Shoes: Black Vinyl Shoes (Sire U.K./1979)

Zion, Illinois' Shoes were influenced by the usual suspects that influenced Power Pop bands of the late 1970's; namely The Beatles, Nazz, The Who, The Raspberries, Big Star and Badfinger. Although they'd recorded three privately released albums in significantly small quantities the band commercially released their fourth album Black Vinyl Shoes. Released on their own Black Vinyl label and on US indie PVC shortly thereafter, the album was recorded in guitarist Jeff Murphy's living room on a TEAC 3340S reel to reel tape recorder.

The warm sound, low-key yet mellifluous multi-tracked harmony vocals and overall impact of the material made the entire recording industry sit up and acknowledge the fact that an album this professional sounding could be recorded at one's home and completely take place without the financial help of a major label. It was released on Sire Records in the UK in 1979 and in no time at all the band signed with Elektra in the US and went on to record albums that sounded not too different than Black Vinyl Shoes.

Musically the band has the crunch of the Dwight Twilley Band, the vocal harmonies of The Raspberries, the melodic punch of fellow Illinois bands Pezband and Off Broadway. Shoes' vocal harmonies and hooks seem to just roll off very naturally. Lyrically, Black Vinyl Shoes seems to be preoccupied with the politics and dynamics of romantic relationships. The songs can be pretty dark yet they never come off as such on the surface. There's a certain saminess to the material on this album (as there are on most Shoes albums). However, generally speaking, if you like Shoes sound, approach and material, you won't have a problem with this.

Here's the video review:

The Raspberries: Raspberries' Best (Capitol/1976)

Cleveland, Ohio's The Raspberries were, along with Big Star, Badfinger, and Blue Ash the main purveyors of what became known as Power Pop. The Raspberries were easily the most successful band of this genre (with Bandfinger coming a near second) and later Cheap Trick. Critics were split in their decision on them. Some deemed them square/unhip, others loved their blend of the music of Who and harmonies of the Beatles/Beach Boys. The band had four big hit singles in “Go All The Way”, “I Wanna Be With You”, “Overnight Sensation (Hit Record)” and “Let's Pretend” before breaking up in 1975.

Raspberries' Best, released in 1976, is a near-perfect vinyl-era compilation of the bands singles. 
“I Can Remember” and “Starting Over” as album tracks and as fine as song “Starting Over” is, it could've been easily replaced here by “Crusin' Music” and “I'm A Rocker” ; both two fine singles that were omitted here for reasons unknown.

If you've not heard the band but have read their name countless times on various Power Pop articles, this is a fine collection that probably won't cost you more than a few dollars.

Here's the video review: