{{about|the 1995 album by Squeeze|other uses|Ridiculous (disambiguation)}} {{More citations needed|date=December 2015}} {{Use dmy dates|date=January 2016}} {{EngvarB|date=January 2016}} {{Infobox album | name = Ridiculous | type = studio | artist = Squeeze | cover = Squeeze ridiculous.jpg | alt = | released = {{start date|1995|11|13|df=y}} | recorded = | studio = Chipping Norton Recording Studios (Chipping Norton, Oxfordshire); 45 RPM Studios (Blackheath, London); Nomis Studios (London) | genre = Rock | length = {{Duration|m=55|s=51}} | label = * A&M * IRS (US) | producer = Peter Smith and Glenn Tilbrook | prev_title = Some Fantastic Place | prev_year = 1993 | next_title = Domino | next_year = 1998 | misc = {{Singles | name = Ridiculous | type = studio | single1 = This Summer | single1date = 21 August 1995 | single2 = Electric Trains | single2date = 30 October 1995 | single3 = Heaven Knows | single3date = 27 May 1996 | single4 = This Summer (Remix) | single4date = 12 August 1996 }} }} '''''Ridiculous''''' is an album by the British new wave group Squeeze. It was the band's eleventh studio album, and it introduced their latest drummer Kevin Wilkinson (no relation to bassist Keith Wilkinson). As on the previous album, ''Some Fantastic Place,'' the band recorded one song penned by Keith Wilkinson. This time, however, Wilkinson did not perform the lead vocals. That song, "Got to Me", is the last Wilkinson would write with Squeeze. Chris Difford sang lead on two songs, "Long Face" and "Fingertips". He had not performed lead on an album cut since "Slaughtered, Gutted and Heartbroken" and "Love Circles" on the 1989 album ''Frank''. This record was produced by Glenn Tilbrook and Peter Smith.
The album spent one week at number 50 in the UK Albums Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums">{{cite book| first= David| last= Roberts| year= 2006| title= British Hit Singles & Albums| edition= 19th| publisher= Guinness World Records Limited | location= London| isbn= 1-904994-10-5| pages= 522/3}}</ref>
==Music== A clear distinction, noted by Stephen Thomas Erlewine, between ''Ridiculous'' and predecessors such as ''Play'' and ''Some Fantastic Place'' was a "stripped-down, matter of fact production",<ref name="am" /> giving the record a "crisper and livelier" feel.<ref name="am" /> Erlewine compared the "jangling" style of "Grouch of the Day" with that of the 1965 Beatles album ''Rubber Soul''.<ref name="am" />
The editors for both the ''Washington Post'' and ''The Hamilton Spectator'' described "This Summer" as a "buoyant" song.<ref>{{Cite web | title= | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/307967904 | access-date=2025-08-05 | website=www.proquest.com}}</ref><ref>{{Cite web | title= | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/269826938 | access-date=2025-08-05 | website=www.proquest.com}}</ref> ''The Independent'' stated the song was "an odd reverse homage which seeks to reclaim Squeeze's rightful place in the Cockney Brit-pop hierarchy", but also "the best track here".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/312402023 | title=Squeeze Ridiculous A&M 540 440-2 | website=ProQuest | id={{ProQuest|312402023}} }}</ref> ''Newsday'' stated the single "is tailor-made for pop radio".<ref>{{cite web | url=https://www.proquest.com/docview/278921825 | title=RECORDINGS / Hum Along with Squeeze: [ALL | website=ProQuest | id={{ProQuest|278921825}} }}</ref>
==Release== To promoted the album, the band released their first single, "This Summer", on 21 August 1995. Two versions of the single were released, each with entirely different B-sides. Disc 1 contained a live cover of Britpop group Blur's song "End of a Century". The single peaked at number 36 in the UK Singles Chart in September 1995.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> Almost a year later, on 12 August 1996, Squeeze released a remix version of "This Summer". The remix is extremely similar to the original mix, essentially just with a slightly more prominent drum track. This version charted marginally better than the original, peaking at #32; to date, this represents Squeeze's final appearance on any singles chart in any country. Three versions of the single were released, each with a different set of B-sides.{{Original research inline|date=April 2025}}{{citation needed|date=April 2025}}
The second single, "Electric Trains", was released on 30 October 1995. It peaked at number 44 in the UK Singles Chart.<ref name="British Hit Singles & Albums"/> Two versions of the single were released, each with entirely different B-sides. Chris Difford later recorded a stripped-down version of the song titled "Playing With Electric Trains" on his 2002 solo album '' I Didn't Get Where I Am''.
