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10 of 11 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
If she knew what she wants, August 24, 2004
Being a product of the '80s, I grew up on girl groups like Bananarama, the Go Go's and The Bangles. The Bangles were my favorite girl group, or in this case band. My first exposure to The Bangles came via MTV and radio (when they actually played music that didn't make me want to toss my cookies, let alone play any music). The Bangles' music was irresistably infectious and addictively fun to sing along to. The band originally started out as a garage band back in the early '80s but when their original bassist Annette left, Michael Steele was brought in thus cementing their place in music history. The band didn't really break out until the hit "Manic Monday" from their second album "Different Light". The song was written by Prince who went under the alias Christopher. The ideal theme song for those who hate dragging their butts into work on Monday mornings (i.e me). I still love the song to this very day. "Different Light" may be polished pop/rock but you cannot deny its hooks and sing-along choruses. The music in the '80s were about fun and that is what this album is about I think. The only song I really didn't care for was "Walking Down the Street" but otherwise I love the album. I still love listening to "Walk Like an Egyptian", just a fun, playful pop/rock song. It's a shame that the producer David Kahne was being a major buttwipe and didn't allow Debbie play drums or sing one of the verses on this song (according to the band's Behind the Music story). Still I loved hearing the women harmonize on this song. My favorite single off this album? It has to be "If She Knew What She Wants". The most beautiful song on the album has to go to the plaintive, sparse ballad "Following" in which Michael Steele sings lead vocals on this haunting acoustic ballad. For me, "Different Light" still holds up well after almost twenty years later since its release. I hope Sony gives this album (and the band's other albums) a remastering treatment in the near future. I still get such a joy listening to one of my favorite bands from the '80s.
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6 of 6 people found the following review helpful:
4.0 out of 5 stars
Shine A Light, July 19, 2001
The Bangles' first album was full of shiny songs steeped in 60's British Invasion sounds. For their follow-up, Different Light, the band added some modern twists to the music for a more modern sound. The results turned into the biggest album of their career. The first single from the album, Jules Shear's "If She Knew What She Wants" is a sugary song with some great vocal harmonies. The song was a Top 40 hit, but it was the album's second single that would propel the band to superstar status. "Manic Monday" was penned by Prince under the pseudonym Christopher. It was said that Prince loved the band's first album and was enamored with Susannah Hoffs so he wrote the song for her. Whatever the reasons, the song is a perfect piece of pop bubblegum that practically drips with sunshine. The song peaked at number two, but was to be outdone by a song that is pure 80's, "Walk Like An Egyptian". The song with its goofy lyrics and equally goofy video surged to number one and was the number one overall single for 1986. The song is generally ridiculed, but one can't deny that it is catchy as hell. Other good songs include the luminescent "Walk Down Your Street", "Not For You", the title track and a pretty good cover of Big Star's "September Gurls".
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7 of 8 people found the following review helpful:
5.0 out of 5 stars
The Bangles make Manic Mondays more bearable., September 18, 2001
The second album of the "Bangles Trilogy" continued with Different Light. This release is more refined than its predecessor, All Over The Place, with none of the raw Beatles sound present. Still, it has earned a place as one of the best 1980's albums.
The Prince-penned "Manic Monday", has become my favorite song here. OK, it was Prince under the pseudonym Christopher, but who's quibbling? He knows how to write a killer song and the Bangles know how to make it to a megahit! I loved it when it was overplayed on radio back in 1986, I loved the accompanying MTV video, and that song has a special place in the DJH pantheon. 1986 was the year I graduated high school so that too has something to do with it. I'll tell you, everytime I hear those opening keyboard notes followed by that keen bass, I feel myself tugged back through the mists of time to that glorious period called the 1980's.
"Walk Like A Egyptian," an 80's classic in its own right, became the Bangles' first #1 single. This is one of those songs that upon first hearing it, I thought, "Whoa! This deserves to be a single." It was their third from this album. From the shaking of the tambourine, to the frenetic rhythm and drum assault, to Vicki, Michael, and Susanna taking over lead vocal duties with each verse, and the rocking guitar solo inbetween Michael and Susanna's bits, it's magical.
The single I thought should've done better than merely cracking Billboard's Top 30 was the second single, "If She Knew What She Wants". Now there's a song that really deserved to reach the top spot. I'm still unsure whether I prefer this to "Egyptian". This song, with its splendid Rickenbacker guitar intro and Susanna's wistful voice, with backup harmonies by her bandmates, was penned by Jules Shear, Aimee Mann's then-beau.
Lead vocals distribution? "Let It Go" is the only song here where all four sing together. "Walk Like An Egyptian" has Vicki, Michael, and Susanna taking turns with lead vocals. By fate or design, Susanna sings three songs, namely three of the four singles. Michael Steele finally gets to sing on "September Gurls", a cover of the Alex Chilton song, and the ballad "Following." Her vocal is impressive and emotionally potent. That leaves Vicki with three--, the title track, "Return Post" and "Angels Don't Fall In Love", and Debbi with two--"Standing In The Hallway" and the album's closer, "Not Like You". Uh, that makes twelve songs then, and pretty much evenly distributed, I might add.
Other bits of honorable mention: "Walking Down Your Street" is another worthy single, with vocals by Susanna. And "Angels Don't Fall In Love" opens with a blistery guitar attack that are repeated after the chorus.
Michael's solo vocals on her two songs are impressive, and have a soft yet vital quality about them. "September Gurls", has a slight countrified feel to it, while "Following", a song about confrontation. Michael so effectively evinces sadness and bitterness in that song.
With the exception of the 4+ minutes "Return Post", all the songs range from 2:30 to 3:49. Hopefully, music listeners who are too much rooted in today's music will take time to see the Bangles in, well, a different light.
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