Reviews (page 7 of 13)
I actually quite liked Tres Hombres. Tracks like ‘La Grange’ really stand out. I wouldn’t say it’s perfect, but I did enjoy it, so I’d give it a 3 out of 5. Very bluesy and rocky
3.2 2x
Less one note than I expected but still a one listen
Ctrl+z
Classic rock radio ass album, it's fine
Yeah brotheeeeeer 🍺🦅🇺🇸
meh
7/10
Ранній період я не чув) Краще ніж я думав)
Pretty agreeable. Not much more to add, didn’t blow me away but was an enjoyable listen
“Jesus Left Chicago,” and “La Grange,” are great tracks. The rest is surprisingly “meh,” blues rock, but better than a lot of what they put out in the 80s.
Some good riffs, not my normal cup of tea
Given I bounced hard off the other ZZ Top album, this one was pretty alright.
There was a suprisingly large outlaw motorcycle club culture near wherew I lived in Canada. I always thought the ZZ Top connection was overexaggerated but especially the old heads tend to love that stuff. No comment on the rest of what they're up to, but y'know what, good for them! This is like the flavored water of music, I can't hate it but its not exactly making me go "woah so exciting". I like about three-quarters of the songs but my enjoyment of the good ones is very 7/10, La Grange is kinda great though. This is the kinda Dad rock that is now officially converging on Grandpa rock.
There are similar albums ive probably been harsher on, its a style of music I detest. I hate the 12 bar blues But this feels like a bit of fun. I wont stress it too much. Its a simple 3. It won't win any awards, it isnt some darling album, it doesn't deserve heaps of praise, but its a bit of a laugh
This was better than the other ZZ Top album on this list. The other album is what I knew ZZ Top as. This was a pleasant surprise.
Lidt bedre end den sidste vi havde med dem
Kæft de kan finde ud af at spille giddar. Kan bedre lide den her end den anden vi havde med dem
If you know ZZ Top you get what you'd expect. I liked it better than their most played hits like i.e. "Legs". BLuesy Rock.
Some bangers here for sure but doesn't do too much more than any other blues rock stuff from the 70s, I like Eliminator a little more
It's great driving music. The point is it's groove and feel, which works
Billy Gibbons is great, but this album is woefully average.
Is meh
Good classic rock, especially La Grange
first full listen through a zz album, enjoyed and lots of classics and riffs that are major influences but overall not my fav
I've always been pretty indifferent on ZZ Top. Didn't actively dislike the album, just was pretty meh.
I've been to many a Texas BBQ and Bike Night to understand the cultural significance of ZZ Top. It's reliable, consistent, and inoffensive background music for gatherings. It was an easy listen on my work commute and kept me entertained.
Actually way more enjoyable than I was expecting. I don’t hate La grange as much in its context. Good! Don’t care as much for the slower songs on this thing.
Waitin' for the Bus - 3.5/5 Jesus Just Left Chicago - 3/5 Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers - 3.5/5 Master of Sparks - 3/5 Hot, Blue and Righteous - 3/5 Move Me On Down the Line - 3/5 Precious and Grace - 3.5/5 La Grange - 5/5 Shiek - 3.5/5 Have You Heard? - 3/5 Finding out that ZZ Top doesn't have any good songs outside of La Grange is like finding out that the only person in the band who doesn't have facial hair is named Beard. Like come on man what are we doing here. You had the sauce but instead decided to be a bland blues rock band for most of the way. Overall: 3/5 Favorites: La Grange
Don’t love his voice, and I also feel the switches into the big blues solos are a bit abrupt, but there’s a lot to like with ZZ Top.
I went into this one with a lot of trepidation and it turned out to be... not bad! Much like other rock bands of this era I find their sound very dated, but also like other 70s rock bands their non-hits tend skew more interesting. And there was really only mega-hit on this album so all in all I found it more interesting that I would have expected.
Mmm bueno pero hasta ahí
If Southern-fried, Tex-Mex rock and blues is your thing, this is a pretty terrific, crisp album with good production values and a nice variety of tempos and styles.
Listened to enough songs to know that it’s not horrible but not the best either. 3 stars
When I pressed play, I was like “whoa.” Overall, this was great. I didn’t expect to like it, but here we are — a VERY strong 3 out of 5. not a four because i would love for this site to generate different genres and include more women artists.
They're a great listen. Pretty good album overall.
