MPBrown Music Reviews

  Album Review #19 Artist:  Squeeze Album:   East Side Story Year of Release:   1981 Grade:   4 / 5   Band Members Chris Difford – rhythm guitar, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Someone Else’s Heart” and “Heaven” Glenn Tilbrook – lead vocals, lead guitars Paul Carrack – keyboards, backing vocals, lead vocals on “Tempted” John Bentley – bass, backing vocals Gilson Lavis – drums Elvis Costello – additional vocals (“Tempted”, “There’s No Tomorrow”)   Background Squeeze is sometimes hard to pigeon hole as to the style of music.   Sometimes they are traditional pop while venturing into the “new wave” territory.   No matter the style of music, it is the songwriting quality that is Squeeze’s trademark with songwriters Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook.   Early in their careers, they were compared to Lennon and McCartney.   Most of their songs are story songs.   The original concept of Squeeze’s fourth...

Album Review #18 Artist:  Roger Daltrey Album:   McVicar (soundtrack) Year of Release:   1980 Grade:   4 / 5   Band Members Roger Daltrey – vocals Pete Townshend – guitar Ricky Hitchcock – guitar Billy Nicholls – guitar Jo Partridge – guitar John Entwistle – bass Herbie Flowers – bass Dave Markee – bass John Bundrick – keyboards Ken Freeman – keyboards Ron Aspery – flue Kenney Jones – drums Dave Mattacks – drums Stuart Elliott – drums Frank Ricotti – percussion Tony Carr - percussion   Background Roger is famous as the lead singer and founding member of The Who.   During a break from The Who, Daltrey made a movie starring himself as John McVicar, a British criminal.   Daltrey had previously recorded a song called “The Prisoner” based on the McVicar case ( https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/John_McVicar ).   Daltrey had previously starring in the movie “Tommy” based on The Who’s rock album of the s...

  Album Review #17   Artist:   Queen Album:   The Game Year of Release:   1980 Grade:   4.5 / 5   Band Members Freddie Mercury – lead vocals, backing vocals, piano, synthesizer, acoustic guitar Brian May – lead vocal (Sail Away Sweet Sister), backing vocals, guitars, piano Roger Taylor – lead vocal (Rock It), drums, backing vocals, synthesizer John Deacon – bass guitar, guitar, piano, percussion   Background Queen is one of the best selling bands in the world.   This studio album was the follow up to 1978’s album “Jazz”.   Queen had magnificent streak of 4 hit albums before releasing “The Game”.   They were “Night At The Opera”, “A Day At The Races”, “News Of The World”, and then “Jazz”.   But “The Game” hit #1 in the US.   Their set at 1985’s Live Aid stole the show and reignited the band.   It is considered to be one of the greatest sets in rock history despite only being only 15 – 2...

Album Review #16   Artist:  Paul McCartney & Wings Album:   Venus and Mars Year of Release:   1975 Grade:   3 / 5   Band Members Paul McCartney – lead vocals, bass, guitars, keyboards, piano, percussion Linda McCartney – keyboards, backing vocals, percussion Denny Laine – lead vocal on “Spirits of Ancient Egypt”, backing vocals, guitars, keyboards, percussion Jimmy McCulloch – lead vocal on “Medicine Jar”, guitars, backing vocals, percussion Joe English – drums, percussion Geoff Britton – drums   Other musicians: Kenneth Williams – congas Allen Toussaint – piano Dave Mason – guitar Tom Scott – soprano saxophone   Background Paul McCartney’s band Wings had scored a major hit with “My Love” and was looking forward to their next album “Band On The Run” when the drummer and lead guitarist abruptly quit the band before going to Nigeria to record it....