This came out in 2003 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
Everyone remembers Walk Like An Egyptian, Eternal Flame and Manic Monday. Fewer people remember that before they were glossy video pinups, L.A.’s Bangles were a jangly Paisley Underground band that had a knack for blending Byrdsy guitar lines with layers of vocal harmony.
On the comeback disc Doll Revolution — their first album in 15 years — Susanna Hoffs and her bandmates thankfully seem more interested in rekindling that early creative spark than reigniting the flames of pop stardom. Which is to say, these 15 songs tend to be more low-key, lightweight and laid-back than the products of their pop-fuelled heyday. Which is not to say it’s all swellsville. While rockier numbers like Rain Song, Ride the Ride and their cover of the Elvis Costello-penned title track work quite nicely, too many other cuts like the wussy electro-ballad Something That You Said and the embarrasing Single by Choice fall flatter than Hoffs hair these days. The Bangles may not have to walk the walk any more, but they still need to rock the rock if they plan on making this comeback last.
