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16  16.ZZ TopXXX (1999)1999's XXX can be asserted as ZZ Top's celebration of their thirtieth year making rock and roll music. Arguably, a celebratory album from ZZ Top which in an ideal world would embody all the bluesy shuffles, rockabilly boogies, sleazy lyrics, and cool laid-back deliverance that is their trademark. Instead, what we the audience are given is a very uncomfortably clean-cut set of generic rock tunes. ZZ Top make almost no attempt to celebrate their early years or even their commercial successes as they pick, strum and beat their way through a very uninspired set that embodies little or none of the grit or hair of their best known material. Even when the band stretches out, they feel tightly wound, and there is no spark to Billy Gibbons' guitar playing. If there was, maybe the three-chord shuffle of "Poke Chop Sandwich" would feel right, instead of a bastardized, emasculated knock-off of "Pearl Neckless." But there is nothing to the songs and nothing to the performances. Ironically, ZZ Top doesn't follow the advice they offer in "Fearless Boogie": they're too scared of sounding organic to really let loose and boogie, or play the blues like the accomplished veterans they are. 2/10 1999's XXX can be asserted as ZZ Top's celebration of their thirtieth year making rock and roll music. Arguably, a celebratory album from ZZ Top which in an ideal world would embody all the bluesy shuffles, rockabilly boogies, sleazy lyrics, and cool laid-back deliverance that is their trademark. Instead, what we the audience are given is a very uncomfortably clean-cut set of generic rock tunes. ZZ Top make almost no attempt to celebrate their early years or even their commercial successes as they pick, strum and beat their way through a very uninspired set that embodies little or none of the grit or hair of their best known material. Even when the band stretches out, they feel tightly wound, and there is no spark to Billy Gibbons' guitar playing. If there was, maybe the three-chord shuffle of "Poke Chop Sandwich" would feel right, instead of a bastardized, emasculated knock-off of "Pearl Neckless." But there is nothing to the songs and nothing to the performances. Ironically, ZZ Top doesn't follow the advice they offer in "Fearless Boogie": they're too scared of sounding organic to really let loose and boogie, or play the blues like the accomplished veterans they are. 2/10 15 15.ZZ TopMescalero (2003)2003's Mescalero suffers from the same issue that ZZ Top's 90's and 00's albums all suffered from; that the band just could not break free of their heavy reliance on the processed, sequenced sound, and hesitance to rock out without throwing a good share of synths into the mix. Ever since ZZ Top signed with MCA they have been earnestly trying to reconnect with the blues boogie of their early days, but too overshadowed by the colossal success of 1983's Eliminator, they try to replicate the modern recording techniques and pander to pop culture expectations to relive that same success for their new label. Mescalero does show some decent signs of a roaring homecoming for ZZ Top; Billy's songwriting chops and fat guitar tone are definitely creeping back into the limelight, such as the closing track "Liquor", the rampaging instrumental "Crunchy", and the lithe "What Would You Do". On these cuts, along with a cover of Lowell Fulson's "Tramp," ZZ Top sound like a worthy veteran act, returning to their strengths and building on them. Unfortunately, that's four songs on an overlong 17-track album, and the rest of the record is pretty much devoted to by-the-books latter-day ZZ Top, relying too much on overly polished sound and familiar form, not gutbucket hooks and dirty grooves. 3/10 2003's Mescalero suffers from the same issue that ZZ Top's 90's and 00's albums all suffered from; that the band just could not break free of their heavy reliance on the processed, sequenced sound, and hesitance to rock out without throwing a good share of synths into the mix. Ever since ZZ Top signed with MCA they have been earnestly trying to reconnect with the blues boogie of their early days, but too overshadowed by the colossal success of 1983's Eliminator, they try to replicate the modern recording techniques and pander to pop culture expectations to relive that same success for their new label. Mescalero does show some decent signs of a roaring homecoming for ZZ Top; Billy's songwriting chops and fat guitar tone are definitely creeping back into the limelight, such as the closing track "Liquor", the rampaging instrumental "Crunchy", and the lithe "What Would You Do". On these cuts, along with a cover of Lowell Fulson's "Tramp," ZZ Top sound like a worthy veteran act, returning to their strengths and building on them. Unfortunately, that's four songs on an overlong 17-track album, and the rest of the record is pretty much devoted to by-the-books latter-day ZZ Top, relying too much on overly polished sound and familiar form, not gutbucket hooks and dirty grooves. 