Customer Reviews

Up Escalator

5 star:		(8)
4 star:		(4)
3 star:		(2)
2 star:		(0)
1 star:		(1)

 

 

I wholeheartedly agree with reviewer Prymel's thoughts (see review below): `The Up Escalator' is a woefully underappreciated gem - and would definitely get the nod as my favorite Graham Parker and the Rumour album. While `Squeezing Out Sparks' is lauded left and right - and is probably the only one of Parker's discs a casual fan could name - `The Up Escalator' has languished in obscurity, despite all the makings of a breakthrough album.

Consider: Producer Jimmy Iovine (Tom Petty's `Damn the Torpedoes', Dire Straits' `Making Movies', Bruce Springsteen's `Born to Run') brings his breathtaking panoramic sound to the table, recording the musicians live in the studio - giving the album his telltale larger-than-life stamp. This is an ideal compliment to the Rumour's superb backing, as they were always a top-notch live band. The guitar parts are interlocking like gears, and the rhythm section sounds crisp and clear - sidestepping the muddy production that often afflicted earlier GP+R releases.

Springsteen himself contributes backing vocals to the great (and Sprignsteen-esque) "Endless Night". E Street Band member Danny Federici (organ) and noted session pianist Nicky Hopkins (The Rolling Stones' `Exile on Main Street', The Who's `By Numbers') replace departed Rumour keyboardist Bob Andrews, providing their signature sounds to the proceedings.

The songs are all simultaneously catchy and full of vitriol, ranking them among Parker's best. As Prymel astutely notes, every song has an infectious hook, with "No Holding Back", "Stupefaction", and "Jolie Jolie" taking top honors. The album's centerpiece, "Empty Lives", is a bile-spewing rail seemingly directed against everyone within listening distance who has ever questioned Parker's abilities - and kept him from the stardom he deserved. As a piece of sonic and lyrical outrage, it is almost without peer.

Most Graham Parker fans gravitate towards 1979's "Squeezing Out Sparks" as his finest achievment, but I respectfully disagree. "The Up Escalator" has been one of my favorite rock/pop albums ever since it was released; it's incredible to me that this album never received greater recognition. It is filled with wonderfully melodic, intelligently constructed rock that is an absolute joy to listen to. Virtually every song has a killer hook, with "No Holding Back" and "Jolie Jolie" being particularly vibrant standouts. I was thrilled to see this album being reissued. Pick this one up if you can, it's simply fantastic.

Though "Squeezing Out Sparks" is considered to be the best GP album, this nearly flawless follow-up is, for my money, even better. The only criticism I have is that it is a trifle formulaic, attempting to simulate the success of "Sparks" by having similar-sounding or similar-themed songs arranged in a similar sequence to its fabled predecessor. Nonetheless, there's no escaping the infectious riffs of "Stupefaction" or "No Holding Back." "Devil's Sidewalk" is a true GP gem, though often overlooked. "The Beating of Another Heart" is one of his all-time best; his duet with Springsteen on "Endless Night" soars, "Empty Lives" still stands as an archetypal Rumour-era song, and "Love Without Greed" is perhaps one of the most literate all-time insights into jealousy issues. If you study this one all the way through, there's very little wrong with it, even more than 20 years later. Makes me wonder why the Rumour split after this masterpiece -- and had they remained together, if they could have propelled GP's next effort, "Another Grey Area," to higher heights. CD bonus track, "Women in Charge" is worth having too, BTW.

This should have been Graham Parker's ride to stardom. Consider: He'd just come off a career best with Squeezing out Sparks, finally cracked the American market, had his record company squarely behind him, and they'd teamed him up with super-producer Jimmy Iovine (Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen). Parker even had a couple ace songs ready to go, with "Stupefaction" cracking the top 100. But the album faltered. While a good album overall, as GP albums go, it's a less than well remembered effort. What happened?

Part of the blame goes to Iovine. Where he managed to harness the widescreen vision and kinetic energy of both Petty and Springsteen, here the music seems restrained and muted. The clean, cutting bite that flamed from the grooves on "Squeezing Out Sparks" is muddled here, one dimensional. The much ballyhooed collaboration with Springsteen came on a song that made little sense. Bob Andrews' departure sapped some of the character from the sound; Nicky Hopkins' piano sounds phoned in, even distracting on the otherwise fine "The Beating Of Another Heart,"

That's not to say the songs are bad, some rank among Parker's best. To this day the memory of GP and The Rumour giving a camera melting performance of "Empty Lives" on the late-night show "Fridays" strikes me as one of the most incredible live rock moments on television. Both "No Holding Back" and "Stupefaction" are engaging, while, for all its banality, "Endless Night" kicks. Throughout the album, The Rumour plays it sharp and solid, even if the murky production has them fighting for air. Momentum made this album match the #40 chart peak of "Sparks," but it couldn't maintain the fascination that the earlier album did. Given that Parker and The Rumour parted ways afterwards (the Jack Douglas produced Another Grey Area was done with session cats), "The Up Escalator" stands as the official end of Graham Parker's angry young man days.

