away from quick, cheap and nasty. It's a great song and she's got a really good voice and phrases the words really well. This is one of the best singles I've heard for a long time and it should be a big hit if they've finished their exams and want to do a bit of promotion. Single Of The Week. (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

Killing Joke - A New Day (EG)

If it actually had a start, a middle, and an end, we might have played it right through. The rhythm track's good, I like all the tom toms and stuff, but it doesn't seem to go anywhere. They'll probably beat us up now but I did like a couple of their records. We've got a roadie who's mad about Killing Joke but he won't go to any of their gigs because you get spat on. (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

A very dated guitar riff announces the fact that we're not to expect anything new from Killing Joke in this latest release. They're apparently attempting to sound threatening and raw, but the band have always been a little guilty of being pantomime punks, and this just reinforces that pastiche. Killing Joke are about ten years too late, and the only people they threaten are the record company. (Muriel Gray, Smash Hits, July 19, 1984)

King - Soul On My Boots (CBS)

This is really nice, the bass player's good. It could be a hit and they've got quite a good image. The old long hair's coming back, like mine, and it's important to have a good image without being too fabricated. The only thing is, they shouldn't wear Doctor Martens. I've never had a pair of them. (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

John Lennon - I'm Stepping Out (Polydor)

For an extraordinary man, John Lennon managed to write a lot of very ordinary material before he died. This is so basic and dull that it barely merits criticism Who can take seriously A man who sings "gimme a break, gimme a break"? A lot of people over 30 will buy this and Yoko will become even richer but nobody knows better than poor Mrs Lennon that money isn't everything. (Muriel Gray, Smash Hits, July 19, 1984)

It'll be a hit, it's quite poppy. There's still a sparse amount of genius but it's not as good as his last one. It's not the best thing to talk about, dead people, but I think they should just let him be remembered for the great things he's done because he's not here now to make these records sound the way they should. (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

The Blue Nile - Tinsel Town In The Rain (Linn Records)

This is quite an achievement for only their second single, it's quite nice. There's nothing that jumps out at you but I love the strings, more bands should use them. I don't know if it'll be a hit because I'm lousy at picking them. I think they'll develop into quite a big band. (Andy Taylor [Duran Duran], Record Mirror, July 14, 1984)

This comes from the band's new album Walk Across The Rooftops, but there's no doubt that as an album track it's sophisticated, subtle and slightly melancholy. Sadly, though, it's also a single which makes it boring, predictable and slightly weak. It's hard for The Blue Nile to top their wonderful single "I Love This Life" and they certainly won't do it with this. If anything, it's very reminiscent of early '70s Steely Dan which, in 1984, is nothing to be proud of. (Muriel Gray, Smash Hits, July 19, 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)