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"^[7] in 1984 as a duet for Apollonia 6's self-titled album, peaked at number two in the United Kingdom and the United States in 1986.^[8][9] "If She Knew What She Wants", the second single from Different Light, was recorded by Jules Shear on his 1985 album The Eternal Return. 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^[8] and number 31 in the United Kingdom.^[9] "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,^[8] Denmark,^[10] and the Netherlands,^[11] as well as peaking at number three in the United Kingdom.^[9] "Walking Down Your Street" hit number 11 in the United States^[8] and number 16 in the United Kingdom,^[9] and a fifth single, "Following", was released exclusively in the latter country, where it reached number 55.^[9]

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.

More information Review scores, Source ...

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
AllMusic	[12]
The Baltimore Sun	[13]
Classic Pop	[14]
Los Angeles Times	[15]
Record Mirror	3+1⁄2/5[16]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide	[17]
Slant Magazine	[18]
Smash Hits	7/10[19]
Spin Alternative Record Guide	6/10[20]
The Village Voice	B[21]

Close

Billboard commented 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," the review continued, "but the polish should help broaden their radio profile."^[22] Cashbox said that the band had "taken its ragged L.A. street image and polished it for what looks like a national campaign", noting that the album's "American sound, repleat with guitar-laden nascent psychedelia," makes it "right in line with current musical taste."^[23]

Rolling Stone critic Laura Fissinger observed that Different Light uses "less hook-happy song structure and more modernized production" than the Bangles' 1984 debut All Over the Place, "covering their roots without burying them ten feet under." She disagreed with objections to its more "deliberate, sophisticated and airwaves ready" 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.^[24]

In a retrospective review for Slant Magazine, Sal Cinquemani wrote that while Different Light was perceived as "a slicker, more commercial move for the Bangles at the time of its release", it "sounds surprisingly fresh in hindsight", adding that the band's "'60s-style pop melodies and classic rock references ... were deftly matched with the then-current new wave and rock rhythms of the early '80s."^[18] Classic Pop's Will Simpson said that with its mix of hit singles and other songs recalling the band's Paisley Underground origins, "the grit and gloss balance nicely."^[14] Slant Magazine ranked Different Light at number 78 on its 2012 list of the best albums of the 1980s.^[25]

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