INSTRUMENTAL RELEASES - INDIVIDUAL ALBUM REVIEW - 1/23/23

 

INSTRUMENTAL RELEASES -
INDIVIDUAL ALBUM REVIEW

Granted, I umbrellaed three albums into this first Individual Album Review post, but it made sense as these all-instrumental collections came on my radar at the same time - though each are very unique to its own sound.

Ryuichi Sakamoto / 12

This was, by far, my favorite of the three. Listening to these compositions, written during Sakamoto’s  recovery from major cancer surgery, it is hard not to reflect on the emotions of life’s fragility that he must have entwined in the core of the making of the album.

The various tracks feature an absolutely lovely acoustic & electronic hybrid. Like many Sakamoto releases previously, I was immediately pulled into this listening experience. The organic nature of this collection is sensational, and the entire album felt much more complex than the simplicity the music first conveys. As you allow yourself to be drawn more deeply into the alluring pool of sound, uneasy stillness exists alongside resolution and comfort. CONCLUSION: This is an album that I will return to again and again - confident that it will return high yields in maturing appreciation the more intimate I become with it. An easy Thumbs Up and a Grade of a strong A.

Mac DeMarco / Five Easy Hot Dogs

Composed & recorded as DeMarco traveled US & Canada, this collection is a musical travelog of sorts. In a convincing manner, these bedroom/computer tracks occupy a pleasant enough territory. They struck me as likable, if not necessarily super engaging. The songs would be a fine accompaniment to a documentary or as background music for a project around the house that you don’t want to be too distracted by.

CONCLUSION: This mostly winning instrumental collection earns a Thumbs Up and a Grade of a high C.

Kali Malone /

Does Spring Hide Its Joy

This one is a bit more challenging. Minimal layered on minimal. Malone is known as a minimalist classical composer/performer, but this project takes her past work to a new level. It is a full-press dive into sustained variations on a singular theme that clocks in at just over 2 hours (5 hours if you fold-in the additional tracks released through the Apple Music version). One of my initial thoughts was that the drone quality reminded me of experimental metal band Sunn O))) - only to realize that Sunn O))) guitarist Stephen O'Malley collaborated on the album with her (along with cellist Lucy Railton). It is definitely one of those occurrences in trying to appreciate complex music that you are forced to view it as an almost rare breed of performance art. I won’t lie, there were many times during my listening that I had to ask myself about its true nature - was this music just too deep for me to access or was I just not in on the joke? Though I admit I was strangely transfixed - and did, in fact, listen to the entire piece (in sections) several times - I'm still not quite sure what I think about it or, truthfully, how to even process it. I just can’t decide if it takes patience or fortitude to truly absorb.

CONCLUSION: With enough staying power, there may be bliss somewhere along the line. I’m just not sure that I’ll ever be able to find it. This one gets a Thumbs Down and a Grade of a D+.

GUEST TOP TEN - A RESPONSE

GUEST TOP TEN - A RESPONSE

I have always felt that it is important to have friends you can count on exposing you to music that wouldn’t normally fall on your radar. My college roommate, Johnny, fits that bill perfectly. Though there are many artists & bands we absolutely agree on, Johnny has a tendency towards much more aggressive metal & punk than I can normally process.

Like me, Johnny is an avid fan and also toils annually over selecting his favorite albums.

As an exercise, I decided to tackle his Top Ten of 2022. Seven of the ten he selected were albums that I hadn’t listened to at all - several by bands I was completely unaware of. Which - whether I end up loving the music or not - is always exciting to me.

His 2022 Top Ten is:

1. Ghost / IMPERA

2. KEN Mode / NULL

3. Absent In Body / Plague God

4. Zeal & Ardor / Zeal & Ardor 

5. Kowloon Walled City / Piecework

6. Chat Pile / God’s Country

7. Watain / The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain

8. Brutus / Unison Life

9. Cult of Luna / The Long Road North

10. The Fixx / Every Five Seconds

Though I don’t personally assign a specific number to my Top Ten choices, since he does I decided to pretend that his ten albums were the only ones released in 2022 and that I had to rank them in order as well.

Johnny 2022 Top Ten (the Ankrom Remix)

1. Zeal & Ardor

2. Ghost

3. The Fixx

**Consider a HUGE chasm between these first 3 albums and the following albums - reasoning explained below.

4. Brutus

5. Cult of Luna

6. Watain

7. Chat Pile 

8. Kowloon Walled City

9. Absent In Body

10. KEN Mode

**I should say that these last 7 selections fall into a non-genre-specific category I refer to as ‘black coffee music’. I love coffee, but no matter how bad I want the caffeine-kick or morning warmth, I just can’t bring myself to drink it black. I need creamer or latte steamed milk. With music, ‘black coffee’ usually means one of two things - 1) I just can’t find anything musically that is interesting enough for me to connect with OR 2) I can’t get past the particular vocals/vocal-styling employed. This ‘black coffee’ vocal-issue is, very obviously, a completely personal musical opinion. I automatically respect and will ALWAYS check-out an album Johnny recommends - but, when it comes down to a pure listening experience, I just can’t find a way to get past vocals that do absolutely nothing for me. What I will concede to is that I am absolutely sure that these bands carry much more convincing weight live - and I know Johnny has seen all of them in that setting (some several times). It takes no imagination to see that point fully. But, in the end, I don’t have the added benefit of that to fold-in and - truthfully - I always try to keep (as much as possible) all outside influences from ‘tainting’ the singular experience of digesting an album as a collection - especially if I plan to write about it. 

