It's hard to believe it has been six years since the breakup of the Bangles, the pop girl group of the '80's. Since the breakup, Hoffs, the band's leader, has kept a low profile. She did release a 1991 solo album, the slightly overly slick When You're A Boy, but has since been out of the public eye.

Her second album continues Hoffs strong body of work. It acknowledges and embraces the changes in music since her last album without letting them overwhelm Hoffs' particular talents.

The first single is a terrific cover of a forgotten Lightning Seeds song, "All I Want." Other fab tracks are the mental illness elegy "Happy Place" and the atmospheric "Enormous Wings."

And, when Hoffs reappears in an uncredited bonus track with "To Sir, With Love," you just have to slap yourself and say, "Of course. That's just perfect for her."   (1/97)