Shoe Tease4 Out Of 5 Stars
Has it really been 35 years? "The Definitive Shoes Collection" takes 21 of their superb, melodic power pop songs and wraps them into one CD. The bulk of the disc comes from the trilogy of classic albums, "Present Tense," "Tongue Twister" and "Boomerang," then splits the difference among the remaining albums. Each track is one from the band's exquisitely layered harmonies, sugar buzz guitars and catchy melodies. You'll hear at least a dozen should've been hits, like the flawless "Summer Rain" and the heartfelt "Three Times."
Shoes were ahead of their time in 1980 when "Present Tense" first appeared and made me a fan. Time and admiration have caught up to the band, even allowing them the time to craft the excellent "Ignition" in 2012. ("Say It Like You Mean It" appears here from that CD.) What excites me more than anything is hearing all these songs newly remastered. It makes me hunger for reissues of the early albums - including the homemade "Black Vinyl Shoes" - for a new audience and old fans who snapped up the two-fers so many years ago. Until then, this set makes for an awesome primer for one of America's premier power pop rockers.
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