Since September 2010, this blog has recorded the journey of this music junkie as I attempt to listen to all the music in my CD collection. CDs revisited in their entirety from start to finish - no skipping tracks, no shuffle. Compact Discs only - no vinyl, no tapes, no files.

Monday, February 19, 2024

Bangles - All Over The Place (1984)


Note: this release was originally purchased as an LP, later replaced by a CD.

Here's some brief background on the group and album, from a press release published in the August 25, 1984 issue of Billboard:

I heard Hero Takes A Fall and it was all over. The band had a great sound and I was immediately a fan - and possibly in love. For this album, the band's playing made the '60s influences obvious. They later moved to slightly different, more contemporary sound, but I was nevertheless happy to see them hit it big. Hero Takes A Fall is still my favorite Bangles song (although In Your Room and Eternal Flame are right up there, too). This album is brief (10 tunes in 31 minutes) so it plays much better on CD than it did on my old vinyl copy. After reuniting with this album, I was understandably kicking myself for a good while for not (re)purchasing it sooner.

Press of the time:
  • Stereo Review: "If the idea of reviving the garage band in the electronic age seems pointless to you, the Bangles will surely change your mind."
  • Rolling Stone (★★★½): "All Over the Place will surely have you shaking all over."
  • Musician: "These girls are not pushovers."
  • Billboard: "'80s updating for that '60s signature"
  • Record Mirror (2 out of 5): "the tracks have about as much clout as a two day old kitten."
  • Robert Christgau: A-


Album chart peaks:
  • US Billboard 200: #80
  • Billboard Rock: #48
  • CashBox: #64


Tracks: It's all a fun ride top-to-bottom, but let's count these down to my favorite cut.
  1. Restless
  2. He's Got A Secret
  3. More Than Meets The Eye
  4. James
  5. All About You
  6. Dover Beach
  7. Silent Treatment
  8. Tell Me
  9. Live
  10. Going Down To Liverpool
  11. Hero Takes A Fall

From my personal collection

Personal Memory Associated with this CD: I didn't discover this album until the summer of 1985, even though I'm sure the above Rolling Stone review in which the words "Beatle-esque pop" caught my eye. Summer of '85 is one of my all-time favorite summers which I've recapped several times, including this post over at MFD.

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2 comments:

  1. MichaelFJFebruary 19, 2024 at 2:51 PM

    This is definitely my favorite record of theirs. Hero Takes A Fall is, in my opinion, the quintessential Bangles single. I would have rated Restless higher, though.

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  2. Teacher ManApril 18, 2024 at 9:45 PM

    Don't forget the video for "Going Down to Liverpool" that stars Leonard Nimoy. https://www.app.com/story/entertainment/2015/02/27/leonard-nimoy-drove-the-bangles-to-video-stardom/24151271/

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