The Bangles - I Want You - Non-Album Tracks (1981-1983)

I've posted some stuff from Susanna Hoffs here, and I plan on posting more. But I've got some from the band she belonged to, the Bangles.

I'm a bit reluctant to post this particular album, because it has a lot of overlap with the official album "Ladies and Gentlemen... The Bangles," which is a 2014 compilation of material from before the band's first album in 1984. But I think there's enough difference here to justify posting it. Plus, it's the first of several stray tracks compilations from them, and it makes a lot of sense to have all of those posted here.

The core of this album is the A- and B-sides of the Bangles' first single in 1981, and their four song EP in 1982. I got turned on to those songs since the 1980s, and I like it better than most of the rest of their music. They were more rocking, and almost punky (somewhat like early music by the Go-Go's). The album is filled out with some demos, live songs, and a couple of other stray tracks, all in the same vein.

It makes for a short album, but in this case, I say less is more. I've added a couple of live songs not on the official "Ladies and Gentlemen" album. But I also left a few off, either because they're demos that are nearly identical to other versions or they're just not very good (such as a thirty second promo that isn't really a song). I've also left off one song because it's from 1984, and this covers only until 1983, so that one will be on the next Bangles album I post here.

If you haven't heard the early Bangles, you really should give 'em a listen. You might be surprised, because this is quite different from "Eternal Flame." I named this "I Want You" after one of the songs on the EP, because it's one of my favorite hidden gems by any band. In a better world, that song would have been a big hit.

By the way, the last two songs are the live ones. They come from an audience tape that's below my usual standards. But it's the only recording of them doing these songs. One of them ("Renaissance Man")  apparently is an original, and the other one ("Find It") might as well be, because it's a cover of a song from the obscure "Beyond the Valley of the Dolls" soundtrack. If the sound isn't good enough for you, just remove those two and you'll still have much of the Bangles' best music here. 

The bonus track, "Brian's Coat," appears to be an original, but has really rough sound quality.

This album is 34 minutes long, not including the bonus track.

01 Getting Out of Hand (Bangles)
02 Call on Me (Bangles)
03 Outside Chance [Demo] (Bangles)
04 Steppin' Out [Demo] (Bangles)
05 Bitchen Summer - Speedway (Bangles)
06 The Real World (Bangles)
07 I'm in Line (Bangles)
08 I Want You (Bangles)
09 Mary Street (Bangles)
10 How Is the Air Up There (Bangles)
11 The Rock and Roll Alternative Program Theme Song (Bangles)
12 I'll Feel a Whole Lot Better (Three O'Clock & the Bangles)
13 Renaissance Man (Bangles)
14 Find It (Bangles)

Brian's Coat (Bangles)

https://www.upload.ee/files/16700528/TBANGLS1981-1983_IWantYu_atse.zip.html

The cover art is the exact art of the 1982 Bangles EP.