 Squeeze Is there any band less cool to be a fan of right now than Squeeze? That's a situation that desperately needs to be rectified. Sure, there's nothing in the current musical climate that claims an influence from Squeeze, and sure, they probably haven't helped their own cause much by putting out relatively forgettable records like Some Fantastic Place and Ridiculous (quick – hum the chorus to "Long Face." No? Okay, how about "Temptation For Love" – I rest my case). But I still contend that those records are more pleasant to listen to than, say, John Mayer or any of the current crop of crap. And in their prime, Squeeze were unbeatable for quirky pop with a sense of humor (that nebulous genre that includes groups like They Might Be Giants, Ben Folds Five, Barenaked Ladies, and LMP). The songwriting partnership of Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford is one of the most unique and distinguished in pop since Lennon and McCartney, and perhaps it will take some time (and a few less middling records) before Squeeze is reassessed. I demand a CD reissue project in the US like they've had in the UK, where Squeeze never really went away. Currently in the US, Squeeze have maybe four CD's in print, the best of which is easily Singles - 45's and Under, which also may stand as the best Squeeze CD ever. Twelve songs, forty-three minutes – a CD that virtually defines post-Beatle pop. Covering the band's output from 1978 through 1982, the CD moves from early jagged synth pop ("Take Me I'm Yours," "Cool For Cats," "Slap and Tickle") through tight guitar pop ("Another Nail For My Heart," "Pulling Mussels From the Shell," "If I Didn't Love You," "Is That Love") and up to keyboard-driven R&B posturing pop ("Tempted, "Black Coffee in Bed," "Annie Get Your Gun"). With the exception of possibly "Slap and Tickle," which I've always found fairly annoying, every song is excellent, blueprint after blueprint for writing the perfect pop song. Squeeze has always been concise, virtually never bloated (Chris Difford's ever-expanding waistline notwithstanding), and perfectly blend great songwriting with energetic playing and tight harmonies. As musicians, I've always thought they were very underrated, and listening to the guitar and piano solos in songs like "Pulling Mussels" only confirms that opinion. I've seen the band live a number of times, and almost every show ranks among my favorite shows ever. They're an exciting, crowd-pleasing band that is not ashamed to focus on melody. Given Barenaked Ladies' success in recent years you'd think a band like Squeeze would be heralded as a precursor, but hardly a peep from today's younger "funny pop" bands. Where's the Squeeze tribute album? Sign me up! To me, Squeeze may have been the last band to do anything original with pop songcraft, and 45's and Under amply demonstrates their greatness. Even songs like "Tempted" and "Black Coffee in Bed," which still get airplay on "retro 80's lunch" type radio shows, don't suffer for it, and remain pretty amazing listen upon listen. Perhaps everyone in the music industry is just jealous of Squeeze, 'cause no one likes a show-off. Who knows. The only way this disc could be better would be with an expansion to include the great later 80s singles –"Hourglass," that's about as opposite to 90's music as you can get. Meaning, fucking great.
Review by Milwaukee French |