The Sneetches, like
the dB's, revived the sounds of '60s British Invasion pop and '70s power pop but were far more substantial than a mere revivalist act. In spite of the title's suggestion,
1985-1991 is not a best-of collection. Instead, it remixes and reissues the band's debut album, Lights out With the Sneetches, and adds outtakes (including a funny abortive take of "Sometimes That's All We Have"), non-album sides, and four excellent new recordings. The Shoes join the fun on a cover of the Raspberries' "I Wanna Be With You," resulting in only one of many highlights among the bonus tracks, which are of uniformly high quality.
The Sneetches fit into that apparently timeless tradition of '60s-inspired guitar pop that has persisted to the present through the likes of Sex Clark Five and
the Minders and make an impressive effort toward equaling the songwriting skills of their venerated forebears. ~ Greg Adams