Track-by-track review of new Texas album
from the Sunday Mail - 7 September 2003 by Billy Sloan
IT'S been four long years but take it from me... the new Texas album is well worth the wait.

Careful What You Wish For hits record shops on October 20 and singer Sharleen Spiteri couldn't have wished for a more impressive musical comeback.

I was invited to the chic Mint Leaf club in London's West End on Thursday for an exclusive playback. What can I say? It's gonna blow your socks off.

Sharleen has embraced influences such as Debbie Harry of Blondie, Siouxsie Sioux of The Banshees and even her mate Madonna to produce a stunning set of songs.

The single, Carnival Girl -released on October 6 -is proof Texas are willing to take chances musically. It features a great vocal spar between Sharleen and Canadian rapper Kardinal Offishal.

The album also sees the group working with legendary producer Trevor Horn and Madonna's mixer Spike Stent, plus the highly respected Ian Broudie, formerly of The Lightning Seeds.

Two tracks -See It Through and Where Do You Sleep -are collaborations with Guy Chambers, Robbie Williams' ex-writing partner.

You don't get to work with guys of that calibre unless you can really cut it.

I was knocked out by Careful What You Wish For but the album got me thinking.

Sharleen has so firmly put her stamp on this impressive record are we now looking at the first steps towards a solo career?

Watch this space. Here is my exclusive track-by-track guide to Careful What You Wish For.

TELEPHONE X: ACE producerTrevor Horn fuses pumping bass and razor-sharp guitar to give it a real New York punk feel. Huge hit single potential.

9/10 BROKEN: I DEFY Texas diehards to identify the group from Sharleen's soaring vocals. It's got a dance feel reminiscent of Madonna's Ray Of Light with the guitar sound of John McGeoch of the Banshees.

8/10 CARNIVAL GIRL: THIS is the first time they sound like the Texas of old. Even so, it's a significant musical development.
Initially, it's not an obvious single but this cracking song is a real grower and the refrain ``Come on let's get down tonight'' is destined to become an anthem at live gigs.

9/10 SEE IT THROUGH: SHARLEEN'Ssuperb vocal reminds me of Karen Carpenter singing Close To You. I can give it no higher praise.
The ballad could do for Texas what Angels did for Robbie Williams. A contender for the Christmas No.1.

10/10 WHERE DO YOU SLEEP: THIS ismore in the direction of Patti Smith or Shirley Manson.
Yet again, Sharleen takes the honours with strident vocals on top of thumping bass and drums. The Banshees influence comes over loud and clear.

8/10 AND I DREAM: FOR my money,this is the best song Blondie never wrote. It's got a big, beefy sound with some great punk fuzz guitar.
As Sharleen sings: ``And I dream there's nothing I can find,'' she sounds like an incarnation of punk icon Debbie Harry. Another hit single in waiting.

9/10 CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR: IT opens with some fluid Eddie Campbell piano and handclaps which pave the way for electrostyle vocals.
Mark my words, you won't be able to get this hook out of your head. I was still singing it to myself after three hours.

9/10 BIG SLEEP: BACK on more familiar Texas territory -a country feel with some deft acoustic guitar and bluesy harmonica. But there's a real contemporary feel proving Texas are a band who're moving forward.

8/10 UNDER YOUR SKIN: THE rousingintro has the same power as Springsteen's Born To Run. Guitarist Ali McErlaine is in top form and his echoing guitar licks hark back to The Scream by Siouxsie And The Banshees. 7/10CAROUSEL DUB: SHARLEENtakes a back seat vocally to allow Dolomite of London dance crew Suncycle to take the spotlight.
But it's an experiment too far as the song loses direction and threatens to disintegrate.

6/10 PLACE IN MY WORLD: IT segues from the previous track and Sharleen soon picks up the pace brilliantly.
I warm to the overall effect -which is heavy on reggae toasting vocal techniques.

7/10 ANOTHER DAY: THIS feels like Blondie's The Tide Is High for 2003. It's an absolute cracker with great juicy slabs of guitar and keyboards.
``Throw me out and let me in,'' cries Sharleen to stunning effect.
The effect is a striking way to bring down the curtain on an outstanding album.

8/10





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