Tag: billy squier

Billy hit gold with Don’t Say No and this was the follow up released in ’82. Again, it’s produced by Queen producer Mack, and the title track is very The Game era Queen complete with Another One Bites The Dust funky groove. Billy has a knack for writing great pop/rock tunes, like Everybody Wants You (which was a single) and Keep Me Satisfied with its old school rockabilly beat. It Keeps You Rockin’ is a return to The Stroke style groove of the first album, and I guess it’s a dose of if it ain’t broke why fix it. Billy has a great voice and he reminds me of Robert Plant at times, and on the track Listen To The Heartbeat he is definitely channeling his inner Robert. I like this album and it’s a worthy follow up to Don’t Say No.

9/10 from The Grooveman.

Unless you live in the US, its hard to describe just how big Billy boy was in the early eighties. It wasn’t just the MTV crowd that lapped him up, but Squier’s track, The Big Beat, was one of the most sampled drum grooves in rap music. Billy actually wanted Queen’s Brian May produce the album, but he was too busy so he got Queen’s producer at the time, Mack, to do it instead. It was probably the best decision for young Billy’s career as this album went through the roof.

I think five singles were taken from this album. The Stroke was played everywhere and catapulted young Billy into mega star status. It’s a good song, but album opener In The Dark is the better tune as it has everything that a pop rock anthem should have. A great melody, big sing-a-long chorus, and simple catchy music. In fact, this is the perfect pop rock album, it’s very commercial to keep the pop kids happy, and yet rockin’ enough to keep the rockers groovin’. Lonely Is The Night is the albums heaviest moment as the song shifts though the gears, until the big Led Zep moment towards the end. In fact, Side 2 is the better side, even though it has the least popular songs, but IMHO it rocks harder.

This is a really good album and gets the thumbs up from me.

9/10 from The Grooveman.