Track Listing

1. In Quintessence
2. Someone Else's Heart
3. Tempted
4. Piccadilly
5. There's No Tomorrow
6. Heaven
7. Woman's World
8. Is That Love?
9. F-Hole
10. Labelled With Love
11. Someone Else's Bell
12. Mumbo Jumbo
13. Vanity Fair
14. Messed Around
15. The Axe Has Now Fallen
16. Looking For A Love

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #26614 in Music
• Released on: 1998-02-02
• Number of discs: 1
• Running time: 56 minutes

Amazon.co.uk Review
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 have 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 honour--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 of 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

East is best
'East Side Story' was a surprise success. Considered by some in 1981 as the best album of that year, albeit against less competition than usual, it ranks as the band's best album. Their moment appeared to have passed, their commercial peak having been 'Cool For Cats.' There had also been two personnel changes, but the important Difford/Tilbrook writing partnership was still intact. Squeeze had fitted neatly into the new wave atmosphere with their Beatle-influenced pop and streetwise Cockney Carry On lyrics. They were able to adapt because of a fashion for retro 1960s pop with a touch of soul, but mostly because they always had good quality songs.

On 'East Side Story' they retained their humorous and melodic elements, while widening the scope of their approach and putting more groove into their music. The revered 'Tempted,' for instance, is a more mature song, not instantly commercial, but one which crawls under your skin with its soulful plod and nerve-probing lyric. 'In Quintessence' sets off like Booker T & The MGs while 'Mess Around' ventures into rockabilly, another revived form of that era. Oddly, the first single and most instant, 'Is That Love,' failed to take the charts by the scruff, but the country ballad, 'Labelled With Love,' did. Elsewhere, the band experiment a little with songs like 'Heaven' and 'There's No Tomorrow,' with an approach reminiscent of XTC. Otherwise, the album is full of bright hooks, especially on 'Piccadilly' and 'Woman's World.' Even the bonuses are worthwhile, ending with the rousing 'Looking For A Love.' This is first class British pop.

SOUTHEAST SIDE STORY
Squeeze were the kings of the new wave when they released the eloquent 'Eastside Story'. They had already enjoyed a string of classic singles and had built up a sizeable following in both their native England and the more lucrative USA. Produced by Elvis Costello, and heavily featuring the keyboard and vocals skills of new recruit Paul Carrack, composers Difford and Tilbrook effortlessly delivered a collection that left the competition standing. In an early 80's dominated by synth bands, eye-liner and new romantics Squeeze built their reputation around erudite lyrics, Beatley melodies and a mastery of many genre's.
The singles still sound great - 'Is That Love', top 5 hit 'Labelled With Love' and the sublime 'Tempted' have lost none of their power and beauty. 'Woman's World' is the best song Ray Davies didn't write, 'Someone Else's Heart' features one of Difford's finest ever vocal performances and 'Vanity fair' is an orchestral and lyrical tour de force.
Even lesser tracks such as 'Someone Elses Bell' and the rockabilly pastiche of 'Messed Around' fizz with invention and energy.
Eastside story is a masterclass of intellegint pop/rock - one that Squeeze would struggle to equal until 1993's Some fantastic Place (also featuring Paul Carrack) - by which time, of course, the writing was on the wall.
With the recently reformed Squeeze hitting the road again in 2008, there has never been a better time to get re-aquainted with this, their true 80's classic.



cw

Greatest Squeeze
This album is almost like a greatest hits such is the quality of the material. The lyrics & music will have your head spinning and feet tapping. As an added bonus the sound quality of this remaster is far superior to the (terrible) original CD release. A Classic.