Album Review by EDF
Ah, The Bangles. This lot brings back fond memories. What more could you ask for than to have four attractive women singing memorable pop rock tunes. And then there was Susanna Hoffs. There must have been countless men who had lusted after her. A great band that did not need to do much publicity, they just had to turn up and also how we were shocked when they called it a day. Whether it was a good career move or not to miss the decade that was the 1990’s we will never know but going by Hoffs’ solo chart spots, let’s just say they were not missed.
Bringing us up to present day with a brand new album, DOLL REVOLUTION, they are back and it’s just as if they have never been away. The opening-rocking track TEAR OFF YOUR OWN HEAD has a chorus that is total nonsense but is that not why we love The Bangles? SINGLE BY CHOICE would make a great single, no pun intended, as you could imagine every single woman singing along to this. RIDE THE RIDE and STEALING ROSEMARY are both excellent breezy, harmony led tunes.
ASK NO QUESTIONS is a sickly ballad that does not move the soul. Alternatively, the same could be said about I WILL TAKE CARE OF YOU but for some reason it’s bearable due to Hoffs taking the lead vocals duty here. THE RAIN SONG is as memorable as a rainy day and at the opposite end are the great LOST AT SEA and SOMETHING THAT YOU SAID which are both highlights of the album.
The final track, GRATEFUL, while it is good, sounds like it will burst into a chorus of “I’d like to teach the world to sing”. This album would have been a lot stronger if at least a couple of tracks were dropped but then again The Bangles were never known to release classic albums. The other gripe is that Susanna Hoffs could have provided lead vocals on a couple of other tracks that needed that little extra something. Despite all that, The Bangles are back and lets have more of them, please.
