East Side Story

Squeeze

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 12, 1995)
• Original Release Date: May 1981
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: A&M
• ASIN: B000002GC8
• In-Print Editions: MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.4 out of 5 stars See all reviews (18 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #122,082 in Music (See Bestsellers in Music)

Editorial Reviews

Amazon.com
It's a rare pop band that can fit the word quintessence neatly into a song, but the duo of Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook--the heart of Squeeze--do so with ease. There's a good reason that they've been hailed as the best British songwriting team since Lennon and McCartney, and if they've never scaled the heights of fame--or of grandeur--that their forebears did, well, that's OK. East Side Story may not be Squeeze's greatest album--their 1982 hits collection, Singles: 45's and Under, may take that honor--it does have their most memorable song, "Tempted." Strangely enough, the tune was written by then-keyboardist Paul Carrack (with Tilbrook and producer Elvis Costello) and sung by Carrack. The rest of the album remains strong, buoyed by the group's bouncy outlook, Costello and coproducer Roger Bechiran's prodding the group in new directions, and hints of the new-wave-influenced sound Squeeze would develop years later on Babylon and On. --Randy Silver

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars THE Definitive English Pop Album, November 30, 1999

By A Customer

This is without question my favorite album by my favorite band - SQUEEZE. Each track is incredibly different yet the album flows like no other. From the straight ahead pop of "In Quintessence" to the Patsy Cline-ish "Labelled With Love", every song is a gem. Glenn Tilbrook's voice and lead guitar are in fine form, and Chris Difford adds his usual dark edge and humor to the record. Strangely enough, "Tempted" is probably my least favorite cut from the record - I've always though it sounded better in concert with Glenn singing rather than Paul Carrack. Gilson Lavis and John Bentley provide a stellar rhythm section - check out the bass playing on "Someone Else's Heart", and the drum fills on "Mumbo Jumbo". I love this record - I wore out the grooves on the album, and the CD still gets regular airplay in my house. Just a batch of great songs - not a clunker in the bunch....check it out!

2 of 2 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ...one of the great pop albums of all time, January 9, 1999

By A Customer

When I first bought "East Side Story" in 1981, it didn't leave my turn table for over a month. Living in a city which at the time was starving for new music, being hung up on the tired 70's rock and disco, this album was a breath of fresh air. "In Quintessesnce", "Piccadilly", "Is That Love" to name a few of this album's many great cuts are excellent pop songs. It is a shame that "Tempted" is the cut that received all the airplay from the album, because there are at least a half a dozen superior songs on "East Side Story". While some times dark and moody, this album contains some of pop's great lyrics and melodies. Based on this release, as song writers, Chris Difford and Glen Tilbrook were considered by some to be the next Lennon and McCartney. While an unfair comparison from either perspective, Tilbrook's sweet vocals and catchy melodies when merged with Difford's insightful lyrics created many songs to rival some of the Beatles best mid-sixties work. This is a must CD for anyone interested the late seventies/early eighties New Wave sound. Other great Squeeze releases include, "Cool for Cats", "Argybargy", and "Sweets from a Stranger".

1 of 1 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars High Quality Squeeze!, April 16, 2005

By	Andre S. Grindle "Andre' Grindle" (Brewer Maine) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

'East Side Story',Squeeze's fourth album is the only one to feature keyboard player Paul Carrack.This album has one big US pop hit but it's a BIG one-"Tempted" not only sets a nearly impossible standard to high songcraft for them but the soulful,gospel drenched piano and organ playing of Carrack give the catchy song a great classic 60's soul feel.The album is fairly diverse although "In Quintessence","Picadilly","Woman's World" and "Someone Else's Bell" stick very closely to Squeeze's classic economical retro 60's pop/rock style.Elvis Costello and Dave Edmunds also make a guest appearance resulting in the wistful country-western of "Labelled With Love"-the album's big British hit and (sadly) it deserved a better American fate-it's a very catchy tune."Vanity Fair" probably sparked some Beatles comparasins with it's symphony orchestra backdrop and classy lyricism and it's a valid statement.The album closes with Glen Tillbrook's catchy rockabilly of "Messin' Around".Meanwhile "Someone Else's Heart","There's No Tomorrow" and "F-Hole" are all great rock grooves with great basslines.So it being said that 'East Side Story' is not without it's adherants this would be an excellent first Squeeze CD to own if you don't have any music by them.If you already do get it anyway-it's still a classic pop album and as close to being as purely that genre as one could want.