The Shangri-Las had several pop hits in the early 1960s with melodramatic songs full of runaway girls and bad boys who were sinking fast, and a general cast of despair, disapproval, and even death. Songs like "Leader of the Pack," the urgent, insistent "Out in the Streets," "Remember (Walkin' in the Sand)," and "He Cried" (a remake of Jay & the Americans' "She Cried" that ups the emotional stakes considerably) were hardly cheerful, and in retrospect, they're actually quite eerie, full of sound effects and set in broad, echoing, and even ominous soundscapes. This 20-track collection has all of these songs and virtually every truly essential side the Shangri-Las did, making it both an ideal introduction and a more-than-adequate survey of this oddly fascinating and compelling singing group. ~ Steve Leggett
