James - Hymn From A Village (Factory)

James, currently A Group To Watch, come from Manchester and are guests of The Smiths on their nationwide tour. Morrissey has taste. "Hymn From A Village" has a simple and magical charm which comes from the fragile but determined guitar-playing, lively drumming and singer Tommy Booth's strained but human voice. Like The Smiths' early singles it's the very essence of pop, free from technological excess and cosmetic overkill. Devour it. (Adrian Tierney-Jones, No 1, March 9, 1985)

All the bands coming through at the moment seem to be of a certain mould. BEAUTY is the thing to be possessed of and if you haven't got it, fake it, and bugger the sound you're making - that can be faked too. That's why James are so refreshing. So non-visual it hurts and makes it excessively difficult to find one of those easy nouns we journalists like attaching to the front of groups' names. You know, 'funksters', 'popsters', 'long macsters'. The comparisons with Joy Division are glaringly obvious but they have a less doomy, more open hearted feel and (ouch) energy. (Eleanor Levy, Record Mirror, March 16, 1985)

James - So Many Ways (Sire)

James are a bunch of enthusiastic, cheerful and dedicated Manchester "lads" who don't seem to give a tinker's cuss whether they have hits or not. "So Many Ways" is a kind of modern folky dirge with an uplifting chorus built from layers of vocal harmony. Unfortunately, their fresh "live" sound and total lack of slick production will probably prevent them from getting onto the new Radio 1 shrunken swizzaway "play" list. Shame. (Duncan Wright, Smash Hits, June 18, 1986)