ZZ Top/ Live-Greatest Hits(2016)

New Release…..

ZZ Top has just released their newest album which as you know by the title is Live and the Two Long Beards(Billy Gibbons/Dusty Hill) and  Stache (Frank Beard)  are telling all that will listen(Moi) that this is the followup up live album to 1975’s Fandango album which was half studio and half live! Course ZZ in recent years has released a few Live DVDs and such but hey it’s their deal so they can say what they wanna say!

41 years between actual Live Album releases! I would say it’s time! In case you’re wondering Tbone bought this on cassette  about 30 years ago so Tbone has been Fandango’n for 3 decades now! Whatever the Hell that means. Sounded cool……

ZZ Top ‘Greatest Hits Live’ Track Listing
1. “Got Me Under Pressure”
2. “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers”
3. “Cheap Sunglasses”
4. “Waitin’ for the Bus”
5. “Jesus Just Left Chicago”
6. “Legs”
7. “Sharp Dressed Man”
8. “Rough Boy” (with Jeff Beck)
9. “Pincushion”
10. “La Grange”
11. “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide”
12. “Tube Snake Boogie”
13. “Gimme All Your Lovin’”
14. “Tush”
15. “Sixteen Tons” (with Jeff Beck)

Well, for starters that’s a cool 15 pack of tracks and even as you can see Jeff Beck slings some ax with Billy Gibbons on two tracks!(Rough Boy and a cover of Sixteen Tons)

If you recall from a few weeks back when I reviewed Twisted Sisters Metal Meltdown release I made a point saying I really dug the fact that I enjoyed the rawness associated with the production. Almost a Bootleg like feel to it.

ZZ to my ears anyways has gone the same route. Each of these tracks are recorded in a bunch of different cities(13 different cities with London England being the city with two tracks as those are the shows that Beck appears at) The great city of Vancouver B.C is represented on here as well!(I’m Bad,I’m Nationwide)

ZZ strips back the sound. They don’t gloss up the production and once you wrap your head around the sonics of Frank Beards drums on the opening track Got Me Under Pressure were off to the ZZ Saloon downing  a bunch of  tequila shots with quick dabs of brilliance emulating from Gibbons guitar! What a freakin tone the Man possesses! Must also mention Gibbon’s lead vocals are First Chill Class all the way! Speaking of vocals! How about a round of Hot Sauce and Thumbs up to Dusty Hill  for always delivering the song Tush with a good Ass Texan Kicking…..!

You want a Guitar Extravaganza  Record in how to play real cool licks without sounding like  a Hot Dog. Check out this album for that!

Each song sounds different  I guess as it depended on the sound from where the tracks were recorded from. Audience fades out after every song just as well as some crowds are louder than others.

These guys could have made this a 30 song album easy but putting tunes like Pincushion(great track)Tube Snake Boogie and Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers I was sold and preordered it from iTunes.

I love this album man it’s great to hear the boys(Gibbons and Hill) trade-off vocal lines on certain tracks like Got Me Under Pressure. I mean I always crack up on how cool Gibbons sounds  singing the line “she likes Cocaineee” and adds to it his little magic powdery like riff on the guitar….It’s little things like that bring so much to a track…

They even have someone playing Harmonica(no digital booklet with iTunes purchase so I don’t know who’s playing harp) on a couple of tracks as well and this enhances that Sleazy ZZ feel on numbers like Waitin’ For The Bus & Jesus Just Left Chicago.

Kinda wish some stuff from Recycler/ Rhythmeen would have been added as well tracks from the  fantastic La Futura . But what can ya do? Maybe down the road Fella’s? While were at it how about cueing up and adding Woke Up With Wood to the next ZZ Live Meal Deal?

This is a Low Down Dirty Drippin Blues Fused Texas Taco Rock Album. My  first thought “Yup! Another Live Album!” But the fact these guys went and didn’t tweak the crap out of it in the studio makes it a worthwhile purchase.