{{use mdy dates|date=December 2025}} {{Infobox album | name = Street Light Shine | type = studio | artist = the Shirts | cover = Street Light Shine.jpg | alt = | released = 1979 | recorded = | venue = | studio = | genre = Rock | length = | label = Capitol | producer = Mike Thorne | prev_title = The Shirts | prev_year = 1979 | next_title = Inner Sleeve | next_year = 1980 }} '''''Street Light Shine''''' is the second album by the American band the Shirts, released in 1979.<ref>{{cite book |last1=York |first1=William |title=Who's Who in Rock Music |date=1982 |publisher=Scribner |page=324}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Around Town |magazine=New York |date=September 3, 1979 |volume=12 |issue=34 |page=19}}</ref> They supported it with a North American tour.<ref>{{cite news |title=The Shirts rock band in free concert at FSU |work=The Fresno Bee |date=November 2, 1979 |page=H11}}</ref> "Out on the Ropes" was released as a single.<ref>{{cite news |last1=Olson |first1=Nick |title=Albums |work=The Northern Echo |date=October 25, 1979 |page=8}}</ref>
==Production== The album was produced by Mike Thorne.<ref>{{cite news |title=Albums |work=Reading Evening Post |date=November 10, 1979 |page=10}}</ref> The songwriting was shared by the six bandmembers.<ref name="MN">{{cite news |last1=Margulies |first1=Stuart |title=Shirts' 'Shine' missing some glow |work=Morning News |date=September 1, 1979 |page=37}}</ref> "Triangulum" is a science fiction narrative.<ref name=DB/>. "Outside the Cathedral Door" contains elements of prog rock.<ref name=AM/>
==Critical reception== {{Music ratings |rev1 = AllMusic |rev1score = {{rating|2.5|5}}<ref name="AM">{{cite web |title=Street Light Shine Review by Mark Deming |url=https://www.allmusic.com/album/street-light-shine-mw0000849786 |website=AllMusic |access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref> |rev2 = ''Alternative Rock'' |rev2score = 7/10<ref>{{cite book |last1=Thompson |first1=Dave |title=Alternative Rock |date=2000 |publisher=Miller Freeman Books |page=808}}</ref> |rev3 = Robert Christgau |rev3score = B−<ref name="RC">{{cite web |title=The Shirts |url=https://www.robertchristgau.com/get_artist.php?id=3705 |website=Robert Christgau |access-date=December 28, 2025}}</ref> |rev4 = ''The Encyclopedia of Popular Music'' |rev4score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite book |last1=Larkin |first1=Colin |title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music |date=2006 |publisher=MUZE |volume=7 |page=424}}</ref> |rev5 = ''The Great Indie Discography'' |rev5score = 4/10<ref>{{cite book |last1=Strong |first1=Martin C. |title=The Great Indie Discography |date=2003 |publisher=Canongate |page=141}}</ref> |rev6 = ''The Muncie Star'' |rev6score = B−<ref name="MS">{{cite news |last1=Teverbaugh |first1=Kim |title=Capsule Reviews |work=The Muncie Star |date=November 18, 1979 |page=B9}}</ref> |rev7 = ''Omaha World-Herald'' |rev7score = {{rating|4|5}}<ref name="OW">{{cite news |last1=Smith |first1=Will |title=New Sounds |work=Omaha World-Herald |date=August 28, 1979 |page=16}}</ref> |rev8 = ''The New Rolling Stone Record Guide'' |rev8score = {{rating|1|5}}<ref>{{cite book |title=The New Rolling Stone Record Guide |date=1983 |publisher=Random House |page=460}}</ref> }} ''The Globe and Mail'' stated that "there are traces of the New Wave freneticism here, but once past the opening cut, 'Laugh and Walk Away', this outfit settles comfortably into a ballad groove."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Niester |first1=Alan |title=Street Light Shine The Shirts |work=The Globe and Mail |date=September 29, 1979 |page=F4}}</ref> The ''Omaha World-Herald'' noted the "distinctive, varied sound marked by a minimum of anger and negativism."<ref name=OW/> The ''Spokane Daily Chronicle'' said that the Shirts' style "is too nebulous, too undefined to be distinctive."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Wetzel |first1=Carol |title=Discritique |work=Spokane Daily Chronicle |date=September 7, 1979 |department=Focus |page=20}}</ref> ''Hit Parader'' dismissed the Shirts as "quite possibly the worst band in New York City."<ref>{{cite magazine |last1=Spina |first1=James |title=Spin Addict |magazine=Hit Parader |date=February 1980 |issue=187 |page=15}}</ref>
''The Gazette'' concluded that, "without losing a cutting edge, the sextet shows a penchant for hooks, unusual chord changes, and eminently commercial ditties".<ref>{{cite news |last1=Rodriguez |first1=Juan |title='Street Light' shines |work=The Gazette |date=September 15, 1979 |page=89}}</ref> ''The Pittsburgh Press'' said that the band "deal in arty rock and deliver it in above-average performances."<ref>{{cite news |last1=Pratt |first1=Chuck |title=Records |work=The Pittsburgh Press |date=September 20, 1979 |page=D8}}</ref> ''The Daily Breeze'' called the album "a platter full of overly-sophisticated cabaret-style mish-mash".<ref name="DB">{{cite news |last1=Bensoua |first1=Joseph |title=On the record |work=The Daily Breeze |date=September 28, 1979 |pages=E9, E13}}</ref> Robert Christgau stated that the band's "sincerity can be infectious."<ref name=RC/>
==Track listing== {{Track listing | all_writing = | title1 = Laugh and Walk Away | length1 = | title2 = Love Is a Fiction | length2 = | title3 = I'm in Love Again | length3 = | title4 = Milton at the Savoy | length4 = | title5 = Ground Zero | length5 = | title6 = Triangulum | length6 = | title7 = Out on the Ropes | length7 = | title8 = Starts with a Handshake | length8 = | title9 = Maybe, Maybe Not | length9 = | title10 = I Feel So Nervous | length10 = | title11 = Outside the Cathedral Door | length11 = }}
==References== {{reflist}}
Category:1979 albums Category:Capitol Records albums Category:Albums produced by Mike Thorne