Glenn Tilbrook - guitar, lead vocals; Chris Difford - guitar, lead vocals; Paul Carrack - keyboards, vocals; John Bentley - bass, vocals; Gilson Lavis - drums, vocals
On the Argybargy tour, just prior to the sessions for their breakthrough East Side Story album, this virtually flawless live recording captures Squeeze at the pivotal moment, with new member Paul Carrack having just joined the ranks.
The stylistic variety and witty lyricism that has come to define the songwriting partnership of Chris Difford and Glenn Tillbrook is coming to full fruition here. The band is breaking free of the new wave sound and creating a charming form of pop music with a far more universal appeal.
Not only does this concert feature a choice selection of material from their first three albums (with an emphasis on Argybargy), several key songs destined for their East Side Story album are also previewed here. The group even tackles "How Long," Carrack's big hit with his former band Ace. Squeeze would break big in North America later in the year (thanks in part to the success of Carrack's song "Tempted," which garnered heavy video rotation on MTV), but all the elements were firmly in place here.
Listening to this performance, it is obvious that Difford and Tilbrook's songwriting had reached a new level of maturity and clearly conveys why Squeeze was one of the few bands capable of transcending the new wave era. This material stands the test of time and presents a band poised on the brink of greatness.