3/10 14 14.ZZ TopRecycler (1990)1990's Recycler is quite the cry from the bottom of the creative pit. Recycler comes five years after the extreme synthesised boogie of 1985's Afterburner, and the band seem as if they have had no time in going in a different musical direction or to even think about doing that, as they arbitrarily replicate the sounds. It sounds as if for the first time ever that ZZ Top are indifferent to the wild side of rock and roll which had been the subject matter of their greatest tracks since their formation, rather on Recycler they try to take a serious, even grungier approach to their music and shake off the delightful goofy fun and warped ambition that made them such a fascinating romp. The worst thing about it all, it doesn't seem like the band realizes how uncomfortably ironic the title of Recycler is. Apart from "Doubleback," a continuation of the arena pop of "Stages," the other number that really works here is "My Head's in Mississippi," the closest they'd come to the greasy boogie of "La Grange" since Degüello. When it arrives halfway through Recycler, it not only sounds refreshing; it puts the rest of the album in perspective, showing how tired the once-bracing synth-blooze-boogie has become. 3/10 1990's Recycler is quite the cry from the bottom of the creative pit. Recycler comes five years after the extreme synthesised boogie of 1985's Afterburner, and the band seem as if they have had no time in going in a different musical direction or to even think about doing that, as they arbitrarily replicate the sounds. It sounds as if for the first time ever that ZZ Top are indifferent to the wild side of rock and roll which had been the subject matter of their greatest tracks since their formation, rather on Recycler they try to take a serious, even grungier approach to their music and shake off the delightful goofy fun and warped ambition that made them such a fascinating romp. The worst thing about it all, it doesn't seem like the band realizes how uncomfortably ironic the title of Recycler is. Apart from "Doubleback," a continuation of the arena pop of "Stages," the other number that really works here is "My Head's in Mississippi," the closest they'd come to the greasy boogie of "La Grange" since Degüello. When it arrives halfway through Recycler, it not only sounds refreshing; it puts the rest of the album in perspective, showing how tired the once-bracing synth-blooze-boogie has become. 3/10 13 13.ZZ TopRhythmeen (1996)1996's Rhythmeen was ZZ Top's long awaited return to the blues. Like Antenna before it, Rhythmeen is stripped of all the synthesisers that had characterised the band's albums since 1983's Eliminator but the key difference between the two albums is how Rhythmeen goes for the gut, not the gloss. It's a record that is steeped in the blues and garage rock, one that pounds out its riffs with sweat and feeling. Though ZZ Top sounds reinvigorated, playing with a salacious abandon they haven't displayed since the '70s, they simply haven't come up with enough interesting songs and riffs to make it a true return to form. For dedicated fans, it's a welcome return to their classic "La Grange" sound, but anyone with a just a passing interest in the band will wonder where the hooks went. 3/10 1996's Rhythmeen was ZZ Top's long awaited return to the blues. Like Antenna before it, Rhythmeen is stripped of all the synthesisers that had characterised the band's albums since 1983's Eliminator but the key difference between the two albums is how Rhythmeen goes for the gut, not the gloss. It's a record that is steeped in the blues and garage rock, one that pounds out its riffs with sweat and feeling. Though ZZ Top sounds reinvigorated, playing with a salacious abandon they haven't displayed since the '70s, they simply haven't come up with enough interesting songs and riffs to make it a true return to form. For dedicated fans, it's a welcome return to their classic "La Grange" sound, but anyone with a just a passing interest in the band will wonder where the hooks went. 3/10 12 12.ZZ TopAfterburner (1985)With 1985's Afterburner, ZZ Top could not resist following the exact process that had made them a rock and roll phenomenon with preceding album Eliminator; that album had truly put their name on the lips of many rock listeners, and ranked them among the commercial fortunes of other rock legends. Afterburner is probably the furthest thing ZZ Top got from their signature blues sound; it was their most synthetic album, even their gritty grooves border on the