"Now, more than 50 years into their career, British pub-pop legends Squeeze have rested their pints long enough to revisit Trixies (BMG), a rock opera founding members Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook wrote as teenagers before they had a record deal. In 1974. The ambition! The naivete!"
"Although its mid-'70s origins were in line with Squeeze's propulsive pub rockin', punk-adjacent roots, Trixies is not exactly the time machine longtime fans will remember (well, save for copious references to drinking). First, the technology used to make records has never been more flexible and imaginative. But most importantly (and expectedly), Difford and Tilbrook's songwriting has gotten continuously more sophisticated and developed."
"The swathe of great moments here is impressive. The proceedings begin with "What More Can I Say" and "You Get the Feeling," two breezy acoustic numbers that conjure yacht rock ease and Laurel Canyon whimsy. The former feels like a travel commercial; the latter, a group of friends in Graham Nash's living room, ca. '69."
Squeeze, the British pub-pop legends, have released Trixies, a long-abandoned rock opera originally written by founding members Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook in 1974 before they secured a record deal. The album functions as a song cycle centered on a mythical bar populated by working-class characters and gangsters, blending elements reminiscent of both Cheers and The Untouchables. While rooted in the band's mid-'70s pub-rock and punk-adjacent origins, Trixies reflects the duo's evolved songwriting sophistication. The album features diverse musical styles, including yacht rock-influenced acoustic numbers, Bowie-esque glam, piano-driven pop, and tango elements, demonstrating the flexibility of modern recording technology and the artists' creative development over their 50-year career.
Read at SPIN
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