Music review: Texas & the BBC SSO at Glasgow Barrowland

David Brent from The Office once bitterly questioned whether Texas '“ the million-selling act his own failed band once supported '“ could run and manage a paper merchants as successfully as he had. Given their consummate professionalism, I suspect they probably could.

Sharleen Spiteri

Texas & the BBC SSO ***

Barrowland, Glasgow

This cosy homecoming show, staged in anticipation of BBC Music Day and freely attended by enthusiastic fans, friends and family, was essentially a concise celebration of their 30-year career. Packed to the gills with hits, it served as a reminder of why Texas have troubled the charts for so long. They’ve never been critical darlings, but I doubt they’ve ever cared about the arbitrary parameters of cool when writing stellar pop tunes such as Summer Sun, Black Eyed Boy and the genuinely stirring Halo.

They’ve always been in thrall to string-laden ‘60s soul pop, so the backing of the BBC’s Scottish Symphony Orchestra felt entirely natural. Say What You Want in particular actually sounded more muscular and – yes – soulful in this symphonic context than it ever did on record.

While her band/backing musicians remained as anonymous as ever – face facts, lads, even your staunchest fans would have trouble picking you out of a police line-up – Sharleen Spiteri exuded the natural charisma and stage presence of a born pop star. Her chatty Glasgow bonhomie never sounded forced. She’s an intrinsically affable entertainer with a strong, sincere, radio-friendly voice. That’s a valuable pop commodity.

Credibility be damned, Texas deserve recognition as a slick, harmless, occasionally inspired hit-making blue-eyed soul machine.