robotic thanks to the restrained playing of the trio in favour of letting the polished production do the work. That's all just a sign of the times, when even hard rock bands had to sound as slick as synth pop, complete with clanging DX-7s and cavernous drums. As an artifact of that time, Afterburner is pretty good -- never has a hard rock album sounded so artificial, nor has a nominal blues-rock album sounded so devoid of blues. Apart from the chugging "Sleeping Bag," not even the singles sound like ZZ Top (though "Dipping Low (In the Lap of Luxury" is a blatant "Gimme All Your Lovin'" rewrite): the terrific post-new wave rocker "Stages" is the poppiest thing they ever cut, the ballad "Rough Boy" is far removed from slow blues, and the full-fledged synth dance of "Velcro Fly" is a true mind-bender. Any true ZZ Top fan will find the stylistic surrender of Afterburner a fascinating listen. 4/10 With 1985's Afterburner, ZZ Top could not resist following the exact process that had made them a rock and roll phenomenon with preceding album Eliminator; that album had truly put their name on the lips of many rock listeners, and ranked them among the commercial fortunes of other rock legends. Afterburner is probably the furthest thing ZZ Top got from their signature blues sound; it was their most synthetic album, even their gritty grooves border on the robotic thanks to the restrained playing of the trio in favour of letting the polished production do the work. That's all just a sign of the times, when even hard rock bands had to sound as slick as synth pop, complete with clanging DX-7s and cavernous drums. As an artifact of that time, Afterburner is pretty good -- never has a hard rock album sounded so artificial, nor has a nominal blues-rock album sounded so devoid of blues. Apart from the chugging "Sleeping Bag," not even the singles sound like ZZ Top (though "Dipping Low (In the Lap of Luxury" is a blatant "Gimme All Your Lovin'" rewrite): the terrific post-new wave rocker "Stages" is the poppiest thing they ever cut, the ballad "Rough Boy" is far removed from slow blues, and the full-fledged synth dance of "Velcro Fly" is a true mind-bender. Any true ZZ Top fan will find the stylistic surrender of Afterburner a fascinating listen. 4/10 11 11.ZZ TopLive in Germany 1980 (2012)Interestingly, despite always priding themselves on being a true force as a live band, ZZ Top never got around to releasing a full-length live album during their heyday. However, in 2011 ZZ Top finally raided their archives and released the live album Live in Germany 1980; an important documented live concert that exposed ZZ Top's dirty blues to Europe. Live in Germany 1980 does a fantastic job of displaying all of the group's pre-Eliminator classics in a concert setting. And as expected, the tunes take on a life all their own throughout -- "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Precious and Grace," and "Cheap Sunglasses" sound even more muscular and strut-heavy on a concert stage. The word "explosive" springs to mind upon coming in close contact with "Heard It on the X" and "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers," and the hits that made ZZ Top synonymous with classic rock radio are included as well -- "La Grange," "Tush," etc. Shortly after this concert was recorded, ZZ Top got a bit handcuffed by gimmicks (long beards, wacky-looking guitars) and electronics. But in 1980, ZZ Top were one of the (if not the) most powerful trios in all of rock, and Live in Germany 1980 helps confirm this claim once and for all. 5/10 Interestingly, despite always priding themselves on being a true force as a live band, ZZ Top never got around to releasing a full-length live album during their heyday. However, in 2011 ZZ Top finally raided their archives and released the live album Live in Germany 1980; an important documented live concert that exposed ZZ Top's dirty blues to Europe. Live in Germany 1980 does a fantastic job of displaying all of the group's pre-Eliminator classics in a concert setting. And as expected, the tunes take on a life all their own throughout -- "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Precious and Grace," and "Cheap Sunglasses" sound even more muscular and strut-heavy on a concert stage. The word "explosive" springs to mind upon coming in close contact with "Heard It on the X" and "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers," and the hits that made ZZ Top synonymous with classic rock radio are included as well -- "La Grange," "Tush," etc. Shortly after this concert was recorded, ZZ Top got a bit handcuffed by gimmicks (long beards, wacky-looking guitars) and electronics. But in 1980, ZZ Top were one of the (if not the) most powerful trios in all of rock, and Live in Germany 1980 helps confirm this claim