The prompt for this column has been to try and answer the question “What is new wave?” based on a specific list of the Top 50 albums in the genre. Through the many twists and turns, I’ve found a lot of great bands emerging with their own unique sound, but I’d argue very few have a ubiquity with the shorthand I’d use to define it. Sometimes it’s because they lean more 60s rock or second wave ska. They can verge into a style more reminiscent of goth or prog rock that is weird and fun, but is it what you think of when you want to define new wave?
There was a point early into Squeeze’s “Argybargy” where I became giddy at the revelation that I had found it. This is one of the records that should be considered when introducing somebody to new wave music. It’s not only in the sound, but the presentation that finds some of the richest lyrics that I’ve covered in quite a few releases. It’s the subversive mix of something old and new with a curiosity towards the esoteric like The B-52s. What Squeeze lacks in being a concept band like Devo or Buggles, they more than make up for with these sticky pop songs that mix love with a contemporary British malaise. It’s insightful and sarcastic with a hint of punk mentality. The whole record is affectionate and rebellious in equal measure, and adds into why I love it so much.
Another thing that’s fun about Squeeze is that their story is not the cliché new wave arc that has been covered several times. While it’s true that they would have a Mid-80s break-up, it would immediately lead to two reunions that lasted 14 and 17+ years respectively. Their presence in music is undeniable and while I wasn’t familiar with the band, I knew of keyboardist Jools Holland thanks to his prominent BBC2 TV series Later… with Jools Holland. There is some legacy that has outlasted the band and the more that I did research, the more I realized how prominent of a U.K. export they actually are. While I may not know their name, I definitely have heard their contributions in some fashion.
This narrative becomes amusing once accounting for how haphazardly Squeeze was assembled. Guitarist Chris Difford claims that in 1973 he stole 50p from his mother to put out a want ad for a guitarist in a sweetshop window. Despite the suggestion that he had a band, he was flying solo until guitarist Glenn Tilbrook became the only person to reply. They would go on to hire Holland and create the band known as Squeeze by 1974. While Holland would also split time with being a session musician, he would help the band mold into its official form. Also in the group was drummer Gilson Lavis who had previously toured with Chuck Berry and Jerry Lee Lewis among others. After going through a series of names, Squeeze settled on their name based on The Velvet Underground album of the same name. By some luck, their first E.P. in 1978 was co-produced by John Cale for A&M Records. With that said, their early hit singles “Take Me I’m Yours” and “Bang Bang” were produced by the band due to Cale being seen as uncommercial.
One of the few hindrances early in their career involved the generic nature of their name. While they would be the prominent Squeeze in The U.K., other markets like The United States and Canada would label them UK Squeeze in order to separate them from a similarly named band called The Squeeze. Even then, their success couldn’t be denied as their debut album and its follow-up “Cool for Cats” produced hit songs likes “Up the Junction.” Given that album’s success, they brought producer John Wood back for their next album, 1980’s “Argybargy.” Keeping with the trend of being somewhat lost in translation, they were encouraged to change the record’s name due to the expression not being known in other markets. Belligerently, they kept the name.
The band’s appeal can be summarized by the founding members. The duo, known as Difford & Tilbrook, were responsible for most of the music and lyrics for the band. Given their affection for bands like The Kinks and The Beatles, their sound was more personalized and found an eagerness to play with musical capabilities. There are points on the record that sound directly lifted from 1950s rock music akin to Buddy Holly. Even with its retro aesthetic, a lot of the lyrics captured a contemporary sensibility that wasn’t afraid to be darker or more sarcastic. For as fun as the record is, there’s an introspection that makes the youthful shenanigans sound more profound.
Evidence can be seen on “Pulling Mussels (From the Shell).” Based on Difford’s experiences at a holiday camp, the listener is introduced to a band who musically sound joyous but lyrically hide some deeper angst. The way that Difford & Tilbrook create a portrait of modern England that is full of odd detail feels reminiscent of Split Enz. Just as much as the catchy hook, the listener is encouraged to figure out their references to things like Harold Robbins and William Tell. The beach is full of colorful characters including topless ladies and a he-man in the shower. Somewhere in all this is a reflection of larger shallowness. The indirect approach allows for an interpretation of isolation that is altered by “pulling mussels” with a woman. The fact it’s placed into the context of Maid Marian reflects how winking the band will become as the record progresses.
