The Champagne Of Pop Music

When Squeeze performs at the elegant Chicago Theater this Saturday night, it will be perfect match of venue and band. Founded by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook back in the mid-1970s, Squeeze has continually exuded sophistication while combining clever wordplay and irresistible melodies. Almost from the start, Difford and Tilbrook’s songwriting skills drew comparisons to John Lennon and Paul McCartney, particularly on gems like “Tempted,” “Pulling Mussels (From The Shell),” “Is That Love?” and “Goodbye Girl.” Other highlights over the years included “Black Coffee In Bed,” “Messed Around,” and “Hourglass.”

When Squeeze released The Knowledge in 2018, it was one of the best albums of the year. Here’s a sample of my Broken Hearted Toy review: “Like wisdom, The Knowledge seems to have come with age, as Tilbrook and Difford reflect on the later stages of life; for themselves and the people they encounter. Their observations can be poignant, as on the energetic “Innocence In Paradise” and the acoustic “Departure Lounge,” or laced with wry humor, like on the viagra-themed “Please Be Upstanding” and “Albatross,” a short and funny portrait of a vinyl junkie.”

The Knowledge is definitely worth picking up if there are any for sale on the merch table at the Chicago Theater concert. Watch for special demo CDs as well. I bought one when Squeeze performed on Northerly Island a few years ago. The band’s lineup has changed over the years—Jools Holland and Paul Carrack are long gone—but Difford and Tilbrook remain comfortably at the helm with the current members.