Different Light

Different Light produced five singles, the first three of which were written by someone other than the Bangles. Lead single "Manic Monday", written by Prince under the pseudonym "Christopher"Stichting Nederlandse Top 40, 500 Nr. 1 hits uit de Top 40, Page 234, 9023009444 in 1984 as a duet for the Apollonia 6 album, peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1986.[{{BillboardURLbyName|artist=bangles|chart=all}} Billboard.com] the Bangles singles chart history Accessed: November 4, 2006[http://www.everyhit.co.uk Everyhit.co.uk] UK Top 40 database Accessed: November 4, 2006 "If She Knew What She Wants", the second single from Different Light, was recorded by Jules Shear on his 1985 Eternal Return album. The song was written in the first person, however the Bangles rewrote the lyrics in the third person as they considered it more appropriate; their version charted at number 29 in the United States and number 31 in the United Kingdom. "Walk Like an Egyptian" was written by Liam Sternberg after seeing people on a ferry walking awkwardly to keep their balance as figures do in Ancient Egyptian reliefs; it became one of the most successful singles by the Bangles, hitting number one in the United States, Denmark,[http://ki.informatik.uni-wuerzburg.de/~topsi/deu1986/deu_dec86.html Infinity charts] German Top 20 - The Chart Of December 1986 Accessed: November 2, 2006 and the Netherlands,[http://www.top4000.nl/page/hitlijsten/1986/49/ Top4000.nl] Chart week 49, 1986 Accessed: November 2, 2006 as well as peaking at number three in the United Kingdom. "Walking Down Your Street" hit number 11 in the United States and number 16 in the United Kingdom, and a fifth single, "Following", was released exclusively in the latter country.

The covers of most of the album's cassette pressings and the sheet music songbook only show 12 (out of 16) of the "different" snapshots, eliminating the third column to best fit the rectangular layout of cassette cases and book.

The back cover of European-made CDs replicates the back cover of the vinyl LP edition, with all 16 snapshots and the track index at the top. The back cover of the US version, however, only shows the first column of four snapshots, with the track index list occupying the rest of the space – a rare deviation for Columbia's CD issues during the 1980s.

{{Music ratings

| rev1 = AllMusic

| rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/a-different-light-mw0000192898 |title=A Different Light – Bangles |publisher=AllMusic |access-date=April 4, 2007 |last=Deming |first=Mark}}

| rev2 = The Baltimore Sun

| rev2score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |title=Bangles, Different Light (Columbia) |newspaper=The Evening Sun |date=January 22, 1986 |last=Gilbert |first=Kelly}}

| rev3 = Los Angeles Times

| rev3score = {{Rating|3|4}}{{cite news |title=Stars Twinkle on Top 40 Shopping List |newspaper=Los Angeles Times |date=December 21, 1986 |last1=Pond |first1=Steve |last2=Strauss |first2=Duncan |last3=Hochman |first3=Steve |last4=Hunt |first4=Dennis |last5=Willman |first5=Chris |last6=Johnson |first6=Connie |last7=Hilburn |first7=Robert |author7-link=Robert Hilburn |last8=Atkinson |first8=Terry |last9=Cromelin |first9=Richard |last10=Grein |first10=Paul |last11=McKenna |first11=Kristine |author11-link=Kristine McKenna |last12=Matsumoto |first12=Jon}}

| rev4 = Orlando Sentinel

| rev4score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite news |title=Bangles |newspaper=Orlando Sentinel |date=January 26, 1986 |last=Defendorf |first=Richard}}

| rev5 = Record Mirror

| rev5score = {{Fraction|3|1|2}}/5{{cite magazine |title=Bangles: Different Light |magazine=Record Mirror |date=March 8, 1986 |last=Cross |first=Di |page=16}}

| rev6 = The Rolling Stone Album Guide

| rev6score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}{{cite book |chapter=The Bangles |chapter-url=https://books.google.com/books?id=t9eocwUfoSoC&pg=PA43 |access-date=October 12, 2011 |last1=Evans |first1=Paul |last2=Lechner |first2=Ernesto |title=The New Rolling Stone Album Guide |title-link=The Rolling Stone Album Guide |editor1-last=Brackett |editor1-first=Nathan |editor1-link=Nathan Brackett |editor2-last=Hoard |editor2-first=Christian |editor2-link=Christian Hoard |publisher=Simon & Schuster |edition=4th |year=2004 |isbn=0-7432-0169-8 |pages=[https://archive.org/details/newrollingstonea00brac/page/43 43–44]}}

| rev7 = Slant Magazine

| rev7score = {{Rating|4|5}}{{cite web |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/the-bangles-different-light/ |title=Review: The Bangles, Different Light |website=Slant Magazine |date=September 23, 2003 |access-date=October 23, 2007 |last=Cinquemani |first=Sal}}

| rev8 = Smash Hits

| rev8score = 7/10{{cite magazine |title=The Bangles: In a Different Light |magazine=Smash Hits |volume=8 |issue=5 |date=February 26 – March 11, 1986 |last=Hibbert |first=Tom |author-link=Tom Hibbert |page=59}}

| rev9 = Spin Alternative Record Guide

| rev9score = 6/10{{cite book |chapter=Bangles |last=Sheffield |first=Rob |author-link=Rob Sheffield |title=Spin Alternative Record Guide |title-link=Spin Alternative Record Guide |editor1-last=Weisbard |editor1-first=Eric |editor1-link=Eric Weisbard |editor2-last=Marks |editor2-first=Craig |publisher=Vintage Books |year=1995 |isbn=0-679-75574-8 |page=29}}

| rev10 = The Village Voice

| rev10score = B{{cite news |url=https://robertchristgau.com/xg/cg/cgv6-86.php |title=Christgau's Consumer Guide |newspaper=The Village Voice |date=June 3, 1986 |access-date=April 28, 2008 |last=Christgau |first=Robert |author-link=Robert Christgau}}

}}

In their review, Billboard noted that "the Californian quartet's spare '60s influenced pop/rock gets a facelift from producer Kahne, who shepherds the band's shift toward a more emphatic pop sensibility by focusing on a lusher, more layered vocal sound. Old fans will be divided over whether the change represents new subtlety or simply a softer edge, but the polish should help broaden their radio profile. Points scored for material, too, with savvy cover choices including Jules Shear's "If She Knew What She Wants," Alex Chilton's

"September Gurls" and the first single, "Manic Monday." {{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/80s/1986/BB-1986-01-18.pdf|magazine=Billboard|title=Album Reviews|issue=18 January 1986|page=58 |access-date=December 8, 2024}}

Cashbox stated "Bangles seems destined for the top. The all-woman quartet has taken its ragged L.A. street image and polished it for what looks like a national campaign. Its American sound, repleat with guitar-laden nascent psychedelia, makes this second Columbia LP from Bangles right in line with current musical taste."{{cite magazine|url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Cash-Box/80s/1986/CB-1986-01-18.pdf|magazine=Cash Box|title=Album Releases|issue=18 January 1986 |page=8 |access-date=December 8, 2024}}

Rolling Stone critic Laura Fissinger wrote that Different Light finds the Bangles "using less hook-happy song structure and more modernized production" than on their 1984 debut All Over the Place, "covering their roots without burying them ten feet under."{{cite magazine |url=http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thebangles/albums/album/301864/review/5940772/different_light |title=The Bangles: Different Light |magazine=Rolling Stone |issue=469 |date=March 13, 1986 |access-date=July 26, 2007 |last=Fissinger |first=Laura |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20080208134743/http://www.rollingstone.com/artists/thebangles/albums/album/301864/review/5940772/different_light |archive-date=February 8, 2008 |url-status=dead}} She disagreed with objections to the more "deliberate, sophisticated and airwaves ready" nature of the production and felt that the album "puts then and now in significantly better balance", while also finding that the band had advanced "past the fan-apes-idol phase" in their musicianship.

