Product Review

It's true that "nobody walks in L.A.," but this '80s-rock exercise collection could change all that. The Missing Persons song is missing, for obvious reasons, but that only makes room for what (by rock-of-the-'80s-compilation standards) is a relatively inspired selection. Tracks like Talk Talk's "It's My Life" and ABC's "Be Near Me" are as timeless as synth-driven pop songs can be, while Q-Feel's "Dancing in Heaven" and Yello's "Oh Yeah" are unusual choices that ratchet up the quirky novelty factor. Of course, there's also Re-Flex's "The Politics of Dancing" and the Romantics' "Talking in Your Sleep"--songs that have been so overplayed that some could go a lifetime without needing to hear them again. Even so, this mega-mix of one-hit wonders and other '80s artifacts will have you rolling up those blazer sleeves and hitting the pavement in no time. --Bill Forman