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Squeeze

Wow. That would be my immediate response to this album -- in other words, I'm impressed! The legendary John Cale produced, and he made the band scrap all their material for the record bar the two singles "Bang Bang" and "Take Me I'm Yours," according to the All Music Guide. This obviously forced the band to throw together ten more songs in a haste. So, in all logic, the album should be mediocre at best. But, ya' know what? It's not! Okay, fans don't seem to like it, but I'm going to go against the grain of all two people in the Web Reviewing Community who have reviewed 'U.K. Squeeze' before me and express my fondness for the LP (I'm pretty sure only Brian Burks and John Alroy have tackled this one so far). It is true that the arrangements sound a bit amateurish at this point, and some of the songs on side two fail to satisfy. Indeed, the band would sound more confident on the next album. But even though it comes off as rushed, I will defend this heavily criticized debut on the grounds that Squeeze churn out a surprising amount of energy and hooks, and most of the songs do work in a fun, juvenile sort of way -- the guys must have had some seriously overflowing creativity!

The album is primarily composed of punky New Wave rockers similar to the ones on Elvis Costello's masterpiece, 'This Year's Model' (actually, both albums emerged the same year). Squeeze would never quite sound like this ever again, but the results here are shockingly successful, like I said. "Sex Master," "Bang Bang," "Model" and "Remember What" are all fast and furious, and awfully catchy too. The latter two songs are even further enhanced by these cool, sing-along backing vocal parts. "Strong in Reason" is nearly as good, a mid-tempo rocker with a straight-forward chorus that builds from its slightly subdued verses. "Wild Sewerage Tickles Brazil" is a groovy instrumental tune with spooky keyboard noises and bizarre, whimpering vocals -- when I listen to this song, I always want to picture the guys in the studio doing those strange vocals, and then screwing up the takes by bursting out laughing (but maybe that's just because I'm a little strange). This song is a little awkward, and other reviewers have written it off, but I really like that groove! Better yet, and possibly my favorite here, is the similarly grooving "Out of Control," which bursts unpredictably into a fantastic, pounding refrain. And it's all about being a sex maniac! Those are the best songs; "Take Me I'm Yours" is the big single, but I merely find it to be an average synth pop song, and it sounds very out of place here. "First Thing Wrong" is an average boogie; "Get Smart" sounds like "Sex Master," but less affecting; and "Hesitation (Rool Britannia)" is an uneven funk experiment. "The Call" sounds especially tossed together. Lead guitarist Glenn Tilbrook sings most of the songs, and he does so with a clear, soft tenor. However, hinting at Squeeze's future, rhythm guitarist Chris Difford already makes several vocal spotlights himself, including "Take Me I'm Yours"; of the two, Difford definitely has the more robotic, sterile New Wave tone.

For some interesting technical info, the album is actually self-titled, but Squeeze dropped the "U.K." portion of their name by their sophomore outing. My copy is also a "limited edition" translucent red vinyl, and "Strong in Reason" is accidentally not listed with the rest of the songs on the back cover. I doubt it's a huge collectible though, because I got it for six bucks, and the guys who sold it to me really know their stuff. And I'm sure every fan is aware of the disturbing muscle man cover, as well as the "muscle" shot of the band on the back cover (though drummer Gilson Lavis looks kind of pudgy here, and the rest of the guys are really scrawny, so I hesitate to call this a "muscle" photo). Oh, right, the music. It sounds rushed, and it doesn't represent Squeeze's polished pop sound captured on fan favorites like 'Argybargy' and 'East Side Story'. But the songs are good! Give it a listen, you might dig it.

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'Cool for Cats' represents a substantial leap forward from the band's debut. This time, the product sounds fairly unified, featuring twelve dancable divvies heavily augmented by synthesizers, and dealing mostly with relationship problems and obsession with the nightlife. Melodically, the songs aren't as fully realized as the ones on the superior follow-up, but 'Cool for Cats' is arguably as consistent as 'Argybargy'. What I mean is, most of the material here may not be immediately catchy, and the songwriting can come off as a tad generic and buried under obtrusive keyboards. However, the rhythms are driving, the performances confident, and many of these songs do unveil hooks that catch the ear after a few listens. Sure, the opening track, the disco send-up "Slap & Tickle," might smell of New Wave excess at first -- but it really is difficult not to shake one's arse to that stomping four-on-the-floor beat and rhythmic vocal delivery after awhile. Same goes for the title cut, a hokey New Wave song with one of those awkward melodies that is still somehow very agreeable. The low-budget Western movie lyrics may come off as nonsensical to most people, but many of the rhymes are affecting ("The story with the corporal, she is tied against the tree/She doesn't mind the language, it's the beatings she don't need").

