The Hush

by

Texas

Edit

Texas had been around as a group for eight years when their 1997 album "White On Blonde" really broke them into the mainstream, so the success must have been a great surprise and relief. That album made Texas the biggest band to come out of Scotland in years as millions of adoring British public snapped up a copy. The sound was very much pop/rock with some highlights of the fading Britpop that was slowly dying at the time. This sound is carried further with more R'n'B influences in their 1999 follow-up, "The Hush." The album features a lot of variety in terms of music and production. Also the album is somewhat more accessible than its predecessor.

The Hush went straight to No.1 in the UK upon its release, making it their second No.1 album. For me, this is a good follow-up album, but it doesn't nearly match the genius of White On Blonde. The Hush is a very contemporary album, which seems aimed more so at a mature audience of middle-aged women. That sounds a bit harsh, doesn't it? Especially considering Texas are one of the best and most cutting-edge bands to come out of Scotland in years. However, White On Blonde was fresh new and funky.

"In Our Lifetime" opens the album in superb fashion. A fantastic and traditional slice of pop perfection, this song became a huge hit in the spring of 1999 and had an eye-popping video to accompany it! The beats on this song are fresh, clean and open whilst Sharleen Spiteri's understated vocals work in delicious harmony with the up-tempo, happy feel to the song. "Tell Me The Answer" is a brilliant up-tempo song in which Sharleen attempts a high-pitched vocal effect. She pulls it off, but any more could be disastrous. "Summer Son" was the second single to be taken from this album in August 1999 and was another Top 5 hit for the band. The saucy video was racy and hot and totally banned from MTV UK throughout the day! Go Sharleen! The chiming beats on this song just sizzle and the rocky bridges make this one of Texas' best ever songs. "Sunday Afternoon" is a really chilled-out, laid-back mid-tempo track from Scotland's finest. Sharleen's vocals are soft whilst the piano works well too.

"Move In" is an average song, which features a more sexier vibe to Sharleen's voice. There is also a hint of R'n'B in the background. "When We Are Together" was the third single to be taken from this album back in the fall of 1999. The song starts off superbly and quietly before breaking out and totally assaulting your ears with the infectious beat. The melody and lyrical co-ordination of the composition is particularly memorable, whilst the swimming pool influenced video was one of my favourites for quite some time. "Day After Day" is an album highlight as Sharleen approaches her song in a classy and extremely sultry way. This is highlighted enormously by the brilliant violin in the background and the summery, dreamy beat that infects the song. "Zero Zero" is a fantastic interlude with an electronic kind of beat that separates and divides the album. It's a brilliant interlude and works in stark contrast to the ones we find on White On Blonde.

"Saint" is quite possibly one of the finest songs that the band have ever produced, with its chilled and picturesque mood. This song paints many vivid images in my mind of open landscapes and the beautiful Earth - I guess I'm just mushy like that! "Girl" is a Motown style up-tempo pop song, which places Sharleen's vocals at the forefront of the composition. The beat is striking and jumpy - very typical of the band, yet you couldn't see it coming. "The Hush," the album's title track has a hint of "Good Advice," the sultry track from the last album. The production here is really impressive as Sharleen's vocals echo all over the arrangement. "The Day Before I Went Away" is the album's true ballad, a slow and entrancing composition, it totally completes the album in the best way. Sharleen seems tired on this album, as if she's travelled a long road and has learned so much, yet has such a long way to go. The future is bright.

OVERALL GRADE: 9/10

I own four Texas albums - White On Blonde, The Hush, Greatest Hits and Careful What You Wish For. White On Blonde is easily Texas' greatest album, and one of the best albums I have ever listened to. Their latest effort, Careful What You Wish For, is a severely underrated masterpiece in the pop rock genre. This leaves the Greatest Hits which was one of 2001's biggest sellers, whilst The Hush is probably their 'worst' album, and I use the term 'worst' very lightly. The Hush is nothing short of a brilliant album that defines Texas as a band, yet it simply can't compete with it's genius predecessor or their latest gem. Still, if you want to listen to some superb mature pop music, buy this.

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.