Squeezing In A Few Dates

Rising out of the same 1970s U.K. New Wave movement that gave the world Elvis Costello and Nick Lowe, Squeeze quickly established itself as solid blue-eyed soul popsters. With hits like “Up The Junction,” “Black Coffee In Bed” and “Pulling Mussels From A Shell,” the band crafted a formidable catalog drenched in witticisms, memorable melodies and finely honed musicianship.

The band has an album coming out in August, and while Spot The Difference contains songs like “Is That Love,” “Goodbye Girl” and “Take Me I’m Yours,” the disc isn’t an excursion into the tape vault. Instead, the band re-recorded their hits, staying as close to the original recordings as possible as they challenge fans to, well, Spot The Difference.

They even managed to corral Paul Carrack into re-creating his vocal on “Tempted.” That’s how close these new recordings come to the original releases.

And with the new album comes a tour, as Squeeze hooks up with Cheap Trick for the first half of July then joins with The English Beat to finish out the month.

Shows with Cheap Trick include Columbus, Ohio, at the LC Outdoor Amphitheatre July 9; Highland Park, Ill., at Ravinia Festival July 10; NYC at Radio City Music Hall July 13; Boston at Bank Of America Pavilion July 14; Philadelphia at Mann Center July 16; Guilford, N.H., at Meadowbrook U.S. Cellular Pavilion July 17 and New Brunswick, N.J., at State Theatre July 18.

Then it’s English Beat time as Squeeze joins the band beginning July 21 in Milwaukee at Pabst Theatre. Other stops include Apple Valley (Minneapolis), at the Minnesota Zoo Amphitheatre July 22; Denver at Ogden Theatre July 25; Las Vegas at Crown Theater July 27; Universal City (L.A.) at Gibson Amphitheatre at Universal CityWalk July 28; Saratoga, Calif., at Mountain Winery July 30 and Napa, Calif., at Uptown Theatre July 31.

Spot The Difference comes out Aug. 3. For more information, click here for the Squeeze website.