ally77 said on November 11, 2005 10:02:

It’s on my wanted list!

realsuga said on November 12, 2005 10:35:

sensational album.....they’re BACK!

realsuga said on November 13, 2005 11:20:

do u know wot the song is as 3rd single, ally???

realsuga said on November 14, 2005 17:43:

fanbloodytastic - sensational song

the album only charted at 16 in UK! Some people.....no taste:-(((

roxtexanet said on November 14, 2005 23:34:

Album isn’t out in Canada until at least the 22nd (and then I have my doubts since Universal deleted from their forthcoming releases list... )-: ). But glad to hear that SOOOO many people like it this time!!

As for the shitty chart position, am I wrong in remembering that the special edition with bonus DVD comes out a week later?? If so, fans might be holding out for the bonus (I would!), so not as many first-week sales as usual. Dumb strategy if this is what they did!

ally77 said on November 16, 2005 04:55:

Peter Kay filmed the new vidoe with them this weekend in my town, it was in the paper last night.... Due out in January.... can#t wait to see that!

ally77 said on November 21, 2005 22:33:

I like them, I am thinking of getting some of there old stuff, but not sure which album to get!

roxtexanet said on November 29, 2005 06:12:

Finally got this CD, it came out in Canada on the 22nd as promised... yay!

I agree with all that’s been said here, the album is fantastic - not “every song is a #1 hit” kind of fantastic, but more like “lay back and relax” kind of fantastic. Anyway, here’s my review (which I’m going to submit for publication on an indie rock site - yes, sadly, Texas in considered “indie” where I am!).

****

With the critical and commercial disappointment of their last album, “Careful What You Wish For” behind them, Texas have learned a tough lesson: try to please everyone and you please no-one. It’s not that “Careful” had bad songs - indeed, “And I Dream” and first single “Carnival Girl” represented successful experiments in new directions for the then 14 year old band, struggling to return to relevance in a world where Ashlee Simpson is a rocker and Kelly Osbourne is allowed to make records. The problem was that “Careful” tried to go in 12 different directions at once - now a reggae-tinged pop number, next a Blondie nod, then a syrup-sweet ballad, an electronic dance number, and even a country tune. For a band that already has its share of skeptics (their current guise as an R’n’B lite pop outfit is a significant departure from their early days as a down-home blues rock band, and with countless changes to the original line-up, they’ve stretched the concept of “band” to the limit), doing a so-so job of a thousand different genres may not have been the best way to recover from a five-year hiatus. Still, the important thing is not that Texas have weathered a tough lesson - it’s that they’ve learned it.

On “Red Book” Sharleen Spiteri showcases the band’s best asset - her one-of-a-kind voice - on 11 songs that weave the best tricks of the last three albums into a tapestry of sound. As is Texas tradition, the lyrics are awful; fortunately for Texas, no serious pop fan pays much attention to lyrics anyway. “Careful” suffered because it sounded like a greatest hits album from a band you’ve never heard of; unless you’re manic-depressive, you’ll never be in the mood for it. “Red Book,” on the other hand, is the perfect accompaniment to a lazy afternooon. The set kicks off with jangly first single “Getaway” (easily their best song since 1997’s “Halo”) and the slinky “Can’t Resist,” but these made-for-the-radio hits blend seamlessly into the three midtempo ballads that follow, and don’t seem out of place on an album that doesn’t aim to string together hit singles. Third single “Sleep” is a gorgeous duet - a first for Texas - and “Nevermind” could be their best ballad yet; sure it’s cheese, but this is Texas, after all. Fans will recognize traces of “White On Blonde” in the catchy “Bad Weather” while “Masterthief” hearkens back to “classic” Texas, and wouldn’t sound out of place on “Mothers Heaven.” In fact, the only misstep is “Get Down Tonight,” a limp dance number with a failed attempt at a double entendre and Sharleen embarrassing herself by trying to sound dirty. Leave it to X-Tina, Shar. 8/10

roxtexanet said on December 2, 2005 04:25:

@Ally: “Ricks Road” is a great album, but it really isn’t representative of the Texas sound in the last decade. So, if you’re liking the new stuff, start with “White On Blonde”... it sold a bazillion copies in the UK, you should have no problem finding it used (unless of course everyone’s hanging on to it because it’s SUCH a great album!!).

So happy to have new Texas music, and maybe new Rox too in another year (???)!

roxtexanet said on December 5, 2005 04:59:

...except that the single isn’t coming out until January!! Maybe they’ll step up the release date for a Christmas #1... sure would be a nice present... (-: