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Album Review: In the same way that The Beatles moved from the R&B charm of Rubber Soul to the more sophisticated, slicker sound on Revolver, The Bangles can be said to have made the same transition going from 1984's All Over the Place to their 1985 breakout album, Different Light, which spawned the hits "Manic Monday," "If She Knew What She Wants" and the #1 "Walk Like an Egyptian." The Bangles did not have the same raft of
hits on All Over the Place, nor can it be said that All Over the Place is as good as The Beatles mega-classic Rubber Soul. But the sound is that same delicious, toe-tapping, head-nodding, melody-rich fare that made Rubber Soul so enjoyable. Here we find the Bangles doing irresistibly bouncy covers of "Live" and "Going Down To Liverpool"—can the Liverpool/Beatles tie-in be an accident??—and there are plenty more infectious
melodic confections to be found, such as "He's Got A Secret" and "James." The Bangles also learned early how to rock it out a little, and they do so here on songs like "Restless," with its driving beat; "Dover Beach," with its shimmering guitar lines; and "Hero Takes A Fall," a minor hit from the album. Most of the instrumentation features straightforward guitar-drum arrangements, but that's not a bad thing, and the Bangles' strong vocals put
the simple but catchy numbers over the top. Different Light got the world's attention, but All Over the Place was a worthy predecessor—and an essential Bangles album for anyone who cares to venture beyond their greatest hits.
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