In 2012, Slant Magazine ranked Different Light at number 78 on its list of the best albums of the 1980s.{{cite web |url=https://www.slantmagazine.com/music/best-albums-of-the-1980s/ |title=The 100 Best Albums of the 1980s |website=Slant Magazine |date=March 5, 2012 |access-date=January 3, 2022}}

{{Track listing

| total_length =

| extra_column = Lead vocals

| title1 = Manic Monday

| writer1 = "Christopher" (Prince)

| extra1 = Hoffs

| length1 = 3:06

| title2 = In a Different Light

| writer2 = Susanna Hoffs, Vicki Peterson

| extra2 = V. Peterson

| length2 = 2:52

| title3 = Walking Down Your Street

| writer3 = Hoffs, Louis Gutierrez, David Kahne

| extra3 = Hoffs

| length3 = 3:04

| title4 = Walk Like an Egyptian

| writer4 = Liam Sternberg

| extra4 = V. Peterson, Steele and Hoffs

| length4 = 3:24

| title5 = Standing in the Hallway

| writer5 = Hoffs, Kahne, Debbi Peterson, V. Peterson

| extra5 = D. Peterson

| length5 = 2:56

| title6 = Return Post

| writer6 = Hoffs, V. Peterson

| extra6 = V. Peterson

| length6 = 4:22

| title7 = If She Knew What She Wants

| note7 = Jules Shear cover, 1985

| writer7 = Jules Shear

| extra7 = Hoffs

| length7 = 3:49

| title8 = Let It Go

| writer8 = Hoffs, D. Peterson, V. Peterson, Michael Steele

| extra8 = Group

| length8 = 2:32

| title9 = September Gurls

| note9 = Big Star cover, 1974

| writer9 = Alex Chilton

| extra9 = Steele

| length9 = 2:45

| title10 = Angels Don't Fall in Love

| writer10 = Hoffs, V. Peterson

| extra10 = V. Peterson

| length10 = 3:23

| title11 = Following

| writer11 = Steele

| extra11 = Steele

| length11 = 3:21

| title12 = Not Like You

| writer12 = Hoffs, Kahne, D. Peterson

| extra12 = D. Peterson

| length12 = 3:06

}}

The Bangles

• Susanna Hoffs – vocals, guitars
• Vicki Peterson – vocals, lead guitar
• Michael Steele – vocals, bass
• Debbi Peterson – vocals, drums

Additional musicians

• Mitchell Froom – keyboards
• David Kahne – keyboards, LinnDrum programming
• Rusty Anderson – additional guitars
• Barbara Chapman – additional guitars, harp
• William Jones – electric sitar (uncredited)
• Carlos Vega – additional drums

• Producer – David Kahne
• Engineers – Tchad Blake and Peggy McLeonard
• Assistant engineers – David Glover and Mike Kloster
• Mixing – David Leonard
• Art direction – Nancy Donald and Tony Lane
• Photography – Raul Vega
• Wardrobe – Genny Schorr and Tony Riviera

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{{Certification Table Top|caption=Certifications for Different Light}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Australia|artist=Bangles|title=Different Light|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=1986|certyear=|certref={{cite web|url=https://i.imgur.com/IbKbQxR.jpg|title=The Bangles ARIA chart history, received from ARIA on February 11, 2019|via=Imgur|access-date=February 11, 2020}} Note: This contains chart data only from the era where the chart was produced by ARIA (June 13, 1988, onward). The "High Point" number in the "NAT" column indicates the release's peak position on the national chart.}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|artist=Bangles|title=Different Light|award=Platinum|number=2|type=album|relyear=1986|certyear=1987|date=February 26, 1987|access-date=August 24, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=New Zealand|artist=Bangles|title=Different Light|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=1986|id=1987-07-31|source=newchart|access-date=2024-11-20|date=August 2, 1987}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United Kingdom|artist=Bangles|title=Different Light|award=Platinum|type=album|relyear=1986|certyear=1987|id=1796-499-2|date=January 5, 1987|access-date=August 24, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|artist=Bangles|title=Different Light|award=Platinum|number=3|type=album|relyear=1986|certyear=1994|date=October 7, 1994|access-date=August 24, 2021}}

{{Certification Table Bottom|nosales=yes}}

{{Reflist}}

{{refbegin}}

• {{cite book |last=Kent |first=David |author-link=David Kent (historian) |title=Australian Chart Book 1970–1992 |edition=illustrated |location=St Ives, N.S.W. |publisher=Australian Chart Book |year=1993 |isbn=0-646-11917-6}}

{{refend}}

• [http://www.thebangles.com The Bangles official website]

{{The Bangles}}

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Category:1986 albums

Category:The Bangles albums

Category:Albums produced by David Kahne

Category:Columbia Records albums

Category:Liberation Records albums