Squeeze

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• Genre: New Wave
• Squeeze Website

About

During Squeeze's early 1980s heyday, their music epitomized the word "catchy." Led by the masterful songwriting team of Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, the group established itself with the quirky, hyperactive pop of such future New Wave classics as "Pulling Mussels (From the Shell)" and "Cool for Cats." East Side Story (1981), produced by Elvis Costello, found the lads stretching out into country, Rockabilly, orchestrated pop, and Brit-soul -- the last of which led to their signature tune "Tempted," sung by then-keyboardist Paul Carrack. Things turned a bit sour from there, with the darkly experimental Sweets from a Stranger receiving mixed reviews and leading the group to temporarily disband. Since reforming in 1985, they've continued to crank out new albums which, despite having their moments, have lacked both the bite and the shelf life of their earlier work.

- Will York