Different Light - Bangles (The) > Reviews > Different light.

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	Mixed
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Good
Value for Money

Advantages:	Good songs, catchy music
Disadvantages:	Very dated now, can show your age .

Recommend to potential buyers:

Full review

I guess this is going to give away both my age, and terrible taste in music in one fell swoop but here goes any way..

The Bangles were one of my first CD buys way back in 1985 when this album was produced. I was 7 at the time so as you can imagine the cost of a CD was more than a little bit of pocket money.

I chose this one, or rather pestered my mother until she went with me to buy it because of the song “Manic Monday”. After that I came to like the other songs on the album and even now can remember all the words on the odd rare occasion when one gets played on the radio. Its just good cheesy pop from the height of the 80’s and I love it!

“The Bangles” consist of Vicki Peterson (plays the guitar and sings).
Michael Steele (Bass and singing)
Susannah Hoffs (Guitar and mostly lead singer)
And Debbi Peterson (Drums and singing)

The album contains 12 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

I am not going to go into the details of every track, as I do not see the point. If you own tbe album then you will have your own favourites and if you don’t then you can count the ones I miss out as “fillers” padding out the singles they did release.

“Manic Monday” still comes to mind some Monday mornings when I cant prize myself out of bed to get to work and would give my right leg for another 15 mins in the warmth before I have to get up. It opens,
“6 o’clock already I was just in the middle of a dream, I was kissing Valentino by a crystal blue Italian stream.” Its up beat, amusing and not to difficult to relate too now it’s almost 20 years older.

“Walk like an Egyptian” I used to see as a challenge as a child. I had heard it on the radio, knew a few of the words but could not make out the rest of them. Now I had the words in front of me courtesy of the album sleeve and I would play it repeatedly and see if I could sing along accurately and in time with the music. It didn’t seen to matter then that they don’t actually make any sense in places,

“Slide your feet up the street bend your back, Shift your arm then you pull it back, Life is hard you know, So strike a pose on a Cadillac”

Still at the time I didn’t care! I was too busy trying to breathe quickly in between verses. Its my favourite track from the album and the fastest paced musically. They have a very catchy use of bells that lends the music an exotic air I think they wanted to go with the lyrics.

“Standing in the hallway” is about the misery love (or more specifically men) can cause. At the age of 7 this wasn’t very relevant but since then it seems to cover the main points –
“You used to say you love me, now you just sit and stare”
The music on this track is once again quite quickly paced so it is not overly maudlin.

“If she knew what she wants” confused me (as a 7 year old) as it is talking, I assume from the position of a friend about a man, completely in love with a girl. The girl however is confused and does not know what she wants hence,
“if she knew what she wants, he’d be giving it to her, If she knew what she needs, he could give her that too” Personally know I understand I would suggest giving up and finding someone less high maintenance but that’s just me…..

“Angels don’t fall in love” Seems to be the voice of a jilted lover, warning the ex not to get to attached to a girl too perfect as they wont love them back. It screams of sour grapes but if you have ever been dumped for someone else then it rings a happy chord.

And finally “Following” this has to be my least favourite track on the album, if not the worst one they ever produced (yes I own more than one album – oh the shame…!) Whatever way you look at it it’s about stalking!
“Look over your shoulder, and you say I’m haunting you” If I ever get this way about a guy someone can happily shoot me. The music is dour with a lot of heavy bass tones and Michael’s deep voice used it its best to convey misery and torment but I am afraid that I just don’t like it!

If you have never heard any of these songs that I suggest that you do at some point, but I am not telling anyone to run out and buy the album. Its good as a blast from the past and a few moments reminiscing but the music is dated and not for today’s youthful market. They may well turn their noses up!