Squeeze Albums Ranked From Worst to Best
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- Опубликовано: 15 сен 2024
- Jason and Joe do a deep dive into the vast catalog of British pop rock and new wave icons, Squeeze. While at it, they rank 14 of their studio albums (all of 'em except Spot the Difference). It was an education to say the least!
Albums discussed:
Squeeze
Cool For Cats
Argy Bargy
East Side Story
Sweets From a Stranger
Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti
Babylon and On
Frank
Play
Some Fantastic Place
Ridiculous
Domino
Cradle to the Grave
The Knowledge
Stock footage provided by Videvo, downloaded from www.videvo.net
Tillbrook is the guitar soloist. He’s a very underrated guitar player. Up there with Elliot Easton in my books.
They are a very underrated band. You guys need to listen to more of them.
Frank, Play, and Some Fantastic Place are all criminally underrated albums with some phenomenal gems!
Just the fact that you are making this video is pretty exciting to me are my second favorite band of all time
Great list - you don't see many Squeeze album rankings in RUclips land, so this is much appreciated. For me, there are two standouts. Cool For Cats (The first band I was ever in was called Slap and Tickle. Fun Fact) and Sweets From A Stranger. Yes, the latter was geared for the "big hit," but it still works for me. Tilbrook and Difford were always brilliant songwriters and deserve more attention here in the states. Cheers!
I’ve been a Squeeze fan since 1980 and they are my second favorite band after The Beatles. My ranking would be closer to Joe’s. The one I feel you are both most off on is Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti. Its one of those albums that grows on you and is one of my favorites. My no 1 is also Argy Bargy. And I heard Hourglass on the radio quite a lot
Argy Bargy was The album yea
Yeah : Cosi is actually excellent.
Such an underrated band. Saw them live a couple months ago and was blown away. Tilbrook does the guitar solos, and yes, the guy is very underrated.
14: The Knowledge (2017)
13: Cradle To The Grave (2015)
12: Domino (1998)
11: Ridiculous (1995)
10: Babylon And On (1987)
9: Cool For Cats (1979)
8: Frank (1989)
7: Sweets From A Stranger (1982)
6: Squeeze (1978)
5: Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti (1985)
4: Argybargy (1980)
3: East Side Story (1981)
2: Play (1991)
1: Some Fantastic Place (1993)
I had never listened or even heard of Squeeze at all before deciding to just jump in and do their entire discography so the list is very rough
I don’t have all of Squeeze’s albums (I stopped buying them at ‘Play’), but I do still really enjoy -
1. East Side Story - this is where the Lennon/McCartney comparisons must come from........
2. Argy Bargy - Pulling Mussells!!!! Brilliant song!
3. Babylon And On - worth it for Hourglass, Footprints and Cigarette Of A Single Man
4. Cos Fan Tutti Frutti - this gets slated for its 80s production, but I love it. Some superb songwriting and very clever chord progressions and fretless bass playing
5. Play - good solid songwriting. Satisfied, The Day I Get Home and Gone To The Dogs are favourites
6. Sweets From A Stranger - Black Coffee In Bed, I Can’t Hold On, and I’ve Returned are great!
7. Frank - I love If It’s Love and Peyton Place
8. Cool For Cats - Slap And Tickle is great, as is of course Up The Junction
9. A Round And About - the last Squeeze album I own - I enjoy the live versions of Footprints, Tempted and a much better than the single version of Annie Get Your Gun.
I don’t own any other Squeeze albums, but I also enjoy Difford and Tilbrook’s ‘solo’ album from 1984 - it’s the bridge to Cosi Fan, in that it, again has a very 80s production.
Thanks for this episode! One of the best all time bands! Cosi one of my favorites ever btw!
