Tres Hombres

Soon as this album gets going you're thrown into the soundscape of some musty hard rock pool hall complete with a few biker guys, cigarette smoke, and a well used jukebox providing the cohesive glue of American blues rhythm of ZZ Top that pulls it all together. By the time you're three tracks in, you're already riding a motorcycle, and your beard is long enough to get caught on the zipper of your leather jacket. A pillar hard rock crafted from blues and the precursor to a sound that would be further explored by bands AC/DC, Motorhead, and Mötley Crüe; ZZ Top's first top ten album delivers on the American Harley dream. Tracks like Waitin' for the Bus,Jesus Just Left Chicago, and of course La Grange utilize the guitar fueled yet ever steady rhythm that is synonymous with throwing on your shades and riding out into the horizon. While these a bit homogenous in the delivery of this type of sound over the course of the album, frequent and sporadic guitar flourishes keep things interesting as you ride along the introspective vibe of wandering the country or getting access to that whorehouse in Texas or simply waiting around for the bus for too damned long. This tale of wanderlust expands beyond waiting for busses and covers other locations in Jesus just Left Chicago and even some out of country locations in Shiek. The track Master Of Sparks stood out to me with interesting time changes throughout the song compared to what I had heard up until it, which was a nice surprise. Sheik also ends with with a bit of a psychedelic outro which also spoke to me thorugh my favorite genre. Very cool. In the end though, La Grange is where it's at, and to be honest, if you've heard just that, then you've heard a decent amount of the album. Favorite Track: La Grange Honorable Mention: Master of Sparks

This is a great record, honestly. It only gets docked a star because it's not ALL great. Just MOSTLY great. But the songs that are great are REALLY great. "Waitin' For The Bus," "Jesus Just Left Chicago," and, of course, "La Grange" are just ... man. So good.

Few albums kick this much ass. Almost a precursor to metal in some ways, this is HARD hard rock that deserves to be played on a windows down kinda day. If I could give half ratings, I would. Only four and half because of a few duds that drag on first listen, but probably hold up on more. STANDOUTS: -Waitin’ for the Bus -Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers -Move Me On Down the Line -Precious and Grace -La Grange -Sheik

Straight forward, unpretentious, beardy blues rock. Enjoyable for what it is, but not pushing any boundaries. Rating: 2.5/5 Playlist track: La Grange Date listened: 04/08/22

That was alright. Not bad, not great.

ZZ Top is Texas Rock. This album gives groovy blues & touches of early metal. I've always loved La Grange, and Beer Drinkers & He'll Raisers is classic metal - who would've thought they could rock this hard? I'm glad I'm finally listening to a ZZ Top album in its entirety. Being born & raised in TX, this band reminds me of home. They've got some heat in this album - if someone were to ask what the Lone Star state sounds like, I'd play this album. Gonna listen to their entire discography thanks to this challenge.

Love this album, and ZZ Top is always a fun listen. Billy Gibbons is fantastic as always, Dusty Hill is so solid, and Frank Beard lays it down nicely. Just three guys playing some groovin' bluesy rock. Still sounds great fifty-ish years later.

This is what every bar band thinks they sound like.

where are they even finding these albums ?!

