SQUEEZE
A Round and a Bout

Q magazine, May 1990
Rating: *** (out of 5)
Review by Paul Davies

Recorded earlier this year at Newcastle City Hall and Hammersmith Odeon, Squeeze's first live LP coincides with the departure of groovy feller Jools Holland to pastures new (again). The selection of stage favourites and hit singles is culled from various stages of the group's career and illustrates what an enduring body of work they have already bequeathed to the nation, even if the oft-touted songwriting parallels with Lennon and McCartney may prove to be a trifle fanciful in the long run. What set(s) Squeeze apart from their immediate contemporaries, aside from their ability to knock out delicious pop melodoes (sic) at will, was the inspired vocal interplay between downbeat Difford and silver-tongued Tilbrook, and the warm-hearted humanity they brought to their deft snapshots of everyday domestic disharmony. And while the omission of Another Nail In My Heart is a minor annoyance, there is plenty to savour in the choice of Pulling Mussels From a Shell, Black Coffee In Bed, Labelled With Love, Annie Get Your Gun, and Tempted amongst the 10 tracks on the LP (both cassette and CD versions contain extra tracks).