This was great lads. Although I don't agree with some of your lower ranked albums, for example, Cosi Fan Tuttti Frutti, which I hated at the time of release. The Laurie Latham production made it sound like a Paul Young album, however with time I have grown to really like it a lot more with the song No Place Like Home being one of my top 10 favourite Squeeze singles. I totally agree with your No. 1 choice Argy Bargy. It's the perfect match of the cheeky chappy Squeeze with the more mature East Side Story Squeeze and as such is my no. 1 Squeeze album.
I agree about Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti, No Place Like Home and Last Time Forever are 2 of the very best, most elegant songs they ever made (both in my Top 5). I Learned How to Pray is plenty good too. Hit of the Year is an example of a half-baked song, some of it is brilliant, the rest like they gave up. But most of the rest are very poor.
Yes, Cosi is actually excellent. Up there with their best.
Excellent discussion. I grew up in awe of SINGLES 45s & UNDER, just obsessed with every incredible track and it was only recently (and inexplicable) that i decided to go deep dive on all the full albums. I, for one, love SQUEEZE the debut, love it's chaos and weirdness, and the fact that *everybody* (the critics, fans, the band themselves) dislikes it makes me like it even more.. so good call, Jason. Excited to check out "The Knowledge" 👍
So glad you made this list.
Interesting to hear your take on Squeeze. I was obsessed with them in the 80s (during Babylon and On era) despite being a child but everything after Frank I don't like; so it was good to see you mostly agree with me. Joe's top 5 is my top 5 but in a different order and Jason had 4 of my 5 (shame on you for hating Babylon). Most old school Squeeze fans would agree with a lot of your list.
I like Squeeze very much. Some of the best songwriting is from that late 70s/early 80s era. I'm thinking of Costello, Nick Lowe, Difford and Tilbrook. Loved the video guys
loved the last minute surprise guest! Nice list - great band!
Pretty damn good band! I need to check out the rest of their stuff when possible because I really like what I’ve heard so far! 🙂
Thanks guys, enjoyed the video though disagreed with most of it. Funnily enough even though I was a Squeeze fan pretty much from the start, I loved Cosi Fan when it first came out. I also loved Frank. I could be mistaken but from your commentary it maybe doesn't sound as if you considered the lyrics too carefully, which I've always thought is key to appreciating what Squeeze did. Even though quite a bit of the music on Play is upbeat, a lot of the lyrics are dark and anguished (mainly as Difford by now was approaching the brick wall with depression and alcoholism). Nice video though, enjoyed it.
Admittedly I probably didn’t have enough time to really get deep into the lyrics. I definitely focus on the music elements. I’ll have to get a little deeper into it when we redo the list in like... 3 years. Appreciate the comment! - JS
I second this. This was our first attempt at talking about a band that we weren't all that familiar with outside of a few records. It's super fun to immerse yourself into a band's discography for a few weeks, but its definitely not enough time to get intimately familiar with each record. So, think of this video as a first reaction rather than a definitive list.
@@jasonreis229 I think revisiting the albums you didn't like and see how they've "aged" would be interesting....(Don't think it will help "Domino" and "UK Squeeze" much but albums like Ridiculous, Frank, Cosi, Play ...I think you'll find they'll grow on you...
@@dinopappous6639 Cosi is definitely a high point of Squeeze discography.
I've been a Squeeze fan since 1980 , and I think that you did a great job covering their catalogue . I concur with you choice for best Squeeze album , Argy Bargy . It would be in my top 50 favourite albums . I also think that it's one of the best albums of the 80s . If someone asked me what power pop is all about , I would say listen to Argy Bargy . My top 10 list in order of preference :
Argy Bargy
East Side Story
Cool for Cats. ( sorry , Ryan )
Squeeze
Sweets from a Stranger
Some Fantastic Place
Babylon and On
Frank
Cradle to the Grave
Ridiculous
Cheers !!
Ive. got. a mint condition copy of East side story sat next to Elvis Costello 😎 it's on the turntable now 🌏
Cool for cats is my personal favorite with east side as a close second
same
I have to disagree on Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti : I love it. One of their strongest batches of songs. There's no way I would rank it lower than N°3 or 4. For me, it's up there with East Side and Argy Bargy. Production is good. Doesn't bother me one bit at least.
