Scottish chart-toppers Texas celebrate their 25th anniversary with the release of their latest album Texas 25, which contains four brand new songs and highlights from the band's greatest hits completely re-recorded and re-worked for 2015 with acclaimed NYC soul outfit Truth & Soul. Texas 25 was a chance for Texas front woman Sharleen Spiteri and band mate Johnny McElhone to hear fan favourites such as 'Black Eyed Boy', 'Halo', 'I Don't Want a Lover', 'Say What You Want', 'Summer Son', and 'The Conversation' with new ears...

For fans of Texas, Texas 25 is an album that has been a long time coming. It's a greatest hits album with a twist. What we're treated to are rerecorded and reworked editions of some of the band's greatest hits, as well as four brand new singles.

However, the PR material we received was a little vague, and it became a bit of a headache actually working out whether the original songs were being included on the Deluxe Edition of the album or not... and to be honest I'm still not overly clear on that one. I mean, come on... it's been year's since I last heard anything from Texas. The label's website was equally useless (mainly as it doesn't seem to have been updated in a while and Texas isn't even listed on it).

We do get a couple of version of each of the band's most famous songs. Some are obviously rerecorded, others it's not so clear as to which is the new version and which is (if at all) the original. Hopefully, the finished packaging should be a bit clearer.

There are three versions of 'Say What You Want', and the rerecorded 'Say What You Want (All Day Every Day)' track was an interesting twist on the old classic song.

But publicity issues aside, this is a first rate album that will be warmly embraced by 40-somethings who fondly remember Texas when they were at the height of their career.

In fact the only real issue is which edition to go for. You can pick up the Standard Edition (on CD, digital album and vinyl) which contains just 12 track; the Deluxe Edition contains an additional 15 tracks; and the vinyl / CD Super Deluxe Box Set contains the same tracks as the Deluxe Edition, but with an additional 12 tracks, as well as a limited edition silver presentation box containing:

80 page silver hardback book compiled by Sharleen, featuring new and never-before-seen photos of her and the band.
Numbered certificate of authenticity signed by Sharleen
5 x 12" full colour art prints
TEXAS 25 pressed on 180g red vinyl
Silver case bound 2 CD including regular version of TEXAS 25 plus bonus disc of classic Texas hits.

The price difference between the Standard and Deluxe editions is just a couple of pounds, but the Super Deluxe Box Set is currently selling online for around £100. Personally, unless you're a huge Texas freak, the Deluxe Edition is a no-brainer.

There were a couple of things I noticed, listening to this album. Firstly, 'Say Goodbye' has a very similar song structure to 'Say What You Want', right down to the opening guitar chords. And was it me? Or did do the lyrics to In Demand really say: "When my dreams just move along, you lice are raised by mice"?

It's great to see Sharleen Spiteri and Johnny McElhone actively participating in this album rather than allowing the label to churn out another cash-in "Greatest Hits" album. If more labels and artists of yesteryear were as thoughtful towards their fans as Texas is here, release albums would have a much better name for themselves.

9

Nick Smithson