Tres Hombres by ZZ Top (1973) Unapologetically grungy, grimy, greasy, and grotesque, Tres Hombres is philosophically shallow, poetically stunted, theologically unsophisticated, and entertainingly nasty. Posing as a group of hard living country-proletarian party boys with a complete lack of self awareness, ZZ Top speeds us down a Texas two-lane in pursuit of the baser passions, all the while keeping a nervous eye in the rear view mirror for any sign of the transcendent. There’s a lot of heaven, hell, and mercy in the midst of death defying recklessness (“Master of Sparks”—Hold my beer) and rollicking indulgence in the low range of even lower pleasures. This album is celebratory of the bright moments in the otherwise dull lives of barely employed lower middle class American males (i.e., “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers”). There’s virtually no reference to love or romance (none at all if one thinks that “Precious and Grace” refers to something other than a couple of chicks—and one might well be right). Furthermore, one could ask how appropriate it is to appeal to Divine Mercy for a speedier trip home on public transport “with my brown paper bag and my take home pay” (“Have Mercy”). Perhaps a better mercy would be for an increase in the virtue of patience, but at least the listener can relate. However: Drummer Frank Beard (the only member of the trio who’s generally pictured without one) is wildly dynamic, yet precise. Bassist Dusty Hill (d. 7/28/21, R.I.P.) clearly mastered the art of doubling the groove of the electric rhythm guitar, while deftly negotiating the volatile relationship between drums and melody. And guitarist Billy Gibbons excels in both rhythm and lead passages. It’s hard to imagine how only three musicians can produce so much quality sound. So what we have here is an exquisite and highly relatable musical and lyrical expression of the dissipated life—well worth the listen, and rising to level of art (kind of like, in its day, Bizet’s Carmen or Puccini’s La Bohème, without the plot or tragic resolution). In “Jesus Just Left Chicago”, we hear a prayerful enough petition to join our Savior in his incarnate embrace of everything he created, all the way to (of all places) New Orleans. “You may not see Him in person, but He’ll see you just the same. You don’t have to worry, ‘Cause takin’ care of business is His name.” (Did I say this album was theologically unsophisticated? Maybe I’ll rethink that.) But the highlight of the album, of course, is the seductive, understated, and growly advertisement for the famous cathouse outside of “La Grange”. (It’s only a “rumor”, but “you what I’m talkin’ about”.) Now, intros come and intros go, but the first 37 seconds of this track are historic. We’re gonna need a bigger set of speakers. The sly reluctance in the lyric to be more explicit might be designed to enable the quasi-pimp to avoid the law, but it’s also designed for ZZ Top to avoid the opprobrium of the American Family Association (or, more likely, disc jockeys and the FCC). But now, I might be mistaken (A-haw haw haw-haw). 4/5

I’m more of a man after having listened to this

When I was in high school, I traded an old trumpet for a really, really shitty drum set with a kid who lived down the way. See, he wasn't enjoying the drums, and I always wanted to learn how to play. He wanted to try the trumpet, and I wasn't using this one. Fair trade. He never learned how to play the trumpet, but I ended up practicing that shit set around the clock. Out of sheer force of will, I became pretty good. My pals wanted to do some cover tunes at the talent show, and I asked to be the drummer. I played along with the songs they picked until I could do a passable job. When we took the stage, I was so nervous I thought I would throw up, but the moment I started playing, I lost all of my anxiety in the music. When the audience started dancing during out little four-song set, I was over the moon. One of the best moments of my life. La Grange was one of those songs. One of the first tunes I ever learned how to play. I know I'm no Frank Beard, but dammit, I kept playing until I went semi-pro in university. I still play, much more rusty than I used to be, but I will always have a place in my heart for La Grange and ZZ Top.

I love blues but this was a bit so-so

There's a lot of character to these tracks, pleasantly surprised I didn't hate my time with this album.

As a teen in the 80s it was impossible to avoid Zed Zed Top in their highly successful if not overly commercial era (MTV videos in heavy rotation). Wasn't bad, wasn't my taste. Just there. I was aware of a handful of their older tunes through radio but never thought about them. At the time I remember working a restaurant job late one night on cleanup and one of the older guys blasted this album while we worked and I was pretty surprised "Jesus Just Left Chicago" was the same band that did "Legs" - almost a 180degree turn in production as this album is super dry, simple guitars/bass/drums and barely a hint of reverb anywhere. While southern-tinged bluesy rock isn't something I really reach for, this is a fun album and definitely has a sound and place.

Solid American bluesy rock and roll here. It flags a bit with Move it down the line which includes cliched riffs and lyrics like “big wheels keep on turning” 🙄 but its saved by the excellent single La Grange with the signature ZZ Top geetar sound. I like how they mixed up the tempo and mood with Sheik also.

Pedestrian Dad Rock

I need a motorcycle

Everything about this album connects with me to the marrow of my being. The songs are superlative but as a collection taken as a whole they come alive with a tight, greasy vibe unmatched in the ZZ Top catalogue - and much elsewhere. Nobody did this kind of twisted, rolling Tejano rhythm and blues better. Have mercy!

Get me a beer and a ciggie immediately. Such a perfectly simple but supremely cool album title to go with such simple and supremely cool set of songs. Love how loose the live version of La Grange is.

Raw, gritty, old school Texas blues and hard rock. Led by one of the greatest guitarists to ever do it, Billy Gibbons. If you play electric guitar, you need to hear this album.

Despite their great 80s albuns this is still the best ZZ top album as it contains Waiting for the Bus.

Loved the fuzzy guitar sounds. It's funky but also hard rocky, and the combination interests me a lot more than I expected.

Near flawless in its simplicity. You aren't getting much unexpected, though multiple solos involve pushing a guitar just to the edge of listenable. The trio gets their slow cuts in without breaking up the listening experience with a sudden mood change.

I know several ZZ Top songs, but only one of them is on this album, so I'm excited to listen to their other material. What a crisp version of blues-rock music. Great guitar soloing, solid grooves, the drumwork adds so much. Track uniqueness surprised me, not every song follows the typical blues chord pattern. Best track: had to be 'La Grange'

Awesome album. Watertight rhythm section and expertly executed guitar lines that cut like laser. Stunning.

I actually own this album on vinyl. Every track is exactly what you want from ZZ Top. Great guitar work and the opening three tracks are just a perfect album lead in.

Southern boogie rock with a touch of blues, what more could you ask for! They swing and the album has a variety of styles that precludes boredom. good voices, some wicked playing although a bit lead guitar heavy sometimes, but then this was the era of the lead guitar and it never becomes indulgent. Great album and I will listen again.

ZZ Top's first album recorded in a real studio, and the quality shows. They had clearly been gigging like crazy over the previous few years, and so this unfussy recording really shows off what a tight live unit they were. And they had material that really shows off their southern swamp boogies meets Texas blues at its best. Is it groundbreaking? Not really, but it is best-in-class for this type of thing. Short, sharp and to the point, with no wasted time or filler, this is a catchy and highly listenable boogie album. La Grange still sparks a pavlovian need in me to play the Getaway pinball.

Great blues driven rock and roll. Some filler, but the rest were killer.

Back in the early 70s, ZZ Top was basically a Texan version of Rush.

Classic era Z Z Top, with the glorious fat guitar sound, deep rooted in the blues. Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers - some of their trademark sly wit in there. La Grange is one of the all-time great grooves. Lovely gospel vibe on Have You Heard.

Was expecting a few short embers of enjoyment, but that was really good. Knew of them, but hadn’t hear much - if any- of their music. Toight

I love the vibe of it, and as much as I’ll be saying those six words—I truly dig the way it makes me feel like I’m cool doing something that most likely isn’t.

Some of the best biker bar music there is. Love the sound of this album, it's hard, fast, and yet still has a comfortable blues/southern rock sound that is endlessly listenable

One of the best 1-2 openers ever. If you were raised on the MTV version of the band, this album was a revelation. It's a shame "La Grange" is so overplayed, because when you revisit it after 5 or 10 years, it's really good.

This version of ZZ Top is one hundred thousand times better than the version of ZZ Top that put out Eliminator. It’s been scientifically proven.

Tres Hombres I have listened to this a few times in the past, as one of my colleagues loves this album and always recommends it, and also because La Grange is a great track, but I think I found it a little underwhelming. Listening through a few times today it’s better than I remember, but I don’t think it fully catches fire, being divided by good southern/boogie/blues rock tracks and less good but fine southern/boogie/blues rock tracks. Waitin’ for the bus is one of the good tracks, I like the riff, but the segue into Jesus Just Left Chicago improves it, as Jesus Just Left Chicago is probably the standout track alongside La Grange, a kind of moody, atmospheric, r&b slow march, and the two songs work well side by side. Master of Sparks is the next of the good tracks, the rhythm/drum pattern is great, kind of jumping around a bit making it feel slightly off kilter and uneasy. Move Me on Down the Line is a nice bit of propulsive blues, a good driving song on a sunny day. And La Grange of course is excellent, an irresistible bit of 70s boogie. Sheik also stands with as a slightly different feel, the same bluesiness but with a slight psychedelic edge, it almost sounds like a 80s new wave track. I do like this type of music, but I do think it’s probably more of a various artists genre than an individual artist’s album genre. Jesus Just Left Chicago and La Grange are perfect boogie/southern/blues/driving playlist tracks, and there are other tracks that would work well in that context, but as an entire album I do feel the lack of variety dragged a little. Still its a solid, unpretentious listen, which makes it a solid 3. ZZ🔝 ZZ🔝 ZZ🔝 Playlist submission: Jesus Just Left Chicago

Background blues.

Tres estrellas. (Couldn’t resist it)

Didn’t even realise it had finished and started playing again from the start, says it all

2/5. La Grange is great. I didn't care much for LA Grange pts 2 through 13.

Couldn't really get into it, sounded quite samey very quickly. La Grange was a good song, though.

Not bad, but rather forgettable. Nothing interesting is going on here. I'll give ZZ Top the benefit of the doubt, give 'em an excuse, and say it just hasn't aged well and leave it at that...

Music for a blue collar bar in a suburban strip mall. Hot, Blue and Righteous stands out as a sweet song to end side A on an otherwise greasy collection.

Great much better than eliminator

9/10 Overstilig og funky bluesrock. Rett opp mi gate fsds.

Cmon!! Home grown boys from Texas.

Hell yeah bruddas

Das Album Tres Hombres wurde in den Ardent Studios in Memphis sowie in Robin Hood Studios in Tyler, Texas aufgenommen. ZZ Top ist ein US-amerikanisches Trio aus Texas, bestehend aus Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill und Frank Beard. Die Band ist bekannt für ihren erdigen, gitarrenlastigen Sound, der Blues, Rock und Southern-Einflüsse miteinander verbindet. Auf dem Album finden sich einige der bis heute typischen Stücke der Gruppe. Besonders hervorzuheben ist „La Grange“, das durch seinen Shuffle-Rhythmus und den Bezug zur texanischen Lokalkultur zu einem ihrer bekanntesten Songs wurde. Weitere Titel wie „Waitin’ for the Bus“ und „Jesus Just Left Chicago“ zeigen die enge Verknüpfung von Blues und Rockelementen, die für das Werk prägend sind. Musikalisch bewegt sich Tres Hombres im Bereich des Bluesrock mit starker Südstaatenprägung. Die Arrangements sind kompakt, die Produktion hält sich an eine klare, direkte Klanggestaltung, die den Live-Charakter der Band betont. Tres Hombres markiert einen wichtigen Punkt in der Entwicklung von ZZ Top und gilt rückblickend als ein zentrales Album ihres frühen Schaffens. Die klare stilistische Linie und die einprägsamen Riffs festigten ihren Ruf innerhalb des Genres.

Rock n roll as imagined

If a shot of still Austin with shiner bock chaser was an album, it’d be tres hombres

Good Good!!! These guys just play good ol rock and roll!! Was surprised this came out in 73’! La Grange is one of my favorite songs just a toe tappin jam!

One of the few albums fro start to finish that never loses its edge. Texas hot blues for days!

My favorite ZZ Top album. I could listen to this one every day of my life.z

109%

The album that introduced me to Texas boogie! A classic that I’ve had in my collection for years, 10/10.

ZedZed Top as we call them in canada

Great album classics on it will be back

Very nice selection

This is the platonic ideal of electric guitar. 5 stars, no skips, no notes. Favorite track was La Grange LIVE

Already in my collection. No notes necessary.

If only for the two songs Jesus Left Chicago and La Grange, this would be a classic album. The good news is that the rest of the album is also great. It is 45 minutes of smokin' hot Texas blues with more grit than a dirt road. You don't have to say a lot about Tres Hombres. One listen says it all.

Stone cold classic from start to finish

I've been on a streak of either lousy or uninteresting albums for a bit. 2nd excellent album in a row, and I'm sitting here smiling. The band is tight and sloppy at the same time, sticky and sharp. 1st and 2nd cuts (WAITIN' FOR THE BUS & JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO) make such a terrific medley. Sure, not every song is as great as those two or, of course, LAGRANGE (what is though?), but the overall feel of the album ranks high. Giving it 5 stars, admitting to being influenced by the impression it made on me when it was released. 😎😎😎😎😎 ________________________________ 🎧 LPs reviewed: 72 🎧 LPs left to review: 929 🎧 LPs I found great/relevant enough to be mandatory listens (5): 17 🎧 LPs I *might* include in my own list (4): 18 🎧 LPs I will certainly *not* include in mine (1-2): 19

Super funky and endlessly wonderful. Will never tire of listening to this over and over again.