Oh, and the Difford&Tilbrook album was also excellent...
Excellent, insightful, articulate analysis. Worth highlighting that Squeeze is more of a London band rather than a British band.
I’m afraid that distinction is lost on someone like myself. Care to elaborate? - JS
I'd elaborate still further and stress that Squeeze were a South-London band!
@@jamesgriffithsmusic I'd elaborate even further and say that they were a South-East London band. I grew up there right along side them and I think that's been a big part of the attraction for me. I was always a bit bemused by the references to Clapham Common though - Clapham? that's far too West . . . .
Although Squeeze's songs always had a London "feel," it's Diff's more recent songs which are largely about his childhood and growing up that are most familiar to me. I guess it's a kind of nostalgia, but his references to Greenwich, "patchouli," the gasworks (were I used to work and is now the site of the O2 dome) the (Black) heath and Maryon Wilson Park all give the songs a special poignancy for me.
I thoroughly enjoyed your rankings and thought you guys did a great job especially for anyone wanting to check out Squeeze for the first time. They never got a huge following in the states and being a big fan since I was 9, I often felt like I was the only one who knew about them in America. I’m partial to the early stuff myself but other albums like Frank and Cosi have a special place in my heart too. It took me a long time to get into Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti and appreciate it for what it is but it is and has been one of my favorite records by them just for how different it really is. The production sums up the “1980’s sound” for sure so it’s definitely not for everyone. A little unknown fact is there are actually two versions of Cosi. The first “England” pressing has extended endings/mixes of half the songs but they were shortened for the American release and subsequent pressings. Also, the first album, U.K., is strange in that it was John Cale telling the band what he wanted to hear or how they should write (even directing Chris Difford on lyrical content) rather than the band actually doing their own thing. The only “real” Squeeze song on the album is Take Me I’m Yours because Cale wasn’t in the studio that day. Your placement of Argybargy in my opinion was right where it belonged, such a great and classic record. I also thought you guys were very kind towards some of their later recordings which I find unlistenable and I’m a big fan of the group! All in all a very entertaining ranking of the bands albums for a Squeeze fan. Thanks!!
Interesting to hear a longtime fan like yourself not liking the new stuff. I thought the most recent two were pretty darn good considering they were made 40 years or so after the band started. - Joe
I saw them right after HS in ‘85 (with the Hooters who had just broken big). They clearly didn’t have mainstream appeal as we all pretty much had front-row viewing. But man did they play! One of my favorite nights of music! These guys were truly originals. East Side Story pulled me in and so lucky for that!
Aside from Greatest Hit albums I honestly only know these 6:
6. Babylon And On
5. Cosi Fan Tutti-frutti (I honestly LOVE this one)
4. Sweets From A Stranger
3. Cool For Cats
2. East Side Story
1. Argy Bargy
Plenty of good albums, but they definitely have one album that stands out from the rest.
15. Domino (1998) ★½
14. Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti (1985) ★½
13. Ridiculous (1996) ★★
12. Play (1991) ★★
11. Spot the Difference (2010) ★★½
10. Babylon and On (1987) ★★½
9. Cradle to the Grave (2015) ★★★
8. Frank (1989) ★★★
7. Some Fantastic Place (1993) ★★★
6. The Knowledge (2017) ★★★½
5. Squeeze (1978) ★★★½
4. Sweets From a Stranger (1982) ★★★½
3. Cool for Cats (1979) ★★★★
2. East Side Story (1981) ★★★★
1. Argybargy (1980) ★★★★★
★★★★★ - Masterpiece
★★★★½ - Really great
★★★★ - Great
★★★½ - Really good
★★★ - Good
★★½ - OK
★★ - Bad
★½ - Really bad
★ - Awful
½ - The worst
Just thought I would let you know Glen Tilbrook does the guitar solos on their albums. Difford is the lyric guy and Glen is the music guy. There is a RUclips video of a live concert from 1978 and you can see him in action.
