Whatever Paul Weller fans expected from him after THE JAM had folded, the soulful pop of THE STYLE COUNCIL, a band he created with DEXYS’ Mick Talbot wasn’t that, and yet their debut album, “Café Bleu” from 1984, didn’t disappoint anybody apart, perhaps, from hardcore punks. Prefaced by a slew of singles which, outside of the UK, were corralled into a longplay titled “Introducing The Style Council” in 1983, it charted rather high in quite a few countries and remains a favorite among many an aficionado. No wonder, then, in this record finally seeing an expanded reissue, even if a year after the classic’s 40th anniversary.
Out on January 30th, 2026 on six CDs – or, alternatively, three vinyl platters that omit a lot of material, “Café Bleu: Special Edition” includes a plethora of the group’s initial creations, with rarities and live recordings being of special interest. About time!
Café Bleu
CD 1 – Introducing… Expanded:
1. Speak Like A Child
2. Party Chambers
3. Money-Go-Round (Parts 1 & 2) (original 12″ version)
4. Headstart For Happiness (early version)
5. Mick’s Up
6. Long Hot Summer (extended version)
7. The Paris Match (early version)
8. Party Chambers (instrumental)
9. Le Depart
10. A Solid Bond In Your Heart
11. It Just Came To Pieces In My Hands
12. My Ever Changing Moods (long version)
13. Spring, Summer, Autumn
14. Mick’s Company
15. Money-Go-Round (Parts 1 & 2) (Bert Bevans remix / club mix)
16. Long Hot Summer (club mix aka 12″ mix)
CD 2 – Café Bleu – Original Album:
1. Mick’s Blessings
2. The Whole Point Of No Return
3. Me Ship Came In!
4. Blue Café
5. The Paris Match
6. My Ever Changing Moods
7. Dropping Bombs On The Whitehouse
8. A Gospel
9. Strength Of Your Nature
10. You’re The Best Thing
11. Here’s One That Got Away
12. Headstart For Happiness
13. Council Meetin’
CD 3 – Singles, B-sides, Remixes:
1. You’re The Best Thing (7″ version)
2. You’re The Dub Thing
3. The Big Boss Groove (12″ version)
4. Money-Go-Round (dance mix)
5. Long Hot Summer (Don’t Matter What I Do) (7″ single)
6. A Solid Bond In Your Heart (instrumental)
7. My Ever Changing Moods (7″ version)
Café Bleu:
Special Edition
CD 4 – Demos, Outtakes, Alternate Versions:
1. Long Hot Summer (pre TSC demo)
2. Party Chambers (alternate version)
3. Up For Grabs (demo)
4. Take It To The Top (demo)
5. Mick’s Demo
6. Funk Interlude
7. The Big Boss Groove
8. Summertime Song
9. The Paris Match (with Tracey Thorn – long version)
10. Come Away With Me (demo)
11. Me Ship Came In! (alternate version)
12. Dropping Bombs On The White House (alternate version)
13. That One In D’ Minor (demo)
14. Boy Hairdresser
15. A Gospel (alternate instrumental version)
16. A Gospel (outtake)
17. Mick’s Company
18. I’m In The Mood For Gazza
CD 5 – BBC Sessions & Live
Radio 1 – May 5th, 1983:
1. Headstart For Happiness
2. Mick’s Up
3. Here’s One That Got Away
4. The Paris Match
In Concert – June 11th, 1983:
5. Headstart For Happiness
6. Here’s One That Got Away
7. The Paris Match
8. Times Are Tight
Saturday Live – December 31st, 1983:
9. My Ever Changing Moods
10. Mick’s Blessings
11. Paris Match
12. Head Start For Happiness
13. Long Hot Summer
Live at the Dominion Theatre, Pt. 1 – March 14th, 1984:
14. Meeting Over Yonder
15. My Ever Changing Moods
16. It Just Came To Pieces In My Hands
17. Mick’s Up
18. Here’s One That Got Away
19. Up For Grabs
20. Dropping Bombs On The White House
21. Long Hot Summer
CD 6 – Live
Live at the Dominion Theatre, Pt. 2 – March 14th, 1984:
1. Money-Go-Round
2. Speak Like A Child
3. Headstart For Happiness
4. Hanging On To A Memory
Sight & Sound In Concert – Live At Goldiggers Chippenham – March 10th, 1984:
5. Meeting Over Yonder
6. My Ever Changing Moods
7. Speak Like A Child
8. The Whole Point Of No Return
9. Le Depart
10. The Paris Match
11. Party Chambers
12. Money-Go-Round
13. Head Start For Happiness
14. Hanging On To A Memory
15. Dropping Bombs On The White House
16. Long Hot Summer
