Everything's Bigger in Texas,3 Out Of 5 Stars
Led by the belting voice of Sharleen Spiteri, this Scottish foursome took their love of Ry Cooder (they took their name from their love of Cooder's "Paris Texas" soundtrack) western style guitar and a penchant for writing big, bold songs, and made "Southside" the closest album they had to an American success. I saw them in 1990 at Philadelphia's legendary Trocadero and became an instant fan. (Sharleen even signed my CD.) One listen to the enigmatic "I Don't Want a Lover" and you'll wonder why these folks couldn't break it big. They were huge in Europe, enough so that you can find a full greatest hits CD.
"Southide" has several good tracks on it, like "Tell Me Why" and "Faith." Imagine the Cowboy Jinkies trying to mate with Simple Minds or U2, and you'll get a feel for what Texas was trying to accomplish. But it was the guitar of Ally McErlaine that help set Texas apart from most other bands (listen to the way he slides his notes on the instrumental title track). Or perhaps the mock-Edge guitar introduction to "Fool For Love." "Southside" may not be a great album, but it does show that Texas deserved better than their American obscurity.
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