Red Box - Lean On Me (WEA)

A catchy little number that won't set the world on fire but should leave it smouldering nicely round the edges. Not as interesting as their previous singles 'Chenko' or 'Saskatchewan' perhaps, but 'Lean On Me' should ensure them a healthier chart placing. (Paul Bursche, No 1, August 24, 1985)

Dream Academy - Love Parade (WEA)

By 'eck, about time too! After becoming instant media personalities after the success of their last platter and actually managing to be seen at more parties than Paul Simper it's refreshing to see Dream Academy actually out and about earning their crusts again. And it s a corker. Lots of heavy breathing from Kate while Nick gets on with the job in hand. Very Prefab Sprout this, but with a firmer commercial touch. Luscious. (Paul Bursche, No 1, August 24, 1985)

Pet Shop Boys - Suburbia (Parlophone)

A bit of a glum song with Neil Tennant singing about how miserable it is to live in what he calls a
'suburban hell'. I must confess that I find all this stuff about 'broken glass' and 'bus shelters' a tiny bit boring, lyrically speaking, but it's got a lovely mournful one-finger piano tune which isn't half bad at all. And it has dogs barking on it. (William Shaw, Smash Hits, September 24, 1986)

Debbie Harry - Free To Fall (Chrysalis)

Debbie Harry always means a missed heartbeat and a place in the Top Ten to the more discerning record buyer. "Free To Fall" is mellow and deeply attractive; nice sorrowful tune, cooing backing vocals, and the bit at the end where it gets all choral. The prettiest 40(ish!)-year-old this side of Jan Leeming and maturing with great grace and dignity. This is better than almost anything Blondie ever did. (John Aizlewood, No 1, February 28, 1987)

Culture Club - Church Of The Poison Mind (Virgin)

An astute, ear-pricking harmonica intro, George doing his best Stevie Wonder impression and a backing singer [Helen Terry] whose voice you can feel in the pit of your stomach make for a solid chunk of soul that you may not even recognise as being Culture Club. Don't be put off. There's enough modern trimmings here to separate it from the recent swarm of Tamla Motown soundalikes - not least a good tune. For best results, dance and sing at the same time. (Kimberley Leston, Smash Hits, March 31, 1983)

The Big Supreme - Please Yourself (Polydor)

This is the best I've heard. And I'm not saying that because I know Barry Flynn... I really like this. I thought the last single was a definite cert, but "The Smile And The Kiss" was the best. Actually, I've got some demos of his somewhere. If this is a hit I'll have to dig them out and flog them! (Owen Paul, No 1, March 28, 1987)

A supremely bold record. It begins with some ominous piano, which sounds like someone's just DIED. Then, BAM You're hit with a punch drunk Martin Fry going for a Motown-y form of on-beat dance insistence. With lots of chunky boss. and some 'parting the Red Sea' choral bits, it's all very body-building and the best Big Supreme single so for. Which only just excuses the vile stripey blazers worn by Barry and the girls on the sleeve. (Roger Morton, Record Mirror, March 7, 1987)

Hey! Meet The Big Supreme, who - PRESTO! - are all set to be pop stars! "Please Yourself" is a monstrous sound, a remarkable mixture of Pete Burns, Julian Cope and Pete Wylie. They also look rather fetching and are obviously destined for much greater things. Gulp. (Barry McIlheney, Smash Hits, March 11, 1987)

Frankie Goes To Hollywood - Watching The Wildlife (ZTT)

Here's an odd claim to lay at the feet of big, brash, bulging Frankie - their new single is a grower. Not a slap-bang-mind-that-axe-m'dear-disco stormer; a grower, as in rather excellent string arrangement, muted chorus and unusual hooks. Whether the great British pound in your pocket will decide to leap generously across the counter is another matter considering the muted reception 'Warriors' received. Still, here's hoping. (Paul Simper, No 1, March 7, 1987)

The fact that you're supposed to get a CONDOM with the cassette version of this could lead to irksome speculation about the title. So let's just say that giving away prophylactics is a GOOD IDEA, and if this piece of swinging, brassy, orchestral bombast wasn't all swollen up like an inflated Durex, it might have been too. (Roger Morton, Record Mirror, March 7, 1987)

Let's Talk About (Safe) Sex: Not only was the single one of the first to be released on cassette (Cassetted) but it also came with a free condom. Not sure how many twelve-year-olds bought that.

Sheila E - Hold Me (WEA/Paisley Park)

Extremely laidback for Prince's prime timbale rattler, this elegant ballad should slip Sheila E. from the sidelines and have her ruffling gimpy Whitney's perm out of place. It might also signal the end of the Janet Jackson/Jam & Lewis stranglehold on the dance charts. What an exciting world we live in. Please also turn, if you will, to the brilliant B-side The World Is High' - this spring's dead cert floor-filler. (Paul Simper, No 1, March 7, 1987)

Madonna - La Isla Bonita (Sire)

I've heard this a million times already. I like her and her music's always entertaining. I don't think she's made a bad record, but sometimes you have to be inspired by music and not just entertained. I quite like her records but if there were two record shops across the road and one of them was playing this, I'd go in the other one! I like it but it's not her best. (Owen Paul, No 1, March 28, 1987)

Presumably the last (but not least) single from the True Blue album, "La Isla Bonita" is as close to Abba as Madonna can get without learning a second language. Swaying palms and balmy harmonies. But would she share her desert island idyll with Oliver Reed and a jug of orange? (Paul Simper, No 1, March 7, 1987)

And another one from the multi-platinum True Blue LP. But it's not exactly special. It's got all the Madonna trademarks - a catchy disco synth-beat and the luscious pouting vocals - but it's not cheeky enough. It's not even suggestive. Madonna dreaming of being seduced on a tropical island, by Spanish lullabies!!?? It just isn't up to the gal's usual standard. (Jane Wilkes, Record Mirror, March 21, 1987)

Black - Wonderful Life (Ugly Man)

Guaranteed to make grown girls whimper and hard-nosed boys blubber. A beeeautiful, balmy antidote to today's 99 per cent inconsequential output. A smooth coating of non-drip vocal gloss glides over a melody which seduces you with its eyes shut. Lyrically, a mass of contradictions which fool no one, matey! Simplicity and perfection itself (sigh). On a par with Marks and Sparks' cheesecake. (Lesley O'Toole, Record Mirror, August 16, 1986)

A rather pretty ballad from a Liverpool lad once involved with Wylie's Wah!. With a typically studious Northern vocal - so you know he means it - this is the indie equivalent of "A Different Corner". Stick to George. 3/5 (Paul Simper, No 1, August 30, 1986)

The Bathers - Fancy Dress (Go! Discs)

This lot are from the same stable as The Housemartins and Billy Bragg. Singer Chris Thomson used to be in the Scottish band Friends Again who I used to really, really like, but success always eluded them for some reason. This is great, but what's interesting is that the rest of Friends Again are now Love And Money so the race is on to see who can chart first. Love the moody guitar. (Gary Crowley, No 1, April 25, 1987)