Friday, September 30, 2011

Return to the Valley of the Bangles

Go ahead, point and laugh at my latest purchase, "Sweetheart of the Sun" by the Bangles. Listen, if you're (still) gonna carry an eternal flame, of course you're gonna buy the compact disc -- and the special edition at that. (Two bonus tracks -- and "eternal" means "eternal"!) Sadly, the gals weren't at a Barnes & Noble in New York for the big release on Tuesday. But from the looks of these wire photos from L.A. (below), it was a fun event with an acoustic set to boot. (Anyone go?)

My guiltless pleasure

The band's support tour starts tomorrow night in Philly. We've got tickets to the show Monday at the Highline Ballroom -- my first time seeing them live since the House of Blues in West Hollywood a decade ago. (Ironically, it's the same night the Psychedelic Furs are playing here in the city, who I saw the Bangles open for in 1984 at the Mesa Amphitheater when they were touring for their classic debut, "All Over the Place.")


xx

I'm loving the (almost) title track, "Anna Lee (Sweetheart of the Sun)," a lot, which proves they can still write a catchy single, as well as "I'll Never Be Through With You" (a song Susanna Hoffs had recorded for a solo album that was shelved when the Bangles reunited in the late '90s), the "Everything"-ish "What a Life" and the cover of Nazz's "Open Your Eyes." Still warming up to a few of the other songs, but the album definitely has a rawer sound than their glossy '80s heyday, so I'm noticing it gets better with repeated spins. I can say Michael Steele's absence is felt. Got me nostalgic for "Nickel Romeo" from the band's good-but-too-long first comeback LP, "Doll Revolution." Still. it's nice to see the Bangles still being creative after all these years and -- if my memory serves me correctly -- performing live is where they excel most!

For more information, including tour dates, click HERE.
You can follow Vicki and the band on Twitter HERE.

2 comments:

  1. I've got tickets on the 9th in Hollywood! X

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  2. I bought it. Not thrilled w/it, but only given one listen. Really didn't like "Sweet & Tender Romance". And I, for one, will be missing MIchael Steele. She only ever had two songs per disk, but were always the highlights for me.

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