Glenn Tilbrook Albums (5)
What The Critics Say
Just as the Squeeze reunion picked up steam, Glenn Tilbrook issued Pandemonium Ensues, a spirited pop album that stands in direct contrast to his former and future partner Chris Difford's wry, low-key The Last Temptation of Chris. The title's a giveaway: Tilbrook is out to wreak a little havoc, perhaps not as lewdly as he did last time around, when his good times flirted with pornography and barrels of booze. No, this time things are a little more pulled together, if not exactly streamlined, reveling in their ragged loose ends and missed connections. At first, it doesn't seem like Pandemonium is quite so loose as it opens with a bracing dose of pop, but things soon get a little odd, first as Glenn turns the microphone over to Fluffer bassist Lucy Shaw to sing lead on the first of two songs, then later by bringing in Vanessa Paradis for "Interest & Love" and then her husband Johnny Depp for the spacy Joe Meek homage of the closer, "Too Close to the Sun." While this makes the album a little odd, even lopsided, it does give Pandemonium Ensues considerable charm: it's not as woolly as his last album, but it's warmer and funnier, a party that wraps up at midnight instead of 3 A.M.. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'The Past Has Been Bottled'
Release Date 6/12/2007
Tracks 18
Label Quixotic
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What The Critics Say
Glenn Tilbrook and Chris Difford were as closely tied as any songwriting team but they didn't necessarily write closely. Like Elton John and Bernie Taupin, the lines were fairly clearly drawn, with Difford sending packets of lyrics for Tilbrook to score. By its very nature, this process resulted in a slightly different demo process, one that gets highlighted on The Past Has Been Bottled, a collection of 18 original demos from Squeeze's masterpiece East Side Story. That album was originally planned as a double-album but it was whittled down to a single, so it follows that this includes four unheard songs, all quite good: "Depression," "I Don't Like Love," "Misunderstanding," and "Holiday Makers." Apart from this, this is familiar territory, sometimes surprisingly so: "Is That Love" comes close to the finished version right down to a fairly fleshed-out arrangement, as does "Labelled with Love," and "Messed Around" was pretty spare to begin with, so it doesn't feel all that much different in demo form. Other songs do feel like demos - a bare structure that needs to be filled out by a full band and proper production - but they're all recognizable, as Tilbrook was working with a completed set of lyrics and had written his melodies prior to recording these demos. These recordings were designed as a blueprint for the album and they do sound that way, but that's the charm of The Past Has Been Bottled: any Squeeze diehard who knows East Side inside out will find this a joyful listen, even if it doesn't pack that many revelations. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'Transatlantic Ping Pong'
Release Date 5/17/2004
Tracks 12
Label Quixotic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
Splitting from longtime songwriting co-partner and musical partner in crime Chris Difford rejuvenated Glenn Tilbrook, leading to a good solo debut in 2001 with The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook and a subsequent never-ending tour that found the former Squeeze frontman playing seemingly anywhere and everywhere for a good three years. This constant activity pays off on 2004's Transatlantic Ping Pong, his second solo album and his best record in a long, long time. Simultaneously looser and more focused than Incomplete, Transatlantic finds Tilbrook returning to the hooky, direct power pop of the best Squeeze albums, but instead of sounding like a retread or a last grasp for glory, he sounds comfortable, as if he knows this is the sound that suits him best. Most important, it sounds like he's having fun, and that's the sentiment that rules the album. It's not just that the music is bright and catchy, the sound of a top pop tunesmith working at full strength; it's that the songs themselves are often larks. A few songs explore some regret over the past -- most notably on "Hostage," where he meets up with a former lover/partner, and "Domestic Distortion," where he comes to grips with his adult child -- but they're surrounded by songs filled with jokes. While some of those display the trademark dry wit of Squeeze, more often than not these are dirty, filthy