Texas Album: “Hush”

This is an amazing album. Instantly hits such as Summer Son, In Our Lifetime and When We Are Together stand out. Then further listening, oth tracks begin to emerge such as Move In, Sunday Afternoon, Saint, Day After Day. Sharleen Spiteri's voice is lush, and the music has originality. I can see the 'Motownesqueness' of it, but that doesn't overpower it. It has it's own unique style, and it is a pleasant change from a lot of the bland music that is out at the moment. The songs are classy, and feel good, but are definitely not 'meaningless' - it is obvious that time has gone into the writing of the lyrics, and of the music. Sharleen really brings the songs to life, with her amazingly emotional vocals. Her voice can be powerful on one track, and yet whispery or smooth on other tracks. Her voice is one of the best in the music world. For most this is seen as a pop album - but I doubt very much whether it crosses Texas into the world of pop - to me this is neither rock nor pop, it is simply 'alternative'. Freshly alternative!

There's one thing you can always say about Texas - never underestimate them. That so many people do is why White On Blond came from nowhere to become, quite possibly, the most accomplished album of 1997. In spite of that awe-inspiring album, and as succesful as it was, people still thought nothing of them for two years. Now, The Hush has arrived with minimal fanfare and is, whilst not the best of the year, certainly one of the most comfortable, developed and secure sounding albums you'll ever hear.

Spiteri and Co. have found the music they've always wanted to make and work it to breaking point. The evolution from Southside to WoB to this is so obvious you'll wonder why you didn't see it coming. Listen to Summer Son and you'll hear Abba bubbliness mixing with Springsteen grit. Move In is Motown smoothness combined with Spice Girl sass. Day After Day is every beautiful emotion you've ever felt sung by the voice of an angel. Spiteri of course takes centre stage on all of them but after hearing the songs you wouldn't have it any way. Whether breathing the words on the title track or piercing them into you on Tell Me The Answer she remains the glue that keeps the tracks together. And yet listen to Saint. This one track is quite possibly the finest song they've ever produced and is the combination of all the bands efforts. That should serve to remind people that although Sharleen gets all the press she's merely the most visible member of an extremely accomplished band that are making the music they want to and are damn good at it.

Blasphemous as this will sound I don't think the album is as good as WoB. That album was almost musical perfection and the majority of tracks here are just slightly weaker. There isn't a single bad track but there's no Halo or Black Eyed Boy to rush the adrenalin, no Put Your Arms Around Me to sway to or Polo Mint City to chill to.

Not that it really matters. Texas are the band that will push British pop music into the next millenium. Not Steps, Billie or anyonee else. They're as essential to the genre as Madonna and they're finally doing what they've always wanted to. The future is bright. The future is Hushed.

I dont want to talk about money, or something else (about the change of music between ricks road and white on blonde), I could call it "evolution", they just decided to update their music, I see no crime. MAybe the change was a bit too fast, but this is the way things are. Ricks road is a superb album, and the hush (after white on blonde) gave us a different Texas (not better not worse, just different). Nice production, electropop sounds, the blues influences are long gone, electronic arrangements, the guitar is no longer the star in Texas sound. The result is a pleasant one anyway, the melodies have the right arrangements, above all....they sound natural.

You have been warned, but I will never regret I bought it.

Reading all the reviews to-date indicates divergent opinions, mostly favorable. The detractors seem to yearn for the raw-er, less commercial sounds of previous albums, and resent Texas' reinvention of themselves as a main stream pop band. Sorry - I'm afraid that's their prerogative. I like the album just fine, and, as a hot-blooded male, not the least because of the bubbling sexuality percolating just underneath the surface. It's ebullient, cleverly blending the familiar with original ideas, making its appeal quite irresistible. Very well thought-out, not over-produced or over the top. The way it pays tribute to significant musical roots from Motown to Prince without resorting to directly ripping these artists off is admirable. My favourite tracks (besides the hit single Once In A Lifetime) are Saint, When We Are Together, Day After Day (although I kind of wished Sharleen would have sung a little more right on pitch; it's sung with feelings alright, but it's JUST a little off in places), and Girl (tender girl-power tribute to Lauryn Hill!). This is not deep music, but we can't all listen to Mahler or Coltrane ALL the time. I highly recommend it.

Yes, some people really loved the country/blues rock of Texas' 3 first albums. I can't believe Texas made the dramatic change into ordinary synth pop of their own will (at least, entirely). It was about money, I suspect. As is easy to see by reading these reviews, more people like modern "trip-hop", or whatever you want to call it, than close-to-the-Earth rock Texas used to make.

From my point of view they sold themselves, as their "Rick's Road" album (for example) is far superior musically. Then again, can 10.000.000.000 flies be wrong: s**t is good! The Hush isn't bad, even less "s**t". It just isn't what Texas was at their best. Only one song really moves me and that's "Saint" - a masterpiece.

People have different tastes and in a commercial world, that's what rules, no matter how little may some of us like it. Still, I recommend "Southside" and "Rick's Road" if you wish to hear Texas at their best.