A majority of the album consists of fast-paced rockers, most of which find a way under your skin sooner or later. "Revue" is a straightforward tune with a predictable chorus, and the song works predominantly because of its wonderful sense of drive. "Touching Me, Touching You" travels smoothly from a boppy, Beach Boy-like verse into a '50s dance-style chorus with some creative drum and keyboard interplay. The funky "Hard to Find" is a highlight on side two, mostly because of its beautifully melodic refrain. Keyboardist Jools Holland contributes "Hop Skip & Jump," a brisk rock song that brings to mind Chuck Berry. As a singer, Holland is an amature, but he's also charming, and the song is pure fun. The only faster tune that fails to impress is "Slightly Drunk," an average Elvis Costello ripoff. The slower numbers are a little more hit-or-miss, some of them tinged with corny experimentation -- "It's Not Cricket" is mildly enjoyable if only for the fact that the beat resembles the sound of the ringing bells at the beginning of the song (I assume the title derives from cockney slang, as do all the lyrics of this song); "The Knack" is merely a dark, plodding synth pop oddity. Do note, though, that the strongest cut on the album is taken from the slower variety, that being "Up the Junction," a sad love and heartbreak story set to a simple keyboard melody and impressive, attention-grabbing wordplay.

Overall, 'Cool for Cats' is a fun, focused New Wave record, and one of the strongest albums in the Squeeze canon. It earns a relatively high rating mainly because of its infectious likeability and consistency, though the production is a little too dated, and the record lacking in truly "great" material, for it to really score. If I have but one closing pitch for my readers to buy this album instead of merely obtaining four of its songs (most of them highlights) from the compilation "Singles, 45's and Under," it's that 'Cool for Cats' works well as a whole album, with a celebratory tone that brings me back for repeated plays.

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Looks like Squeeze got it just right on their third album. The bands quintessential, and best, record, 'Argybargy' manages to ease up on the abrasive, herky-jerky New Wave of the previous release, and utilize a tasteful dose of slick production (abused on their later LPs) at the same time. So Squeeze find the perfect sound here, but this may not even be the most exciting part -- the song for song consistency on 'Argybargy' is nearly flawless. Two of the band's most memorable singles are here, including "Pulling Mussles (From the Shell)," a cleverly arranged pop song detailing multiple walks of life by the seashore, and "Anothr Nail in My Heart," an upbeat rocker with infectious, buzzing keyboards in the verses.

However, the album tracks are often equally as impressive. "Separate Beds" showcases that sonically rich, layered pop that Squeeze mastered on this album, and the lyrics about outsides (i.e., parents) impressions of relationships are humorous to boot. "I Think I'm Go Go" may sound a little odd at first, but sooner or later that ominous piano line and rhythm guitarist Chris Difford's heavy British accent have ways of growing on a listener, making it possible to like this eerie, orchestrated ditty. The faster stuff generally works pretty well too, especially the keyboard-driven "Farfisa Beat" (with some excellent guitar work) and the relentless endearing yarn "Vicky Verky," which may have the strongest hook on the album. "Wrong Side Of The Moon" is another personal favourite, a bouncy, gleeful boogie crooned by keyboardist Jools Holland's flat, nasally pipes. The gimmicky synthy pop of "Here Comes The Feeling" and the straight-forward closer "There at the Top" are relative misfires, but they're much more "average" than they are "bad".

In all, 'Argybargy' is a consistent, well produced set of songs that balances the Squeeze penchant for Beatles-esque pop with current New Wave trends seamlessly. It's true that, even during their finest hour, the band never test the boundaries of their formula, rendering this a fairly derivative pop album. But it still stands the test of time as one of the great recordings of the New Wave era. Although most of Squeeze's albums are now out of print, if you have a turntable, 'Argybargy' is a necessary LP for any genre enthusiast to hunt down. This record is just pure fun, one of those rare albums that can lift me up when i'm feelin' blue.

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In my last review, I claimed that Squeeze "never test[ed] the boundaries of their formula." Seeing as how the band clearly experiment on this album, I think further explanation is necessary. With that statement, I was mainly referring to 'Argybargy', not the band's career as a whole. I place great emphasis on that particular record because I believe that it remains the band's masterpiece, and a perfect manifestation of what they did best: Unpretentious pop rock with New Wave tendencies. It is true that Squeeze have an experimental side, and they utilize it here to yield impressive results. But let's face it, Squeeze weren't exactly revolutionaries, and they could never top 'Argybargy', even when pushing the envelope rather tastefully. Therefore, I uphold that 'Argybargy' best embodies the quintessence of the band. With that said, 'East Side Story' does contain more sides of their music; and, while the "mature" Squeeze record doesn't show the band at their ultimate peak, it's still a mostly successful attempt to create a "conceptual" sounding album.

