Wednesday, 29 October 2014

Glenn Tilbrook - Happy Ending



Squeeze Vox

Glenn Tilbrook’s fourth solo album is a clever pop collection, some melodies reflecting what the casual Squeeze listener [thinking of myself] would expect and appreciate, as well as nods to other familiar precursors.

If you like names, this will engage at that simple level, with tracks titled Ray, Persephone [OK, this one is less everyday], Rupert, Dennis, Bongo Bill, Kev and Dave, and Peter. Like you, I know many of these people very well indeed.

The album is at its strongest at the start. Opener Ray is most Squeeze-like in establishing its pop chorus-hook, the acoustic guitar and popping percussion driving it brightly. Second Persephone begins with a Tyrannosaurus Rex Deborah-like guitar and reverse voice and Mickey Finn percussion – all embellished with accompanying orchestral strings. Third Mud Island continues this triplet of late 60s pop-culture reference points: here, sitar and tabla providing the Eastern influence. Fourth Rupert opens with an acoustic guitar riff which is again, I think, T-Rex inspired/pilfered. Fifth Everybody Sometimes returns to Glenn’s Squeeze roots, his vocal here as elsewhere in fine fettle. Sixth Dennis begins with another seemingly plagiarized acoustic guitar riff that is so familiar, the beginning of The Who's Dogs.

It is all delightfully listenable.


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