Greatest Hits, The (+DVD) - Texas

Author's product rating:   

Originality	Definitely a cut above the rest
Lyrics	Thought-provoking
Quality and consistency of tracks	A couple of weak links
How does it compare to the artist's other releases	Outstanding
Value for Money

Advantages:	A good collection of hits,
Disadvantages:	As always there are some fillers

Recommend to potential buyers:

yes

Full review

I quite like Texas (named after the Wim Wenders film Paris, Texas), I am not a massive fan though so their albums normally hold little attraction for me as I only really like the songs they have released as singles, so this is the ideal choice for me as they are all here without the filler tracks I would normally have to wade through, that is unless the three new previously unreleased tracks turn out to be rubbish! They (by they I mean Sharleen Spiteri and Johnny McElhone, who used to be in fellow Glaswegian band Altered Images) have now been around for 13 years which slightly surprises me.

This album was released in November 2000, and until I was pushed into doing this review, I really had not listened to it much since I first bought it, but that is because I buy too many CD's and then never have the time to listen to them.

The opener was their first chart hit, written by an 18 year old Sharleen Spitiri whilst she was working in a hairdressers, released in 1989 'I Don't Want A Lover', and I would say that to date this is probably still my favourite track. The opening bars are reminiscent of Jon Bon Jovi's 'Blaze Of Glory' (I am not sure which one was released first). The guitar opening leads into someone strong dramatic drumming, and then the unique voice of Sharleen Spiteri kicks in over the music, spitting out the superb lyrics that belong to this song, but she soon shows how chilled she can be with 'In Demand', which was released as a single just before this album. A song all about how someone leaves their lover, only to find that when they want them back they have someone new. It is understated, and it works so well as the music fades into the background and Sharleen's voice really shines through. This is a song which can haunt you as it is so perfectly done.

Texas had a lengthy break from the music scene in the 90's, and the song which catapulted them back into the public gaze in 1996 was 'Say What You Want', which opens with Sharleen panting 'Ah Ah'. This is a tremendous ballad, and I am sure that to many people it is 'their song'. With their confidence brimming, Texas went for the more dance based track with 'Summer Son' from the 1999 album 'The Hush'. It is a really uplifting song with a great beat. I love the line "Here come's the summer son, he burns my skin, I ache again, I'm over you'. There are few summer songs that will beat this. This was the song which helped the band establish themselves in Europe.

In the video for 'Inner Smile', for some reason Sharleen decided to dress up as an Elvis impersonator. The song is co-written with Greg Alexander (New Radicals). When this song was out in the charts, I was away on holiday with my husband, and I used to love to get ready to this song, as it has a really sensual feel to it, and made me feel really sexy and up for a good night out and in, and the perfect song for the good time when you get in is 'So In Love With You'. This is one of the best ballads you are likely to hear, and it was written specially for this album. The string arrangement is just awe inspiring, and it is a song which stops me in my tracks, and forces me to listen to it.

Quick to up the tempo, Texas present us with 'Black Eyed Boy', which was another succesful hit taken from the 1997 'White On Blonde' CD. It has a lot of attitude, which coupled with the drums and the strong vocals produced an brillaint song. Track 8, 'So Called Friend' has a real Pretenders vibe, and Sharleen takes on a very Chrissie Hynde type vocal, and it works very well. 'Everyday Now' has a show feel to it. I can imagine it being sung on stage by a theatre actress. Why? I'm not sure to be honest. It has quite a country vibe to it, and it is really laid back.

The sublime 'In Our Lifetime' is track 10. A song with a low key verse that builds up to a lyrically strong chorus, and it just touches a nerve, as does 'Halo', which is the song that gets me singing everytime. 'She's so pretty, her hair is a mess, we all love her, to that we confess, she has a halo, we really do adore her'. I love it and Sharleen carries this song off brilliantly, and her voice teases and seduces the listener to cast them under her spell. Another new track 'Guitar Song' samples 'Je T'aime', but it just doesn't work, as the song seems to have no direction, and this is my down point of the album.

Proving once again that she has a very diverse vocal, Sharleen gives us 'Prayer for you', which has an obvious gospel influence, which when coupled with an uptempo musical arrangement makes for a very enjoyable track, and I am really enjoying this now, even more so when track 14, 'When We Are Together' arrives with a bang, and just as I am enjoying my jig about the room, and I promptly brought back down to earth by the magnificent ballad 'Insane', before being taken back to the 'early days' with 'I'm So Tired Of Being Alone', which seems much mellower than when it was released first time round, or is it me who has mellowed? The gospel choir towards the end of the song really add to it's warmth, and just give it an extra edge.

Looking for a dreamy ballad to just leave you open mouth in admiration? Look no further, because with 'Put Your Arms Around Me', you have certainly found it. The tracks starts with an acoustic feel, and then progresses to a really powerful track, where Sharleen's voice is really stretched and copes brilliantly, and this song has brought me close to tears on more than one occasion. The lyrics are simple, and the emotion that comes across in the vocals leaves me stuck for words to describe it without doing it an injustice.

The final track is a reworking of 'Say What You Want' with Redman from Wu Tang Clan. Die hard Texas fans hate, and I am not sure I like the version which has appeared on the album, as I saw them do it live on an awards show, and it left the hairs on the back of my neck standing up, but all said it is an original attempt on what was a very succesful song commercially.

When she was interviewed recently, Sharleen said all that she wanted to do was make songs that would stand the test of time, and I am certain she has accomplished this. I am a bigger fan now, and have vowed to listen to their five other albums in full and not expect to be disappointed. Lyrically, they are far superior than some of their peers, and their style is a refreshing change. To me it is an album which is best played loudly on a warm summers day, as all of the songs lend themselves to that kind of atmosphere so well, and one that I would urge you all to add to your collection, as the songs all sit so well next to each other, that they will satisfy all music tastes. It is a killer collection to rival all others, and I hope it is not the kiss of death as so many other Greatest Hits albums have been, as I am not ready for Texas' swansong just yet.