once and for all. 5/10 10 10.ZZ TopAntenna (1994)1994's Antenna is a real testament album that highlights that while many 70's classic rock is preserved thanks to radio, ZZ Top just keep it rolling into the next decade. For any ZZ Top fan, there will be much to love as it arguably is the band's closest effort to touch their best work of the 70's. The downright nasty stomp of "Fuzzbox Voodoo", the powerhouse slow blues of "Cover Your Rig", the bass-pumping looniness of "Girl in a T-Shirt", to the slow grind of "Breakaway". While Billy Gibbon's guitar tones on this album are highly reminiscent of Tres Hombres, the high production sheen from their '80s albums remains intact. But Gibbons hasn't played with this much over-the-top abandon since their pre-beard 'n' babes days, and that's what separates this album from the three that came before it. 5/10 1994's Antenna is a real testament album that highlights that while many 70's classic rock is preserved thanks to radio, ZZ Top just keep it rolling into the next decade. For any ZZ Top fan, there will be much to love as it arguably is the band's closest effort to touch their best work of the 70's. The downright nasty stomp of "Fuzzbox Voodoo", the powerhouse slow blues of "Cover Your Rig", the bass-pumping looniness of "Girl in a T-Shirt", to the slow grind of "Breakaway". While Billy Gibbon's guitar tones on this album are highly reminiscent of Tres Hombres, the high production sheen from their '80s albums remains intact. But Gibbons hasn't played with this much over-the-top abandon since their pre-beard 'n' babes days, and that's what separates this album from the three that came before it. 5/10 9 9.ZZ TopZZ Top's First Album (1971)ZZ Top arrived on the rock scene in 1971 with ZZ Top's First Album, an excellent debut they may not have had the polish or the sharpened chisels of their later work in the 70's, but it does establish their sound, attitude, and quirks. ZZ Top's First Album is a dirty little blues-rock record that plays exactly that way absent any consciousness of whether or not audiences will embrace them; filled with fuzzy guitars, barrelhouse rhythms, dirty jokes, and Texan slang. They have a good, ballsy sound that hits at gut level, and if the record's not entirely satisfying, it's because they're still learning how to craft records -- which means that they're still learning pacing as much as they're learning how to assemble a set of indelible material. Too much of this record glides by on its sound, without offering any true substance, but the tracks that really work -- "(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree," "Backdoor Love Affair," "Brown Sugar," and "Goin' Down to Mexico," among them -- show that from their very first record on, ZZ Top was that lil' ol' blues band from Texas. 5/10 ZZ Top arrived on the rock scene in 1971 with ZZ Top's First Album, an excellent debut they may not have had the polish or the sharpened chisels of their later work in the 70's, but it does establish their sound, attitude, and quirks. ZZ Top's First Album is a dirty little blues-rock record that plays exactly that way absent any consciousness of whether or not audiences will embrace them; filled with fuzzy guitars, barrelhouse rhythms, dirty jokes, and Texan slang. They have a good, ballsy sound that hits at gut level, and if the record's not entirely satisfying, it's because they're still learning how to craft records -- which means that they're still learning pacing as much as they're learning how to assemble a set of indelible material. Too much of this record glides by on its sound, without offering any true substance, but the tracks that really work -- "(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree," "Backdoor Love Affair," "Brown Sugar," and "Goin' Down to Mexico," among them -- show that from their very first record on, ZZ Top was that lil' ol' blues band from Texas. 5/10 8 8.ZZ TopTejas (1976)1976's Tejas is quite the odd entity among the hot streak of ZZ Top's 70's albums, the boys try their hands at giving their bluesy posture a more country twang, as well as upping the gloss on the production ever so slightly. Tejas is almost as if ZZ Top were trying to break out of the dirt and grit that had characterised their music, and embrace a cleaner more professional approach. The album is lacking in singles as strong as "Tush", or "La Grange", however the maturer sounding "Arrested for Driving While Blind" is arguably one of their classic anthems and offers another dose of wacky humour and jaunty good-time boogie. Tejas may not be the strongest album during the band's classic era, but it does add some more gems to the legacy; "Enjoy and Get It On", "Avalon Hideaway", and the fine instrumental "Asleep in the Desert". A good effort, even if the band returned to their dirty blues with their next release. 