Different Light (CD - 1986)

The Bangles: Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson (vocals, guitar); Michael Steele (vocals, bass); Debbi Peterson (vocals, drums).

Personnel: Vicki Peterson (vocals, guitar, electric guitar); Susanna Hoffs (vocals, guitar); Debbi Peterson (vocals, drums); Michael Steele (vocals); Rusty Anderson (guitar).

Audio Mixer: David Leonard.

Recording information: Sunset Sound Factory, Hollywood, CA (1985); Sunset Sound, Hollywood, CA (1985).

Unknown Contributor Role: Barbara Chapman.

The Bangles' first album, All Over the Place, may have earned them a smattering of radio and MTV airplay, but it's clear that with Different Light they were aiming for much higher stakes, especially when Prince -- who was reportedly infatuated with Susanna Hoffs -- offered to write a song for them. "Manic Monday"'s baroque, keyboard-dominated sound was a far cry from anything the Bangles had recorded before, and while Hoffs' breathy voice and her bandmates' fine harmonies fit the song like a glove, it also sent the group down a path that led them away from the '60s-influenced pop/rock that was their strongest suit, and though Vicki Peterson does get to show off her guitar work on a few songs here, the differences between Different Light and All Over the Place are telling and a bit sad. The drum machines that dominate "Walk Like an Egyptian" and "Walking Down Your Street" rob the performances of the organic feel of this group's best music, the funky accents of "Standing in the Hallway" are simply out of place, and while covering Big Star ("September Gurls") and Jules Shear ("If She Knew What She Wants") may have sounded good on paper, neither performance captures what makes each song special. And while the album struggles to rally in the last innings with the more personal air of "Following" and "Not Like You," most of the songs struggle to stand up under David Kahne's overly slick production and the layers of gingerbread added by a handful of guest musicians. Different Light turned the Bangles into bona fide pop stars, but it also transformed a spunky and distinctive band into a comparatively faceless vehicle for a hit-seeking producer; the group tries to let its personality shine through despite it all, but the effort fails most of the time. ~ Mark Deming

The band's second album went to number one on the strength of the first single, "Manic Monday," twritten especially for the band by Prince, and its follow-up, "Walk Like an Egyptian," penned by '80s hit-making giant Liam Sternberg. Though even more polished than the debut, Different Light is a testament to the mid-'80s sound, replete with synthesizers (Mitchell Froom assisted); even on Jules Shear's magnificent "If She Knew What She Wants" and Alex Chilton's standard "September Gurls," the band's vocal strengths shine through the gloss and their pop sensibilties are not completely lost. ~ Denise Sullivan

The Bangles, a Los Angeles rock quartet, were the premier all-female band of the mid-'80s, stealing the crown from new wave goddesses The Go-Go's. Fronted by the doe-eyed Susanna Hoffs, the Bangles wielded imposing four-part harmonies in energetic pop arrangements. A DIFFERENT LIGHT is the Bangles' most successful recording, polished and powerful; and the substantial disc advances hit after hit, marking it among the best albums of the 1980's.

The group's first major hit, "Manic Monday," is not quite as funky as Prince's (the song's author) live versions, but it is rockier, more accessible, and infectious enough to bring the band to the top of the charts. The hook-heavy "Walk Like An Egyptian," a rollicking novelty song, effectively displays the band's exuberance and Susanna's sexy purr. "If She Knew What She Wants" is smart, sassy and perky. "Following," bassist Michael Steele's contribution, is an eerie, disturbing song about obsession and paranoia. The remaining songs are equally strong.

If The Go-Go's were the distaff punk cousins to the surf/girls/car-happy Beach Boys, then the Bangles were the female version of the polished, pop-perfect Beatles. On A DIFFERENT LIGHT it is obvious that these four women can sing, write and play their instruments as well as any of their male counterparts. minimize