Tres Hombres

Having only heard my dad make fun of La Grange, I thought I was going to hate this album. It was a pleasant surprise how much I enjoyed it. 7/10

ZZ Top sounds pretty much exactly the way you'd expect them to. Pretty straightforward boogie blues rock. The kind of thing you hear in a bar in the American South when country doesn't cut it. It's kind of fun. But let's be honest, "La Grange" is the best song by a mile.

I've already listened to his album (15). Billy Gibbons is so underated. Texas Blues at its boogie-est.

This was a banger. Who doesnt love a little zz

The bearded boys surprised me here. I actually quite enjoyed this listen. Simone but groovy and not yet masochistic and misogynist. “La Grange” is an all-timer. And some other good swampy blues songs along for the ride.

Such great riffs but not enough here to want me to keep returning. Admittedly this was the album that convinced me that ZZ Top wasn’t just a novelty act

pretty gas

An ok album - found it a bit uninspiring

I found it a little boring. I heard no distinct difference between the song with 2 million streams and the song with almost a billion.

Added it to my cowboy playlist

Lowkey laid-back.

Too track: Precious And Grace

63/1089 This was a fine album. Nothing really grabbed me or excited me but it was solid and a decent listen. it could be one that i revisit and enjoy more in a slightly different mood/context (particularly since my run on 1001 currently has been a bit samey) i think southern rock just doesn’t resonate with me… 2 stars or 23/100

So I was not expecting to enjoy this as much as a I did...figuring they'd all sound like "Legs" which played non stop on MTV in the mid 80s. Surprisingly, some fun gritty rock music here. Of course La Grange is well known. I'd give a solid score - enjoyed but not likely to be back any time soon. 3/5

Despite having one of the laziest album covers of all time, the third album from ZZ Top catapulted them into the mainstream thanks to "La Grange," which has been a staple of classic rock radio ever since. Good ol' Texas blues rock.

perhaps the most honest, down-to-earth and bone-dry work of the three-headed blues monster from texas. ok, maybe deguello can keep up with that

Good album with some good songs! 6.1/10

Good before. Good now. And it'll be good the nextc time I dive back in.

Thought that the instrumental was top notch and did a good job and keeping the sound they were trying to get across consistent throughout the album. Production was different, although I thought that it fit their sound nicely. Move Me on Down the Line and La Grange stood out

Oh hell yeah. Hell yeah. Giving this 5 stars and I don't even have to listen to it. That little boogie band from Texas just nails it on this album. Even the "filler" tracks are great. Found a 5 dollar beat to shit copy in a vinyl bin right after Dusty Hill died and was surprised that it played just fine. Inside gatefold with the Tex-Mex food is awesome. I love this band and I love this album.

nothing happened

3 Dudes. 2 with beards. 1 named beard. I think we need to go back, as a society, and embrace album covers where we have three over saturated pictures of dudes in Canadian tuxedos and/or climbing up things. Nothing better than some white guys pretending they're Muddy Waters too.... chef's kiss. This is an excellent album to bust out the Casa Migos and make poor life choices.

English 70s rock. Their breakthrough. Pretty standard.

It's fine. It was good. This is a specific genre of rock I really don't really care for but I'd be lying if I said these fellas didn't do their thing. They captured that manly motorcycle riding, leather jacket wearing, and south of the U.S feel. There were some good songs here and there but with the low level of nuance and depth it didn't push all the right buttons for me. Top 3: Waitin' For The Bus, Master of Sparks, and La Grange not bad songs just a couple of mid 2.75-3.25/5

I have fond memories of my dad playing Eliminator in the car when I was a kid, but this is my first real exposure to 1970s ZZ Top. There's nothing here as flat-out fun as Gimme All Your Lovin' or Sharp Dressed Man, but as blues boogie rock goes, I liked this a lot.

fun!

Zo gooeed

What an album. Guitar hero had already introduced me to la grange and I know the big hits of course, but this was a soaring sweep through blues, funk and rock with finesse, precision and style. Gnarly expanding solos with a beautiful sounding kit and bass behind it. Awesome vocals. 5 stars.

- I'm not a fan of southern/boogie rock, personally, and the more I listened and thought about it, I think I do actively dislike this genre. this is many people's bread and butter, I'm sure, but it's a little too straightforward and on the nose to keep my interest - the themes of blue-collar work ("Waitin' for the Bus"), beer ("Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers"), crazy and dangerous adolescent experiences ("Master of Sparks"), Jesus ("Have You Heard?"), and women (multiple tracks, or maybe all of them to a degree) might appeal to some folks, but I'm not the target audience - the guitar tone is pleasant, for what it's worth - the ZZ Top version of Jesus is not dissimilar to the Ricky Bobby/Cal Noughton (a la Talladega Nights) version: he's a bro you can have a beer with. first we have a song about raising hell at a honky tonk and another about hanging out with two sex workers ("Precious and Grace"), then we get sentiments like "Have you heard about Heaven?" and "You might not see Him in person/But He'll see you just the same." I'm sure that resonates with a lot of people in the American South, in which Christianity is less of a set of beliefs you abide by and much more embedded into the culture and how you live (whether it actually aligns with biblical values or not -- as one example, Proverbs something-something says prostitution is immoral, so idk what type of religiousness is being portrayed here, but whatever floats your boat, I guess, and Jesus did hang out with a sex worker too) outside of my "notes," the story behind the supposedly incorrect/misheard lyric in the last track (it's written as "have you heard about Jo Ti Mahr?", not "have you heard, nació te amar") present on every lyrics site is quite funny. it seems like someone misheard it and put their mistake onto a song lyrics site, which then served as the single source of truth for all subsequent lyric sites

I've listened to a lot of blues rock today, and this one is fine, but maybe I'm a bit burned out on it. Overall, this is a great album, but something about it just doesn't hit right for me. It's solid though. 2.75 / 5 stars

Better than Eliminator!

