Set to release early next year, ‘Trixies’ was originally written by dual frontmen Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford at the very beginning of their careers, while they were still teenagers. Described by the band as “a collection of stories set in a fictional night club”, we got our first taste of the album with the lead single, ‘Trixies, Pt. 1’.
The track takes a little time to build up, with detuned pianos, organs, and light but steady drums. Tilbrook describes the titular night club in brief but vivid detail: “It had the smell of lavender and the drinks were so dear / The same old calendar hangs there each year”. Throughout the track, the instrumentation builds with suspense, as if things aren't quite right here. It’s a subtly uncomfortable feeling song, juxtaposed against the earworm catchiness of the vocal melody. Every vocal inflection from Tilbrook is like a mini hook in and of itself, and at least one will get stuck in your head.
The music itself takes cues from the theatrical glam rock of the late 60’s and early 70’s, but with a 21st century sheen. You can hear bits and pieces of David Bowie and early Brian Eno on here, but it’s more restrained, focused on building and setting an atmosphere. Squeeze aren’t exactly known as a glam rock act, but we may see more of that influence throughout the full album when it is released.
‘Trixies, Pt. 1’ is an intriguing first taste from an incredibly interesting album concept. Even beyond the nightclub setting, an established band going back to the very first songs they ever wrote, 50 years on, is an interesting idea, and this first tease of that project is proof that adapting that work to their modern sound is more than doable. At the very least, it really is another impossibly catchy tune from Squeeze.