Everyone knows the Squeeze for their hits "Tempted" and "Black Coffee in Bed" (and for those of us who were wandering around in diapers at their debut, we can thank Reality Bites for re-introducing Generation [blech!] Yers to these 80's gems. 

When I recently purchased two Squeeze albums at the record shop, I had only intended to buy their hit LP "East Side Story,' but in my excitement, I accidentally grabbed the album immediately behind it, as well. I managed to pay for my new stack of records without realizing a renegade LP had snuck into the bunch; in fact, I didn't realize the mistake until several days later. The album in question was Squeeze's 1982 follow-up full length, "Sweets from a Stranger."

And that's the short story of how I ended up with two Squeeze albums--one outstanding and one mediocre. The error commits me to making a special Squeeze post, even though I don't have much to say about the band or their music. In other words, I'm just posting these tracks so I don't feel like such an idiot. So, please, do me a favor and download them, okay?

Let's start with a few lesser-known tracks of 1981's "East Side Story":

1.  "Piccadilly" - Squeeze

2. "Is That Love" - Squeeze

3. "Mumbo Jumbo" - Squeeze 

Elvis Costello produced this album, and he made his mark on each and every track. Slick synthesizers, refined but punk-ish guitar riffs, and a charming, boyish quality to each track's composition. I heart Piccadilly, especially the last 1/3 of the track, when the back-up vocals echo the lead's line: "Heart like a gun was just half of the battle."

"Is That Love" is the perfect song for a break-up mix. 'Nuff said.

"Mumbo Jumbo" really, really sounds like upbeat Elvis Costello to me. It's uncanny, but I'm not complaining. Anyway, this is just another song written by boys about girls. Interesting composition. Great bass line.

Here's a couple tracks from the accidental purchase, "Sweets from a Stranger," released in 1982:

1. "I Can't Hold On" - Squeeze

2. "Points of View" - Squeeze

For the most part, Sweets from a Stranger's major downfall is over-production. Where East Side Story is balanced, innovative and complex, Sweet's is crowded, contrived and pretentious. But there are exceptions. Two tracks that stand out are posted above.  

 -- Jess