All that said, here are my thoughts on those ten albums:

Zeal & Ardor / Zeal & Ardor This was an album that received several solid listens as a possible contender for my personal Top Ten. Though I still think I made the right choice in not including it, these recent re-listens certainly continued to make a strong case.  Put it this way - If there was one album on Johnny’s list that would stand the best chance of making mine, it would definitely be this one - by a long-shot. With the DNA connection to NIN - perhaps my favorite heavy industrial band - this record is firmly in my wheelhouse on that front. Deep musicality, complex layering, and just the right combination of relentless power is convincingly combined with textural atmospheres. Very skillfully so. I was especially won over by the truly unique inclusion of call-&-response gospel elements - what a unique & fascinating hybrid. There is real depth to this collection - along with plenty of musical surprises - always a winning combination in my book. Gagnuex has definitely earned my attention and I’m already interested to hear what he does next.

Ghost / IMPERA
Color me surprised. Not one, but two very accessible albums in my buddy’s Top Ten list. Under the distortion and 80’s-metal, arena-rock tendencies, there is no hiding that this is a well-crafted and undeniably catchy collection of pop-metal tracks. And I fucking loved it!! 

I’m not knowledgeable enough of Ghost to know whether they’ve been up to this sort of approach all along, but either way - consider me a newly converted fan. 

I’m not sure this is a strong enough collection to ever make my Top Ten - there are plenty of cliches and well-worn pop-metal traditions hard at work here (meaning, though certainly solid, the end-product is ultimately pretty rehashed) - but it sure was a ton of fun to listen to, and of all the albums on Johnny’s list I can see myself returning to this one the most often. 

The Fixx / Every Five Seconds
In my review of the 2022 Tears For Fears album (which made my list) I share that “nostalgia is an interesting alchemy” - and so I won’t even bother to debate what is very obviously a personal connection that I know Johnny has with this great band and their very winning sound. 

The truth is, the similarities between the new TFF album and this one are many - and though I find The Tipping Point to be a more strongly complete artistic statement, I absolutely understand why one would be drawn to the alluring nature and high points of this album. 

The opener is fantastic and I was also especially taken by the killer one-two combo of the mid-tempo deep cuts (“Wake Up” & “Suspended In Make Believe”) - both just absolutely first-rate numbers. Even though it doesn’t necessarily factor specifically into how I respond to the music, there is also something very satisfying about the solid core members of an 80s band you loved as a teenager coming back 30+ years later to deliver something that not only doesn’t tarnish their legacy, but honors it. 

Brutus / Unison Life
In the early 90s I was introduced to Cranes, as they had the opening spot for The Cure. They had an interesting mix of horror-movie doll vocals and pounding augmentation - more experimental/indie than Brutus, but they share some definite similarities. If you are a fan of Brutus you may already know Cranes, or should definitely check them out later when you have a chance - their tracks “Starblood” or “Adoration” would be great samples of their unique formula.

Mostly, this Brutus album moves by in fairly agreeable ways. 

I like the lead vocals, the song structures are generally interesting (though not necessarily all that unique/original) and some songs (like “Victoria” & “Dreamlife”) fall squarely in what I would categorize as more alternative than metal or rock - which, in this particular case, is a plus for me. 

Unfortunately, I think the mass-produced sheen that exists in the production really works against what is happening in the songs - and I believe the collection would be much more successful if things felt a bit less sterilized. An edgier rawness in their sound would have served them well. As it exists on this album, they come off as a sort of tenacious kid-sister to Evanescence.

Unfortunately, in the end, the overall album just doesn’t make much of a lasting impression on me and it sort of felt like each time I worked through it that I had neither much of a lingering memory, nor a desire to return.

Cult of Luna / The Long Road North
While I can appreciate the almost prog-metal approach to some of the longer numbers and the general epic musical dynamics that can be found throughout, the vocals just lose me and keep me from finding any real footing in deeper enjoyment.

My favorite track (by far) is the atmospheric anomaly that is the too-brief “Beyond I” - not surprising, as it is the one track to feature guest vocals. 

The two tracks featuring guest woodwinds (“An Offering To The Wild” & “Beyond II”) both manage to summon some of the most interesting and dreamlike musical moments and the fact that they are mostly instrumental play in their favor. Am I asking too much for a no male-vocals remix?

Watain / The Agony & Ecstasy of Watain
I get this band’s reputation & prowess, but….

Nice double-bass drum playing. At least I can distinguish some riffs & guitar solos here and there. They use piano on their 1-minute interlude. What else? For me - not much. 

They do have a song named “Black Cunt” and they feature a big gong hit at the end of “The Howling”, so there’s that. 

The very slight reprieve I get is the opening of “We Remain”, when Farida cameos on vocals, but that ends before I even adjust my ears - at least the tempo/structure of that one is more in-line with metal traditions I appreciate.

That is, I find this to be much more ‘Agony’ than ‘Ecstasy’.

If you told me that this was a parody of BLACK METAL, I might enjoy it a tad more, but at face value - there is just not much for me here. 

I will finish by saying that I believe the spectacle of seeing a band like this live might be worth the experience of enduring the music for a few hours - and I would definitely consider going just to take it all in, but don’t misread this as any sort of musical endorsement. I just can’t give it.

