Little Bit Is Better Than Nada: Prime Cuts 1990-1996

Two CD set. Pop music has seen it's share of super groups, but none of them were (and are) as infectious, buoyant and plain ol' fun as the Texas Tornados. And make no mistake-the Tornados were a super group; in fact, when it comes to roots and ethnic music, the pedigree of the band was unmatched. Accordionist Flaco Jimnez is The King of Conjunto Music, and has played with everybody from the Rolling Stones to Buck Owens, while keyboardist Augie Meyers basically is the Vox organ, having played it with the Sir Douglas Quintet and on countless other releases by Bob Dylan, Tom Waits, John Hammond... The list goes on. Freddy Fender was the rare Chicano artist to achieve crossover pop success with a style that blended swamp pop, rockabilly, country, and Tejano influences together with a beautiful, crooning vocal style, and Doug Sahm-well, Doug Sahm was Doug Sahm, an American original if there ever was one, a one-man melting pot of country, soul, Tejano and rock and roll. Together, these four legends cut four albums (or five, if you count the Spanish-language version of their debut) for the Reprise label during the '90s that were among the greatest roots-rock records ever made, a rollicking, utterly irresistible body of music made for dancing, drinking, laughing, loving and living. Now, Real Gone Music has gone deep into the vaults to present the ultimate Texas Tornados collection, a 39-track set that includes prime cuts from all of their albums-the Spanish and English versions of their self-titled debut, plus Zone of Our Own, Hangin' On by a Thread and 4 Aces-together with rarities and six