6/10 1976's Tejas is quite the odd entity among the hot streak of ZZ Top's 70's albums, the boys try their hands at giving their bluesy posture a more country twang, as well as upping the gloss on the production ever so slightly. Tejas is almost as if ZZ Top were trying to break out of the dirt and grit that had characterised their music, and embrace a cleaner more professional approach. The album is lacking in singles as strong as "Tush", or "La Grange", however the maturer sounding "Arrested for Driving While Blind" is arguably one of their classic anthems and offers another dose of wacky humour and jaunty good-time boogie. Tejas may not be the strongest album during the band's classic era, but it does add some more gems to the legacy; "Enjoy and Get It On", "Avalon Hideaway", and the fine instrumental "Asleep in the Desert". A good effort, even if the band returned to their dirty blues with their next release. 6/10 7 7.ZZ TopLa Futura (2012)ZZ Top recruited comeback leader and production giant Ric Rubin to mix and master their first album since 2003's Mescalero; their comeback album. With 2012's La Futura, Rick managed to pull ZZ Top out of the insular digital rut that they had been digging deeper and deeper in since the mid-80's, and help the band do what they pushed to do for decades; resurrect the dirty 70's boogie whilst not quite forgetting the commercially stylised rock of Eliminator. Certainly, La Futura is the best album from ZZ Top since that '80s landmark but it flips Eliminator on its head, using synthesized elements as accents, not as a skeleton. Rubin returns real drums to ZZ Top but doesn't entirely strip away drum machines, giving La Futura just enough of a futuristic shimmer to live up to its name, just enough of the present to make it feel of the moment. It's a thick, tactile sound that's invigorating -- the smack of Frank Beard's snare is infectious -- and that alone would make La Futura a success, but what makes it a triumph is the coolly efficient songwriting. ZZ Top cleverly reference past glories without succumbing to recycling: "I Gotsta Get Paid" could have wallowed in the Rio Grande Mud, "Chartreuse" boogies as relentlessly as "Tush," "Have a Little Mercy" winks at "Waitin' for the Bus," and they revive the arena rock of the '80s with "Flyin' High." What makes these songs really cook is how ZZ Top are celebrating everything that they've taken for granted for decades -- they're embracing the sleazy boogie, the dirty jokes, the locomotive riffs, the saturated blues, the persistent lecherous leer, and by doing so they finally sound like themselves again. 6/10 ZZ Top recruited comeback leader and production giant Ric Rubin to mix and master their first album since 2003's Mescalero; their comeback album. With 2012's La Futura, Rick managed to pull ZZ Top out of the insular digital rut that they had been digging deeper and deeper in since the mid-80's, and help the band do what they pushed to do for decades; resurrect the dirty 70's boogie whilst not quite forgetting the commercially stylised rock of Eliminator. Certainly, La Futura is the best album from ZZ Top since that '80s landmark but it flips Eliminator on its head, using synthesized elements as accents, not as a skeleton. Rubin returns real drums to ZZ Top but doesn't entirely strip away drum machines, giving La Futura just enough of a futuristic shimmer to live up to its name, just enough of the present to make it feel of the moment. It's a thick, tactile sound that's invigorating -- the smack of Frank Beard's snare is infectious -- and that alone would make La Futura a success, but what makes it a triumph is the coolly efficient songwriting. ZZ Top cleverly reference past glories without succumbing to recycling: "I Gotsta Get Paid" could have wallowed in the Rio Grande Mud, "Chartreuse" boogies as relentlessly as "Tush," "Have a Little Mercy" winks at "Waitin' for the Bus," and they revive the arena rock of the '80s with "Flyin' High." What makes these songs really cook is how ZZ Top are celebrating everything that they've taken for granted for decades -- they're embracing the sleazy boogie, the dirty jokes, the locomotive riffs, the saturated blues, the persistent lecherous leer, and by doing so they finally sound like themselves again. 