The 1981 Listening Post - Billy Squier - Don't Say No

Billy Squier - Don't Say No #126 By Tom Mott April 13 1981 Billy Squier Don’t Say No Genre: early-'80s melodic rawk Allen’s Rating: 4.5 out of 5 Tom’s Rating: 4.7 out of 5 Highlights In the Dark The Stroke My Kinda Lover Lonely is the Night PROLOGUE "This is the sound of the roller skating rink and driving around in your older friends car while smoking huge quantities of generic Mexican weed. This album captures what is what really like in 1981. The huge, legendary bands were either finished or on their last legs. Here was something familiar, but very melodic and crunchy at the same time. Real life affirming stuff."--AllMusic user review A SHORT PLAY THE CHARACTERS Me: 53-year-old dad He: 14-year-old son who likes Kendrick Lamar PART 1 Me: Wanna review an album together? He: OK, but I won't like it. Me: Won't like reviewing? He: Won't like the album. I don't like rock, and I don't like 80s music. Me: Well, this was the second album I ever owned. (needle drop. first 30 seconds of In the Dark play) He: Oh! (...) He sounds like the guy from Led Zeppelin. Me: Totally! But, punched-up and streamlined for the 80s. He: Yeah! This isn't bad. (I skip ahead to the second song, The Stroke) Me: This is called The Stroke. ... Me: (blurted) Itsprobablyaboutsexormasturbation (20-30 seconds of listening) He: This was your second album? Me: Yeah He: It's not bad. Me: Right? Here's another song. (My Kinda Lover) Me: I love the bass sound on this album. It's super melodic. Listen to that! (0:59) Right there! I love that! He: I hear it! Me: (quietly bonding over music) INTERMISSION I have three first albums. The 1st album I owned: Zenyatta Mondatta, given as a gift from Brother #1. The 1st album I chose: Don't Say No, given as a choose-your-own-record from Brother #2. And the 1st album I bought: Escape. This one got a lot of play. It has such a great sound: soaring vocals, tasty riffs, big melodic bass, Bonham-esque drums. I heard Billy Squier before Led Zeppelin, so I didn't know he sounded like Robert Plant. He just sounded like Billy Squier. Sure, Lonely is the Night sounds like Nobody's Fault But Mine, but Billy shaved off two minutes and turned in something groovy and fun. Reinhold Mack is producing here. Mack, who produced albums for Queen, ELO, and the Stones, along with Sparks "Angst in My Pants" (!!!). So that helps explain the great sound: big Bonham-esque drums, crunchy riffs, soaring vocals, that lovely melodic bass, and just a shmear of synths. PART 2 Me: OK, here's another one. (Lonely is the Night begins) Me: Listen to that bass! He: Totally! I hear it! It sounds great! He: (Gets up and walks out) ... ... ... Me: (calling out) Are you done? He: Yeah. EPILOGUE 1 Squier wrote all the songs. It's really good. EPILOGUE 2 I'm trying and failing to imagine my dad hipping me to an album -- "Itsprobablyaboutsexormasturbation" -- Ugh, Dad! Just give me my space. https://open.spotify.com/album/6TwlLNU5Zd9qGuNgSLeWPt?si=HifMzVZuSKOdmWH5-DxaBg