Chat Pile / God’s Country
Another victim of vocals throwing the train off the track - and, in this case, no one surviving. A little break happens here & there as the guttural scream melds with a sort of drunk-classic-Bobcat-Goldthwait spoken word (focus on that at the beginning of “The Mask” and honestly tell me if you’ll ever be able to hear anything but that from now on). However, it's not enough to make the songs ever get elevated. 

In fact, this collection blurs together, song-to-song, in more negative ways than any other on this list.

Add to that, the production quality throughout really sucks (oddly, some songs significantly more than others - as if they patched together tracks recorded in strikingly different studio settings) - this is way too tin-can/low-fi for me to stand and that definitely hinders a deeper connection.

Kowloon Walled City / Piecework
Turning into a broken record, I realize, but sometimes vocals can REALLY sink a project. Boy is that the case for me here. There are a few elements in the musical approach of this band that I’m drawn to (though the repetition of the sludgy-pace definitely wore on me and added to the monotony by the end), but fuck - these vocals are so one-note and unmercifully annoying. Like a sustained whine - way more Veruca-Salt-tantrum than cathartic release.

The brevity of the album plays in its favor - though I won’t lie, it felt like it took MUCH longer than 32 minutes to get through. 

One positive - I think the album cover is my favorite of any on Johnny’s list.

Absent In Body / Plague God
Satan, is that you? I feel certain that if I could have mustered listening to this collection twice (which I couldn’t) I would feel compelled to do his dark bidding without question. And even just the one listen made me yearn slightly for the taste of roasted goat.
The slight inclusion of more atmospherically-interesting musical moments raises this one (barely) above the disdain I hold for the KEN Mode album, but just by a sliver. 

I’m going to guarantee you that if the U.S. still uses all-night music torture sessions to break prisonors into revealing intel, this is the record they reach for. 

I was also super turned off in reading about the unforgivable actions in the singer’s personal life.

KEN Mode / NULL
This was definitely the most challenging entry in Johnny’s Top Ten for me to get through - or even comprehend. Aggression galore, but try as I might, I simply couldn’t find anything even slightly positive to comment on. I mean, the drummer seems decent, but….

Again, I listen to all kinds of weird stuff - so I’m definitely not out to judge (people like what they like, and I get that some of my jazz or abstract ambient stuff or straight pop might drive Johnny equally insane) - but this album was literally nearly impossible for me to get through. I desperately wanted to appreciate the addition of sax into the fray, but it felt like it just didn’t bring anything interesting to the onslaught - just jarring noise (though that most certainly was the intent).

Thankfully it was one of the briefest albums on the list. If I could invent a sub-par, bottom-of-the-well Top Ten list, this would be #1 with a bullet.

SQUEEZE - FULL DISCOGRAPHY DEEP DIVE

 

SQUEEZE - FULL DISCOGRAPHY DEEP DIVE

INTRO:

“Tempted” is a hallmark New Wave single. This is the particular peg I hung my knowledge of Squeeze on - for years. My entry was their Greatest Hits collection - Singles, 45s & Under. And I have to admit, though several of the other ‘hits’ on that collection certainly caught my attention and earned my admiration, it was always “Tempted” that kept me coming back. However, a deeper exploration of their complete output - and closer listens to individual albums - just never happened.

Taking the time to go back and deep dive their entire catalog, though not always returning “Tempted” high marks, was a very worthwhile investment.

Squeeze is a musical band - led by the core duo of Glenn Tilbrook & Chris Difford - that is firmly built on the foundation of 60s British Invasion pop/rock. Sharp, well-crafted songs abound - not without plenty of edgy tinkering and humor.

If, like me, you have only ever just scratched the Singles, 45s & Under surface, I strongly encourage taking the time to dig a bit deeper.

A listening experience like this is probably my favorite thing about discography concentrations - getting the opportunity to dig deeper on a known artist to reaffirm the reasons you knew you already liked them, while also exploring unknown elements that just help to broaden and fully paint a particular musical journey.

Here are my thoughts on their albums.

NOTE: For each album, in addition to including thoughts, I will be offering a Thumbs Up/Thumbs Down rating, as far as whether I would suggest the album - as well as a letter Grade to more specifically share where each album falls on my personal scale. For what it’s worth.

Squeeze

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Harry Kakoulli (bass), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar)

Produced by: John Cale & Squeeze

Recorded at: Morgan Studios / London & Surrey Sound / Leatherhead

Released: March 1978

I loved this album - immediately out of the gate. It is a simple and fun listen - not as iconic as other debuts from this timeframe, but totally likable and promising. Knowing where this band will develop, it is extremely engaging to hear this album as a start - even if it is a little rough around the edges here and there.

Bowie influences abound, as does tons of Roxy Music - though, I guess, for any late 70s U.K. band, that should almost be a given. And even if you didn’t know that John Cale was involved, it’s hard to miss elements of The Velvet Underground. 

Overall I found this a great combo of 60s beat musicianship & punk energy - I think the specific particular genre description that fits best is probably ‘pub rock’ - meaning very much in line with the early records of Joe Jackson and Elvis Costello. Throughout, those harmony vocals really set such a musical tone that is missing from other classic era punk albums.

"Take Me, I'm Yours" struck me as perhaps the most distinct song - really great stuff. (Is it just me - perhaps noticed because of the shared turn-of-phrase - or does this song seem, in many ways, like a very firm blueprint for the Eurythmics seminal track “Sweet Dreams”?). Either way, it is definitely the most ‘New Wave’ track of the collection.

