This came out in 2004 – or at least that’s when I got it. Here’s what I said about it back then (with some minor editing):
With new-wave soul-pop icons Squeeze now apparently on infinite hiatus, fans have to make do with solo albums from various alumni. But anyone jonesing for a dose of the band’s catchy melodies and wry, literate wordplay may not get their fix from releases by singer-guitarist and lyricist Chris Difford and keyboardist Jools Holland.
Difford, for one, seems to be doing everything he can to distance himself from his past on his debut I Didn’t Get Where I Am. Eschewing pop hooks for earnest melodies and pleasant ballads that suit his warm, dark voice, Difford crafts a personal, soulful and downright gorgeous set more reminiscent of The Beautiful South than The Beatles. Meanwhile, Holland continues his quest to be the British Paul Shaffer with the fittingly gregarious Friends 3, his latest star-studded collaboration (released in England under the title Jack O The Green: Small World Big Band). Backed by his Rhythm & Blues Orchestra, Holland tickles the ivories for a who’s who of hitmakers from Solomon Burke and Eric Clapton (the soul-powered Message to My Son) to Steve Earle (the rockabilly Play it Sam) and Shane MacGowan (the nearly indecipherable but still heart-rending Just To Be Home With You). In the end, Difford is the better artist, but Holland throws a better party. And while neither is a Squeeze album, either will do in a pinch.