As a whole I think this is simply pretty good. The album is constructed completely around and in service to the guitar work. Riffs and solos you can sink your teeth into. “La Grange” slaps like crazy.

basic sounds just like every other album on this list just stoned and jamming

ZZ Top aren’t new to me, I own a copy of _Eliminator_ on vinyl, but I can’t claim to have a well rounded knowledge of them. I did already know two tracks from this though, _ La Grange_ from Guitar Hero 3 and _Precious and Grace_ which QOTSA covered as a bonus track on their album _Lullabies to Paralyse_. It seems like an album that would grow on me and their bluesiness is certainly a sound that vibes with me. I enjoyed this and would definitely come back to it.

Hot, Blue and Righteous is a skip. The other nine tracks? I'm vibing. Hard rock is definitely one of my preferred genres, and ZZ Top even make that Southern white guy blues rock thing enjoyable for me.

So pleasantly surprised by this. Way surpassed my expectations. To be honest I knew nothing about them apart from one song (La Grange, coincidentally on this album - cheers Guitar Hero), and that they have a lot of hair. I was immediately hooked by the first track, and thoroughly enjoyed listening until the end. I have some, possibly insane, takes about this album: I reckon this record is more influential than it appears, there’s just way too much on this album that connects directly to more modern stuff for it to just be a coincidence. There’s a real funk and groove to the whole thing. At some points I heard whispers of Red Hot Chili Peppers, vocally Billy Gibbons (thanks Google), falls somewhere between the gravelly baritone Eddie Vedder and the same sort of laid-back vibe of Anthony Kiedis. I felt the whole thing was effortlessly cool. Standout track for me was "Precious and Grace", just thought it was really fun. The beginning of "Move Me on Down the Line" came on and it sounded like Reptilia. Surely it can't just be me, but maybe ZZ Top is just way more influential than I thought, I feel like you can hear its DNA everywhere - but that might be because it's so old and everything's been done already.

This album was a welcome relief. This experiment has tossed up so many albums that follow a consistent tone or theme throughout. ZZtop has gone through three genres before the end of the second song. There's a lot of staples that I associate with the band littered throughout. The sludgy blues, that little pull off that Gibbons is known for... I knew what I was in store for, but I didn't... if that makes sense. However, the range! There was funk (someone told me RHCP vibes, not quite there, Mama Tiger, but funky!), 'Hot, Blue and Righteous' was a nice harmony rich ballad. Of course, 'La Grange' is just cool, but then doesn't just follow the regular blues song. I've seen the documentary on these guys, and I really enjoyed it. I'm glad I've been forced to listen to it. 5 Stars.

This album is like driving from north out of Los Angeles on a family road trip. Foolishly, you underestimate how much fuel your SUV guzzles, and you see no sign of a petrol station for miles. Finally you reach one, but it is a pretty deserted looking truck stop with an adjoining diner called “Bubba’s Food Hut”. You count a row of about 12 or 13 Harley Davidsons parked up outside. “Let’s just get petrol and get right back on the road” you say to your family. Showing minimal appreciation for your nervousness, your 8 year old daughter complains that she needs the bathroom and is hungry. You say your prayers and venture into the diner. Expecting to be met by a group of aggressive thugs, instead you see a bunch of fellers in their 60s. They smile and nod their heads at you as you take your seat. You go to the counter to place your order, but the waitress calls you honey, and tells you to sit down because she’ll be right over. One of the old boys walks by you as you had back to your table and says hello. You smile politely, still not overly keen to get stuck in conversation, as these guys look like they’ve done some shit in their time. The man realises you’re from out of town, and excitedly asks the waitress to get a round of root beers for your family, on him. He also asks if there are any of those colouring in sheets for your children. You enjoy your root beers and order meals (made up of brisket, ribs, wings, mac and cheese and absolutely no vegetables), and end up having a great time. Several of the other bikers make conversation throughout the meal, and wish you a happy holiday.

Some good ol rock n roll but nothing special. Don't feel this was an album i had to hear before I die.

A very accessible ZZ Top album.

Classic American rock n roll. I liked the music ok, but not the vocals and the lyrics were samey

My dad used to like ZZ Top . Had sharp dressed man at his funeral

Ratings: 5: I will happily play this album anytime 4: I may occasionally play this album of my own free will 3: I will happily listen to this if someone plays it in the background 2: I will tolerate this if it is playing in the background 1: I will leave the room if someone plays this in the background Good fun, love the southern boogie rock. Breezy album that never wears out its welcome.

A very successful boogie rock album, and for good reason. From the first track you're hit with a great jam that seamlessly transitions into the second track, a great mastering decision. Lots of fun blues and southern tracks throughout, and La Grange speaks for itself.

what a great blues rock album, billy gibbons is one of the greats.

Good but not for me

Yeah man, cool.