Mixed with the beat & bounce that really drives these numbers is also a healthy dose of 70’s rock. Not hard to imagine the keyboard riff employed in “Out Of Control” being used by Pink Floyd and numbers like “First Thing Wrong” are pure post-glam rock 101. 

I dig the album’s more playful moments - showcasing the nod-&-wink factor that Squeeze will use to their benefit throughout the band’s career - like the strong opener “Sex Master” and the instrumental freakout of "Wild Sewerage Tickles Brazil". There are lots of great grooves on this album, but that track might be the one deepest in the pocket.

Interesting to chart how Cale’s instincts added to the collection. Cale has always been a wandering guy - in addition to being part of a groundbreaking group that struck a real stripped-down chord during the time of heightened psychedelia, he has worked with everyone from Nick Drake & Brian Eno to LCD Soundsystem - while constantly charting a complicated musical course following his own muses. That is to say, this album is just a snapshot of his big-picture contributions to modern music.

Every moment doesn’t completely win over - for instance, the sing-songy repetitiveness of “Strong In Reason” is one I found hard to get into - but I like the overall energy and each low spot is quickly countered with a more appealing step in the right direction. 

CONCLUSION: For a band's first release - especially one that required them to piece together some brand new (maybe not fully fleshed out) songs - an uneven, less-polished outcome is to be somewhat expected. But the energy & potential is front & center and this is what carries things for sure. I give this one a Thumbs Up and a solid-enough Grade of C.

Cool For Cats

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Harry Kakoulli (bass), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar)

Produced by: John Wood & Squeeze

Recorded at: Olympic & Sound Techniques Studios / London

Released: April 4, 1979

Even before I was done with the first full listen, the quality of the songs, arrangements & production all definitely seem to have been given an upgrade - even if some of that pure energy from their debut is missing a bit.

"Slap and Tickle" and "Up The Junction" are both really great songs and deserved to be singles. I also took a lot of pleasure, as a big Madness fan, to hear several songs that reminded me of them - especially "It's Not Cricket" & "Cool For Cats". Madness would release their debut just months after this album and though I wasn't able to find anything to support this claim, I wonder how often those two bands might have crossed paths in these early days.

Also, their most distinct Beatles' influence to date shines through on tunes like "Touching Me Touching You" and "Goodbye Girl" - though Squeeze does a good job so early in their career in not leaning too heavily on that obvious influence but, instead, using it as a solid starting place that they are able to build upon.

Which brings me to a Beatles-related thought. Knowing that it was around this time that music critics first heralded Difford & Tilbrook as the "heirs to the Lennon & McCartney throne", I wonder what others think regarding whether they really earned this claim? Though I'm definitely enjoying these songs, I don't know that I'd quite be ready to saddle them with this praise. Certainly Difford &Tilbrook's clever pop craftsmanship and perfectly melded harmony vocals help to summon these comparisons, but Lennon & McCartney level? I'm just not sure.

Of course, historically, I think the "next" Lennon & McCartney and "next" The Beatles were probably thrown around a fair amount. I definitely recall The Knack being called the next Beatles - and we all know how that turned out.

CONCLUSION: Another convincing Thumbs Up, with a slight Grade uptick to C+.

Argybargy

Personnel: John Bentley (bass), Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar)

Produced by: John Wood & Squeeze

Recorded at: Olympic Studios / London

Released: February 1980

I can't tell you how mystified/ashamed I am that this record hasn't held a highly-regarded spot in my all-time favorite New Wave collection all these years. It is just solid through and through.

Though I'd still be careful to label it a true "masterpiece", it is pretty damn close and I absolutely place it on the same level as the other great like-minded albums of the era (Elvis Costello's This Year's Model, Joe Jackson's Look Sharp!, XTC's English Settlement).

"Pulling Mussels" is, obviously, a pretty damn-near perfect single, but I found charms in every single song on this album - even those (like "Here Comes That Feeling" & "Wrong Side Of The Moon") that weren't quite on the same very-high-level of the others still worked for me. And the first 7 songs were so strong that they would even completely erase the last four songs totally sucking - which they don't!!

These guys are just total champs of smartly-crafted pop, biting lyrics, fantastic harmonies - hell, they are just so fun to listen to. And, maybe more importantly, it is so very clear that they are having real FUN playing these songs!! The first two albums were great, but this album takes things from the minor leagues to the Big Show!

And as a former bassist, new member John Bentley totally got my attention. Funny how an element like that can be sufficient (as Kakoulli was on the first two albums) but then, when clearly upgraded, make such a pronounced difference. Three songs into the first listen of this album it was so blatant that things in this department were working on a whole other level. Very much in the same pocket as the amazing work Graham Maby staked out in Joe Jackson's band.

Speaking of Joe Jackson - I found “Fartisa Beat” to be a fun jumper, with a tight arrangement & strong musical sensibilities. I’m a huge fan of Joe Jackson and thought it could have been interchangeable on many of his strongest early collections. 

And as this is the last Squeeze album that Jools Holland appears on, I should also note (a bit embarrassingly so) that I wasn’t aware of his association with the early stages of this band - and simply knew him as the host of a great live music show.

CONCLUSION: It definitely gets a Thumbs Up from me, with a Grade of a strong B.

