Top tracks — play these first
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Whiskey River — The opening track sets a powerful tone with its catchy riffs and strong vocal delivery, embodying the album's energetic spirit.
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Hot as a Docker's Armpit — This track features intricate guitar work and a memorable chorus, showcasing Budgie's ability to blend humor with hard-hitting music.
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Young Is a World — At over eight minutes long, this epic track demonstrates the band's progressive tendencies, combining melodic passages with heavier sections.
Elevation
Our rating, out of 100 — and why.
AI-generated from five scored dimensions. An opinion, not a measurement.
The album showcases solid songwriting and performance but lacks the depth for lasting appeal.
What we noticed
- The album opens with a high-energy track, 'Whiskey River', that sets a fast pace, which is maintained through the first half before slowing down in the latter tracks.
- Several songs feature abrupt tempo changes, such as 'Hot as a Docker's Armpit', which shifts from a driving rhythm to a more laid-back groove.
- Vocal harmonies are used sparingly, allowing the raw lead vocals to dominate most tracks, giving a gritty edge to the sound.
- Composition 25% of the score
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6/10
- Craft 20% of the score
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6/10
- Durability 25% of the score
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5/10
- Distinctiveness 18% of the score
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7/10
- Sequencing 12% of the score
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6/10
the writing — melody, harmony, structure, lyrics
production, performance, arrangement
whether it rewards returning to it
whether it sounds like itself
running order, pacing, length
Known within its scene. Reported but not counted — how far a record travelled describes its reception rather than the record, and a newer release has had less time to travel than an older one.
Is this for you?
Good fit if you like
- dynamic peaks and valleys
- gritty energy for road trips
- short bursts of excitement
- for sing-along moments
Maybe skip if you
- prefer slow, soundscapes
- seek polished studio production
Where this album fits
- Career context
- Released in January 1972, Squawk is Budgie's second studio album, following their self-titled debut. At this point in their career, Budgie was honing their sound and solidifying their presence in the burgeoning heavy metal scene. The album showcases their growing confidence and experimentation with heavier themes and musical complexity.
- Stylistic neighbors
- Saxon· Judas Priest· Diamond Head
Tracklist
Best experienced from track one — press play and let it unfold.
- 1 Whiskey River 3:27
- 2 Rocking Man 5:25
- 3 Rolling Home Again 1:47
- 4 Make Me Happy 2:37
- 5 Hot as a Docker's Armpit 5:53
- 6 Drugstore Woman 3:14
- 7 Bottled 1:57
- 8 Young Is a World 8:14
- 9 Stranded 6:17
Reference: Wikipedia · MusicBrainz · Wikidata
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