Hangin' On By a Thread

The final installment in the trilogy of albums that commenced Texas Tornados’ recording career, Hangin’ On by a Thread features the group’s most diverse set of material. Augie Meyers’ rousing Spanglish stomp “Guacamole” is the kind of song that had come to define the group; it's an improbable mixture of corny humor and authentic roots music that no one else could pull off. But listeners should pay equal attention to the group’s more subtle maneuvers. A lifelong friend and admirer of Bob Dylan, Doug Sahm reanimates the well-loved “To Ramona.” Sahm taps into the song’s deepest poignancies as his compatriots spice up the arrangement with Tejano trimmings. “La Grande Vida” is a hybrid of Tex-Mex and reggae that brings the band’s taste for cultural cross-pollination almost to the breaking point, but the performance is saved by Sahm’s sincerity. Regardless of the material, his voice never fails to give listeners a full bear hug. Yet the album’s crown jewel is “Adios Mi Corazon,” a ballad that the larger-than-life Augie Meyers handles with homespun elegance.