East Side Story

Personnel: John Bentley (bass), Paul Carrack (keyboards & vocals), Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar)

Produced by: Elvis Costello & Roger Bechirian

Recorded at: Eden Studios / London

Released: May 15, 1981

One of my favorite things about New Wave (especially releases happening in this field from the late 70s through the mid 80s) was that it cast a pretty wide net. Though I totally get that most folks lump a very specific synth, new romantic sound (Flock of Seagulls, Duran Duran, etc.)  to define - to me, it included the wide range of very diverse sounds that all carried the same energy - everyone from The Stray Cats & Madness to The Go-Gos & Devo. It was a big, all-inclusive party and, as far as I was always concerned, you just needed the right attitude to get invited.

I share that thought because I disagree with Wikipedia's or whoever is credited for making the sweeping statement that East Side Story was "a break from the band's New Wave sound."

Though the collection certainly is steeped in the heavy foundations originally claimed by soul icons like Sam & Dave, I would peg opener "In Quintessence" as an early-80s New Wave ringer immediately. And it's a great one to boot. Splitting hairs, perhaps - but just a slight issue I have with labeling too definitively. 

Yeah, this album does chart some widespread influences and sounds, but after several listens I maintain that it is cohesive enough in its connections that I wouldn't be so quick to call it anything but a fine New Wave band pushing their musical boundaries in, mostly, exciting ways.

One bit of cool history - the album was originally planned to be a double album with 4 different Producers each taking a side. That the names discussed were Paul McCartney, Elvis Costello, Nick Lowe & Dave Edmunds, the proposition became a VERY interesting one. Unfortunately, logistics just didn’t work out - with Costello ultimately serving as the main Producer. Edmunds & Lowe each ended up producing one track each from the sessions.

Though it's cool enough that like-minded peers like Costello, Edmunds & Lowe were involved, it’s beyond intriguing to take a second to ponder how amazing it would have been (and how interesting the outcome), if the sessions that were discussed with Paul McCartney also serving as Producer had actually happened! A bit of history on the band I had no idea about. Wonder how close that actually came to being reality?

When this album was on target, boy, was it on target. "Tempted" had been, entering into this discography exercise, my favorite Squeeze track and after several recent studied listens, I just don't know that anything is going to change. That song hits so many high-notes with me that it regularly competes for a Top Ten spot if I had to name all-time favorite New Wave tracks. (Though I am also embarrassed to admit I had no idea that was Elvis Costello trading lines of that second verse!!).

Speaking of extra vocals - another notable vocal on that track is the band’s new keyboardist Paul Carrack. To say that this was a great add for the band would be a major understatement. Carrack, in addition to his association with Roxy Music, would go on to sing lead on all the Mike & the Mechanics hits as well as work as a session musician/vocalist with everyone from Roger Waters to The Smiths. Unfortunately, the association with Squeeze would be short-lived as this would be a one-off album for Carrack - though he will return for the ‘93 album, Some Fantastic Place.

Beyond “Tempted” one huge high-point is the perfect Beatle-esque "Is That Love" - just such a true winner. "Piccadilly", "Mumbo Jumbo" & the super-Beatles-like baroque pop of "Vanity Fair" - plus the spot-on 50's tribute of "Messed Around" - all help to keep things moving in the right direction. 

Unfortunately, there seem to be a larger number of tracks that don't work as well as those on Argybargy. "There's No Tomorrow" (which sounds like some forgotten-on-purpose John Lennon b-side),  "Heaven" (which starts promising enough but just unravels in the bridge & chorus), and "F-Hole" (which feels uneven all the way through) all became songs I regularly skipped on repeated listens.

So what you have are some of the band's highest points countered with some good-intended misses. The album doesn't sink, but it doesn't shine quite as brightly Argybargy overall.

Again, any band would be pressed to follow-up such a burst of pop perfection - and still, these guys do an extremely admirable job in putting out some amazingly strong singles - songs that truly establish a Squeeze-sound and cement their status as tight, smart pop purveyors. 

Another, mostly, fun listen with some real gems.

CONCLUSION: Following the absolute musical joy that Argybargy brought, East Side Story didn't win me over quite as fully or as convincingly. However, as an album overall, it is definitely getting another Thumbs Up. This one gets a Grade of C+.

Sweets From A Stranger

Personnel: John Bentley (bass), Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Gilson Lavis (drums), Don Snow (keyboards), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar)

Produced by: Squeeze & Phil McDonald

Recorded at: Ramport Studios / London

Released: September 1982

“Black Coffee In Bed” is obviously the high point of the album - and one of Squeeze’s finest singles - but despite this particular height, there is definitely a feeling as if things take a bit of a step back here. Both the overall quality of the songs seem to be diminished somewhat.

“I Can’t Hold On” displays Squeeze charms in a winning way and “Stranger Than The Stranger On The Shore” has a cool groove.

Unfortunately, the second half of the album was certainly weaker. Worse, they really struggle to connect with the listener. That the band would split for 3 years is telling.

Another notable Beatles connection - Producer Phil McDonald started as a balance engineer at Abbey Road Studios and, in addition to work on Beatles albums, he would also work with each member on their solo albums.

CONCLUSION: A bit of a disjointed mess and really only the inclusion of the fantastic “Black Coffee In Bed” slightly saves this album - earning a Thumbs Up with a Grade of a low C.

Difford & Tillbrook

**This is obviously not an ‘official’ Squeeze album, but as this duo were the songwriting team responsible for all Squeeze songs, I’ll make an exception in including some brief thoughts as part of this Full Discography Deep Dive.

