The Capitol collection
Essential Billy Squier compiles various hits from the '80s pop/rocker's albums. Taking up the "essential" part of
Squier's catalog here are tracks from 1981's
Don't Say No, 1982's
Emotions in Motion, and 1984's
Signs of Life, including "Everybody Wants You," "The Stroke," "In the Dark," and "My Kinda Lover." Less essential but no less worthy of inclusion are such cuts as "Lonely Is the Night" from
Don't Say No and "The Big Beat" from
Squier's 1980 debut,
The Tale of the Tape. Also included are some lesser-known cuts like "Love Is the Hero" from 1986's
Enough Is Enough, "Don't Say You Love Me" from 1989's
Hear & Now, and "Angry" from
Squier's unfairly ignored 1993 Capitol swan song, Tell the Truth. Taken as a collection, these are
Squier's best-known and catchiest tracks and showcase his unique mix of
Led Zeppelin meets
Queen meets
Rod Stewart-style dance-rock. While
Squier continued to record for various labels from the mid-'90s onward, these tracks make up the bulk of his time as a hot commodity in the '80s, and it’s great having them all on one disc. ~ Matt Collar