Texas: Rick's Road - 1993

Rick's Road was Texas's third album, and it has received a certain amount of criticism from various reviewers I have read, comparing it unfavourably to the two following albums, both of which were huge sellers. Indeed, AllMusic stated that it is "just one or two decent songs above being classified as drivel". Nonsense. 

I have to robustly disagree with them. These people have had problems with the fact that it is a blues rock album and not a commercially-oriented poppy or hip/hop-influenced one, whereas for me it is the exact opposite - it is powerful, rocking and full of quality blues guitar, drums and harmonica. This, as far as I am concerned, is Texas at their best, before they went all programmed drums, and "contemporary" pop soul sounds. Texas never sounded like this again after this, a few backwards nods here and there, but not too much. For me, their first three albums were their best, when they wanted to sound as American as their name.

Sharleen Spiteri's vocals display her full range - from gritty and bluesy to surprisingly flexible and high-pitched. The girl could sing the blues, there is no doubt about that, and her performance on this album puts me in mind of subsequent female bluesers like Susan Tedeschi and Grace Potter.

Highlights - So Called Friend, Fade Away, Listen To Me, You've Got To Love A Little, I Want To Go To Heaven, You Owe It All To Me

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