Ridiculous (album) explained

Ridiculous
Type:	studio
Artist:	Squeeze
Cover:	Squeeze ridiculous.jpg
Released:	13 November 1995
Studio:	Chipping Norton Recording Studios (Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire); 45 RPM Studios (Blackheath, London); Nomis Studios (London)
Genre:	Rock
Length:	55:51
Label:	A&M IRS (US)
Producer:	Peter Smith and Glenn Tilbrook
Prev Title:	Some Fantastic Place
Prev Year:	1993
Next Title:	Domino
Next Year:	1998

Ridiculous is an album by the British new wave group Squeeze. It was the band's eleventh studio album, and it introduced their latest drummer Kevin Wilkinson (no relation to bassist Keith Wilkinson). As on the previous album, Some Fantastic Place, the band recorded one song penned by Keith Wilkinson. This time, however, Wilkinson did not perform the lead vocals. That song, "Got to Me", is the last Wilkinson would write with Squeeze. Chris Difford sang lead on two songs, "Long Face" and "Fingertips". He had not performed lead on an album cut since "Slaughtered, Gutted and Heartbroken" and "Love Circles" on the 1989 album Frank. This record was produced by Glenn Tilbrook and Peter Smith.

The album spent one week at number 50 in the UK Albums Chart.^[1]

Music

A clear distinction, noted by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, between Ridiculous and predecessors such as Play and Some Fantastic Place was a "stripped-down, matter of fact production", giving the record a "crisper and livelier" feel. Erlewine compared the "jangling" style of "Grouch of the Day" with that of the 1965 Beatles album Rubber Soul.

Reception

Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave a primarily praising summary of Ridiculous, commenting that it "stands as a testament to the enduring quality of their craft" and was "every bit as enjoyable" as their other post-reunion efforts.

In August 1996, Alex Diamond of PopEntertainment.com proclaimed Ridiculous to possibly be "the band's best overall album since 1981's East Side Story".^[2]

Track listing

All songs written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook except as indicated.

1. "Electric Trains" – 4:03
2. "Heaven Knows" – 4:34
3. "Grouch of the Day" – 3:27
4. "Walk Away" – 4:43
5. "This Summer" – 3:39
6. "Got to Me" (Keith Wilkinson) – 3:45
7. "Long Face" – 4:31
8. "I Want You" – 4:03
9. "Daphne" – 3:44
10. "Lost for Words" – 1:59
11. "Great Escape" – 3:27
12. "Temptation for Love" – 3:37
13. "Sound Asleep" – 4:38
14. "Fingertips" – 5:40

Personnel

Squeeze

• Chris Difford – guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Long Face" and "Fingertips"
• Glenn Tilbrook – keyboards, guitars, lead and backing vocals
• Keith Wilkinson – bass, backing vocals
• Kevin Wilkinson – drums, cymbals

with:

• Chris Braide – backing vocals
• Cathy Dennis – co-lead vocals on "Temptation for Love"
• Jon Savannah – keyboards on "Walk Away"

Production

• Glenn Tilbrook – producer
• Peter Smith – producer, arrangements
• Squeeze – arrangements
• Barry Hammond – engineer
• Ben Darlow – assistant engineer
• Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing
• Alan Douglas – mix assistant
• Jegs – mix assistant
• Kevin Shaw – design

External links

• Album summary

Notes and References

1. Book: Roberts , David . 2006. British Hit Singles & Albums. 19th. Guinness World Records Limited . London. 1-904994-10-5. 522/3.
2. News: Diamond . Alex . Squeeze - Ridiculous (I.R.S.) . 5 January 2021 . PopEntertainment.com . August 1996.