Another great example of what Rhino does so well, Anthology brings together no less than 27 of Tommy James and the Shondells' nuggets on one disc. Along with good liner notes from Parke Puterbaugh, who interviewed James extensively (James himself contributes a slew of fun and informative anecdotes about many of the songs) and the usual skilled remastering job, it makes for one heck of a collection. James himself sums up his own appeal best of all: "We were really having fun, and you can hear it in the grooves." "Hanky Panky" understandably kicks things off, but the collection really doesn't take off until the just-plain-irresistible "I Think We're Alone Now," notably (and some would argue memorably) covered by Tiffany in the late '80s. The original is barely two minutes long, but packs in everything from a killer opening bassline and dramatic pauses to a totally killer chorus, James and company transforming Ritchie Cordell's song into a glistening gem. The fact that so many of his hits were beneficiaries of later remakes -- "Mony Mony" by Billy Idol, "Crimson and Clover" by Joan Jett and the Blackhearts, "Draggin' the Line" by R.E.M. -- is even better testimony to their appeal, and hearing the originals all in place confirms why they were smashes. If a number of selections are paler shadows of some of these greats, the arrangements are rarely less than anything but pure pop fun -- the almost delirious addition of swirling strings, flutes, and even harp to many songs gives them even more cheery flair. The fact that they were able to make woozy, psych-influenced delights like "Crimson and Clover" and still maintain their status as major hit artists on the charts is testament enough to their appeal.
© Ned Raggett /TiVo