6/10 6 6.ZZ TopRio Grande Mud (1972)With their second album; 1972's Rio Grande Mud, ZZ Top utilises the sound they had sketched out on their debut as a blueprint, yet they tweak it in very slight but important ways. The first striking difference is the birth of the heavier, more powerful sound, which works to turn the boogie guitars into a locomotive force. ZZ Top deliver a much better batch of songs on their second time around, highlighted by the swaggering shuffle "Just Got Paid", the pile-driving boogie "Bar-B-Q", the slide guitar workout "Apologies to Pearly", and two Dusty sung numbers; "Francine", and "Chevrolet". There are still a couple of tracks that don't quite gel and their fuzz-blues still can sound a little one-dimensional at times, but Rio Grande Mud is the first flowering of ZZ Top as a great, down-n-dirty blooze rock band. 7/10 With their second album; 1972's Rio Grande Mud, ZZ Top utilises the sound they had sketched out on their debut as a blueprint, yet they tweak it in very slight but important ways. The first striking difference is the birth of the heavier, more powerful sound, which works to turn the boogie guitars into a locomotive force. ZZ Top deliver a much better batch of songs on their second time around, highlighted by the swaggering shuffle "Just Got Paid", the pile-driving boogie "Bar-B-Q", the slide guitar workout "Apologies to Pearly", and two Dusty sung numbers; "Francine", and "Chevrolet". There are still a couple of tracks that don't quite gel and their fuzz-blues still can sound a little one-dimensional at times, but Rio Grande Mud is the first flowering of ZZ Top as a great, down-n-dirty blooze rock band. 7/10 5 5.ZZ TopEliminator (1983)ZZ Top proved themselves rock gods with 1983's Eliminator, not just for the die-hard rock fan, but the casual listener too. Eliminator showed that they were not just popular; they were hip; they figured out to harness the stylish, synthesised grooves of new wave, and then figured out how to sell it on MTV. Of course, it helped that they had songs that deserved to be hits. With "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs," they had their greatest set of singles since the heady days of Tres Hombres, and the songs that surrounded them weren't bad either -- they would have been singles on El Loco, as a matter of fact. The songs alone would have made Eliminator one of ZZ Top's three greatest albums, but their embrace of synths and sequencers made it a blockbuster hit, since it was the sound of the times. Years later, the sound of the times winds up sounding a bit stiff. It's still an excellent ZZ Top album, one of their best, yet it sounds like a mechanized ZZ Top thanks to the unflaggingly accurate grooves. Then again, that's part of the album's charm -- this is new wave blues-rock, glossed up for the video, looking as good as the omnipresent convertible on the cover and sounding as irresistible as Reaganomics. Not the sort the old-school fans or blues-rock purists will love, but ZZ Top never sounded as much like a band of its time as they did here. 8/10 ZZ Top proved themselves rock gods with 1983's Eliminator, not just for the die-hard rock fan, but the casual listener too. Eliminator showed that they were not just popular; they were hip; they figured out to harness the stylish, synthesised grooves of new wave, and then figured out how to sell it on MTV. Of course, it helped that they had songs that deserved to be hits. With "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man," and "Legs," they had their greatest set of singles since the heady days of Tres Hombres, and the songs that surrounded them weren't bad either -- they would have been singles on El Loco, as a matter of fact. The songs alone would have made Eliminator one of ZZ Top's three greatest albums, but their embrace of synths and sequencers made it a blockbuster hit, since it was the sound of the times. Years later, the sound of the times winds up sounding a bit stiff. It's still an excellent ZZ Top album, one of their best, yet it sounds like a mechanized ZZ Top thanks to the unflaggingly accurate grooves. Then again, that's part of the album's charm -- this is new wave blues-rock, glossed up for the video, looking as good as the omnipresent convertible on the cover and sounding as irresistible as Reaganomics. Not the sort the old-school fans or blues-rock purists will love, but ZZ Top never sounded as much like a band of its time as they did here. 8/10 4 4.ZZ TopEl Loco (1981)1981’s El Loco continues the fire-blaze, jet-engine boogie rock of preceding album Deguello. Yet, rather than conjuring up more tongue-in-cheek psychedelia mixes with their flair and no restraint jams, ZZ Top kick all the fundamental ingredients up a notch. This causes the grooves and riffs to be a little slicker and have more of an assaulting force, while the jokes are getting a little sillier, a little raunchier. Before, ZZ Top were cool and calm enough to disguise their double entendres on previous recordings, but on El Loco; tracks like “Tube Snake Boogie” and “Pearl Necklace” have none of that filter. The flat-out goofiness of the part-rock found on El Loco makes listening to ZZ Top decompress all the playful and even sexual energy they brought to their music an absolute thrill. El Loco is definitely one of the best albums by ZZ Top, and many people often miss that given that it is sandwiched between two critical and commercial successes. El Loco is also an important one in the Top legacy as it points to the embrace of new-wave blues the band would undertake with their next album. 