Squeezing Out Sparks

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Squeezing Out Sparks
File:Squeezing out sparks cover.jpg
Studio album by Graham Parker
Released March 1979
Recorded Lansdowne Studios, London
Genre New wave[1]
Length 37:18
Label Arista, Mercury, Vertigo
Producer Jack Nitzsche
Graham Parker chronology
The Parkerilla
(1978)The Parkerilla1978		 Squeezing Out Sparks
(1979)		 The Up Escalator
(1980)The Up Escalator1980

Squeezing Out Sparks is the fourth studio album by English musician Graham Parker and his band the Rumour. It was voted album of the year in the 1979 Village Voice Pazz & Jop Critics Poll and later ranked number 334 on Rolling Stone magazine's list of the 500 greatest albums of all time. Although the Rumour were not credited on the cover, their name was included on the album label.

Music videos were made for "Local Girls" and "Protection", and the tracks "Discovering Japan" and "Passion is No Ordinary Word" received radio airplay. In addition, "You Can't Be Too Strong", an uncharacteristic somber acoustic guitar ballad, met with controversy over its subject matter and narrative: a man's reflections on his girlfriend's abortion.

Whereas his previous albums were notable for their strong soul influences, with many prominent tracks and singles including a horn section, on this LP producer Jack Nitzsche favored a rawer sound. Coincidentally, popular punk band The Clash were undergoing a reverse process, trying to expand their musical arrangements. Therefore, the Rumor's rhythm and blues session players went on to record all the horn parts in the Clash's third and praised record London Calling.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
Source Rating
AllMusic 5/5 stars[2]
Christgau's Record Guide A[3]
Encyclopedia of Popular Music 4/5 stars[4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide 4/5 stars[5]
Smash Hits 8/10[6]
Uncut 5/5 stars[7]

Squeezing Out Sparks was well received by critics although not as unreservedly as Howlin' Wind and Heat Treatment had been. Robert Christgau called it "[a]n amazing record" and gave it an A+,[8] although he later downgraded it a half-step.[3] In Rolling Stone, Greil Marcus wrote that "[it] is no landmark" but did praise Parker for taking a risk and exposing himself in "a tale of true fear and drama".[9] Critical reception for the album was capped by its being voted album of the year in the 1979 Village Voice Pazz & Jop Critics Poll.[10]

The album's critical reputation has grown since its release. Trouser Press called it "his toughest, leanest and most lyrically sophisticated LP",[11] while AllMusic cited it as "[his] finest album", "a masterful fusion of pub rock classicism, new wave pop, and pure vitriol".[2]

In 2003 Rolling Stone placed it at number 335 on its list of the 500 greatest albums of all time,[12] an honour not accorded to his other albums.

Squeezing Out Sparks was reissued in the UK in 2001 on Vertigo/Mercury, with two bonus tracks. In addition, in 1996, Arista issued Squeezing Out Sparks + Live Sparks with the original ten tracks followed by live versions of the same songs, in the same order, plus "I Want You Back (Alive)" and "Mercury Poisoning" live. "Live Sparks" had originally been released only as a limited edition, promotional picture disc LP. Studio versions of "I Want You Back" (a Jackson 5 cover) and "Mercury Poisoning" were originally issued on a 45 rpm 7" single which was included with early copies of the album.

Track listing

All songs written by Graham Parker except as indicated.

Side one

  1. "Discovering Japan" – 3:32
  2. "Local Girls" – 3:44
  3. "Nobody Hurts You" – 3:42
  4. "You Can't Be Too Strong" – 3:21
  5. "Passion Is No Ordinary Word" – 4:26

Side two

  1. "Saturday Nite Is Dead" – 3:18
  2. "Love Gets You Twisted" – 3:02
  3. "Protection" – 3:54
  4. "Waiting for the UFO's" – 3:08
  5. "Don't Get Excited" – 3:04

Bonus tracks (2001 reissue)

  1. "Mercury Poisoning" – 3:09
  2. "I Want You Back" (The Corporation) – 3:26

Personnel

Charts

Album

Year Chart Position
1979 Billboard Pop Albums 40 [13]

References

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