Cool, thanks for the tip. Kinda had a feeling it was Tilbrook but wasn't sure. Will definitely have to check out that video!
@@TastesLikeMusic, actually just checked, video was from 1981.
@@TastesLikeMusic If you want to see how special Tilbrook is on guitar, check this out. ruclips.net/video/bQBjdXBJ1Xk/видео.html
Loooove Squeeze! Super underrated band
Agree with most of your picks. Also wish They showcased Glenn Tilbrook‘s awesome guitar skills more often. If you ever get a chance to see one of his solo shows, don't pass it up!
His guitar heroics are definitely underused in the band. - JS
You need to know who played lead guitar. Its Glenn not Chris and he plays lead while singing 90 pct of the songs. Chris writes the lyrics and Glenn the melody...Frank to me is in the top 5. Poorly promoted. Play and Cosi sound better when the band plays live. Fan since 1981 when they and AFOS blew the speakers off Madison Square Garden..Love Cradle not so much The Knowledge. Thanks for posting.
I think Hourglass was a bigger hit in Canada than the US, that's when I first heard them. After 853-5937 was released, I bought the cassette. At the time I didn't really get them, beyond those two singles, but today I really like Babylon and On. Definitely worth revisiting!
1. Argy Bargy 2. Cool for Cats 3. East Side Story
Enjoyed the show. I have been following Squeeze for 40 years and most of your picks are pretty accurate. The only two I would disagree with would be Frank and Babylon and on. These have the classic squeeze sound.
My top five would be
1) Frank
2) Argybargy
3) Cool for Cats
4) East Side Story
5) Babylon and On
Frank at number one is pretty surprising. The rest looks good. - Joe
@@TastesLikeMusic Squeeze 45s and Under has one original track and its Annie Get Your Gun which is literally played at every concert and is one of their all time great..
The rare, little-heard Difford & Tilbrook self-titled "solo" album (A&M Records) from 1984 is well worth digging up!
Is it Squeeze-esque? What’s the closest comparison in the band’s catalogue?
@@TastesLikeMusic Yes, and I don't know. Well worth your listen regardless. Most of the album's songs are on YT, although I wasn't able to find the complete album in one place (just a song at a time). Feel free to start here, with "Love's Crashing Waves" (reached #57 in the UK): ruclips.net/video/_0B7Hwfc9m4/видео.html
Two things: 1) Inasmuch as Chris and Glenn were the songwriting force in Squeeze, it stands to reason it'll sound at least vaguely Squeeze-esque.
When I first got the cassette upon release, I actually didn't care if it sounded like Squeeze. All I knew is their work with Squeeze showed me the two were dynamic songwriters who knew their way around hooks-a-plenty, and I bought it sound un-heard. It's probably my favorite....uh, Squeeze album!
2) The closest comparison (if it has to sound like Squeeze for you) would, logically, be something released around the July '84 release of their duo album. "Sweets from a Stranger" was released in '82, and "Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti" (don't let that stop you!) was released in '85. Don't go by me---Enjoy on your own!
@@TastesLikeMusic I love the Difford & Tilbrook album but the production and mixing was messed up. Tony Visconti produced, but the album was taken from him at the closing stages and given to someone else to mix. The drums are way too loud and there are some nasty 80's flourishes. 3 of the songs though (Man For All Seasons, On My Mind Tonight, Hope Fell Down) are among the greatest songs D+T ever wrote, with a couple of others not too far behind.
@@jamesgriffithsmusic D and T wanted to go in a different direction..Philly soul and I believe Grandmaster Flash gave them some input as well. "Picking Up The Pieces" is a brilliant song. Difford vocals are barely audible..
