Ada Wolin

The Shangri-Las' Golden Hits of the Shangri-Las by Ada Wolin is yet another excellent addition to the 33 1/3 series.

While the idea of having a book in this series focus on a greatest hits album seemed a little odd at first, it makes perfect sense both for the period and the thesis Wolin puts forth. The early years of pop/rock and roll were singles oriented and this was especially true for girls groups. In addition, Wolin is arguing about the place of the Shangri-Las both within the context of girls groups as well as the context of pop/rock history. As such, a compilation of their singles is the best choice.

The one issue I have with the book is that her arguments really need more space to be fully realized. I don't think that this is a big issue, she supports her ideas with examples and quotes as well as making rational arguments, I just would have enjoyed more time to engage with the information before moving on to the next point. That said, I think she did a remarkable job of condensing her ideas into the format of this series, which is intentionally short in length while offering a freer rein to the writers for exploration.

Among the points I found most interesting is the influence The Shangri-Las had on later music, particularly a vein of the punk scene. She elaborates on this but this isn't really something for a reader to believe or not believe. The quotes and musical references from the punk artists attest to the fact they did indeed have some influence. To "not believe" the connection amounts to not believing facts, which unfortunately is far more common nowadays than it once was. Understand, this is not put forth as being a large influence, but The Shangri-Las' delivery and even their melodramatic style offered an alternative to future acts on what they might do.

I recommend this to music fans and those readers who like to understand music as something in addition to just the music. These things occurred at specific points in time and to ignore that is to ignore much of what they were saying and what they were responding to.

One other quick point, this series is not a track-by-track account of each album. If you want such a look at an album, I recommend the British Classic Albums documentary series. They are more about the actual recording and sound of each album. The 33 1/3 series is more about each album within a social and cultural context.

Reviewed from a copy made available by the publisher via NetGalley.… (plus d'informations)