Fiona Flanagan - Squeeze (1992)

1. Kiss The Boys Goodbye
2. Ain't That Just Like Love   play
3. Treat Me Right
4. All Over Now
5. The Best Is Yet To Come     play
6. Squeeze
7. Don't Come Cryin'
8. Nobody Dies Of A Broken Heart
9. Mystery Of Love
10. Life On The Moon

Personnel
Fiona Flanagan : vocals
Laura McDonald : bass, vocals
Dave Marshall : guitar, vocals
Jimmy DeGrasso : drums, vocal

This New Jersey-born rocker Fiona Flanagan first started in music business in 1985, making music for a movie and releasing her first album, ”Fiona”. After that came ”Beyond The Pale” in ’86 and ”Heart Like A Gun” in ’89, which became well-known from its' single that included a duet with Kip Winger, called "Everything You Do (You're Sexing Me)". ”Squeeze” followed, with the line-up of Jimmy DeGrasso-drums (ex-Y&T/White Lion), Laura McDonald-bass and Dave Marshall-guitars. This was the first album done without the help of Beau Hill, a producer/collaborator and by now ex-husband. Fiona even did some work acting, appearing in an episode of Miami Vice and in a movie called "Hearts Of Fire" and sang a few songs on it.

Fiona’s music has always stayed true to the hard rock and all the catchyness and some clichčs along the way. The songwriting credits on this album are quite interesting, especially Jani Lane (of Warrant fame), who wrote a rocking track ”Life On The Moon” here. It’s not the best track though, ”Treat Me Right” (by Fiona/Marc Tanner/Mark Gable) and ”Nobody Dies Of A Broken Heart” (by Bob Mitchell) are the ones that really won’t stop playing in your head. The starting song ”Kiss The Boys Goodbye” (by Harry Paress/Curt Cuomo) is a catchy one too, though a bit lame. And then there’s ”Don’t Come Cryin’” written by Diane Warren...now this must be one of Warren’s not so glorious moments (eventhough still a great song) as she’s written mega songs for artists such as Cher, Toni Braxton, Celine Dion, Christina Aquilera, Alice Cooper, Bad English, Bon Jovi, Britney Spears, Heart, Jeff Healey, Kiss, Ratt, Tina Turner, Whitney Houston...you name it! For instance Heart’s ”Who Will You Run To” was a winner without a doubt, and Braxton’s ”Unbreak My Heart”.

Fiona’s ”Squeeze” is a sensual album, even the cover with all the four band members posing half naked, hugging each other. Might make some tough guys go puke themselves from the cuteness, but it fits the mood really well here and should attract the right audience for this kind of music. The songs are basic, straight hard rock/pop with hooks and some childish background vocals along the way, for instance on ”The Best Is Yet To Come”. And some of the songs have a hint of disco to them with hard rock guitar added in. But these don’t spoil the pleasure. Every track works and is really good hard rock. And the airy, ethereal ballad ”Mystery Of Love” is beautiful, the other slower track along it being ”All Over Now”, ia really touching. Too bad these are the only slower moments here. The title track is a jamming song with the guitar on top, an ok song. Fiona’s got a voice that you’ll recognize easily, it’s soft, clear and clean enough and even on the faster tracks it works. But she’s out of the music business now, so we’ll just have to stick to these four albums. Definitely one of those female rockers that we’ll miss. ---Satu Reunanen, rockunited.com

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