Everybody loves the Reverend Billy Gibbons, and this is a major reason why. Texas Roadhouse style colors in juicy, deep-pocketed grooves. A little smattering of smoke and whiskeyed harmonies gives this album the perfect char to the seared outside.

great rocking album!! Beers, bourbon and BBQ, yeehaa!

Delícia de álbum. Perfeito para quando você quer ouvir solos de guitarra no meio de um deserto. Surpreendentemente ótimos vocais! acrescentaram muito à vibe de Tres Hombres. Frío, rapazes 7.0/10.0

Though this marks the inception and commercial success of Texas Boogie, and therefore is a pivotal moment in history, the album itself is uneven. It's pretty obvious which tracks contributed to the signature sound of ZZ Top years later because those are the only good ones, and it's not many. Some good guitar solos and riffs along the way, though. On the other hand, Frank Beard is an incredible drummer and doesn't get enough credit for his blues shuffles, funky grooves, and overall tasteful playing.

ICONIC. 10/10, no skips. Gonna send me down a ZZ Top rabbit hole today.

Gran disco de rock, con guitarras exquisitas y una voz particular.

El Si mang

The usual 2

I expected to hate this, but it was actually surprisingly listenable.

Enjoyed this one, good fun

Enjoyable album, but nothing absolutely crazy. A solid 3.5/5 if I've heard one. Enjoyed a couple songs a lot more than others, but not something I'll be revisiting from the ZZ Top catalog.

The band managed to take hold of and create a style rooted in Southern culture and its native blues, blending it with mythical, playful and humorous themes. Compared to their First Album, Tres Hombres shows an evolution and definition of identity and personality not seen before. I especially highlight the creativity in both the storytelling and Gibbons’ riffs, there isn’t a single disappointing track. La Grange is by no means overrated, it’s a true hit that I still enjoy after all the times it has accompanied me. Favorite song: Jesus Just Left Chicago.

I respect the album, but it did the opposite of relax me.

Another throwback to my junior high years. I generally like ZZ drums and guitar, especially on Master of Sparks and La Grange. Fun:)

I'm not supposed to like ZZ Top or Lynyrd Skynyrd! What is happening??

Already had this album. La Grange is a favorite of mine.

Tja, wat standaard-jaren-70-bluesrock van drie heren van wie we steviger werk gewend zijn. Dit kan bijvoorbeeld Creedence toch veel en veel beter. Ik kon er weinig spannends aan ontdekken en ga snel door naar het volgende album.

Lange-baarden rock. Er is niet eens een rand om het genre-hokje nodig . Ze blijven keurig in het midden van het hokje. Met uitzondering van één wat rustiger nummer. Dat gesteld hebbende is er weinig op dit album af te dingen. Alles heeft kwaliteit. Er zijn niet echt uitschieters, maar ook zeker geen opvullers. Het luistert als geheel makkelijk weg. Maar het verleidt tegelijk ook om je op één element te concentreren, bijvoorbeeld de gitaar.

Heerlijk, die ouwemannenrock uit de 70s! In de stijl van Steppenwolf en Lynyrd Skynyrd, bluesy swamprock. Onbegrijpelijk eigenlijk dat ze later die overgeproduceerde 80s rock zijn gaan maken (dat een magere 3 sterren opleverde), al zal dat de kassa wel beter hebben laten rinkelen voor ze. Met dit album, en als hoogtepunt natuurlijk La Grange, laten ze zien dat ze een potje oerdegelijke rock n roll neer kunnen zetten. Gillende gitaren, dikke basriffs en stoere drums, het zit er allemaal in. Genieten. Na Massive Attack van gisteren, een totaal andere muziekstijl, wederom 5 sterren!

This album rocks so hard that I grew a beard in the half hour or so it took to listen to it. And not some lame groomed GQ beard either, this shit is thick and unruly.

Rocks, but mostly didn't make an impression.

Hell yeah brother 2.4

Pretty funky! Really nice guitar. Not really my taste though

La grange surrounded by a bunch of boring mid tier songs

Not bad. Not my vibe. Would give 3.5 cause I wouldn't hate if it came on again.

mmmm how-how-how!

Everyone knows "LaGrange" and "Jesus Just Left Chicago". The real killers on this album are "Master of Sparks" and "Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers". One of the very first albums I bought with my own money (5 or so years after it came out) because of LaGrange and I had no idea what I was in for!

ZZ Top's Third record. Released the day I was born. Classic records gonna classic. And this is an undeniable classic record just for the opening 1-2-3 punch. Add in La Grange and you have this record in a nutshell. The rest of the songs are good, if a bit generic, Texas blues.

This is really good! A few weaker tracks sprinkled among some absolute classics. A four.

I liked that this album was short. I’ve never been much of a fan of ZZ Top. I felt like the songs blended together and all sounded the same. My favorite track was Sheik because it was mostly guitar and no singing. Would not listen again.

A nice album by a band that would become much bigger in the future. It’s bluesy rock done well.

Good

I don't know. I really didn't like it. It has La Grange or the really classic ZZ song that I think everyone knows but just really not my vibe. I'll give another listen before I do the review but rip this album.

Great 70's classic rock. Driving beat and a mean guitar.

I met Seikh from Mozambique.