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar)

Produced by: Tony Visconti and Difford & Tilbrook

Recorded at: Good Earth Studios / London

Released: July 1984

So it’s not a great album, but I just have such a damn soft spot for this sort of 80s pop.

The truth is, all that is really keeping this barely afloat are D&T’s pop sensibilities. The fact is, these guys are just the kind of writers and craftsmen that, even at their most uninspired, they still somehow rise above the norm. 

I think I liked “Picking Up The Pieces” the most and “Hope Fell Down” also worked pretty well for me. 

I felt like I heard Culture Club in the mix, but I also picked up on plenty of the same pop magic that the Finn brothers blended into Crowded House - and that highly-revered (to me) connection also worked in this album's favor. 

Certainly no perfect singles like on the last three Squeeze albums - and I probably also won’t return to this collection often beyond the two mentioned tracks. 

Session bassist Keith Wilkinsin would be brought along to become a member of Squeeze on their next ‘band’ album.

CONCLUSION: This one gets the most ‘barely’ Thumbs Up that I can offer, with a Grade of a VERY low C.

Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Keith Wilkinsin (bass)

Produced by: Laurie Latham

Recorded at: The Power Plant / London

Released: August 1985

Try as might, I just couldn’t engage with the songs. The songwriting just doesn’t seem nearly as sharp and any links to the “old” Squeeze seem merely incidental. Taking the time apart as a band and bringing back original keyboardist Jools Holland should have (one would hope) inspired a nice jump-start. Unfortunately, it just doesn’t come together.

Now, this (not counting Tilbrook & Difford) is the first album in this listening where I really wasn’t aware of ANY of the songs coming in - as it was released after Singles, the only Squeeze album I owned previously - but I entered in hopeful as even the duo’s side-release carried a few redeeming qualities. 

Funny - I definitely remember hearing the album title in high school (though, clearly, I have no memory of specific songs) and - having knowledge of both Mozart & Little Richard - feeling like I got the wordplay joke - but no other connection. 

Sonically, there are plenty of musical sonics I recognize. Tears For Fears links are throughout, but minus the anthem-like qualities or winning construction. 

I was definitely puzzled by the two totally (seemingly) random samples from Kubrick’s The Shining in “Last Time Forever” - I googled looking for a connection, but couldn’t find one. Just weird. 

I also felt that the production and sound of this album didn't age very well - and this is definitely comparing it side-by-side with the VERY 80s production work evident on the Tilbrook & Difford album.

Speaking of the Singles package - I realized in listening to this album that I had missed “Annie Get Your Gun” - a tune that I thought, incorrectly until now, was a single from Cosi. It is, in fact, only available as an add-on from the Singles collection. It is such a fun track. Perhaps - depending where things go from here (all totally new to me from this point on) - the last great Squeeze track? We’ll see.

CONCLUSION: This will be the first Squeeze album I’ll be giving a Thumbs Down to. If I had to sum it up, I guess it’s that the whole affair just feels without solid purpose & a bit flat. A shame, especially as it is a reconvening of the guys that created so many classic songs together. It barely earns a Grade of D+.

Babylon And On

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Gilson Lavis (drums), Andy Metcalfe (keyboards), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Keith Wilkinsin (bass)

Produced by: ET Thorngren & Glenn Tilbrook

Recorded at: AIR Studios / London

Released: September 15, 1987

No doubt about it - this is a huge step back in the right direction after the Cosi mis-step.

Awesome opener with the super catchy “Hourglass” (which, with these listens, totally hit the same sound pocket that I associate with They Might Be Giants). I have always liked this track but, because it isn't on Singles, it is definitely a Squeeze song that I sometimes forget about. I did go back to rewatch the video. It really is a great one and captures the song perfectly. I can certainly understand how that helped to drive attention the band’s way.

I also liked the tightness overall of the album. Only two songs in the whole bunch broke the 3 & 1/2 minute mark. That focus seems to really serve the collection well. Granted, it certainly feels like the songs and arrangements are back to the quality that was promised on earlier albums, but the concentrated tightness really contributes to an appealing flow.

They haven't completely shedded some of the bits & pieces of random influences I've picked up on previously. Still definite shades of Culture Club (especially on "853-5937"), Level 42, Crowded House - but as they are all acts that I enjoy, no complaints. I could just as easily say those guys sound like Squeeze from time to time. You feel a shared pool of influences more than any malicious rip-offs happening.

The band does expand to a sextet on this album with the addition of keyboardist Metcalfe (who formerly played bass with The Soft Boys) - an association that would only last this one album.

Truthfully, (with the possible exception of "Striking Matches" - which just doesn't gel for me) this whole collection breezes by with no real interruption in a winning flow. Other than, obviously, "Hourglass" - "Footprints", "Tough Love" "The Prisoner" & "Who Are You?" all standout as real winners.

CONCLUSION: Good to have Squeeze back - and definitely glad I didn't fold after listening to Cosi. This absolutely gets a Thumbs Up from me and a Grade of B-. 

Frank

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Jools Holland (keyboards), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Keith Wilkinsin (bass)
Produced by: ET Thorngren & Glenn Tilbrook

Recorded at: The Chocolate Factory / London

Released: August 24, 1989

I definitely don’t appreciate this collection as much as Babylon.

