If this was released as a Doug Yule solo album...
4
By Glimmer
"Squeeze" is probably one of the most unfairly hated albums in rock music, all because it was released as a Velvet Underground album and not a Doug Yule solo project. Arguably this was a major factor in Doug's exclusion when the rest of the band was inducted into the R&R HOF.
By now, Lou Reed and Sterling Morrison had moved on, and although Mo Tucker didn't play on "Loaded," she gigged with the band in '71 and '72. Doug Yule had moved up to guitar and lead vocals (hell, he sang half of "Loaded" anyway), and Willy Alexander & Walter Powers completed the group. Yule was nominally the leader, and he went out to London in record Squeeze presuming the others would follow. The band's manager kept the other three home, leaving Yule to record the tracks pretty much on his own, with Deep Purple's Ian Paice on drums, various uncredited session musicians and backing singers.
Yule didn't seem to be in a position to oppose the release of "Squeeze" as a Velvet Underground album, nor to defend himself against the critical savaging and public indifference it received.
Sure, "Squeeze" is far-removed stylistically from their semenal '67 debut VU & Nico, but not much more so than "Loaded," which just to remind you all, only had two members left from then (Mo Tucker was having a baby, John Cale and of course Nico had departed). Maybe if Mo Tucker had played on "Squeeze" as initially intended, it would be considered 'canon.'
The two albums are stylistically very similar. Maybe no song on "Squeeze" has the joyous liberation of, say, "Head Held High" or "Oh Sweet Nuthin," but this album is by no means as bad as its reputation. It's actually a very solid work. If not inspired, it's never less than competent craftsmanship. Swap out any one of these 11 songs for "Lonesome Cowboy Bill" and the result would be a slight net gain.
This album is overdue for re-appraisal. There are some gems here.
