Boys Don’t Lie
March 25, 2015 8:23 amWanna’ start an argument? Ask a group of power pop fans what the best Shoes song is.
Sometimes Shoes just fit. And man, did they ever fit me the first time I heard “Boys Don’t Lie” in 1978. I chose this tune because nobody can argue that song one, side one of their first independently released album was good enough to promise great things from this Zion, Illinois band.
Power pop artists are a tenacious bunch – if they can’t get a contract they will do it themselves (for more on this, catch Justin Fielding’s upcoming The Power Pop Movie). This week’s pick originally appeared on Black Vinyl, a DIY album recorded on a 4 track reel to reel tape recorder in co-founder Jeff Murphy’s living room. The technical limitations created a lean sound that emphasized the band’s strengths – tight well-written melodic songs, smooth harmonies, and raw guitars.
Shoes are everything that is right about power pop and the fact that they continue to deliver on the promise of “Boys Don’t Lie” is, well, amazing.