ZZ Top/La Futura(2012)

 

2012 and the big boys all released good albums that year! The Cult(Choice Of Weapon) Van Halen(A Different Kind Of Truth) KISS(Monster) Rush (Clockwork Angels) even my Fanboy band growing up Coney Hatch (Four) cranked an album out  to name but a few…

One album that I  preordered from iTunes that year was ZZ Top and there Rick Rubin produced  Sleazy Style Taco Of Rock that was titled La Futura.

Too be perfectly honest with you all out there I wasn’t expecting much from these guys as I fell by the wayside with there last few studio releases(I think the album titled XXX was my last actual purchase of the Tops) but took the chance and for $9.99 it was a chance worth taking..

By golly I’m glad I did! Holy Frigg …what a wicked slab of fuzz out distorted guitars,live sounding drums,pulsating Simple Simon bass lines,lead vocals that are greasy….

Welcome Back ZZ Top!

Cast Of Characters-Billy  Gibbons(Lead Vocals) Dusty Hill (Bass) and Frank Beard(drums)

Seriously dump some gas into the Eliminator and lets full throttle it to The Planet Of Woman! Yee Haw!

I Gosta Get Paid is a real good leadoff track! Billy G with his fuzzed/distorted guitar tone! Dusty showing up to jam on bass and Stache on the drums to fill out the sound. This track kicks a ZZ album off like it’s supposed to! Love the big ass power chords Gibbons drops throughout the chorus. Cool use of production by Rubin as I dig  how the drums sound mixed with a  ton of percussion! The video I posted is classic ZZ! Rockin Roberts my buddy will drool like a fool! Bottom line a ZZ classic!

From there the Mexican Burrito is sliced and diced sonically into the second track which is Chartreuse  which picks up some steam as Beard channels his best Bun E Carlos (Cheap Trick) and plays a quickie like tempo as Dusty tries to keep up and Billy as always takes the charge! This song sounds simple but man its friggin good! Dig the added percussion during Gibbons solo and even Beard gets in the mix with a smash a Roo with the cymbals at one point.

Consumption is a down n dirty heavy bass sounding tune and ZZ proves you can go real heavy at a slower clip as long as you got Gibbons who actually is a real good lead singer! Everyone talks about his guitar playing but not his singing! Part of the guitar solo Billy rips some slide and the drums are sounding heavy and it’s just ZZ stripped down to a 3 piece as the ZZ Synth must have been accidentally unplugged in the studio that day!

And like a few ZZ Top albums in years gone by a slower drip of Texas style Blues as its time for Over You. Pretty good tune and at this juncture of the album I’m good with it! Billy sings with ache in his voice as well as you can hear the pain in his playing! Wowzers getting deep here (Ha!)

Heartache In Blue picks up steam! Some nice jam out ZZ Rock with a ton of harmonica added to the sonics makes this tune a real great piece of Ear Candy. Love the ZZ Greasy Feelof this tune also along with Dusty providing some backing vocals! “Chang Chang…It’s Just A Thang” sings Billy and Yup couldn’t agree with you more there!

I Don’t Want To Lose Lose You is another great ZZ Rocker! Love the slick guitar tone by Professor Gibbons! The verses are rock solid as they lead right into the more rock solid pre chorus. Of course Billy/Dusty and Stache just keep the Tequila flowing and the amps cranked up!

So the first time I head Flyin High the opening riff is right out of the School Of AC/DC! What a killer track! Stache and his drums lay down a Phil Rudd like groove and man oh man Flyin High is that! Once the track rockets into the chorus it takes it to the land of Gold! How about I post the video track! If this is first time hearing it. Welcome aboard and crank this towards the end of the album Gem!

It’s Too Easy Mañana  This is another non jet fuelled ZZ song. Gibbons man the guy drips real cool on the 6 string.  Stache and the drums also play at real chill beat.

Big Shiny Nine! Great song and the boys lower the top down and play a straight ahead rock track. You want some fuzzed out rock guitar look no further. Beard/Hill and Gibbons lower the boom into the Greasy Sleazy ZZ Pit….

Have A Little Mercy gotta love the ZZ end of the album Greasey tune. This tune slips n slides as Billy and Dusty sing the album out. Love the sound of this album big time! it’s not overproduced and it’s not all glossed up the ying yang. ZZ sleazes off into the sunset with tequila and cactus in hand! Friggin Greeeeeeat!

Buy this…NUFF said!