My 10 New Wave Favourites All Time: #9 Squeeze – Argybargy (1980)

Squeeze – Argybargy (1980)

About the band:
The band’s founding members in March 1974 were Chris Difford (guitar, vocals, lyrics), Glenn Tilbrook (vocals, guitar, music), Jools Holland (keyboards), and Paul Gunn (drums). The group played under several names, most frequently “Captain Trundlow’s Sky Company” or “Skyco”, before selecting the band name “Squeeze” as a facetious tribute to The Velvet Underground’s oft-derided 1973 album of the same name. Gilson Lavis replaced Gunn on drums and Harry Kakoulli joined on bass in 1976. Squeeze’s early career was spent around Deptford in SE London, where they were part of a lively local music scene which included Alternative TV and Dire Straits. The group’s early singles and debut EP, 1977’s Packet of Three, were released on the Deptford Fun City Label. Squeeze’s first EP and most of its self-titled debut album (1978) were produced by John Cale for A&M Records. However, the debut album’s two hit singles (“Take Me I’m Yours” and “Bang Bang”) were produced by the band themselves, as the label found Cale’s recordings uncommercial. In the United States and Canada, the band and album were dubbed U.K. Squeeze due to legal conflicts arising from a contemporary American band called “Tight Squeeze”. The “U.K.” was dropped for all subsequent releases. In Australia, the same name change was used due to legal conflicts arising from an existing Sydney-based band also called “Squeeze”. Albums in Australia were credited to U.K. Squeeze up to and including Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti. The band’s second album, Cool for Cats (1979), contained the band’s two highest charting UK singles in “Cool For Cats” and “Up The Junction”, both of which peaked at #2. John Bentley replaced Harry Kakoulli on bass in 1979 following the release of the LP. Argybargy (1980), the band’s third album, was also a UK hit. It was additionally a mild breakthrough in North America, as the single “Another Nail In My Heart” was a #56 hit in Canada, and second single “Pulling Mussels From The Shell” received airplay on U.S. rock radio stations. Keyboardist Jools Holland left the band for a solo career in 1980. Keyboard duties were taken over by highly-rated singer-keyboardist Paul Carrack, a former member of British soul-pop band Ace, who scored a major international hit with the song “How Long.” Carrack had also been a member of Roxy Music. In 1981 the band cut perhaps their best-known album, East Side Story. It was produced by Elvis Costello and Roger Bechirian, and featured Carrack’s lead vocals on the radio hit “Tempted”. Carrack himself left after the release of East Side Story, and was replaced by Don Snow. This line-up recorded the Sweets From A Stranger LP in 1982. Negative reviews, the stresses of touring, and conflict between band members led Difford and Tilbrook to break up the band later that year, after releasing a final single, “Annie Get Your Gun”.

Glenn Tilbrook: guitar, keyboards & vocals
Chris Difford: rythm guitar & vocals
Jools Holand: keyboard & vocals
John Bentley: bass
Gilso Davis: drums

The album:
By 1980, after releasing three albums in three years, Squeeze had exhibited everything you’d want to see in a promising band. ARGY BARGY exceeds its predecessor, COOL FOR CATS, just as CATS had exceeded their debut. Everything on this record is in place. The clever and catchy songs of Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford had found their full flower and the band’s embellishments and propulsion had grown by confident leaps and bounds. In short, the band finds a clear and distinct voice on ARGY BARGY. Opening with the one-two punch of “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)” and “Another Nail In My Heart,” this album keeps up an exuberant pace, but never runs out of breath. Their use of dynamics also helps to bring out the obvious strengths of the songs. This album is an essential pop statement, full of verve, invention, humor and surprise.

Track List
01. Pulling Mussels (From The Shell) (3:57)
02. Another Nail In My Heart (2:54)
03. Separate Beds (3:18)
04. Misadventure (2:52)
05. I Think I’m Go Go (4:13)
06. Farfisa Beat (2:56)
07. Here Comes That Feeling (2:11)
08. Vicky Verky (3:09)
09. If I Didn’t Love You (4:08)
10. Wrong Side Of The Moon (2:23)
11. There At The Top (3:44)

Stereo, ripped from vynil LP, mp3, 320 kbps.87.53 Mb. 35:45 minutes. Covers included.

Here

~ by jazzman2008 on April 17, 2009.