Disco de Squeeze: “Argy Bargy”

As a 14-year-old in the summer of 1980, I was surrounded by pubescent stoners in Grateful Dead t-shirts. This album, along with Blondie's Parallel Lines, The Cars Candy-O, Graham Parker's Squeezing Out Sparks, and others stood out as beacons in the wilderness -- literate, tuneful, well-crafted power-pop gems. While most radio stations were playing Sweet Home Alabama fourteen times a day, the local new wave station pumped out Squeeze, Polecats, Rockats, Stray Cats, Josie Cotton, The Knack, Devo, The Kings...

Somewhere around 1986, a lot of these bands disbanded or evolved and hair-metal became all the rage. While you would be hard-pressed to find a lot of Kerrang magazine stuff at this point, classic albums like Argybargy endure. Sometimes, record companies can actually get it right and come out with a great product like this one. Not only has the classic album never sounded better, especially compared to my 1987-vintage grey-spine CD, but the additional material is well worth the extra cost. In fact, disc 2 can very well stand alone as a live album which ought to be released individually. I was lucky enough to see Squeeze live in the mid-80's on their Cosi Fan Tutti-Frutti tour. This disc captures every ounce of the energy and musicianship of their live performance.

Another nice touch is including the lyrics, which I haven't seen since my original vinyl LP copy of the album. Difford and Tilbrook are rightly considered tunesmiths on par with Cole Porter. "Cocoa mugs sit side by side" (from If I Didn't Love You). How many bands can come up with lyrics like this?

A true classic, presented in fine form. Highly recommended.

If you thought the original album was great, you'll love this deluxe edition. The remastered sound is crisp, dynamic and uncompressed, it sounds as good as vinyl. But it's the live 2nd disc that takes the cake, the band has so much energy, they are super tight and sound like they're having a great time playing together.

If you're a Squeeze fan, this is a must purchase. NOT for completists only!

The music is wonderful here! You have to hear this. Some of the best power pop of all time! The best known tracks are "Pulling Mussels From a Shell" and "Another Nail For My Heart". That is only the start, there are several album tracks that are awesome, "Separate Beds" has clever lyrics and witty observations. "Misadventure" has a unforgetable beat. It is the highlight of the album in my opinion. A song I did not like at first listen, but then grew on me until it became essential was "I think I'm a Go-Go", a look at life in Holland, UK, and USA in a three verse song. Jools scores with "Wrong Side of the Moon" maybe his best song he sang for Squeeze with the exception of "Dr. Jazz" from the "Frank" album. But that is not the end of the great songs,"There at the Top" and "If I didn't love You" are also wonderful tracks. This album is very strong from top to bottom, only "East Side Story" compares in overall consistently strong music. This is a truly great album. Very enjoyable!

What's to say? The remastering is top-notch, all the bonus tracks you could ever want, a great live set(!), a quality booklet and packaging with great photos of the band... Get this one.

Squeeze was-and is-one of the great purveyors of the four minute pop song-ever. In the 80's, they had a string of hits in the UK, but never had the US success that they deserved. If you want to see how great their writing was, then this is the album to start with. I feel as if it is their "Rubbber Soul" because all the songs on it are literate, well-crafted, but still rock.