YES YES YES IM HERE FOR ZZ TOP

426/1001

ZZ Top songs have such a distinct and recognizable guitar tone that you can tell it is them straight away. La Grange is iconic and also make me want to call GEICO. Sheik had some delicious guitar licks, Tom Morello-esque. Haven't listened to much Blues music before, but I'm thinking I need to explore this genre more. I enjoyed this album more than I expected I would! Favorites: - Precious and Grace - La Grange - Sheik

I’m thinking this style of blues-rock is up my alley. Having only heard La Grange before, this album was a pleasant surprise and super easy to listen through a few times while working. Time to grow out my ZZ Top beard, I guess. Favorite tracks: - Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers - La Grange - Sheik

One of my all timers! I listened this work in the last 35 years or so. Great.

Enjoyable, but quite samey. Listened to: walking through Prospect Park. Favorite tracks: Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers, Hot Blue and Righteous

I really like the vibe!!! It' s rock i guess and i love the guitarrr!!! This is what makes the songs amazing. Vocals are pleasant to hear and harmonies also goated. It feels so naturally made and played, so its easy to listen like a background. I like it!! i'm gonna come back to it for sure!!!

liked it but feeling ill and not the music i want to listen to, also blues rock not really my thang would give it a 2/3

Blues-influenced with catchy melodic rhythms & slightly gritty vocals at times.

i can dig this. it is like a 3.5 for me

I love La Grange and Have You Heard?

Nothing memorable

no lo termine de escuchar, pero lo poco que escuché fue un solido tres. me gustó mucho,buenos temas, me dan ganas de salir a andar en moto

Separate the art from the artist. The whole aesthetic is very cringe to me, but the music is good. Who cares, I listen to them so I didn’t have to see them. There is a lul in the quality, album goes up and down. 3/5

clasico!

Some real classics on this. Sounds great even by todays standards. There is a lot of repeat notes throughout the songs. Just slightly above average.

It was as solid ZZ Too album. If you like them you’ll like it if not it’s not for everyone. I was happy to listen to it but it won’t make the regular rotation.

More like Hres Tombres, nahm sayin?

Not really any surprises here, other than a bit more weird 70s flavor, as far as backing vocals and some straying from 4/4 time. Interesting, but not my style. Guitar tone is fantastic.

Good ol' country rock. La Grange is a famous classic

These guys are amazing guitarists, and even though it's not so much my thing, I can appreciate that. Nice to hear the album The Grange is on, because I definitely heard that song more than a few times growing up.

ZZ Top when they were bluesier and extraordinary. Every song is a banger and bears no resemblance to their later hits, such as Sharp-Dressed Man

Typischer ZZ Top Sound, sehr gitarrenlastig. Gute Rock-Musik. 3/5

Some of the best southern blues-rock you’ll ever hear

Wow. Really enjoyed this

iznenađujuće dobro, al ne bih slušao

I've never been drawn to the music of ZZ Top. This album is ok but I'd not choose to listen to it again.

No one does it quite like ZZ Top

Excellent. 5 stars for La Grange by itself.

honestly i was pleasantly surprised i REALLY enjoyed this album. i also think the live version of la grange is better than the studio version!

Not for me.

Not for me

Surprisingly good. I thought this would be almost country southern rock. But I was amused with this album. I am going to listen to it again soon,

Killer blues rock! There are some heavy, hard-rocking moments that helped me see the connection between blues and heavy metal. There are also some wonderful, soulful tracks too. ZZ Top has a nice range. They do some sweet jamming on this too! Excellent music aside, this has to be one of the worst album covers I’ve seen on the list so far. That shade of green doesn’t fit the music. There’s a weird negative space above the title. None of the photos are good photos. And the font is kinda cheesy. It’s always funny to me when a band with this much talent has no taste in album art 😂

A great album from a great band. ZZ Top makes some of the top of the line blues rock, and "La Grange" is one of the top songs of all time in that genre. I dig them a lot, and while I feel like they don't have a super extensive catalogue of big hits, when they do give you one of the standout songs you can't help but groove to it, feel it, and love it. I will say that if this record is on this list, then I would hope that "Eliminator" is on the list as well, which has more standout tracks than the singular "La Grange", even though that song is probably their best one. My pop-up video fun fact about this band is that guitarist Billy Gibbons was one of Jimi Hendrix's favorite guitarists. Imagine that?

As far as straight-up blues rock goes, it's fine.

Not my vibe

Actually loved this.

Some good ones

Not a ZZ Top guy

ZZ Top. Blues Rock. Some classics on here.

ZZ Top! I’ve heard of these guys before, notably for their role in a phony knock-off band of the Zombies. Hard rock affair, I can already feel it. I’m pretty far flung from being a fan of this genre, but I’m fine with a little easy listening every now and then. I’m definitely a fan of that runtime after all of the long ass albums I’ve been receiving lately. Not quite the sound I was expecting, but that isn’t me complaining. Yet more blues rock, right after Eric Clapton’s 461 Ocean Boulevard no less. I like the funky sound, and it's pretty competent from start to end. A little impersonal and commerical, but once I got into the swing of this album I was having a good enough time. I’d be lying if I said it didn’t drag it’s feet in a lot of areas, however. “Jesus Just Left Chicago” has a very characteristic blues/hard rock sound. I’m not sure whether ZZ Top coined the sound, but it’s enjoyable all the same. “Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers” is a good follow up. I like the lead guitar performance, and the building pressure of the song makes for a good listen. The jumpy sound of “Precious and Grace” is a good time. Some very good guitarwork, and it’s difficult not to nod along contentedly to the song. The transformation during the second half of the song is also pretty good. Very smooth. "Have You Heard?" is a good closer. Pretty chill, and I like the mildly anthemic feel of the music. Oh, hey. I’ve heard La Grange before. The guitar riff is pretty iconic, and I like the quirky vocal style. The way the track builds during the middle is good, too. I’m a fan. Book time. I get the impression that this album is a solid pick, though I’m curious nonetheless. There isn’t much of note in here. Over to Wikipedia. The band’s breakthrough album. Had a humdrum reception at release but has been received more favourably in retrospect. There isn’t too much going for this album, but as iconic musicians I think this era of ZZ Top is worthy of being included. I cosign this album.

'Well, I'll be riding on the bus 'til I Cadillac.' These tres hombres from Tejas greatly shorten the formulas given to them by the Allman Bros, but they're cut from the same cloth. Like Duane, Billy Gibbons plays an effortless lead slide, and like their Jacksonville brethren, ZZ configure honky-tonk lore into appropriate blues and boogie programs. But unlike the Bros, whom I adore, the three guys appreciate economy and demand of their listeners a sense of humor: 'A-haw, haw, haw, haw / A-haw, haw, haw, haw.' They also wear their influences on their sleeve, sounding like the Stones on 'Move Me on Down the Line' and The Meters on the unexpectedly funky 'Sheik.' I'm not moved to play this any chance I get, but its pleasures are hardy and real.

Hella fun.

Oh yeah… the moment the needle drops, I swear I can smell BBQ smoke and stale beer. There’s not a bad track on this record, and how “Precious and Grace” wasn’t a hit is beyond me.

Listened to this on the way to a campground to hang with some old college buddies. Perfect! Great record to get ready for some beers, whiskey, cigars, and good time around a fire.

Not really the ZZ Top I think of. I think of more the 80s Eliminator era. This was 70s blues rock. Not a bad listen.

Bluesy and dirty. I enjoyed it.

We're here for La Grange and La Grange only

3 1/2 Stars: Bluesy ZZ Top is just as good if not better than their turn into Adult Rock in the 80s. Tres Hombres is a good mix of bangers and middling tracks. But c'mon...La Grange is one of the all-time great songs, rock, blues or otherwise. It's what makes this record.

Great album

good southern

Fun blues album.

Круто 😎

This is an album that is listenable, but I feel that its something only the Boomers can get down to and say it is one of the greatest there is. Don't get me wrong, I kind of like ZZ Top but it didn't feel ambitious or original like most music was back in that day where there were acts like Pink Floyd or David Bowie breaking barriers. But this album is pretty good in my opinion, like the kind of album that you would listen to while driving a Harley bike on a dirt country road, or while your sitting in a highway bar and La Grange randomly comes on the jukebox. Good album but just not really my thing. Favorite Tracks: Waitin' for the Bus, Jesus Just Left Chicago, La Grange, Have You Heard? Rating: 3/5

favs: - hot, blue and righteous

4/10 very generic early rock, can see kings of leon being influenced by ZZ Top but nothing to write home about

There are 3 types of people in the world. Women, children, and those with beards.

1.5 rounded up did this list really need multiple zz top albums highlights: waitin’ for the bus, la grange (mar 16 2026)

Love these guys

Fantastic blues rock. Set the standard for all the AOR dudes that followed. What's fascinating about this record for me is that you can hear hints of what ZZ would become in the 80s, but this is still fundamentally grounded in 1970s tones.

Quite liked this! Dirty blues, nothing too innovative but it sounds good, I probably love it more than their later more commercial wok (although that was fun too). A 3-4 but I'm in a good mood.

Love it - classic Texas blues

Lots of my favorites on this one

Alright

Great album all around

Слушал с удовольствием.

point9.

This bluesy rock really hit the spot today. Effortless to listen to, chugs along in classic fashion. Feels kind of dirty, in the literal mud/grit/hard work sense of the word, and I appreciate that.

This was quite a fun listen and it's nice to get away from all the generic rock, but nothing in it will really stick with me.

3.4

I have a soft spot for ZZ Top. I think I like them most when they got all cheeseball in the 80's, but this album is also pretty good, and has plenty of the Billy Gibbons guitar playing that I love. 3.7/5

I don't like ZZ Top. However, La Grange is decent. I think I also liked Master of Sparks ok. ZZ Top start at like a 1.5/5 for me, and most songs I feel didn't move the needle. La Grange + Master of Sparks moved the needle up a bit. 2/5

Bluesy!

Was a fun vibe

I like there vibe, all the way through, a good tough/cool guy rock sound. No slow love songs, just groovin rock start to finish

I bet this is great in a stadium. Just fun all around.

its a jam

Just plain old good fun. No track on here was skippable, it was just damn good guitar right after another.

Simple good bluezy fun with good riffs but nothing daring or experimental here. And it doesn't need to be.

I started getting La Grange in the algorithm after listening to other 70s albums in the list. I haven't heard anything else before. The first 2 tracks are great, then it drags to La Grange, which is also great. It's a solid 4, but too much filler to be higher.

Better than I expected, thought I was gonna hate this.

It was surprisingly good. I never thought I would like ZZ Top, but I really enjoyed this album.

I enjoy ZZ Top but eventually each song starts to sound same same. There is a time and a place though.

Sute

If there's anything I know... some rowdy stuff has happened while this album was playing.

