Texas Tornado (album)

Texas Tornado is the second solo album by Doug Sahm, released by Atlantic Records in December 1973. Sahm co-produced the album with Jerry Wexler and Arif Mardin. Wexler signed Sahm to Atlantic records after the opening of the label's country music division.

Texas Tornado
Studio album by
Doug Sahm
ReleasedDecember 1973
RecordedOctober 1972
StudioAtlantic Studios
Wally Heider Studios
Genrerock and roll, tejano, blues, jazz
Length37:55
LabelAtlantic
ProducerDoug Sahm, Jerry Wexler, Arif Mardin
Doug Sahm chronology
Doug Sahm and Band
(1973)		 Texas Tornado
(1973)		 Groover's Paradise
(1974)

Sahm recorded with Atlantic during October 1972. Texas Tornado was constituted by the leftover tracks of his debut album, Doug Sahm and Band. Sahm's second album was favored by the critics.

Background

Interested in the development of alternative country, Atlantic Records producer Jerry Wexler started a Country & Western division in the label in 1972.[1] Wexler signed Doug Sahm among his acts.[2] Sahm recorded material for the label during October 1972 and his debut solo album, Doug Sahm and Band, was released in 1973.[3] Following his move to Austin, Texas Sahm released the leftover material of his Atlantic sessions as Texas Tornado.[4] The album was credited to the "Sir Douglas Band" and produced by Sahm, Wexler and Arif Mardin.[5]

Release and reception
Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
The Kansas City StarFavorable
Detroit Free PressFavorable
The Cincinnati EnquirerFavorable
Austin American-StatesmanFavorable
Robert ChristgauB+
AllMusic

Texas Tornado was released in December 1973.[6] The Kansas City Star delivered a favorable review that stated on the album Sahm "proves just how good a writer, composer and vocalist ... [he] is."[7] Critic Bob Talbert of the Detroit Free Press favored the album, and commented on the variety of musical genres and Sahm's "taste of every musical style."[8] Meanwhile, The Cincinnati Enquirer also remarked the mixture of styles and Sahm's voice changing from "the twangy nasal country sound to the mellow crooning style".[9] the Austin American-Statesman considered the album "more consistent overall" in comparison to Sahm's debut release with the label.[10]

Critic Robert Christgau gave the album a B+, and he compared it with previous Sahm releases: "the singing especially has the kind of force and definition he's always rendered irrelevant in the past".[11] AllMusic gave the album four-and-a-half stars out of five. Stephen Thomas Erlewine determined that the album "captures (Sahm) at an undeniable peak and it's undeniably irresistible."[12]

Track listing
Side one
No.TitleLength
1."San Francisco FM Blues"3:30
2."Someday"3:21
3."Blue Horizon"4:25
4."Tennessee Blues"5:34
5."Ain't That Loving You"4:57
Side two
No.TitleLength
1."Texas Tornado"2:56
2."Juan Mendoza"2:59
3."Chicano"2:18
4."I'll Be There"2:38
5."Hard Way"2:12
6."Nitty Gritty"3:05

Personnel
Musicians[5]

References
  1. Larkin, Colin 1998, p. 379.
  2. Reid, Jan & Sahm, Shawn 2010, p. 105.
  3. Billboard staff 1973, p. 18.
  4. Magnet staff 2002.
  5. Atlantic staff 1973.
  6. Lindsay, Sally 1973, p. 3.
  7. Butler, Robert 1974, p. 26F.
  8. Talbert, Bob 1974, p. 11-B.
  9. Harrod, Bob 1974, p. 2-G.
  10. Gracey, Joe 1973, p. B7.
  11. Christgau, Robert 1973.
  12. Erlewine, Stephen Thomas 2010.
Sources
  • Atlantic staff (1973). Texas Tornado (LP). Atlantic Records. SD 7287.
  • Billboard staff (January 13, 1973). "The Doug Sahm Sessions". Billboard. Vol. 85, no. 2. Nielsen Business Media, Inc. ISSN 0006-2510. Retrieved February 2, 2021. open access
  • Butler, Robert (February 17, 1974). "Doug Sahm's Texas Tornado Has Something for Everyone". The Kansas City Star. Vol. 94, no. 153. Retrieved March 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  • Christgau, Robert (1973). "The Sir Douglas Band". Robertchristgau.com. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  • Erlewine, Stephen Thomas (2010). "The Sir Douglas Band - Texas Tornados". AllMusic. Retrieved March 1, 2021.
  • Gracey, Joe (December 15, 1973). "Only Few to See Dylan's Concert". Austin American-Statesman. Vol. 49, no. 112. Retrieved March 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  • Harrod, Bob (January 27, 1974). "Bobby Bare's Album Just Great Listening". The Cincinnati Enquirer. Vol. 133, no. 289. Retrieved March 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  • Larkin, Colin (1998). The Virgin Encyclopedia of Country Music. Virgin. ISBN 978-0-7535-0236-5.
  • Lindsay, Sally (December 15, 1973). "Youth Beat". Pottsville Republican. Vol. 177, no. 41. Retrieved March 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. open access
  • Magnet staff (September 24, 2002). "Doug Sahm: A Lone Star State of Mind". Magnet. Retrieved February 2, 2021.
  • Reid, Jan; Sahm, Shawn (2010). Texas Tornado: The Times and Music of Doug Sahm. University of Texas Press. ISBN 978-0-292-77439-1.
  • Talbert, Bob (January 13, 1974). "The New Records". Detroit Free Press. Vol. 143, no. 254. Retrieved March 1, 2021 – via Newspapers.com. open access
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