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The Bangles
Different Light - CBS 1985
Tracks: 1. Manic Monday / 2. In A Different Light / 3. Walking Down Your Street / 4. Walk Like An Egyptian / 5. Standing In The Hallway / 6. Return Post / 7. If She Knew What She Wants / 8. Let It Go / 9. September Gurls / 10. Angels Don't Fall In Love / 11. Following / 12. Not Like You
Comments:
The Bangles' second album "Different Light" is what really established the group's name as purveyors of catchy girl power-pop. Not least the two big single hits ”Manic Monday” and ”Walk Like an Egyptian”, where the latter, though, can hardly be called power-pop and the song is overall somewhat uncharacteristic for the group.
The charming "If She Knew What She Wants", written by Jules Shear, was also a hit, although not on the same level as the first two. It's one of my personal favorites with the nice call-and-response setup, with Susannah Hoffs on one side and the rest of the girls on the other.
Although the group members were skilled songwriters themselves, none of the singles mentioned were written by them. A fourth single "Walking Down the Street" was however co-written by Susannah Hoffs and the number became a fine top 40 hit.
Vicki Peterson and Susannah Hoffs co-wrote the fine title track, an upbeat number; quite catchy with lead vocals from Vicki. The two also jointly wrote "Return Post" and "Angels Don't Fall in Love", which also had lead vocals by Vicki.
Sister Debbie takes the lead vocals on two fine songs; "Staring in the Hallway", which is a mid-tempo rocker and "Not Like You", which is a charmingly light track, perhaps somewhat related to Emitt Rhodes' songwriting; Rhodes who wrote "Live" from the group's first album.
Michael Steele takes the lead vocals on the power-pop classic "September Gurl", which the group gives a nice version of. Steele also sings lead on her own ”Following”, which is a rather quiet number, where she may remind of Amy Ray from the Indigo Girls.
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