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When the world at large considers the great pop songwriting duos, they may sometimes forgot about Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook of Squeeze, a pair once hailed as the "heirs to Lennon and McCartney's throne." But not only have they provided us with catchy songs that often tell stories no one else is telling, they've been doing it for well over 50 years. Trixies sees Squeeze telling the first stories they ever told in song with the polish of 50+ years of experience.
In 1973, a young Chris Difford placed an ad in a shop window looking for a guitarist for his (then) non-existent band. Glenn Tilbrook was the only answer, and the two began writing songs together quickly. By 1974, the duo had a full band and a concept album under their belt. This original collection of songs written when Difford was 19 and Tilbrook was 16 didn't see the light of day for years, making for an emotional rerecording that has reportedly led to some newfound creativity. Tilbrook has said "The act of revisiting the Trixies songs had me in tears, [...] partly because they’re so good, but also because I’m aware of all the stuff that I’ve still yet to hear and write." Reportedly, an album of new material was recorded simultaneously.
Trixies takes us into the fictional world of Trixies, a seedy night club in the hip part of town. The album cover hints at the noirish world we will soon find ourselves engulfed in sonically and lyrically. A blend of organ & Moog combine for the jazzy retro prelude to the drama that will unfold on "What More Can I Say," the song which takes place during the falling action of a late night at Trixies.
"You Get the Feeling" is a dreamy song that speaks to the positive elements of Trixies, identifying it as a hangout for dates, for great food and music.
Of course, at the end of the song, we are thrown into "The Place We Call Mars," a track that seems to pay tribute to the music of the mid 70s when this album was written. The story is a little hard to follow, though it seems to detail a femme fatale at the end of her rope.
The energy is pumped up for "Hell On Earth," as we learn more about the criminal activity in the club and are introduced to more and more of the cast of characters that call Trixies home, including the mysterious and often illusive "Trixie." In "The Dancer," we see how this place can break a spirit, and are finally introduced to Trixie in the flesh. Chris Difford takes lead vocals on "The Dancer" and later on "It's Over," providing a very fitting husky noir voice to both tracks. "It's Over" is a beautiful ballad of loss.
One of my personal favorite tracks on the albums is "Good Riddance," the chorus of which is an earworm. "Good Riddance" introduces pedal steel, harpsichord, vibraphone, and celeste to the arrangement, along with a perfect blend of Difford and Tilbrook's voices.
I'm occasionally left thinking what a great musical this album would make, the vignettes of the songs creating great emotional moments that would pull a story along. The slight shifts in genre, while not uncommon for a Squeeze album, would also add to character shifts in a musical. "The Jaguars," for example, represents a shift to rockabilly, but also to a group of outsiders with a different attitude toward Trixies.
The album closes with the first two singles released, "Trixies, Pt. 1" and "Trixies, Pt. 2." Each song tells a different story about the seedy business to be sought around Trixies, with a brothel above and an illegal gambling den below.
Squeeze have always been great at storytelling, but what Difford and Tilbrook have done for Trixies is nothing short of amazing. Not only is it a testament to their songwriting abilities that they wrote these songs at such a young age, but it also shows great skill to have brought these songs to life in the modern era. These songs not only share a common lore, but a common musical identity which sweeps you away to a world that doesn't exist.
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| Squeeze are a pop/rock band from London, England. |
