Squeeze - Argybargy

2007 digitally remastered deluxe edition of one of the many diamonds in the Squeeze discography. The band's third studio album was originally released in 1980 to overwhelming critical and fan acclaim. The album includes many Difford/Tilbrook standards, like "Pulling Mussels (From The Shell)", "If I Didn't Love You", "I Think I'm Go-Go" and "Another Nail In My Heart". This edition adds the bonus tracks "Funny How It Goes" and "Go" (both of which appeared on an earlier remaster) along with the single b-sides "What The Butler Saw", "Someone Else's Heart" and "Pretty One" plus "Going Crazy", "Library Girl", an alt take of "Farfisa Beat" and a demo of "If I Didn't Love You". The true bonus of this set is Disc Two, which a full live set of 19 songs recorded at The Hammersmith Odeon on March 9th, 1980 featuring the band in their prime! Universal. Album Description

Main Squeeze...

Without doubt, Argybargy was Squeeze's best album. Intelligent, catchy, witty, and most importantly lots of fun. Casual fans need only their Greatest Hits collection, but if you want to delve a little deeper, Argybargy is the one you want. August 13, 2008

Terrific record gets sound it deserves

Squeeze is a slightly overlooked pop treasure. They have always been a tight little outfit, and to me, this is their best. Pop fun with enough edge (remember when if if fit no category, it was "new wave?") to stay interesting over the years. The remaster brings the music back from the dead, hugely improved over the previous hatchet job. And for once, a "bonus" CD actually is. Squeeze rips through a live set, almost as much fun (and about the same running time!) as going to their shows in the 80s. Jools Holland gets more spotlight than usual, with a party-version cover of "Mess Around" that made this piano lover very happy.

Highly recommended. August 11, 2008

One of the band's masterpieces gets deluxe treatment on CD

One of Squeeze's best albums gets the deluxe treatment including a second disc from the band's pivotal Hammersmith Odeon show from 3/9/80.

The original album is on the first disc and is supplemented by nine bonus tracks including the two from the 1997 reissue/remaster plus "Pretty One", "Farfisa Beat", "Going Crazy", Library Girl", an early version of "Someone Else's Heart" produced by EC and RB and that when retooled ended up on the EC/RB produced "East Side Story" and an early working version of "If I Didn't Love You". As far as the sound goes this remaster goes good and isn't any louder/compressed than the 1997 reissue remastered by Roger Wake and Glenn Tilbrook. The dynamic range isn't quite as wide as the first CD issue but it sounds like better tapes were used for this edition and remastering engineer Frank DeLuna does a good job for a modern remaster.

The second disc features a live concert plus the Argy Bargy Radio Commercial that played in the United States (there wasn't one in the UK I guess or they couldn't locate it for this release)done by Jools Holland. It's quite amusing.

After that the concert begins and we get what appears to be the entire show minus any brief breaks between songs. We get everything from "Slap and Tickle" to their latest hits (at the time)"Pulling Mussels (From a Shell)" and the curious U.S. single choice of "If I Didn't Love You". The band covers the highlights of their previous two albums plus there's a new cover song "Mess Around" a song that Ray Charles performed.

We also get a deluxe booklet with an essay, lots of photos of memoriabilia, the complete lyrics for the original album tracks, pix of 45 sleeves, etc. I have to give credit to UMC for doing a marvelous job on the packaging.

It's a pity that all the back catalog Squeeze albums didn't get the deluxe treatment like this. Still, the reissues of "Sweets from a Stranger", "Frank" and "Ridiculous" do have a lot of bonus tracks and are an improvement over the 1997 remasters which only had two bonus tracks each.

If you're a fan of Squeeze and this album in particularly it's well worth upgrading to get the bonus tracks and the concert. Recommended. August 8, 2008

The definitive release of Argybargy, thank you UMG UK!!!

What's to say? The remastering is top-notch, all the bonus tracks you could ever want, a great live set(!), a quality booklet and packaging with great photos of the band... Get this one. July 23, 2008

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