Surprisingly, Texas is a band from Scotland. Also surprising is the fact that they’ve sold 35 million albums since 1989. I guess most of us on this side of the pond were too busy following pop-rock outfits from our own country to pay much attention to Texas, who stayed consistently at the top of the charts in the UK during three different decades.
The band released a successful greatest hits album in 2000 to commemorate their two and half decades together. They have rerecorded eight of their best songs and included four new tracks on the aptly titled 25.
To help shape these songs into different forms, Texas worked with Truth & Soul, who are most known for their work with Amy Winehouse and Adele. Taking this into account, it’s no shock how soulful and Motown influenced this turned out. Front woman Sharleen Spiteri’s aging voice (at least, compared to the original forms of these songs) fits the retro sounds of the new songs well. For a band who built their fame on pop and rock, this warm and varied listen illustrates how diverse Texas can be.
The most obvious example of this is “Summer Son,” which brings a more reggae flavor to the equation. Other great renditions are the horns and organ heavy “I Don’t Want A Lover,” “Halo” and “Inner Smile,” and the gentler version of “Black Eyed Boy.” Of the four new tracks, the most memorable are hands down the catchy chorus and slide guitar of “Start A Family,” but the gospel-like vocals and psyche-rock guitars of “Supafly Boy” are a close second.
Longtime fans – of which there are obviously very many – undoubtedly have already picked this up. For the first time listener, you’ll likely want to work your way backwards through their catalog after hearing 25, and it’s likely you’ll find a lot of gems along the way.
