Howard Jones - Pearl In the Shell (WEA)

The fourth and weakest single to be taken from the Human's Lib LP, "Pearl In The Shell" is an album track that had no idea it was going to be made into a single until the record company tapped it on the shoulder. Mine came enclosed in a fold-up poster instead of a sleeve. But what do you do with the record when you put the sleeve on the wall? Could it be a insidious plot by WEA to make you keep playing it? (Frank Hopkinson, No 1, May 19, 1984)

I tend to think of Howie as a puppy dog (mongrel, I think) - something so bright-eyed and trusting that you can't bring yourself to smack him when he messes the living room with poop like this. Poor little fella - only doing what nature tells him etc. This time it's a brassier, more aggressive sound with the usual irritatingly catchy chorus and twiddly synth bits. Mind you, next time it's definitely the rolled-up newspaper... (Ian Cranna, Smash Hits, May 24, 1984)