8/10 1981’s El Loco continues the fire-blaze, jet-engine boogie rock of preceding album Deguello. Yet, rather than conjuring up more tongue-in-cheek psychedelia mixes with their flair and no restraint jams, ZZ Top kick all the fundamental ingredients up a notch. This causes the grooves and riffs to be a little slicker and have more of an assaulting force, while the jokes are getting a little sillier, a little raunchier. Before, ZZ Top were cool and calm enough to disguise their double entendres on previous recordings, but on El Loco; tracks like “Tube Snake Boogie” and “Pearl Necklace” have none of that filter. The flat-out goofiness of the part-rock found on El Loco makes listening to ZZ Top decompress all the playful and even sexual energy they brought to their music an absolute thrill. El Loco is definitely one of the best albums by ZZ Top, and many people often miss that given that it is sandwiched between two critical and commercial successes. El Loco is also an important one in the Top legacy as it points to the embrace of new-wave blues the band would undertake with their next album. 8/10 3 3.ZZ TopDegüello (1979)1979’s Deguello arrived after ZZ Top’s extended lay-off throughout 1978; the band reconvened with a renewed sense of purpose and drive to make one of their greatest albums. Deguello does not really match Tres Hombres in terms of that album maturely harnessed the filth of their blooze-boogie sound and made it popular. Deguello doesn’t represent a change quite as significant as Tres Hombres; the band had not changed much, but they did get harder. The grooves became harder, sleeker, and their off-kilter sensibility and humor began to dominate, as "Cheap Sunglasses" and "Fool for Your Stockings" illustrate. Ironically, this, their wildest album lyrically, doesn't have the unhinged rawness of their early blooze rockers, but the streamlined production makes it feel sleazier all the same, since its slickness lets the perversity slide forth. And, forget not, the trio is in fine shape here, knocking out a great set of rockers and sounding stylish all the time. 8/10 1979’s Deguello arrived after ZZ Top’s extended lay-off throughout 1978; the band reconvened with a renewed sense of purpose and drive to make one of their greatest albums. Deguello does not really match Tres Hombres in terms of that album maturely harnessed the filth of their blooze-boogie sound and made it popular. Deguello doesn’t represent a change quite as significant as Tres Hombres; the band had not changed much, but they did get harder. The grooves became harder, sleeker, and their off-kilter sensibility and humor began to dominate, as "Cheap Sunglasses" and "Fool for Your Stockings" illustrate. Ironically, this, their wildest album lyrically, doesn't have the unhinged rawness of their early blooze rockers, but the streamlined production makes it feel sleazier all the same, since its slickness lets the perversity slide forth. And, forget not, the trio is in fine shape here, knocking out a great set of rockers and sounding stylish all the time. 8/10 2 2.ZZ TopFandango! (1975)Once they had been blessed with their first-fledged hit album with 1973's Tres Hombres, ZZ Top followed it up with 1975's Fandango!; a record split between a side of live tracks and a side of new studio cuts. Like Cream had done with Wheels of Fire, this move made sense seeing as ZZ Top were an amazing live act, however it did disappoint many who were excited for another album full of hits in the vein of "Cheap Sunglasses" and "La Grange". There is no denying that Fandango! contains the best live material recorded of ZZ Top, and it captures the true magical chemistry within the trio; "Backdoor Medley" is the band's answer to Cream "Spoonful", Aerosmith's "Train Kept A Rollin", or even the live versions of Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused"; a golden testament to their musical prowess and makes the covers completely comfortable being retold in ZZ Top fashion. The studio side is a worthy successor to the all-fine Tres Hombres, driven by "Tush" and "Heard It on the X," two of their greatest songs that build on that album by consolidating their sound and amplifying their humour. 