A masterpiece

Amazing Texan rock energy! "Jesus just left Chicago (live)" is definitely a banger I'll play in the future. 9/10

Can I get a hell yeah? Cause that's what I was doing the entire time here. I thought I'd be mad about the blues but then the slide riff on "Jesus Just Left Chicago" hit and I was bobbing with stank face. Even for the most blues averse, Billy Gibbons’ swampy shredding, Dusty Hill’s perfect bass matching, and Frank Beard’s absolute precision on drums are undeniable. And they bring a swagger bigger than Texas and a soul that Clapton and his ilk would kill for. ZZ Top is everything I actually love about Texas, instead of the bad shit. Fuckin’ great record.

Didn't realize I liked ZZ top This much. It was just good old Rocky blues. Dad would approve.

Great album! Texas Blues-Rock at its best. Crunchy guitars and rock solid rhythm section. Nobody does pinch harmonics better than the Reverend Billy F. Gibbons. I found all of the songs except "Hot, Blue and Righteous" to very strong. That one just didn't do it for me. So 9/10 for that but gotta round up.  ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️

Been a minute since I have listened to this album from start to finish. This was enjoyable. Great Texas blues rock. Very enjoyable album. Great trio of musicians making some music. Band is great live as well.

Great album. Gibbons guitar is awesome. Just wish album was longer.

Terrific blues rock album

All bangers and I’m kinda shook I didn’t know this was as good as it is. Easy 5 stars

Classic classic rock. 5

Blúsrokk er mín tónlist og ZZ Top eru algjörir blúsrokkarar. Það ætti því ekki að koma neinum á óvart að ég gef plötunni fimm stjörnur. Þessi fer aftur og aftur í spilun hjá mér

There's only one album I've driven down the highway to at 100mph and this is it.

BANGIN' southern rock/blues album here. Only one slow-burner I could skip.

Driving my Ford F150 through the Oklahoma plains. First two tracks are awesome, lulls a little until le grange, but I thoroughly enjoy this

Gritty, bluesy, and great consistency. Enjoyed!

Great choice. I own on vinyl, and listen regularly.

da shit

Classic

La Grange and Jesus has just left Chicago were amazing. The rest of the album was still awesome! Unexpected.

Brilliant, bluesy and beardy

The tres hombres definitely have a place in my heart. Red hot coals all through this album.

One of my favorite guitar albums. ZZ Top always has good grooves.

I didn’t listen to all of it. However the shredding on this album is awesome and I have always loved Jesus Left Chicago.

Great album. I’ve listened many times. I love how clean and crisp the production is. That guitar tone is immaculate.

Now we’re talking! Texas hard edged blues-rock. If listening to this doesn’t put some swagger in your step and an itch to hit the road. . .

This will always remind me of my childhood and Dad. Just damn good music

opener is a banger beer drinkers & hell raisers is awesome precious and grace love it sheik is rizz as a song lol have you heard is also rizz as a song the entire album is really nice. strong, groovy, dusty road trip and cacti vibes. its giving.

Super fun.

10/10. It's ZZ Top, baby!!!!! :) I'm a sucker for this kind of 1970's hard rock! I cannot help but vibe REALLY hard while listening to this album!!! :)

I really lived my whole life thinking ZZ Top was a 90s butt rock band… I have a feeling my love for this album is overinflated by just how low my expectations were, but damn this was awesome.

Great guys

Good album.

I don’t care who you voted for, if you don’t like this album you are un-American and need to leave the country. Kidding. Sort of. There is not a weak track on this, solid blues-rock from begin to end.

ZZ Top before the fuzzy guitars and hot chicks. Its basically straightforward blues rock with distortion, but the whole is greater than the sum of its parts. They created a brand around their style and persona, this album was just the beginning of that but the sound is there. The chicks, cars, and fuzzy guitars came later.