Here’s the thing - listening to this album made me think about why Squeeze didn’t have any singles that I could mention off the top of my head after Babylon’s “Hourglass”. Regardless, I am very much enjoying (with the notable side step of Cosi), much of Squeeze’s non-hit output.

But it has made me think about why so many  New Wave bands that have amazing singles (and in some cases, seminal albums) failed to stretch beyond the early 80s era that they came to fame in.

I’m sure I will miss one or two, but with a few exceptions like Tears for Fears who, in dramatic fashion, reinvented themselves with The Seeds Of Love & Duran Duran with their hit-spawning “Wedding Album” or singer/songwriters like Elvis Costello & Joe Jackson (though I personally think solo performers have a bit more freedom to experiment with styles & approaches) - how many early 80s artists (especially bands) have continued to push forward with new material and, mostly, the same core members they started with?

Sure, there are bands like Culture Club who have pulled together their original lineups to tour under a, mostly, nostalgic umbrella - but there are very few (The Psychedelic Furs & The Fixx are recent exceptions) that have released consistently strong albums over the years and certainly no one from that era comes close to the 40 years of releases that Squeeze has managed.

Does this album pack the punch of Argybargy or the groundbreaking singles from East Side Story? Absolutely not. But there is definitely a genuine and functional workmanship approach to this album that is appealing in many ways. 

I think the band has suffered in terms of scoring more hits because, quite honestly, their sound at this point is fairly predictable and, as is evident on this album, they seem to be stretching a bit - in not necessarily artistic ways (more like throwing everything down on the table) - in terms of creating collections with a real thorough delivery. 

Meaning - maybe - that they aren’t really giving anyone but their core audience a reason to check them out. This is not unique to Squeeze. I have lost touch with plenty of artists that I once very much liked just because they seemed to be treading water in a way-too-familiar pool.

Strictly speaking, I personally like the foundation of the kind of pop that Squeeze is born from. This is why they haven’t lost my interest  - even on these albums that were previously unknown to me. Who knows, the time may come when it wears a bit too thin or, perhaps, they may still have a few killer albums in them that just missed a commercial appeal. That is also a very common occurrence in the rock/pop annuals. 

CONCLUSION: I liked more of this album than I didn’t. For now, the band is still doing enough right to earn a Thumbs Up from me. This one gets a Grade of C.

Play

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Gilson Lavis (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Keith Wilkinsin (bass)

Produced by: Tony Berg

Recorded at: Real World Studios / Wiltshire

Released: July 1991

To me, this album finds the band just a bit deeper in that Crowded House/Neil Finn pocket.

That is, well-crafted, pleasant pop. Nothing groundbreaking or challenging - just solid songs that are well-played & arranged.

This is the first album recorded as a quartet with Steve Nieves (from Costello’s Attractions) playing keys throughout. To add to the adult-contemporary feel, Bruce Hornsby even adds some accordion/keys to the collection.

This is a combination that works for me. Perhaps more-so as I've gotten older. This would probably have been a bit too neutral for the 20-something version of myself, but these days, this kind of sound really works for me.

It's certainly not a masterpiece or an album I'd rush to recommend as a must-listen, but it works on several levels and I found the entire collection to be very consistent in its appealing qualities and overall balance. I think I'd even go so far as to say I prefer it to any of the post East Side Story ("Black Coffee In Bed" aside) releases.

I don't want to paint myself in a corner, but I'd wager that this will serve as the foundation for the kind of albums the band does from this point on. A band that is comfortable in their own skin - surviving on delivering likable adult pop.

CONCLUSION: It gets a definite Thumbs Up from me. With an earned Grade of a solid C+.

Some Fantastic Place

Personnel: Paul Carrack (keyboards & vocals), Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Pete Thomas (drums), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Keith Wilkinsin (bass)

Produced by: Squeeze & Peter Smith

Recorded at: Tilbrook’s personal studio / London

Released: September 14, 1993

I don’t know if it is just me, but it sounds like Squeeze is definitely attempting to go back in time on this one. 

I actually listened to the album a few times before realizing they had brought back Carrack and incorporated the classic post-punk drumming of Pete Thomas - another Costello connection as he serves as the Attractions’ drummer (replacing longtime drummer Lavis due to drinking problems). Considering these tweaks it seems obvious that tapping into an earlier-Squeeze vibe would be tough to avoid.

Gone (mostly) are the more overt adult pop leanings of the past two albums which, especially on Play, I was perfectly content with and thought was working pretty well. "Some Fantastic Place" remains the most obvious holdover from that particular sound and because of this it is probably my favorite song of the collection. Other tracks have remnants, but just not nearly as well stated and smoothly displayed.

It is pretty apparent right out of the gate that they are after that "classic" Squeeze sound, but sometimes lightning just isn't supposed to strike twice in the same place. And in some cases - like, for instance, the weak reworking of the classic "Tempted" vibe portrayed on "Loving You Tonight" - the styling just doesn't come together.

I really like the opener ("Everything In The World") as well as "SFP". There are also plenty of those workmanlike Squeeze tracks that seem to simply survive on being crafted & performed just well enough. Not really standouts, but not clunkers either.

That said, the second half of this album doesn't seem to see through the promise of its start.

With Costello on my mind because of P. Thomas, I dug in a little to line this Squeeze album up against releases by other acts that were born out of the New Wave scene but had carried on formidably into the 90s.