==Reception == {{Music ratings | rev1 = AllMusic | rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name="am">{{cite web|author=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|author-link=Stephen Thomas Erlewine|url=http://www.allmusic.com/album/ridiculous-mw0000183938 |title=Ridiculous – Squeeze | Songs, Reviews, Credits |publisher=AllMusic |date=15 October 1995 |accessdate=25 December 2015}}</ref> }} Stephen Thomas Erlewine of AllMusic gave a primarily praising summary of ''Ridiculous'',<ref name="am" /> commenting that it "stands as a testament to the enduring quality of their craft" and was "every bit as enjoyable" as their other post-reunion efforts.<ref name="am" />
In August 1996, Alex Diamond of PopEntertainment.com proclaimed ''Ridiculous'' to possibly be "the band's best overall album since 1981's ''East Side Story''".<ref name="Diamond">{{cite news |last1=Diamond |first1=Alex |title=Squeeze - Ridiculous (I.R.S.) |url=http://www.popentertainment.com/squeeze.htm |access-date=5 January 2021 |work=PopEntertainment.com |date=August 1996}}</ref>
==Track listing== All songs written by Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook except as indicated. # "Electric Trains" – 4:03 # "Heaven Knows" – 4:34 # "Grouch of the Day" – 3:27 # "Walk Away" – 4:43 # "This Summer" – 3:39 # "Got to Me" (Keith Wilkinson) – 3:45 # "Long Face" – 4:31 # "I Want You" – 4:03 # "Daphne" – 3:44 # "Lost for Words" – 1:59 # "Great Escape" – 3:27 # "Temptation for Love" – 3:37 # "Sound Asleep" – 4:38 # "Fingertips" – 5:40 # "This Road" – 3:09 * # "This Summer", ''remix'' – 3:33 * # "Cappuccino Lips (Fingertips)" – 4:06 * # "Electric Trains", ''live acoustic'' – 3:37 * # "I Want You", ''live acoustic'' – 3:41 * # "Grouch Of The Day", ''live acoustic'' – 3:10 *
''Tracks 15–20 are bonus tracks on the 2007 Expanded Edition''
==Personnel== '''Squeeze''' * Chris Difford – guitars, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Long Face" and "Fingertips" * Glenn Tilbrook – keyboards, guitars, lead and backing vocals * Keith Wilkinson – bass, backing vocals * Kevin Wilkinson – drums, cymbals
with: * Chris Braide – backing vocals * Cathy Dennis – co-lead vocals on "Temptation for Love" * Jon Savannah – keyboards on "Walk Away"
'''Production''' * Glenn Tilbrook – producer * Peter Smith – producer, arrangements * Squeeze – arrangements * Barry Hammond – engineer * Ben Darlow – assistant engineer * Mark "Spike" Stent – mixing * Alan Douglas – mix assistant * Jegs – mix assistant * Kevin Shaw – design
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * [https://web.archive.org/web/20040913173902/http://www.mp3.com/albums/180223/summary.html Album summary]
{{Squeeze}} {{Authority control}}
Category:Squeeze (band) albums Category:1995 albums Category:Albums produced by Glenn Tilbrook Category:A&M Records albums Category:I.R.S. Records albums