Pretty solid. Southern rock in its goodness - guitar riffs - Rock - Yea man. 3-4 stars

Good solid bluesy rock

3.5, really good album, enjoyed it mostly for master of sparks and la grange but its all good

Rock on brother!

Low/mid 3, instrumentally I don't mind it, vocals are not my favorite, I just don't find anything particularly compelling

I liked it very much!!

RAM TRUCK MONTH was the only song i recognized, didn’t know it was by them. Besides that it was really boring 4.5/10

ᛋᛋtop

meh

Enjoyed it, cool vibe and easy to listen to

This really is a pretty weird album it starts off strong with the first three tracks but tails off for a whole lot of filler and then La Grange hits and its a wow moment, it 100% elevates the whole album but I am not sure what to mark it as till that point its nothing special. its really a 3.5 star album.

yeah it's ZZ Top; what else do you want? La Grange!

0’5

4/5

Yawn.

Do I detect some soul vibes

This is better than Eliminator; La Grange is a banger. Gibbon's singing voice is mediocre at best. Maybe that's the reason La Grange is so good, no real singing there.

I remember back in 1961, Houmous & Chutney were perceived to be at the peak of their powers (no one knew that peak would last 60 years). ZZ Top were supporting and up and coming. They lost a shave poker game with Len Houmous, they had to shave off their beards right before their gig. Luckily they managed to forge some beards out of a mop head and some spiders webs. They never played Len at cards again. 3.5 4/10 Master of Sparks

Where the band rocked its sound

7/10 absolutely fun. 7-29-2025

Favoriete is tot nu toe Waitin' for the Bus. Hot, Blue and Righteous is opeens een heel ander liedje dan de voorgaande nummers: veel trager en rustiger.

Absoluta maravilla. Los riffs de cada canción tienen más personalidad que cientos de bandas juntas. Cada nueva canción del disco se convierte en la absoluta favorita hasta ese momento, y así pasa hasta llegar al final. Llevaba 3 canciones y ya estaba seguro de ponerle las 5 estrellas. Genios, los ZZ Top.

We got through it. Perhaps on a different day I could have enjoyed it more.

Meh

I always enjoy hearing ZZ Top whenever they pop up in the podcasts I listen to, but I'd never listened to a full album of theirs. I liked this a lot. I could listen to them all day. Fun, energetic, clean, with a great rock sound and great guitar licks.

Standouts La Grange

Rock music

great

Classic. Love this album

Would be 5 stars if there was a little more beard

Rock so bluesy you can smell the cigarette smoke and stale beer.

1. La Grange 2. Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers 3. Master of Sparks

Det är en rockskiva. Varken mer eller mindre. Ganska anonymt, de bluesiga låtarna har lite mer personlighet. Finns frön av bra saker men blir väldigt blekt och segt. För svaga låtar. Inte direkt dåligt men förstår inte alls varför den här skivan är med. Kommer lyssna igen : nej Bästa spår: hot, blue & righteous (D) / La grange Betyg: D: 4 av 10 (2 av 5) D2: 5 av 10 (2 av 5)

7.5/10

It's OK but I just can't get past the unappealing vocals.

Cover 5 Great music basically about nothing or whatever just tunes to bop to.

I kinda loved this lol. It's an album that sounds like my dad but I don't recall him listening to (though I think I've heard la grange enough on the classic rock stations he frequented). It's a pretty great 70s Rick album that maybe doesn't get as much love as other big hitters.

Just great rock n roll from this Texas power trio. 4/5 #123

This deserves a 5 just for La Grange. But there’s a lot of other blues/ rock masterpieces here.

I was mostly bored with the studio tracks, but really engaged with the live tracks. They have much more energy and seem to be having a lot more fun in live performances. Hey, but that's what it is really about . . . Right? So my score is about the live tracks. They found that energy for studio recordings later. Certainly by the time they recorded Eliminator.

It’s ok. Very nice production; solid bops. Vocals are an unremarkable, though. Would prefer to listen to their older boogie influencers or contemporaries like Allman Bros or Skynyrd.

it’s like they heard 1 blues song and went, “I could do that”

Very solid rock album, good riffs, but probably won’t be returning too soon

3+ stars, I enjoy the instrumentation, but if I’m being honest I’m not crazy about the vocals. Definitely better than many of the albums on this list, but it just doesn’t quite make the round up to 4 stars tier for me.

Great album - very typical of that pre-Eliminator ZZ Top sound. Just funky, mostly up tempo blues boogie. Also, typical, it's a ZZ Top album with some killer songs and a few that aren't as great. Still overall, it's a great one.

It’s a great album. There are licks for days. The sound is very compressed and the guitar tones are incredible. It’s very much what it is. Every song sounds pretty similar which I think is just a function of how specific and unique their sound is. Not a criticism but I do get a bit tired of it after a while. The vocals are absurd.

Love zz

Classic rock as classic rock gets... 3.5

Their third album. As soon as this one opens you're in a musty, smoke filled pool hall / biker bar. By the end of the album your beard is two feet long and you're riding a Harley. Blues infused rhythm that does exactly what it says on the tin. La Grange is a classic track.

The hits absolutely rock, the rest of the album is really solid texas 70's rock, solid listen but only the hits stand out.

La grange really stands out. It’s so good that I expected more from the rest of the album

Liked this better than eliminator ir whatever it's called. This was not half bad, actually

Pretty alright

Solid. Some classics

I know this one! Great record. A few non standout tracks in the middle bring it down slightly.