The boy is becoming a man. Punk energy, anger still generate anthems, but urgency eases out steadiness; toughness increases, but so does uncertainty; demands increase as hope falters. Bitterness peeks through for first time, but GP's giant heart continues to pour over everything. Quintessential GP + Rumour. Tough, tight, soulful, passionate anthems. Towers over anything being made today. Almost all tracks are classics. Stand-out: tr 10--(Can't have) Love without greed.

This should have been Graham Parker's ride to stardom. Consider: He'd just come off a career best with Squeezing out Sparks, finally cracked the American market, had his record company squarely behind him, and they'd teamed him up with super-producer Jimmy Iovine (Tom Petty, Bruce Springsteen). Parker even had a couple ace songs ready to go, with "Stupefaction" cracking the top 100. But the album faltered. While a good album overall, as GP albums go, it's a less than well remembered effort. What happened?

Part of the blame goes to Iovine. Where he managed to harness the widescreen vision and kinetic energy of both Petty and Springsteen, here the music seems restrained and muted. The clean, cutting bite that flamed from the grooves on "Squeezing Out Sparks" is muddled here, one dimensional. The much ballyhooed collaboration with Springsteen came on a song that made little sense. Bob Andrews' departure sapped some of the character from the sound; Nicky Hopkins' piano sounds phoned in, even distracting on the otherwise fine "The Beating Of Another Heart,"

That's not to say the songs are bad, some rank among Parker's best. To this day the memory of GP and The Rumour giving a camera melting performance of "Empty Lives" on the late-night show "Fridays" strikes me as one of the most incredible live rock moments on television. Both "No Holding Back" and "Stupefaction" are engaging, while, for all its banality, "Endless Night" kicks. Throughout the album, The Rumour plays it sharp and solid, even if the murky production has them fighting for air. Momentum made this album match the #40 chart peak of "Sparks," but it couldn't maintain the fascination that the earlier album did. Given that Parker and The Rumour parted ways afterwards (the Jack Douglas produced Another Grey Area was done with session cats), "The Up Escalator" stands as the official end of Graham Parker's angry young man days.

Most critics look to "Howlin' Wind" and "Squeezing Out Sparks" as the best that Graham Parker did, and it's hard to argue with that. It's my contention that this is probably the most overlooked of his releases, and the fact that it took over 10 years to get it on CD bears that out. From the opening rave-up of "No Holding Back" through such great tunes as "Stupefaction," "Empty Lives," "No Holding Back" (yep, that's Bruce Springsteen singing backing vocals on that song--my brother the Springsteen fan never catches that), it's a great New Wave album, much as Parker didn't care for that label (or the one that lumped him with Elvis Costello and Joe Jackson as an Angry Young Man). Very little is ever mentioned about how strong a backup group the Rumour was, and, much like Elvis Costello without The Attractions, Parker did his best stuff when he had them backing him up. It's a great release, one that any Graham Parker fan should own, and a good starting point to discover an artist who never really got his share of fame.

"Up Escalator" is simply a great album. Endless Night, the track featuring Mr. Springsteen on backing vocal, is rip-roarin'; never fails to raise the hair on the back of my neck.

I bought this Way Back When as a bargain-bin cutout. I'd love to own the CD.

If you enjoyed my review, please be sure to visit my wishlist and buy me a copy of "Up Escalator," as my turntable is no more.

Oh and get a copy for yourself while you're at it!

Thanking you in advance,
Kaz

THE UP ESCALATOR takes you to the top floor of Graham Parker's work. "Stupefaction" was a rock-radio hit at the time, but now you don't hear it even as a classic-rock oldie (today's airwaves got mercury poisoning). Bruce Springsteen co-wrote and sang on "Endless Night," not people started yelling, "Bruuuuce," at Parker concerts. Throughout THE UP ESCALATOR, Graham Parker and the Rumour play premium power pop. Except for GP's power-struggle lyrics, you could call THE UP ESCALATOR commercial. I call it one of my favorite albums.

When I got out of high school in the 78-80 period there was about a dozen wonderful albums that have never been topped or duplicated in my opinion-the first four Elvis Costello albums are incredible, the Pretenders debut,Joe jackson's first 2, Springsteen's Darkness At The Edge Of Town & Petty's Damn The Torpedoes where they never again sang with such raw power and urgency & Parkers Squeezing Out Sparks and The Up escalator. This album is on the same level with SOS which is considered his masterpiece-Empty Lives and Jolie Jolie are as powerful as R&R can get. Maneuvers, Paralyzed and Stupefaction aren't far behind. The album is a must have and I think that only Parker, Costello, Weller and Springsteen have a body of work that can rise to the stratospheric level of the greatest 60's artists.