Guitar-driven, melodic rock with a focus on vocals and layered harmonies.

30 MP3 Songs
POP: Beatles-pop, POP: Power Pop



Details:
This 2-disc, 30-song set is a compilation of the home-recorded demos that the band made from 1978 to 1980. Recorded on an 8-track recorder, these songs helped the band land a record deal with Elektra Records in early 1979. These formative versions provided the foundation for their first 2 major label albums, "Present Tense" and "Tongue Twister" which were originally released in late 1979 and early 1981 respectively.

Here the songs are boiled down to their essense with a much more basic, stripped-down feel than their eventual, big studio counter-parts. As a result, the songs come off as more personal and raw. Some versions staying fairly close to the eventual finished product and some songs with a completely different lyrical content or structual progression. All the while, demonstrating that trademark SHOES vocal sound and guitar work that characterizes all of their recordings. This is a look behind the curtain that exposes the genesis of their sound and style. A must for the avid SHOES fan!