It’s telling that side one of Paul Weller’s first album since breaking up the most popular British band of their era barely features the former Jam leader at all. Café Bleu was a new musical manifesto, written up to decisively shake off the parker-wearing power pop of Weller’s past. More importantly, The Style Council’s debut album is one of the finest records of Weller’s career. Alongside new wingman Mick Talbot, he dug deep into the roots of modernism, coming up with a contemporary soul pop steeped in continental sophistication, with songs such as “The Paris Match” and a pared-back “My Ever Changing Moods” blowing in like a plume of smoke off a freshly-lit Gitanes.

– Chris Catchpole

The first official UK album release from The Style Council leaves out some of their biggest early singles like the simmering electro-funk heartbreaker ‘Long Hot Summer’ and the euphoric pop-soul of ‘Speak Like A Child’ while including some questionable musical experiments. Despite this, it’s still an exceptional debut with a clutch of beautiful, tender songs, covering all sorts of areas including jazz, electro-funk, pop and there’s even a rap track. A couple of dated 80s drum sounds and hybrid songs that don’t quite work aside, ‘Cafe Bleu’ is full of beauty and a standout of 80s pop. 

– Harold Heath