Label: Warner Bros. Records (Germany), 7599-27380-2
Style: Southern Rock, Pop Rock, Blues Rock
Country: Houston, Texas, U.S.
Time: 36:57
Format: Flac Tracks 16/44,1 kHz
Size: 257 Mb
There
are probably thousands of bands across the country like ZZ Top that
remain provincial favorites because they rarely play anywhere further
than a few hundred miles from home. So far, ZZ Top has confined major
tours to its native Texas and neighboring states in the South and
Southwest. This in part explains why few listeners outside these regions
have heard or heard of ZZ Top, which is a shame, really, because its
two records, First Album (London PS584) and Rio Grande Mud are solid
works that deserve some attention.
ZZ Top is a blues-rooted
powerhouse trio featuring guitarist Billy Gibbons, bass player Dusty
Hill, and Frank Beard on drums. All are abnormally talented and
resourceful performers, but I would hesitate to single out one member as
a “leader” because each of their contributions, whether in composition,
arrangement or performance, is vitally important. By nature of the
group’s structure, guitarist Gibbons appears at the center of action
most frequently. He sings most leads in a dark brown voice reminiscent
of ex-Savoy Brown vocalist Chris Youlden and handles all instrumental
solos by playing lead and slide guitar and harp. His partners take no
extended breaks on either album.
ZZ Top sounds more like a British
blues outfit than an American group. The band churns out sizzling
electrical blues in a style not far removed from John Mayall’s original
Bluesbreakers and early Fleetwood Mac. In Rio Grande Mud‘s lone
instrumental, “Apologies to Pearly,” guitarist Gibbons quotes freely
from Elmore James’ “Dust My Broom” and Freddie King’s “Stumble” in an
arrangement that could easily fit onto A Hard Road. ZZ Top does not,
however, limit its material to re-workings of previously recorded blues.
Nine
of the record’s ten selections were written by various members of the
band and five of those were co-authored with producer Bill Ham. As
expected, ZZ Top emphasizes music over lyrics, which function
principally as something to accompany instrumental arrangements. In
“Just Got Paid,” for example, Gibbons slurs through two short verses in
an anomalous Johnny Winter-ish voice to quickly reach the bridge where
he cuts loose with a torrid slide guitar solo. Bassist Hill sings lead
for “Chevrolet” and “Francene,” the band’s current single, and does a
nice job at that. Other especially good tracks include “Ko Ko Blue,”
“Bar-B-Q” and “Whiskey ‘n Mama”–spunky little rockers all.
With wider
airplay and a little promotion, ZZ Top could, indeed, reach the top.
Rio Grande Mud is a good album for people who enjoy uncompromising rock
& roll at uncompromising volume. If the shoe fits, wear it.
(beatpatrol.wordpress.com/2008/11/06/zz-top-rio-grande-mud-1972/)
01. Francine (02:53)
02. Just Got Paid (03:48)
03. Mushmouth Shoutin (03:45)
04. Ko Ko Blue (04:23)
05. Chevrolet (03:19)
06. Apologies To Pearly (02:47)
07. Bar-B-Q (03:22)
08. Sure Got Cold After The Rain Fell (06:49)
09. Whiskey'n Mama (03:20)
10. Down Brownie (02:26)
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