Suffice it to say that if you wanted to hear ZZ, at their best & playing their best music, this is the album for you.
Preparation Meets Opportunity
This is supposed to be the product of an unplanned session.
The guys were together for a photo shoot so their gear was at the set. But being the musicians they are, they couldn’t just pose with their instruments and NOT play. So the impromptu jam session came to be.
The fact that this became the soundtrack for their documentary and an excellent album, is really a testament to their musicianship and their 50+ years experience of playing together.
It’s also not lost on me that their engineering and camera folks were sharp enough press Record and keep the tape rolling.
“Just us and the music, no audience of thousands, no concession stands, no parking lot social hour, no phalanx of tour busses. Just us and the music.” ~ Billy Gibbons & Frank Beard
Small Packages/Good Things
Sometimes it’s difficult for me to wrap my little brain around the fact that this band is just *3 Guys*.
So much music comes out of ZZ Top it’s easy to forget that little point.
That’s probably because they’re all such terrific players. Billy Gibbon’s lead guitar work is always front and center – and easy to see. But Dusty Hill’s bass and Frank Beard’s drums are every bit as good.
And on this album they really get some tender loving treatment in the mix too. They pop! So you can get a good idea of just how excellent they are. In their own ways, they twist and turn and juke and jive and improvise just like Billy does.
But they know each other’s moves so well, it always comes together. They’re just like different fingers on the same hand.
Then There’s The Arrangements
Something I think the way ZZ Top handles their song arrangements is under-appreciated. With only 3 instruments + vocals it could be ridiculously easy to get boring real quick. But they don’t.
They find a way to embed a little twist of variety in most tunes.
It might be an extra off-beat bar, an a cappella bridge, an unexpected ending, or something else. But it’s always musical and it always serves the song.
Great seasoning to an already great meal.
…This is a great set of tunes that pull from across all of ZZ Top’s discography. From “La Grange,” to “I’m Bad, I’m Nationwide” (my personal favorite), nothing but hits.
All Windshield – No Rear View Mirror
This album was recorded prior to Dusty Hill’s death, but Elwood Francis has taken over for Dusty. And, as of this printing, the band’s out on tour.
And the dates are insane. 19 alone in August. Busy, busy, busy.
Not only is ZZ Top not stopping anytime soon, the band’s not even downshifting to a lower gear.
Good Deal!
Preview ‘RAW’
…You can get ‘RAW’ directly from ZZ Top H E R E!
Thanks for reading!
Jon Beres
I’m one part Blues Fan and one part Digital Native (with a dash of Curmudgeon.) I’m also the publisher of AlltheWayBlue.com. If you love the Blues, I have a feeling we’ll get along just fine - cheers!
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