9/10 Once they had been blessed with their first-fledged hit album with 1973's Tres Hombres, ZZ Top followed it up with 1975's Fandango!; a record split between a side of live tracks and a side of new studio cuts. Like Cream had done with Wheels of Fire, this move made sense seeing as ZZ Top were an amazing live act, however it did disappoint many who were excited for another album full of hits in the vein of "Cheap Sunglasses" and "La Grange". There is no denying that Fandango! contains the best live material recorded of ZZ Top, and it captures the true magical chemistry within the trio; "Backdoor Medley" is the band's answer to Cream "Spoonful", Aerosmith's "Train Kept A Rollin", or even the live versions of Zeppelin's "Dazed and Confused"; a golden testament to their musical prowess and makes the covers completely comfortable being retold in ZZ Top fashion. The studio side is a worthy successor to the all-fine Tres Hombres, driven by "Tush" and "Heard It on the X," two of their greatest songs that build on that album by consolidating their sound and amplifying their humour. 9/10 1 1.ZZ TopTres Hombres (1973)1973’s Tres Hombres is not only the album that brought ZZ Top to their first Top Ten record, making them stars in the process, but it is also where ZZ Top became the ZZ Top that everyone identifies today. It could not have happened on a better album; the small band from Texas finally nailed the low-down, cheerfully sleazy blooze-n-boogie their third time around; which removed it from the bar-rock underground into the charts of 70’s rock and roll. Longtime producer Bill Ham had also finally discovered how to shed the hollow, muddy texture of ZZ Top’s First Album, and Rio Grande Mud, to record and mix the trio to the point their straightforward playing sounded virtually indestructible. ZZ Top delivered the best set of songs they had, cutting out the undeveloped blues jams and generic boogies, and focusing hard on the single. It has a filthy groove and an infectious feel, thanks to Billy Gibbons' growling guitars and the steady propulsion of Dusty Hill and Frank Beard's rhythm section. They get the blend of bluesy shuffles, gut-bucket rocking, and off-beat humor just right. ZZ Top's very identity comes from this earthy sound and songs as utterly infectious as "Waitin' for the Bus," "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Move Me on Down the Line," and the John Lee Hooker boogie "La Grange." One of their best! 8/10 1973’s Tres Hombres is not only the album that brought ZZ Top to their first Top Ten record, making them stars in the process, but it is also where ZZ Top became the ZZ Top that everyone identifies today. It could not have happened on a better album; the small band from Texas finally nailed the low-down, cheerfully sleazy blooze-n-boogie their third time around; which removed it from the bar-rock underground into the charts of 70’s rock and roll. Longtime producer Bill Ham had also finally discovered how to shed the hollow, muddy texture of ZZ Top’s First Album, and Rio Grande Mud, to record and mix the trio to the point their straightforward playing sounded virtually indestructible. ZZ Top delivered the best set of songs they had, cutting out the undeveloped blues jams and generic boogies, and focusing hard on the single. It has a filthy groove and an infectious feel, thanks to Billy Gibbons' growling guitars and the steady propulsion of Dusty Hill and Frank Beard's rhythm section. They get the blend of bluesy shuffles, gut-bucket rocking, and off-beat humor just right. ZZ Top's very identity comes from this earthy sound and songs as utterly infectious as "Waitin' for the Bus," "Jesus Just Left Chicago," "Move Me on Down the Line," and the John Lee Hooker boogie "La Grange." One of their best! 8/10 What is considered to be the best ZZ Top album?ZZ Top Albums Ranked Worst to Best. 8: 'ZZ Top's First Album' (1970) ... . 7: 'Mescalero' (2003) ... . 6: 'Rio Grande Mud' (1972) London Records. ... . 5: 'Fandango' (1975) London Records. ... . 4: 'El Loco' (1981) Warner Bros. ... . 3: 'Eliminator' (1983) Warner Bros. ... . 2: 'Degüello' (1979) Warner Bros. ... . 1: 'Tres Hombres' (1973) London Records.. What is ZZ Top's bestReleased on March 23, 1983, ZZ Top's “Eliminator” is the Texas trio's best-selling album, spawning a series of five hit singles that remain some of the group's most-popular songs and live concert staples.
What is ZZ Top's most famous song?'La Grange'
Without a doubt the most popular ZZ Top song of all time, this ode to a famous Texas whorehouse from Tres Hombres is inescapable on the radio, in TV commercials and as a mood-setter for numerous big screen films.
Why was ZZ Top Cancelled?ZZ Top has cancelled two weeks of American tour dates after bassist Dusty Hill fell on the band's bus Tuesday and injured his hip. The band was on its way to Clarkston, Mich. to play at the DTE Energy Music Theatre on a co-headlining stint with Jeff Beck.
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The Best of ZZ Top album
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