Costello's' Mighty Like A Rose (which, coincidentally, Pete Thomas also plays on), Tears For Fears' Elemental, & Crowded House's Together Alone are all vastly superior releases. If you aren't significantly intimate with all three collections you are doing your musical knowledge a grave injustice - take the time immediately to correct this wrong!

Meaning, while Squeeze seems to co-op here & there from all three - as well as from their own back catalog - the end result just doesn't shine nearly as brightly. And I guess that is what I'm really holding out hope for here. Like those three mentioned albums, I want Squeeze to rise once again and capture just enough magic to combine for a significant, even if commercially overlooked, great album.

CONCLUSION: I will ultimately give this a mediocre Thumbs Up and a Grade of C - noting that I just don't feel as strongly about what unfolds here.

Ridiculous

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Keith Wilkinsin (bass), Kevin Wilinsin (drums)

Produced by: Peter Smith & Glenn Tilbrook

Recorded at: Chipping Norton Studios / Oxfordshire

Released: November 13, 1995

Totally an easy and mostly satisfying listen. As succinctly as I can put it - the album mostly works.

“Walk Away” seemed to walk the same tradition of “Wonderwall” - tracks like that really are the connection to the classic British pop of the 60s. 

CONCLUSION: I’m still finding enough good to offer a Thumbs Up and a Grade of C.

Domino

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Chris Holland (keyboards), Hilaire Penda (bass),

Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Ashley Soan (drums), Kevin Wilinsin (drums)

Produced by: Glenn Tilbrook

Recorded at: Tilbrook’s personal studio / London

Released: November 1998

I’m afraid the act is definitely wearing a bit thin.

It has been my on-going struggle with the last several Squeeze albums - I generally am OK with the particular niche they exist in and would argue that even their less-than-inspired tracks still end up being passable, but as a fan of the band and a true devotee of their earlier (and much stronger) efforts, these last few albums have just seemed to tread in very predictable waters - not really dedicating any energy to stretching out or trying anything all that interesting/different. Again, I've made the point that this approach works better for some bands than others, but I am definitely finding myself just not all that engaged. Perhaps the three new members (including Jools’ younger brother) didn’t help with the consistency piece. There are some standout tracks. "Play On", "Domino", "Without You Here", & "A Moving Story" spoke the most to me. But, on the other hand, I was extremely disappointed with tracks like "Donkey Talk", "To Be A Dad", & "Short Break" - all of which seemed super under-cooked. CONCLUSION: Overall, this one gets a Thumbs Down and a Grade of C-. However, this is only my 2nd for this entire discography.  

Cradle To The Grave

Personnel: Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Simon Hanson (drums), Stephen Lange (keyboards), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Lucy Shaw (bass)

Produced by: Glenn Tilbrook & Laurie Latham

Recorded at: Tilbrook’s personal studio / London

Released: October 2, 2015

There is no doubt about it. After their initial output of exceptionally strong albums - notably Argybargy - Squeeze has, to me, mostly leveled out. 

I equate them to an older, but comfortable pair of shoes. They might not be stylish (certainly not trendy) and they absolutely have lost that off-the-shelf spring, but you know what? I have super old shoes in my closet that I just can’t let go of. I like the way they slide on and I dig how easily they still fit. 

I REALLY like Squeeze’s baseline talents. They are expert pop craftsmen, more than adequate players & arrangers, and I just dig, mostly, their choices across the board. 

With these things in place they don’t have to thrill me at every turn. Their general skills and overall sound are strong enough to keep me at least relatively tuned-in, if not wholly intrigued. 

I could probably take a few songs from each of the last 6 albums and make one pretty strong ass album. But that’s nit-picking isn’t it? That’s trying to fault that comfy pair of shoes because the stitching isn’t as perfect as it used to be or because the sole is a little worn. In the end, what does it matter? Take the bad with the good. 

CONCLUSION: I’ll give Cradle a Thumbs Up and a Grade of C. Not because it’s brilliant, but because it’s so damn comfy. 

The Knowledge

Personnel: Yolanda Charles (bass), Chris Difford (vocals & guitar), Simon Hanson (drums), Stephen Lange (keyboards), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals & guitar), Steve Smith (percussion)

Produced by: Glenn Tilbrook & Laurie Latham

Recorded at: Tilbrook’s personal studio / London

Released: October 13, 2017

And so we have reached the end.

In preparing this listening journey, I recall a critic calling this album a sonic progression. To my ear, I don't know that I'd call it a significant step forward. I liked the album - but not really any more or less than the last few collections.

In fact, if I were completely honest, there are elements in the arrangements on this album that just don't connect with me as clearly as the stronger tracks from the last few albums. "Rough Ride" bugged me, "Please Be Upstanding" seemed a bit obvious & beneath them, & "A&E" seemed a flatline from the get-go.

On the flip side, I really enjoyed the more mature & subdued tracks like "Patchouli", "Final Score", "The Ones", "Albatross" & the picture-perfect Squeeze pop of closer "Two Forks" - and definitely found myself, uniquely, enjoying the 2nd half of the album the most.

Again, these tracks probably fall more in-line with the "comfy" Squeeze sound I've been applauding on the last few albums, so probably no big surprise.

At the end of it all, it absolutely remains that Squeeze are simply too strong of a band - serious pop master-craftsmen - to find much fault with, even in their weaker (less focused) moments. You have to be a serious nit-picker to even attempt to tear down the majority of their illustrious and long-concentrated output.

CONCLUSION: This album, like all but two of their releases, gets a Thumbs Up from me and will land a Grade of C.