Surprised I didn't like this album more. I was expecting more outside of the La Grange but was disappointed. Very boring to me.

Solid album. 3.5

“Ah haw haw haw haw” 30/100 Favorite: La Grange

I've spent most of the generator complaining that I don't really like blues but I like ZZ Top a fair bit, I think because they take the blues and give it a bit of character. It's perfect beer drinking music Billy Gibbons has the uncanny ability to make anything he plays sound easy, and I love his voice too There are a couple tracks I'm not keen on but there's nothing I dislike. Just a good time Highlights: Precious and Grace, Master of Sparks, Waitin' for the Bus

Helt ok. Gikk tom for strøm på hodetelefonan før æ rakk å høre hele, men det hørtes ut som forventa og gøy å høre «La Grange» i en ikke-mashupversjon.

Stellar, top to bottom

Somehow all I know of ZZ Top is that they're just three dudes with long beards now. It never occurred to me to check out their catalogue. Why don't they turn up on any Spotify radio stations?? I listen to plenty of dusty folksy legit country rock stuff. Kinda bums me out that the bangers from this album make me think of commercials.. but ZZ Top is probably cool with it cuz money. I feel like these dudes aren't trying to prove anything to anyone. They're cool. Doin their thing. Being three hombres. Had fun!

Great blues rock with some gems.

Pretty straightforward blues rock that gets a little repetitive but La Grange is still a banger. Favorite: La Grange Would I listen to it again: No (except La Grange)

"La Grange" +2, Generic Classic Rock for the rest of the album

Classic blues rock album from one of my favorite bands. It's raw and southern and has so many good riffs and good grooves.

It's hard to go wrong with ZZ Top

Nice

Further genius!

En el universo en el que soy ungringo blanco cincuentón watón con barba, este album bangs. Me subo a mi harley davidson con mi chaqueta de cuero harley davidson y paseo por texas en la carretera para luego detenerme a comer pancakes en Ritas' Breakfast. Ahí le digo darling a las camareras y todas pretenden que les caigo bien aunque en realidad les doy asco.

Chill rock n roll drivin vibes that pass ya by like a pleasant breeze you won’t remember too much of besides the feel

Blues guitar

i like

Classic ZZ!

Also offengestanden habe ich einen anderen Sound erwartet als diesen hier. Früher mit "Sharp Dressed Man" und "Gimme all your lovin'" groß geworden, aber dank Wiki erst jetzt gesehen das die gefühlt ne Ewigkeit vorher schon Musik und Alben gemacht haben. Das hier hat mir nich so sehr gefallen :( Schwanke zwischen 2 und 3 Sternen

Chilliger 70s Rock, 3.5 Sterne, tu mich schwer mit entscheiden, aber vermutlich 3 Sterne

I am not a ZZ Top fan however, I can acknowledge that they have a knack for cool guitar riffs that'll hook one into thinking that maybe just maybe they'll win you over only to be disappointed that your relationship with that can't go to the next level.

Great album from a great group needs to be on every classic rock playlist.

La Grange is probably one of my favourite rock songs. Nice to know the album it's from has some other good tracks. "Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers" also should be like 3 to 4 mins longer.

It was okay. The performances were good enough. The guitar solos were cool. I feel like nothing stood out. Favourite Track(s): Hot, Blue, And Righteous, La Grange Least Favourite Track(s): Master of Sparks, Beer Dringers & Hell Raisers

You just can't argue with that nasty riff on La Grange. It just DEMANDS to be turned up to the point of hearing damage. I'm always amazed at how much sound a good three piece band can put out ⭐⭐⭐⭐

Great! Blues rock, guitar heavy, very Stevie Ray Vaughan. Gritty, dirty sound, chewy. Don’t like Hot, Blue, and Righteous La Grange is awesome

It's crunchy, it's driving, it's riffed up, it's ZZ Top!

This is nice! A bit thin in production, but overall just good ol' rocking men.

Enjoyable! Grungy, grimey, incredible roadtrip music of the American countryside. It doesn’t overstay its welcome and doesn’t try anything too be anything it’s not. Not something I’d revisit but I liked it.

Excellent

It was ZZ Top. Its not my thing.

Еще не дослушал, но альбом вообще не зашел, пока какашка

straight fire

Да, легенды, но не на мой вкус

A classic for a reason

Quite some fun, la grange is obviously an amazing song.

I liked this more than Eliminator; maybe I was just in the mood for some blues rock today. La Grange is solid, I also liked Master of Sparks a lot. Sneaks into a four, I think

Un Gran disco , siempre un tanto eclipsado por la canción the grunge , un verdadero temazo eterno he incombustible. Un Disco aconsejable y disfrutable en su totalidad .

Good album. Some rough edges but maybe that’s the charm.

Solid album. Lots of known songs. Always loved the bluesy ZZ Top

a good time

Waitin' for the Bus - 4/5 Jesus Just Left Chicago - 3/5 Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers - 4/5 Master of Sparks - 5/5 Hot, Blue and Righteous - 4/5 Move Me On Down the Line - 3/5 Precious and Grace - 5/5 La Grange - 5/5 Shiek - 4/5 Have You Heard? - 3/5 Average score: 4/5

Good

I mean, I like ZZ Top as much as the next guy. La Grange fucking slaps and those beards were hot 🔥🧔🏼‍♂️, but there had better be a god damn Iron Maiden album down the road if you got room for TWO fucking spots for ZZ Top on this list.

