MANY reading this will already be familiar with "Squire". First released in 1975, it was the second solo album by the founder and principal songwriter of Tyneside folk-rockers Lindisfarne.
     Somehow it dipped beneath the Hall radar at the time so I came to this reissue — for the first time on CD — with fresh ears and a hope that it wouldn't sound dated and out of place in the 21st century.
     I'm glad to be able to say that it doesn't — not by a long chalk. The playing's crisp and on the money; the production, by Hull himself, is warm and clean; and a good song's a good song, whenever it was written.
     When originally released, two songs in particular drew critical praise and it's still the title track and "One more bottle of wine" that make the most immediate, and then the most sustained, impression.
     In addition to his views on the English class system, "Squire" contains a delicious extended instrumental outro which fades after five minutes. I would have liked to hear the complete recorded version included — there's plenty of room for it on a CD, even if it wasn't the case on vinyl.
     "One more bottle . . ." has been described as being one of Hull's best piano songs. True, but it also features fine orchestration and an achingly "sad fiddle", as it's described in the booklet, played by "young Gavin". It's another in the long tradition of great drinking songs.
     "Dan the plan" has an infectious "Jean Genie"-ish up-tempo swing overlaid by bluesy harmonica, from Hull's old Lindisfarne pal Ray Jackson. The barbed lyric delivers a knock-out blow to the disgraced Newcastle politician, T Dan Smith, who had been jailed on charges of corruption.
     The song carries the first hint of the influence played on Hull's singing and writing by The Beatles; an influence that surfaces on songs across the album, notably "Golden oldies"; "Waiting"; "Bad side of town", listen to the brass; and "Carousel", which is the Fab Four's "Dear Prudence" wearing a different coat. Somewhat spookily, it was The Beatles' own public relations man, Derek Taylor, who secured the Warner Bros contract for Hull.
     The original tracks are all, with one exception, played by a nucleus of musicians centred around Ray Laidlaw on drums, Colin Gibson's bass and Kenny Craddock's guitar and keyboards.
     The odd-one-out comes in the shape of rock'n'roll standard, "Nuthin' Shakin'" which, contrary to the title, gets a right old shaking down. Shakers-in-chief are Micky Moody on guitar (who went on to form Whitesnake with David Coverdale) and Brian Chatton, who plays up a storm on piano.
     It's been said that Hull included "Nuthin' Shakin'" and the instrumental "I'm sorry squire" because he was short of material, and he admitted that the album was rushed in order to settle debts incurred by Lindisfarne. But that doesn't detract from an album that's stood the test of time, given those circumstances, surprisingly well.
     With Lindisfarne currently enjoying something of a purple patch, "Squire" gives new fans a chance to look into the past of the man who, now sadly passed, was the band's most important member. And those who bought the original release can now, at last, renew their aging vinyl LP and benefit from the inclusion of two bonus tracks.
     A timely and worthwhile reissue.
 
Fred Hall