Doll Revolution
Doll Revolution | ||||
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Studio album by | ||||
Released | September 9, 2003 | |||
Recorded | June 2000 – June 2003 | |||
Genre | Pop rock | |||
Length | 60:22 | |||
Label | Koch | |||
Producer |
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The Bangles chronology | ||||
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Doll Revolution is the fourth studio album by American pop rock band The Bangles. It was released in March 2003 in Europe and Japan, and in September of that year in the United States. It is the first album by the group since their 1998 reunion. It is also the final Bangles album to feature bassist and vocalist Michael Steele, who left the band following the promotional tour and was subsequently replaced by Annette Zilinskas, the group's original bassist whom Steele had replaced.
Background
[edit]Review scores | |
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Source | Rating |
AllMusic | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Blender | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Entertainment Weekly | B−[3] |
The Guardian | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Mojo | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Q | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Rolling Stone Album Guide | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Spin | B[8] |
The Times | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
Uncut | ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() ![]() |
The Bangles initially disbanded in 1989 following the disappointing sales of their album Everything. They reunited in 1998 and released the song "Get the Girl" on the Austin Powers: The Spy Who Shagged Me soundtrack, the success of which enabled them to return to touring for the next four years to finance their next record. The group self-released Doll Revolution through their independent label Down Kiddie Records, which had been largely defunct after releasing their debut single "Getting Out of Hand" in 1981.
Doll Revolution was first released on CD in Europe and Japan in March 2003, and distributed through deals with the EMI subsidiary Liberty Records and Victor. The record came out in the US in September of that year, on Koch Records. It was also released on cassette in Thailand and Indonesia, and on CD in the UK, Australia, South Africa and Taiwan.[11]
Doll Revolution contains 15 songs and is the group's lengthiest album. All tracks were composed or co-written by members of the Bangles, with the exception of "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)", written by Elvis Costello and debuting on his 2002 album When I Was Cruel. Previous versions of some of the songs were released and performed by band members with other groups they worked with: "Mixed Messages" by Vicki Peterson and "The Rain Song", written by Vicki and Susan Cowsill, both appeared on Continental Drifters albums; while "Ask Me No Questions," written by Debbi Peterson, was released by her band Kindred Spirit. "Nickel Romeo" and "Between the Two", while never released, had been debuted by Michael Steele with her band, Crash Wisdom, in live shows starting in 1994.
The album spawned three singles. The lead single, "Something That You Said", reached No. 38 in the UK,[12] and was a minor hit elsewhere in Europe. "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)" and "I Will Take Care of You" were next released as singles, the latter reaching No. 79 in the UK.[12] All three songs had lead vocals by Susanna Hoffs.
In the US, a bonus DVD was included with one version of the album, containing interviews, a photo gallery and the "Something That You Said" video. The Japanese CD in 2003 included as bonus tracks both songs from the Bangs'/Bangles' 1981 debut 7-inch single, "Getting Out of Hand" and "Call on Me" (the first time they had been released on CD), as well as an alternate mix of "Something That You Said". All of these tracks are featured on the audio player on the US bonus DVD as well.[11]
In 2020 and 2021, the album was reissued in a 2-LP format in the US on four different colored vinyl editions by Real Gone Music.[11]
Track listing
[edit]No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
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1. | "Tear Off Your Own Head (It's a Doll Revolution)" | Elvis Costello | Hoffs | 3:57 |
2. | "Stealing Rosemary" | Susanna Hoffs, Debbi Peterson, Vicki Peterson | V. Peterson | 3:32 |
3. | "Something That You Said" | Charlotte Caffey, Hoffs, V. Peterson | Hoffs | 4:16 |
4. | "Ask Me No Questions" | Walker Igleheart, D. Peterson | D. Peterson | 3:26 |
5. | "The Rain Song" | Susan Cowsill, V. Peterson | V. Peterson | 3:41 |
