Fashion - Dreaming (Epic)

Pretty rubbishy really, but a great sleeve, almost surrealist in a way. The girl on the sleeve is obviously dreaming about a fish. It's a bit like the song, unfathomable, but worth buying for a sleeve. (Bobby Bluebell, Record Mirror, April 21, 1984)

I'd like to see what Mulligan could come up with, with Nick Beggs. (Kenneth McCluskey, Record Mirror, April 21, 1984)

I find this song struggling to get off the ground and not quite making it. Very clever production in its own way but slightly dated mixing rock guitars with general-sounding electronics. I quite like the singer but I'm not sure about the whole thing. (Dave Gahan, Smash Hits, April 26, 1984)

Poor old Fashion have been slogging away for years without ever grabbing themselves a real hit. This is one of their stronger efforts, combining all the right ingredients, a name producer (Zeus B. Held) and the right parts of disco soul to power rock.
But it still lacks a real personality of its own. And that's the problem. (Sunie, No 1, April 21, 1984)

New Order - Thieves Like Us (Factory)

This one's a grower for sure! I've played it a few times and it gets better every spin. Produced by New Order but co-written with Arthur Baker, I personally prefer the band's production. Great melody which sticks in your brain. (Dave Gahan [Depeche Mode], Smash Hits, April 26, 1984)

The phenomenal success of "Blue Monday" is a hard act to follow, New Order have yet to beat the challenge they set themselves. "Confusion" was saved by the brilliant Arthur Baker production but on "Thieves Like Us" New Order get behind the controls and the result is rather lifeless. The song is a grower in a meandering kind of way, but the tuneless vocals of Bernard Albrecht reduce the affair to a flat disco dirge. (Karen Swayne, No 1, April 14, 1984)

I like this a lot. It reminds me a bit of Lou Reed and it's a lot different from their last few singles. I prefer it to their disco stuff which they don't do very well, it's very good and it's still got that indie feel about it. (Bobby Bluebell [The Bluebells], Record Mirror, April 21, 1984)

More melodic than normal New Order. It floats along nicely. (Kenneth McCluskey [The Bluebells], Record Mirror, April 21, 1984)