turned to British producer for their third album, on which they abandoned any pretensions to legitimacy (just in time, given the decline of the ) and emerged as a pure band. But it wasn't just that made 's best album; it was the band's own songwriting, including , , and 's and and new bass player plus two contributions from nonbandmember That was enough to give a number one on both sides of the Atlantic with and three more U.K. hits, but what impresses is the album's depth and consistency -- album tracks like are as impressive as the songs pulled for singles. The result is state-of-the-art circa 1978, with 's tough-girl glamour setting the pattern that would be exploited over the next decade by a host of successors led by . ~ William Ruhlmann