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| From | "Rick McCall" <rmccall@cox-internet.com> |
| Subject | Re: squeeze play |
| Date | Tue, 28 Jan 2003 11:47:13 -0600 |
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Counterpoint...
Play is one of my favorite Squeeze albums. To my ears, the songs are
mature, textured, clever and very melodic. It also includes one of the best
Squeeze songs ever, IMHO, There Is A Voice, which leaps from light-hearted
major chords in the verses to ominous, loud, minor chords in the chorus. It
is like a sudden thunderstorm strike out of nowhere. Magnificent!
In regard to melody, again, my opinion is that Play has some of the
strongest Squeeze has put together in years. House of Love clips right
along memorably, Cupid's Toy is a wonderful melancholy examination of
arrogance, Walk A Straight Line is a beautiful acoustic plea for help and
Wicked and Cruel is a tune that bounces around in my head for days after I
listen (that may say something about me instead of the song). I find no
Wham! comparisons anywhere, but that's just me.
One of Dave's observations may put the whole Squeeze catalog in perspective.
As their songwriting has evolved over the years (and that can be good or bad
or neither), they have slowly moved away from the more poppy, bouncy feel of
the albums Dave mentioned to an overall slower, more textured and intricate
approach. One early foray into that style was Cosi Fan Tutti Frutti, which
the critics despised, having been accustomed to the earlier Squeeze sound.
Not taking this comparison any further than this statement, but Squeeze
seems to me to parallel the Beatles as far as how they crafted songs early
in their career, compared to how they did so late in their career. I still
like both early and late Beatles and early and late Squeeze.
I guess the old adage is true - one person's trash is another person's
treasure. Good post, Dave.
Rick
----- Original Message -----
From: "Seaman, Dave" <seamand@MSX.UPMC.EDU>
To: <audities@smoe.org>
Sent: Tuesday, January 28, 2003 11:18 AM
Subject: squeeze play
> recently picked up Squeeze's "Play" CD in the bargain bin, and just can't
> get into it. I really like the 3 early Squeeze albums i have: Argy Bargy,
> East Side Story and (to a lesser extent) Sweets from a Stranger. but i
> think this '91 release sounds a bit too slick/Wham!/80s to me. and more
> importantly, i don't think the songs are there. after about 3-4 listens,
> very little is sticking. i think the songs are stuck in that "let me
force
> all these tons of words that chris gave me to music at the expense of
truly
> memorable melody/flow/structure/songcraft" rut that Squeeze sometimes
> (often?) gets into. i mean, they have always been too wordy for their own
> good IMHO, but i have forgiven that and liked Squeeze in the past because
> the entire packaged worked. but put all of the weaknesses (that i found
on
> Play) together on one cd, and Wham! -- Play goes into my "no-play" pile.
>
> (okay, i may burn Sunday Street and one or two other of the better songs
> onto a comp first.)
>
> any comments from others? agree? disagree? squeezaholics flame away?
>
> any suggestions on post-80s releases from Squeeze that come recommended?
i
> would like to find some more recent Squeeze that i can enjoy...
>
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