Shoes – Best

Combining first-rate, harmony-laden '60s pop songcraft with an unorthodox semi-pro recording approach and the accessible yet off-kilter, jangly quality of what would evolve into new wave, Shoes had all the makings of a top-tier power pop act in the same vein as Big Star. Inexplicably, despite having substantial appeal, a refreshing back-to-basics ethic and incalculable proficiency, not to mention a major-label deal, they failed to gain mainstream attention. If a low-tech set-up failed to preclude Shoes from cultivating pop magic, then being independent certainly wouldn't kill off their spirit. After all, this was a band fully capable of operating alone; using D.I.Y. production techniques forced them to more creative and thusly less controlled and vanilla than their contemporaries. One of the few genuinely exceptional self-taught/made quartets of the power pop era, Shoes mined rock and pop's not-so-distant past, and in doing so influenced the maelstrom of '80s and '90s pop revival bands, none of whom would ever be required to spend hours in a home studio meticulously replicating the sonic details of Beatles-esque hooks and harmonies in order to make an album. Ironically, said revivalists, especially those who emerged during the '90s, invariably used harmful mastering methods, i.e. peak limiting and compression, to recreate that conversely bright and dense sound Shoes constructed accidentally but so very accurately and effectively. Curiously, if the earliest Shoes' material is anything to go by, a makeshift four-track tape machine in a living room is more than a match for the equipment of a big-shot producer or mastering engineer. As long as the content is solid, it shouldn't really matter how it is produced.

Full of wit, charm and soft lo-fi fuzz, the Shoes' greatest tunes were a triumph of primitive melodicism, production and songwriting that felt faithful to the song structures and instrumentation they were patently evoking. Sadly, not even a natural flair for melodies or increasingly polished efforts could save the band from obscurity. In 1984, Shoes became less prolific in terms of issuing new material and so turned their Black Vinyl Records label into a home business, thereafter reacquiring the rights to their Elektra catalogue. A very wise course of action that precipitated the vital release of "Best", Shoes now had a wealth of material at their disposal, not merely the older and recent work that now had a cult following. And since radio had not given them the critical advocation it had with others of their ilk, the facility and wider availability of CD and cassette, it was hoped, would give them greater exposure. Taking full advantage of the faculties of the relatively new compact disc format, the band efficiently condensed a durable, compelling and adequately edifying collection of 22 songs drawn from 12 years of productivity. Thankfully, it had the desired effect of boosting the profile of not only the band, but also their label. From "Burned Out Love," "Love Is Like A Bullet" and "Will You Spin For Me?" to "Boys Don't Lie", every seemingly understated track exudes an expressive, quirky innocence and delivers an evolving sonic palette when consumed in succession without interruption. All things considered, "Best" is the definitive and essential Shoes album, the only one that perfectly captures their essence and demonstrates the extent of their progressions and abilities as songwriters, instrumentalists and producers.

Rating: 5/5

A CDr repress with a barcode also exists.