Texas : Releases >>

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The Greatest Hits >>

Scotland's Texas were in danger of becoming one-hit wonders following their failure to capitalise on their Top Ten debut single--1989's "I Don't Want A Lover"--through the early Nineties. Faced with a career crisis, Sharleen Spiteri and writing partner Johnny McElhone began tinkering with their sound and employing modern technology. Cue 1996's massively successful White On Blonde album and a rush of hit songs. "I Don't Want A Lover", with its tired slide riff hasn't worn well, nor have the other pre-watershed songs here like "Everyday Now", "So Called Friend" and "Prayer For You". Nevertheless there are a dozen prime examples of stylised, updated Motown ("Say What You Want", "Black Eyed Boy", "When We Are Together") showcasing the band's song-writing rebirth. Add a pair of fresh numbers co-written with Dallas Austin (the sweet shuffle of "In Demand") and Greg Alexander (the lipglossed "Inner Smile") and The Greatest Hits becomes a weighty pop collection. --Mike Pattenden

The Hush >>

Scotland's Texas (they have nothing to do with the Lone Star State) go for the U.S. gold with The Hush. Attributing the Motown sound as a major influence, Texas's sound is heavily influenced by contemporary American R&B. Now, when we think of Motown, the word soul is immediately evoked, but Texas's sound is about as far away from true soul as Dallas is from the band's hometown of Glasgow. Not that they don't try. The chorus on the opening track of "In Our Lifetime" is a too-close-for-comfort imitation of the chorus from TLC's single "Creep." On "Tell Me the Answer" frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri emulates Prince's falsetto à la "Kiss." But her voice is an overproduced, emotional flatliner that lacks the bump and grind that TLC and Prince deliver. However, the album is adorned with lush, grand instrumental arrangements typical of fine Britpop--making Texas the bride to, say, Robbie Williams's groom. --Beth Massa

Southside >>

This modest, hesitant and unassuming debut album offered little hint of what was to come a decade or so on. At this stage, Texas were a world away from the clinical polish and base-covering genre-hopping of White On Blonde, and seemed happy enough, and still somewhat surprised, that they were being allowed to make music for a living. The original Texas line-up was a smart blend of veterans and ingenues: bass player Johnny McElhone and drummer Stuart Kerr had performed, between them, in Altered Images, Hipsway and Love & Money; Ry Cooder-obsessed guitarist Ally McErlaine and singer Sharleen Spiteri were new to it all. Between them, the four managed to invest tired country-rock forms with some naive freshness, best exemplified here by "I Don't Want A Lover"--the first song they wrote, and their first hit. --Andrew Mueller

The Complete BBC Sessions >>

White On Blonde >>

Great pop music is driven as much by raw emotion as it is classic textures. While this Scottish band excels in the latter trait, Texas has grappled with finding its own voice ever since making its 1988 debut. White on Blonde is the perfect example of an album that sounds right, but feels wrong. The band may borrow key traits from pop history in constructing its gentle blues style, but it woefully fails to give its songs any resonance. From the Motown influenced "Black-Eyed Boy" to the delicately gritty "Halo", the grooves fall into place just fine, but the sentiments ring hollow. Singer Sharleen Spiteri's voice--radiating warmth and soft-focus edginess--is still sweet on the ears; and the band's impenetrable sound will make radio programmers get down on their knees and praise the album-oriented rock gods. --Aidin Vaziri

Ricks Road >>

Mothers Heaven >>

Before their reinvention as a remix-friendly pop band. Before Sharleen Spiteri became a sex symbol of sorts. Before the relegation of the other members (in video clips and photo shoots) to baffled anonymity. Back in the day--1991, to be precise--when Texas, true to their name, were a gutsy little country-flavoured rock combo, rather in the style of Lone Justice. "I Don't Want A Lover" bought the Glaswegian quartet to attention, but also set a standard that neither their debut album, nor this one, their sophomore effort, quite managed to equal. Yet for all their rootsy flourishes, they were still first and foremost a rock band: producer Tim Palmer gave them a slick AOR sound, and made the most of their strengths--notably Ally McErlaine's lonesome slide guitar, on the brooding "This Will All Be Mine". But Spiteri's vocals were colourless, and many of the songs seemed perfunctory. Now, of course, they've embraced dance-pop with the same kind of cautious acceptance they once reserved for country music and the blues. Neither fish nor fowl, as ever. --Andrew McGuire

Red Book >>

Careful What You Wish for >>

It's taken Texas 14 years and six albums, but in Be Careful What You Wish For they've finally made a record that sounds like Texas. From doomed early attempts to revive the blues, to the Motown soul and Phil Spector-pop of the multi-million selling White on Blonde and The Hush, they've always been obsessed with the past. And while they've delivered some great songs in the process, the retro styling always made it feel like they were running through someone else's long lost hits. For Be Careful What You Wish For, frontwoman Sharleen Spiteri and co have blurred the vintage soul references with a deluge of other sounds, old and new. "Telephone X" writhes to a spiky, new-wave stomp, "Place in My World" brims with breathless synths and the sauntering "Carnival Girl" pairs a dusty old groove with Kardinal Offishall's ragga rapping.

Without the slavish devotion to the 1960s, the focus has shifted, pushing the real Texas—Spiteri's gorgeously understated vocals and beautiful sun bleached melodies--to the fore. The songs themselves might not be quite the instant radio hits that "Say What You Want" and "Black Eyed Boy" were, but like the purring title track, they shimmer with the subtle pop sophistication needed to make Be Careful What You Wish For an enduring classic. --Dan Gennoe