Tag: zz top (Page 2 of 2)

This is the third full album by Texas’s greatest musical export to the world, and by the time this was released on the world they had found their groove and were rollin’. This was the album that opened them up to rest of the US. This time all of the songs were originals, and all written by the band.

Waitin’ For The Bus gets things movin’ and is classic ZZ of this period, and the segue into Jesus Left Chicago is just sublime bluesy groove goodness. Beer Drinkers adds a little heaviness to proceedings, and has some Billy G licks that keep on goin’ right until the fade out. Master Of Sparks is quite a laid back tune until the solo, which is short but hot. Side 1 ends with Hot Blue And Righteous, which is a slow blues ballad.

Flipping over to the classic ZZ tune Move Me On Down The Line – short and sweet at 2.30 but it hits the spot. Precious and Grace is next up with that dirty fuzz riff and a killer middle 8. Then hidden away in the middle of Side 2 is the song that would change everything for them. La Grange has the most simplest of riffs, but what a riff it is. It still gets the hairs on my arm standing up when I play it today. Who knows what Billy is singing at the beginning, but it sets the mood perfectly. Killer tune!!! Sheik is up next, and how do you follow that?! You slot in the oddest tune on the album with and an almost funky vibe. This song is the one that would pave the way for the not too distant future as Tejas and El Loco would both have experimental moments of pure genius. Album closer Have You Heard? finishes things off nicely with some gospel blues.

Not their best album as that would come later but definitely a good album.

8.5/10 from The Grooveman.

This is a million miles from what they would become after Eliminator. As The Rev Billy G would say himself “we are just a ‘lil ole blues band from Texas”, and ladies and germs that is exactly what we get here! A good, honest, no bells and whistles record. It has its high points and low points, namely Squank, but we’ll stick with the high ones.

First track is Somebody Else Been Shakin’ Your Tree, a great opener with a groovey blues swing, and some nice lead from Billy G. Then we get the really bluesy Brown Sugar, which starts with just guitar then grows into a cool boogie. Goin Down To Mexico is next another up-tempo groover, and then Side 1 closes with a blues/country ballad, Old Man.

Flip over to Neighbour Neighbour, a typical ZZ Top shuffle groove, and into Certified Blues again with that swinging groove and cool guitar. Next up the dirty boogie of Bedroom Thang, with a very suspect lyric and a killer close out instrumental break. Now onto the two close out tracks, Just Got Back From Baby’s, and Back Door Love Affair – both co-written by producer Bill Ham. Both of these tracks are traditional style blues, and have been covered by a variety of artists over the years – and both have some great guitar from Gibbons.

The band had only been together about six months before they went in and recorded this, so the songs were quickly put together. I’ve always loved three piece bands as there’s no hiding in the mix. You can hear everything super clear, and every instrument has its place in the sound – and this is a good recording! Not their best album, but a good representation of where they were at at the time.

7/10 from The Grooveman.