SHOES Best

Editors’ Notes While one would certainly be well-served purchasing the Shoes albums Black Vinyl Shoes and Present Tense/Tongue Twister, it's equally beneficial to check out Shoes Best: a nonchronological collection of Shoes' highlights through their years at a major label. Though they never received the promotional push necessary to make their catchy pop tunes into actual hits, Shoes soldiered on, recording a series of albums that stand up well to the test of time. "Tomorrow Night" is an instant classic, and the many tracks from their best-known works make this a smart anthology. No one can argue with the inclusion of the meek and suggestive "Karen," the grand harmonies and guitar power of "Now and Then," or the new wave guitar skrotches of "I Don't Wanna Hear It." The inclusion of tunes from the less appreciated follow-up albums Boomerang and Silhouette make this the right spot for a career overview. Shoes' hometown of Zion, Ill., might not be New York or Los Angeles, but Shoes made strong power pop devoid of heartland rock clichés.