jokes, like rewriting a country standard for "The Genitalia of a Fool" and turning on a disco beat for "Hot Shaved Asian Teens," which may not be any more vulgar than a typical spam e-mail, but certainly is a bit of a shock coming from Tilbrook. But that kind of boozy, good-time humor is evident not just in the words, but the raucous, full-bodied performances that make Transatlantic Ping Pong a joy on the sheer sonic level. Plus, those off-color jokes are tempered by the fine craftsmanship of songs like "Untouchable" and the bittersweet "Ray & Me," both of which are bolstered by the lively performances and recording, and the whole thing winds up as his most likable and alive record in quite some time. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide
'The Completely Acoustic Glenn Tilbrook'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 9
Label Quixotic
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What The Critics Say
Recorded fairly quickly at the end of the sessions for The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, this limited edition U.K.-only CD runs through nine of that album's songs in a bare-bones but generally appealing fashion, utilizing only Tilbrook's soulfully chirpy voice and his fine acoustic guitar playing (with what sounds like a melodica also popping up briefly on "Morning"). Surprisingly, a couple of these minimally arranged recordings actually improve on the more produced "official" versions on Incomplete -- in particular, the acoustic version of "One Dark Moment" offered up here was considered good enough to become a bonus track when The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook was eventually released in the U.S. However, that one performance is not the only highlight on The Completely Acoustic Glenn Tilbrook; the simple, direct takes on songs such as "I Won't See You" and "This Is Where You Ain't" are also quite charming, and sharp-eared fans will note the inclusion of an alternate line in one of the verses to "G.S.O.H. Essential." While not a vital acquisition for the casual fan (the recording budget is audibly spartan, and there's not one new song on the entire album), The Completely Acoustic Glenn Tilbrook is nevertheless a low-key, entertaining curiosity which dedicated Tilbrook and Squeeze punters will find worth seeking out. ~ Rudyard Kennedy, All Music Guide
'The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook'
Release Date 1/1/2001
Tracks 15
Label Quixotic
See Album Tracklist and Review
What The Critics Say
By the late '90s, Squeeze releases (Domino, in particular) had begun to feel workmanlike, but with two songwriters as brilliant and clever as Chris Difford and Glenn Tilbrook, it seemed surprising. Following the tour behind Domino, Difford chose to stop touring, but Tilbrook wanted to continue on as he had before. This difference of opinion led Tilbrook to release his first album without Difford in nearly 25 years. The Incomplete Glenn Tilbrook, titled by Tilbrook to reflect the improbability of going solo this late in his career, is a sparkling gem of a pop record. At once relaxed and meticulously crafted, it encapsulates all that has made Squeeze so great. Collaborating with artists such as Aimee Mann and Ron Sexsmith in the songwriting process, Tilbrook didn't completely go at it alone, but he did manage to craft an album as instantly accessible as anything Squeeze recorded. A bit of an R&B influence is tied in ("One Dark Moment"), as are Brian Wilson-like harmonies ("Morning"), but quintessential Squeeze songs are still sprinkled throughout. Synthesizers are more prevalent here than on the recent power poppy Squeeze discs, especially on songs like "Interviewing Randy Newman" and "Sunday Breakfast Treat," which sound like throwbacks to early Squeeze classics like "Goodbye Girl" and "Take Me, I'm Yours." And even though Chris Difford was responsible for writing most of the trademark quirky lyrics on Squeeze albums, Tilbrook manages to turn a good phrase himself. "Interviewing Randy Newman" is an especially good example; it's an autobiographical tale of an ill-fated interview Tilbrook conducted with the legendary Newman that Tilbrook himself says is "A true story. I wish it wasn't a true story, but it is." Being both clever and earnest were always two of the lyrical trademarks of Squeeze records. While fans may mourn the end (although it's more of a hiatus, according to Tilbrook) of the Difford/Tilbrook partnership, this release confirms that the magic is far from gone. ~ Jason Damas, All Music Guide