Another reason that I love this record is how they treat solos. While the instrumentation by itself has a conventional catchiness, the solos always caught me off guard. Where most bands would be fine throwing in a guitar here or there, the sudden shift to Holland’s keyboard riff is a thrilling recontextualization of what came before. It’s a jubilant reminder that the band is rambunctious and wants to challenge the form. Even their guitar solo on “Another Nail in My Heart” is shocking as it comes after the first verse.
Though what make the record especially new wave is how it builds on the familiar. I believe that the genre is as much an ode to their influences as it is finding a new direction. At times new wave has been about redefining what’s compelling about rock music. Most people have uses synthesizers though it can also be a lyrical shift from the norm. More than anything, it can be defined by asking why it’s in the Top 40 or appearing on MTV. New wave is supposed to be odd, and let me just say that the record is very odd without losing an accessibility.
It’s the way Squeeze uses a marimba on “Another Nail in My Heart.” It’s the way “Farfisa Beat” is dedicated to a specific type of electronic organ while name checking a series of fads that are meant to embody the youthful thrills of dancing. It’s in “Vicky Verky” where they sing about a woman who is wandering the streets with someone they love and have it sound like this frivolous dream mixed with uncertainty. I also love how “Separate Beds” reflects a couple who, despite emotional compatibility, are doomed by opposing parents. The fun twist is that her parents disagree but his parents are cool. The song reflects a new wrinkle about how generations see each other, reflecting a view that’s less one dimensional and highlights Difford & Tilbrook’s ability to tweak small phrases to capture greater ideas. The parents may be the same age and are described using the same words, but the song succeeds in finding relief after initial disappointment, suggesting an optimism that might not have been present during the first verse.
If there’s one song that doesn’t quite win me over, it’s “Wrong Side of the Moon.” While this could be because Holland receives writing credit, it might just be that it sounds more novelty compared to the instrumentally diverse songs around it. In keeping with the title, it feels a bit distant and alien, feeling closer to a joke song than the balanced mix of layered emotions that keep you invested in the other 10 tracks. It’s not a bad song, but it feels the most indebted to the lyrical concept and it demands you recognize its cleverness. Maybe it’s also because it lacks the orchestration of the other tracks and never quite achieves a subversiveness.
Overall, “Argybargy” is a great new wave record that captures the essence of the genre. While there are bands doing more interesting things, I’d argue Squeeze is the most immersive listen you can have. It covers most of your bases and fully embodies this mentality that anything is possible. Every song brings about new ideas that feel like rock music being pushed to welcome instrumental shifts. Why can’t there be more pianos and marimbas? Why can’t a pop hook be about the miseries of being young in Britain? This is by no means a political record about rebellion, but it still feels urgent. There is a vitality that can be felt even 45 years later. Squeeze may not have been the most popular export stateside, but they still have an undeniable passion.
The story from here gets a little muddled, but ultimately leans positive. Following some negative reviews for later albums, Squeeze would go on hiatus in 1982. During this time, Holland would become a TV personality while Difford & Tilbrook released an album that many considered “the lost Squeeze album.” They would reunite in 1985 and continue releasing music until 1999 before taking another break until 2007. Holland would become a regular TV host with his 1992 show Later… with Jools Holland which runs to this day. Everyone has also collaborated on various projects in the decades since with Difford & Tilbrook becoming a prominent songwriting duo.
In terms of bands who have been called “The Next Beatles,” I think that Squeeze is one that’s closer to an appropriate answer. They make more sense than somebody like Oasis who feel more trapped by a very specific sound. At least based on “Argybargy,” I get the sense that Squeeze wants to challenge the form and create pop tunes about some unexpected topics. I don’t know that this record has anything as accessible as The Beatles at their peak, but it gives me hope of looking through their catalog and finding something that’s truly profound. For now, I’m happy to have a very well-produced new wave album that inspires hope and curiosity with the medium.
Coming Up Next: Elvis Costello & The Attractions – “This Year’s Model” (1978)
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