Now, I'm not calling 'East Side Story' a full-fledged "concept" record. But it does use a variety of production techniques and thoughtful lyrics to form a dark, introspective atmosphere. Plus, the stylistic variety gives the album a sort of epic feel. What I'm trying to say is, 'East Side Story' is probably the most ambitious Squeeze album -- could you expect anything less from a record produced by Elvis Costello? And, like I said, the album is a near masterpiece. The diversity comes off as a little uneven, but all of the record's sides offer some adequate listening pleasure. There's up-beat pop rock ("Is That Love"), more somber, eclectic pop tunes ("Someone Else's Heart"), conventional ballads ("Woman's World"), and orchestrated, atmospheric pieces ("F-Hole"). The highlights appear in pretty much every direction, though it's still that basic pop that Squeeze do best. Surely you all know the soulful ballad "Tempted," likely to be Squeeze's best-know song (new keyboardist Paul Carrack does a nice job singing on this one). You might find the song boring at first, but eventually those smooth vocal melodies do grow on a person. It's really a wonderful song, even if it is a little sappy. On the other hand, the bouncy, XTC-style "Piccadilly," the tender country song "Labeled with Love" (a U.K. hit), and violin ballad "Vanity Fair" are perhaps better. I personally adore "Messed Around," a cool Rockabilly groove that brings the album to a nice finish. The rockin' "In Quintessence," "Mumbo Jumbo," and the aforementioned "Woman's World" are all pretty darn good too. I even like "Heaven," a mellow rocker with some odd guitar and keyboard playing that still manages to attract your attention in its own weird way. Chris Difford's vocals sound somewhat shaky here, but I prefer how these boys share singing duties; it really adds another dimension to the music.

If I have any complaints about the songs, it's that some of the moodier stuff comes off as a bit forced for diversity's sake, and not completely fleshed out. Side one has "There's No Tomorrow," a creepy but dull piano piece. On side two, the orchestrated, tension-building "F-Hole" sounds a bit awkward booming in right after "Is That Love." Still, at least this song is slightly justified by its crashing intensity, which is effectively jarring. And I absolutely love how it segues directly into the gorgeous "Labeled with Love." In fact, this transition reminds me of how "I Want You (She's So Heavy)" proceeds into "Here Comes the Sun" on 'Abbey Road', if I may dare make such a comparison. Overall, the song-for-song quality of this album is a little schizophrenic, but everything still combines to create an interestingly gloomy aura, and this might be the only time Squeeze were able to construct any real atmosphere. In addition, there's not a bad song in the bunch, although "There's No Tomorrow" comes close. By the same token, nothing on here is as outstanding as the best moments on 'Argybargy'. But almost every song on 'East Side Story' is very good nonetheless, and the album is certainly an enticing listen. Actually, to be quite honest, I don't feel I've described how much I truly love this record more and more with repeated plays as well as I wanted to. Just know that when Squeeze made their first experimental record, it was their only album that could sufficiently rival their very best work. For a straight-forward, melodic pop outfit, that's rather impressive.

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It's more of the same this time, with Squeeze continuing to craft complex pop with eclectic touches, as on the previous LP. This one is comparably weaker than 'East Side Story', primarily due to lack of any truly outstanding songs. In addition, intricacy often overshadows melody here, suggesting that the quintet had grown past their prime (Squeeze broke up after this album, and would reunite in 1985). But don't let that modest rating scare you away -- the material here is still enjoyable, if not spectacular, and the record tends to be somewhat underrated. It may take a few listens to get beneath the production (which is cluttered by odd sound effects and off-kilter arrangements), but most of these songs are reasonably catchy. Side one commences with "Out of Touch," a decent synth-driven tune. Hmmm . . . I do have to use the word "synth" a lot when reviewing Squeeze, don't I? Then it bursts into "Can't Hold On," which is definitely a highlight; gotta love that stomping, sing-along pop rock! I also love the quirky "Stranger than the Stranger on the Shore," and especially the clever use of a foghorn sound to enhance the music on this one. "Points of View" and "Onto the Dance Floor" aren't quite as memorable, but they're easily passable; the mellow former track features some top-notch drum work by Gilson Lavis, and the latter song is made interesting by unpredictable changes. Unfortunately, though, the crooner-style ballad "When the Hangover Strikes" brings the first side to a sleepy close.

The second half may be slightly better than the first, kicking off with the single "Black Coffee in Bed." This one drags on a little long, but it makes for a nice replica of a soulful, '50s-sounding ballad anyway. You can decide for yourself whether or not to forgive those nerdy backing vocals (Glenn Tilbrook: "With the way that you left me I can hardly contain"; Everyone: "Hardly contain!"). The rest is pretty good too. "I've Returned" is just simple, up-beat, piano-based pop, and it's quite pleasant. The orchestrated "Tongue like a Knife" is another highlight, and it proves that Squeeze can be both complex and moving if they really try. The piano-driven meditation on adultery, "His House Her Home," is generally considered a high point as well; again, it's nice, although the production borders a little too much on adult contemporary, and it tastes a little icky in my mouth (just the production of the song, that is). "The Very First Dance" is a cool, spacey pop song with some well-used vocal overdubs throughout. Too bad (once again) the final track lapses a bit, bringing the record to a dreary close. But Squeeze still turn in a good effort with 'Sweets from a Stranger'. It's a drop-off from the last four albums, but it's completely inoffensive, and most of the songs are plain good. Buy this one if you have the earlier records and you STILL need more. On another note, 'Sweets from a Stranger' features one-time keyboardist Don Snow on . . . you guessed it, keyboards (okay, and back-up vocals).

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