Gig review: Texas, Glasgow

A QUARTER of a century down the road, Texas remain such a well-oiled machine that not even the considerable drama of their lead guitarist’s life-threatening stroke can stop their slick charm offensive in its tracks.

Sharleen Spiteri. Picture: Contributed

Texas - O2 Academy, Glasgow

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Arriving after a break of a few years while Ally McErlaine recovered, current album The Conversation is as seamless as any in their catalogue, adding a couple of effortlessly melodic earworms to this strong set of proven hits.

The band arguably did themselves no favours with an intro tape of classic Motown sounds – from Smokey to Iggy – before kicking off with their own catchy but comparatively disposable tribute Detroit City. Texas cannot hope to live up to their impeccable influences but they are ruthlessly efficient within their own slightly pastichey universe.

New single Dry Your Eyes, for example, could be the Blondie song that got away. Another appealing new co-write with the redoubtable Richard Hawley, Talk About Love, dovetailed nicely into a rapturous When We Are Together, while Sharleen Spiteri’s swooning execution of In Our Lifetime elicited a marriage proposal written on a pair of Superman briefs.

The ever game Spiteri was in her element officiating in front of a home crowd, revelling in and contributing to the gallus patter. The audience were in the palm of her hand the moment she stepped on stage anyway, and it transpired that not trying too hard suited her, as she was at her persuasive best on the sultrier soul pop numbers such as Say What You Want, Inner Smile and Summer Son rather than pushing the manicured blues of I Don’t Want A Lover or coming off second best to Al Green and Tina Turner on otherwise ballsy renditions of Tired Of Being Alone and River Deep Mountain High.