Actually sounds soulful and not just cookie cutter Texas blues riffs and cheesy double entendres. Surprisingly good.

This is just fun. A few great grooves, and just go.

As Classic as Classic Rock n Roll gets

I wish all ZZ Top was 70s ZZ Top!

La grange is amazing. This albums production is very tight, love the drum sound and the tones in the album just don’t love all the songs. Enjoyable listen, will come back for la grange

Liked so much Its very fever

This is an easy 5 for me. Billy Gibbons playing is inspired. I’ve always had a soft spot for Jesus Just Left Chicago. I’m amused but also love how soulful they sing about something silly like Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers. Silly is a big part of rock.

Classic rock

This was very solid. There was a dirtiness to this record, raw and almost grungy. La Grange is a timeless banger and the rest of the album doesn’t quite reach that high but it’s still solid

What's not to like?

great blues rock record - classic ZZ Top. As always Billy Gibbons’ guitar playing and vocals are masterful - truly one of the best blues guitar players to ever live

Meh, not my cup of tea

Back and forth between a 3 and 4, there are way better blues albums and way better rock albums, I like it but not sure I love it. La Grange is of course amazing, not sure on the whole album, may take some reflection. I think I'm going to give it a 4, I think musically I love it but I just don't love the vocals on a lot of the songs.

Three men?

ZZ baby i know you youre better than this

fun guitar playing and quintessential blues rock riffs from the 70's. It was ok overall. no songs really got me going

6/10 I enjoyed this one. The rhythm section is so tight. Really not an album for people who don’t like guitar solos though! So many of the hooks and grooves were really good, but I don’t feel like there was much development of the themes as the songs went on, though most tracks were pretty short so they didn’t drag too much. I think this one might be a little hard to judge outside of the context of the era. They were obviously doing something very American Deep South vs bands like Led Zeppelin, and I liked it, but I also don’t think a lot of the songs were that memorable outside of a few riffs here and there. I don’t expect I’ll come back to this often, but I did enjoy it for what it was. Waitin’ for the Bus - Loved the groove on this one. Not much to it, but it doesn’t hang around long enough for that to be a problem. Jesus Just Left Chicago - A bit more plodding. Pretty standard blues fare, but it’s pretty clear they have a great command of their instruments and a sense of groove. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers - More driving, I like this one. Vocals do a bit more on this one, though still plenty of time for some soloing. Master of Sparks - Another good groove, it just didn’t feel like it went anywhere with it, really. Hot, Blue and Righteous - Nice change of pace to end side one. I enjoyed this one, particularly as a counterpoint to the rest of the first half of the album. Move Me on Down the Line - Another tight groove. Another fun solo. Precious and Grace - Good bit of attitude to this one, but ended up being a bit repetitive. La Grange - The quintessential southern blues riff. Great song, even though it again doesn’t really do much beyond a great riff, a solid groove and a bunch of soloing. Sheik - Another great groove and I really dug the vocal swagger on this one too. Have You Heard? - This one actually developed a few different ideas early on which was good, but it was a little bit plodding.

A classic Bluesrock Album. And it has La Grange in it. That‘s it.

Best appreciated standing around the barbecue.

Older, not really my style

ZZ Top is one of those bands I've been aware of for a very long time, but where I've only listened to maybe a few tracks and never sought out. If someone had asked me to guess what an album of theirs sounded like I wouldn't have guessed this but rather something harder. I've enjoyed my time with the album, it's pretty nice driving music Standouts Waitin' for the Bus La Grange 4/5

yeah guitar hero!

Groovy but safe

Not my style of rock music - not much captivated me, didn’t hate it.

The sound of dad rock, and guitar hero!

Don’t dislike ZZ Top and when in the mood I like 12 bar blues songs. But I have to be in the mood and today I wasn’t and found this album too repetitive. Later in the day whilst streaming randomly an early Groundhogs blues track played. Having just listened to this ZZ Top album I was able to compare the two. Maybe because the Groundhogs are British I decided that I liked their blues more. Or more likely I was also influenced by the fact The Groundhogs went onto develop into a Prog Rock band which is much more to my liking. Saving grace for the ZZ’s is that I have seen them live opening for Eric Clapton and they were brilliant. A live version of La Grange was especially good and since that appears on this album my rating of it improves. 3/5 10/5/25

Let down your beard, Rapunzzel.

Quite good, different than the bland rock of this time. Really blues heavy, pretty southern too

Had I heard this album before I heard Eliminator I would have been a huge ZZ Top fan. It was years before I knew the songs on this album were done by the same band that did “Legs”. I have never heard move it on down the line before today. Great song.

Pure electronic Texas blues. Great stuff, always top notch whenever I listen. 3.5/5

That was so much better than I thought it would be tbh

Son rock. Gros tones de guit, straight dans l'ampli, pas de focaillage de reverb ou autred, SG? Les Paul? L'ingé de son Terry Manning (premiere collabo parmi plusieurs avec ZZ) a mentionné porter une attention particuliere à la transition entre les pièces : "always looking very carefully at the timings between songs ... counting time, feeling how different time sigs go together, different keys, different feels". Souvent les solos partent sur des modulations (meme riff que le reste de la toune mais qui monte d'un ton pile sur le début du solo)