6. | "Nickel Romeo" | Steve LeGassick, Brian Ray, Michael Steele | Steele | 4:57 |
7. | "Ride the Ride" | Hoffs, D. Peterson, V. Peterson, Daniel Schwartz | Group | 4:48 |
8. | "I Will Take Care of You" | Hoffs, Dillon O'Brian | Hoffs | 3:56 |
9. | "Here Right Now" | D. Peterson, Peter Rafelson | D. Peterson | 3:24 |
10. | "Single by Choice" | V. Peterson | V. Peterson | 3:41 |
11. | "Lost at Sea" | Hoffs, D. Peterson | D. Peterson | 3:55 |
12. | "Song for a Good Son" | Steele | Steele | 4:01 |
13. | "Mixed Messages" | V. Peterson | V. Peterson | 3:19 |
14. | "Between the Two" | Steele, David White | Steele | 3:42 |
15. | "Grateful" | Bill Bottrell, Hoffs, Daniel Schwartz | Hoffs | 4:59 |
Personnel
[edit]The Bangles
[edit]- Susanna Hoffs – acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
- Debbi Peterson – drums, acoustic guitar, percussion, vocals
- Vicki Peterson – guitar, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, mandolin, vocals
- Michael Steele – bass, acoustic guitar, electric guitar, vocals
Additional musicians
[edit]- Dillon O'Brian – acoustic & electric guitars, Wurlitzer electric piano
- Bangle Boys Choir (Dave Grohl, John Crooke & Chick Wolverton) – background vocals
- Greg Hilfman & Chick Wolverton – keyboards
- Greg Leisz – lap & pedal steel
- Peter Holsapple – mandolin, accordion & keyboards
- Tim Russell – acoustic guitar and background vocals on "Here Right Now"
- R. Walt Vincent – harmonium
- David Campbell – strings arranger on "I Will Take Care of You"
- Leah Katz – viola on "I Will Take Care of You"
- Melissa Reiner & Michael Nicholson – violin on "I Will Take Care of You"
- Guenevere Measham – cello on "I Will Take Care of You"
Production
[edit]- Brad Wood – production
- The Bangles – production
Charts
[edit]Chart (2003) | Peak position |
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Austrian Albums (Ö3 Austria)[13] | 36 |
European Albums (Music & Media)[14] | 97 |
German Albums (Offizielle Top 100)[15] | 35 |
Scottish Albums (OCC)[16] | 78 |
Swiss Albums (Schweizer Hitparade)[17] | 80 |
UK Albums (OCC)[18] | 62 |
US Independent Albums (Billboard)[19] | 23 |
References
[edit]- ^ Sendra, Tim. "Doll Revolution – The Bangles". AllMusic. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- ^ Christgau, Robert (October 2003). "The Bangles: Doll Revolution". Blender. Vol. 2, no. 8. pp. 114–115. Archived from the original on April 18, 2004. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- ^ Feliciano, Kristina (September 26, 2003). "Doll Revolution". Entertainment Weekly. No. 730. p. 95. Archived from the original on April 25, 2009. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- ^ Clarke, Betty (March 28, 2003). "The Bangles: Doll Revolution". The Guardian. Archived from the original on June 25, 2018. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- ^ Batey, Angus (June 2003). "The Bangles: Doll Revolution". Mojo. No. 115.
- ^ Beattie, Rob (June 2003). "The Bangles: Doll Revolution". Q. No. 203.
- ^ Evans, Paul; Lechner, Ernesto (2004). "The Bangles". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 43–44. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- ^ Aaron, Charles; Brod, Doug; Dolan, Jon; Ganz, Caryn; Gross, Joe; Pappademas, Alex; Ryan, Chris (December 2003). "Breakdown". Spin. Vol. 19, no. 12. p. 128. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- ^ Connolly, Paul (March 8, 2003). "Paul Connolly's choice". The Times. Retrieved July 21, 2025.
- ^ Bell, Max (June 2003). "The Bangles: Doll Revolution". Uncut. No. 73. p. 94. Archived from the original on April 25, 2005. Retrieved May 23, 2013.
- ^ a b c "The Bangles - Doll Revolution". Discogs. Retrieved February 4, 2023.
- ^ a b "Bangles". Official Charts Company. Retrieved December 16, 2016.
- ^ "Austriancharts.at – Bangles – Doll Revolution" (in German). Hung Medien. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "European Top 100 Albums" (PDF). Music & Media. Vol. 21, no. 12. March 15, 2003. p. 12. OCLC 29800226 – via World Radio History.
- ^ "Offiziellecharts.de – Bangles – Doll Revolution" (in German). GfK Entertainment Charts. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Official Scottish Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Swisscharts.com – Bangles – Doll Revolution". Hung Medien. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "Official Albums Chart Top 100". Official Charts Company. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
- ^ "The Bangles Chart History (Independent Albums)". Billboard. Archived from the original on November 17, 2021. Retrieved September 16, 2020.
External links
[edit]- Doll Revolution at Discogs (list of releases)