Texas Album: “Careful What You Wish For”

as Martha would say, "it's a good thing."

After listening to the first few seconds of the intro (Telephone X) I thought I was listening to a Garbage album. Very impressive intro, and the last 30 seconds or so of the song just make you just move to it. One of the most standout tracks on the record. Simple guitar chords lead you in the next track, Broken. Good song, but it seems her vocals are really muddled during the chorus. Carnival Girl's great, if only sound wise; I could've done without whoever's vocally accompanying her in it. I'll See It Through is a little bland, it could've been a more emotionally inducing ballad, but her voice sounds great. Where Did You Sleep? has a really infectious chorus...

The next 2 tracks are my favorite - And I Dream is a very 'Cher' sounding song imo... probably the only dance inspired song on the album - her vocals are very clear and the guitar introduced into the beginning along with the electronica is brilliant. The title track is probably my favorite song on this record. The beginning sounds very reminiscent of an old Fleetwood Mac song... simple yet effective lyrics, probably the most flawless vocals on the entire album. The rest of the album I could do without; the last track, Another Day has one of the most beautiful arrangements I've heard in awhile.

All in all, I was very pleased with this album; it's pretty rare to find a 12 track album this day in age where you like over half the songs. This album is and isn't a departure for them. Sound & production wise it's all over the map, and unlike so many albums, that's its actual strength. Her vocals aren't the best, the lyrics aren't the greatest, but the sound throughout is wonderful.

Texas is back, with one of their best albums to date.

Remarkable is that almost each track is instantly catchy. There are a couple of songs you'll never forget.

01 TELEPHONE X> It's a pity this cd starts with this track, because it's also the best song on "Careful What You Wish For". It'll probably the 3rd single (after I'll See It Through), and then also a massive hit, at least in Europe. Catchy and sexy. 10/10

02 BROKEN> After the first tunes of this songs, I had big expectations of Broken. And again it is a catchy pop song, the Texas we all know. Unfortunately Sharleen's voice doesn't come off well in the chorus. 8/10

03 CARNIVAL GIRL> Texas' music style is up-to-date with Carnival Girl as first single to compete with contemporary R&B/Hip-Hop. What an out-standing song. Kardinal Offishall really adds something to "Carnival Girl". A sunny track. I don't understand why many people don't like this song. Maybe because they are not used to hear this from Texas? 10/10

04 I'LL SEE IT THROUGH> A brilliant ballad. The second single off "Careful What You Wish For" which will surely end up somewhere high in the UK album charts around Christmas. 10/10

05 WHERE DID YOU SLEEP?> The sound accelerates with "Where Did You Sleep?". Again an amazing song: guitars, beautiful chorus... I think it would do well as a single. 9/10

06 AND I DREAM> Again guitars, again a nice chorus, this time with a disco beat... Asking if you get tired of it? No. The inverse. 9/10

07 CAREFUL WHAT YOU WISH FOR> The typical Texas song is now accompanied by piano. And, yes, again single potention. 9/10

08 BIG SLEEP> This is the only song on the cd I skip. It's a bit laid back, not even very bad, but it IS boring. I can imagine that other people will like this country song though. 6/10

09 UNDER YOUR SKIN> A strong disco beat, a beautiful voice and a whiff of melancholy make this song one of the best on "Careful What You Wish For". 10/10

10 CAROUSEL DUB> Carnival Girl - the remix. Nice to listen to for a while, not a classic song though. It barely exists of the Carousel sample featured in "Carnival Girl", completed by the singing of Suncycle (?) and Sharleen, who repeats a couple of times the words "Carnival Girl". 7/10

11 PLACE IN MY WORLD> Suddenly the pace becomes faster, a trancy beat kicks in. Sounds promising, but the chorus lets down a bit. 7/10

12 ANOTHER DAY> "Call me up and let's begin", accompanied by warm strings. A nice conclusion. 9/10

Really an amazing cd, some would say essential. Texas is a wonderful band and Sharleens voice is the best!

After listening to this album several times I'm still not sure how I feel about it. If you are looking for an album with musical variety you have found it! The music is extremely catchy and perfect for anyone who enjoys many different styles of music. The reason this album only earns 4 stars from me is the lead vocalist's (Sharleen Spiteri) voice is drowned out and muddled on several of the tracks (Broken, & Big Sleep to name a few). This was disappointing to me as her vocals are always the crowning glory of any Texas album. All in all this is an extremely decent album. To be truthful, the more I hear it, the more I enjoy it. Happy listening.

The first half of the CD I really enjoyed and it was catchy, but near the end it sounded like they were desparate to fill the CD so they added almost anything. I still don't understand how carnival girl got into the CD considering Sharleen Spiteri said that the album is more rock... hmmm... I still gave it a 4 star coz it's still better than most CDs out there.

Be Careful What You Wish For really is a great album and a stunning showcase of this band's versatility. It contains at least 5 classic compositions, of which Telephone X is one of the best: an up-tempo number with innovative electronic infusions and a great tune.

The best dance tracks are the ragga-style Carnival Girl and its remix Carousel Dub, And I Dream, Place In My World and Broken. All of these have catchy hooks and foot-tapping rhythms. Of the slower songs, my favourites are Another Day and I'll See It Through, both moving ballads with poetic lyrics where Spiteri's voice is displayed in all its beauty.

The songs that stay closest to the familiar Texas sound are the aforementioned I'll See It Through, Another Day and the title track with its lovely piano. But overall this album is a welcome exploration of new territory, as it provides a refreshing blend of ragga, pop and dance in a set of beautiful and memorable songs.