I have frank and I only played it once years ago I'll have to give it another go
Frank is a very good offering that is really hard to find. Deserves a much higher placement. "Slaughtered, Gutted, and Heartbroken and Dr. Jazz both have a big Jules Holland influence. Melody Motel is a serious squeeze signature tune by Tilbrook Squeeze handed sound.
Love the band! Another nail in my heart is a clever song with an amazing guitar solo I cant imagine listening to 14 albums tho lol.....
Cool for Cats and Play are my favorites. I think East Side Story suffers from my expectations being too high when I first listened to it. I read a rave review and I expected most of the other songs on the album would be as good as the singles. It's grown on me somewhat but aside from the singles lifted from it, only 'Woman's World' had the hooks on first listen. Argybargy is a tad overrated; it's a bit short and the "....clean the spuds" line in 'Separate Beds' comes at precisely the wrong time in the song and the album, bogging it down. 'Misadventure' is partly a sped up version of the superior 'Another Nail in My Heart' and they are separated by only one song. I quite like the songs that close each side but apart from those and the excellent first three singles taken from it (which includes the American only release), the rest is glorified filler. Cool for Cats, by contrast, is much more flowing even if some of the songs aren't much outside the context of the album. It's a very rollicking listen. Argybargy also doesn't have any surprise gems like 'Revue' and 'Slightly Drunk'. Play is a brooding album at times and for the first and probably only time (except for Elvis Costello on East Side story) the outsourced backing vocals don't sound like too much of an intrusion. It also finishes with the band in rare mood on the last two tracks. I don't like the 'wagging tongues' effect on 'House of Love', though.
Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti is their massively underrated masterpiece.
Never heard that one. I just got Play. Very subtle. Grows on you. Sweets from A Stranger is fantastic.. Every song is good to great. Frank too is seriously overlooked.
check out Ridiculous again if only for Electric Trains and Got to Me
East Side Story is my favorite
I saw squeeze live back when I was at UConn, and Glenn Tilbrook played a lot of great guitar solos during the show. He also drank a lot of Heinekens. He has a great stage presence, at least he did in 1989
And quite amazing appeal solo in 1993 too! 💔
My list worst to best:
The Knowledge
Cradle to the Grave
Squeeze
Cool for Cats
Cosi Fan Tutti
Domino
Argy Bargy
East Side Story
Ridiculous
Sweets From a Stranger
Play
Some Fantastic Place
Babylon and On
Frank
cosi fan tutti frutti is my fav...everyone hates that album...lol
That’s okay. We don’t judge.
I don’t! It was the first Squeeze album I heard, and I still love it - although it’s hard to track down on CD. The production is very lush, but personally I’ve always loved Laurie Latham’s work with Paul Young, Squeeze and The Stranglers from that era.
Listening to Cosi Fan was what brought me to this video!
I love Cosi.
Cosi rewards a deep dive
The reviewers are too young to have experienced them while in their pomp. So they don't know the impact of the albums at the time, which is important. Just FYI. But I'll carry on and give them a chance on Squeeze and others.
Where would you put the Difford & Tilbrook album?
Haven’t listened! - Joe
Not so sure about your point at 1:50...."Easy to see why they weren't so big in the US because they were British sounding"....and the Beatles weren't ?
Frank was the best album!
You got Play all wrong
You are like the first ones dont like the 80s sound -I never did that in the 80s and still dont do...mostly almost
Squeeze were more of a singles band, not Album. They probably only have 3-4 Great Album.
14 albums in 28 minutes?! Definitely rushed through this one.
Back in the good old days where we didn’t talk for an hour about every record. - Joe
Album ranking is difficult across the spectrum of years, life stages, and personnel.
But East Side Story was robbed.
Wasn’t that our number 2?
@@TastesLikeMusic As I said... It was robbed 😀. I love Argybargy's singles (and not singles) but ESS is a more complete album.
You’re so wrong!!
Don’t think so!!!!