Give me this album in a dark dive bar with a cold beer and a loud jukebox and it’s a fun Friday night
The bluesy rock riffs are hard to not nod along with! Not good enough to be great, but good enough for an occasional listen
Just fine. It's blues rock of generally the standard kind, although Billy Gibbons absolutely kills it on the guitar here. I would say the album is worth listening to for that alone.
Listens: 2 Standout Tracks: La Grange Short one today: Eh. Perfectly average.
Better than I thought it would be. Blues rock isnt my favorite, but most of the songs were listenable.
not entirely bad though I found a lot of the songs to be average. none impressed me, but none were absolute buns either. A good 3 stars will do.
Has anyone ever pointed out that Billy Gibbons sounds like David Byrne on Waitin' for the Bus? Anyway, this rocks when it rocks. Don't really need to hear ZZ do ballads ever. But I'm just fine with it.
La grange can not lift it to a 4. Solid 3.5
No bad, but get's pretty samey after about 3 songs. La Grange is the best song ever written about going to a whore house.
Guitarra incrível musica muito boa porém faltou um pouco de criatividade no baixo
Great album. Considering it was only their 3rd and was originally released in 1973 (I was 9 yrs old). I enjoyed this one. It has inspired me to listen to some of their extensive back catalogue. I'd give it a 7/10
Earlier ZZ Top. Not so heavy or pounding. More bluesy with a swing beat and homages to Muddy Waters. Nice stepping stone from Muddy Waters era blues rock to later hard rock. Surprisingly I quite like the sound. It's not too obnoxious or over-the-top. Nice and fun. There's also some funk DNA in there too (e.g. Precious and Grace) Starts strong, but does peter out. Best track - Waiting for the Bus, Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers, 3 stars, initially fun but it does wear off by the end of the album
No standouts here. Very Forbert 3
Enjoy some ZZ Top, this album has some of their better songs. Some nice bluesy stuff. But overall, fairly middling, nothing too exciting.
Actually really enjoyed this one, I might even listen to it again.
Good jams. Fun.
I didn't enjoy this quite as much as the last one. None of the songs but one really stood out to me. It was good grooving music though.
I liked this more than their Eliminator album. The songs sounded more differenter from each other (review copied from my other group).
Better than the other ZZ Top album we had.
Rock lml
I don't really feel great about this southern American band using Mexican imagery and stuff but the music is fun enough.
Best Track - "La Grange"
Good road trip american rockin' . La Grange is great
Tres Hombres drips of everything you'd expect from a hard rock album. The varying vocals are nice, but the guitar is the real standout on the album, as it should be. It exudes American rock, and La Grange is an absolute work of art. There are a couple of other highlights on the album, but nothing that really lives up to the style and creativeness of La Grange.
rock 🤟🤟🤟 maneiro
Not a band I've really followed much and only know them from their 4 big hits, but they have a somewhat unique sound and there's some good instrumentals on this. Overall a good album, but it didn't make me want to dive much further into their discography.
The music is fine, would I listen to it on my own in a playlist - no. Would I be happy hearing this music in a bar while downing a pint, hell yeah.
Haven't listened to much ZZ Top, though I do know a few of their tracks. This album was _fine_ but most of the tracks were a bit too plodding for my taste. The vocals aren't bad, and they do vary a bit across the album. For 1973 though, this is pretty damn good rock. La Grange is an absolute jam. 5 for La Grange, but a 3 for the rest of the album unfortunately.
pues, en lo personal, no lo escucharia por mi propia cuenta pero me gusto, algo distinto para mi, interesante muy energico sonidos, amo la guitarra y la melodia rapida, son pegajosos y transmiten una buena vibra, hasta me provoco un whiskey mientras los escuchaba jajaj
"La Grange" is a perfect song, but the rest of the album skews toward a less-cocaine/more weed KISS. I suppose those beards are a mask of sorts.
I guess between this, butthole surfers, 13th floor elevators and Willie Nelson, the 1001 list has covered all facets of the "drug influences in Texas music" genres you ever need to hear.
Really cool album. Good 3. Again, Dad music of the best kind.
Waitin for the bus - 3/5 Jesus just left Chicago - 2/5 Beer drinkers & hell raisers - 4/5 Master of sparks - 4/5 Hot blue and righteous - 3/5 Move me on down the line - 3/5 Precious and grace - 3/5 La grange - 4/5 Sheik - 3/5 Have you heard - 3/5
This was fun
Dad rock in its purest form
Nice enough. I enjoyed the boogie/blues feel of it.
Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers
ZZ Top à la granged band with their own sound
None
6.5/10
good musiccc
ZZ Top has a sound - even their pre-Eliminator stuff - that stands out from the glut of electric blues of the 60s and 70s. I like it. But I don't know if it floats my boat. The singles are excellent, the rest of the album is totally fine. THREE STARS
Listenable but ZZ Top don't do a lot for me.
not bad pretty generic nothing special good for background
Twas OK, they have a better album though.
Was all set to score this a 2, but as I listened it grew on me. And La Grange is such a classic, 3 it is.
Surprisingly good
repetitive but not bad. hot, blue, and righteous was the standout for me. i think this album works better as background noise...
ZZ Top's best singles are really fun, and I've always had a certain fondness for them since hearing an interview in like 1982 in which Billy Gibbons attributed their success to "never learning that third chord." That said, I have never listened to an album of theirs. This album was pretty much what I expected -- a bunch of ok songs, plus the one great single. Songwriting is really important. Having a fun sound can only take you so far.
Was okay, more bluesy than I was expecting. Light 3
Texas blues rock. Pitchfork: n/a Rolling Stone: n/a Best Songs Waitin' for the Bus Jesus Just Left Chicago La Grange
A breakthrough album for ZZ Top in 1973 that doesn't sound particularly revelatory to these ears in 2026. The name of their band is supposed to be a tribute to bluesmen Z.Z. Hill and B.B. King, and I'd recommend anyone interested in the blues-rock here to just listen to the music of B.B. King and John Lee Hooker instead.
I like this one more than Eliminator I think. Cool riffs and grooves abound. They didn’t do anything revolutionary or particularly innovative, but it’s just cool rock music.
Helt streit gammalmannsrock.
Now I wanna buy a vintage Harley, grow my beard and drink nothing but cheap beers at every dive bar in America with my biker mates.
Classique grâce à son morceau "La Grange"
I bet this was the coolest thing ever in 1973! I enjoyed this album quite a bit. Really cool groovy guitar through most of it.
Great record by ZZ Top. Just solid rock and roll. La Grange reminds me of Guitar Hero and always puts a smile on my face. I need to listen to more from this band beyond the singles!
Dirty southern blues rock that makes you want to take up smoking and shoot pool, but not much else going on there. As a very simple sound, it's very complete, but there's nothing here that isn't written on the tin. Tight, fun, and that's about it.
I liked this more than their Eliminator album. The songs sounded more differenter from each other.
Perfectly serviceable. Better than other albums of its time and genre. Their synth era was their peak, though. And I will die on that hill.
Not bad
La Grange is their best song, it's amazing. Other than that this is fine.
First Listen; 3; The guitar picking is what stood out to me most on this album. The different plucks and scrapes give the music a funky but hard driving feel. The other thing that stands out to me is how inextricably this music is linked with the image of a sunburnt, smoke-filled bar. I've always wondered, which came first, and how did it end up that way? Regardless, really enjoyed the album. Enough diversity within the somewhat limited confines of hard/blues-rock with similar guitar sounds throughout the record. Favorite Track: Waitin' For The Bus
didn't listen to most of it was okay
Bluesy, bar rock! I can smell thick cigarette smoke, that spilled half pitcher of beer, pool stick chalk…
One of the better white guy+ guitar combinations out there. Pairs well with smoked brisket dining but isn’t life changing
No strong feelings, but fine to listen too in the background. Not obnoxious or grating. Some nice twangs and riffs.
Look, ZZ Top is great. But this sound is just so iterated on to so it ends up middle of the road today. Not something I'd listen to critically in the future, but wouldn't mind hearing on the radio.
не отличаю зз топ от эйсидиси (...я знаю), эти оказывается более... кантри? что-то нежное в них))
A good album, I liked Master of Sparks and Move Me on Down the Line the most.
Enjoyable enough
Felt somewhat boring (apart from La Grange). Way below expectations.
Only on here for La Grange and that song is what keeps this from a 2. The rest is a strange vibe. ZZ Top trying to be heartfelt does not work. Light 3.
Good southern rock with a healthy dose of blues on the side. The guitar playing is excellent, especially the riff on La Grange, which really stands out. 3.5 if possible.
Tres Hombres is often cited as ZZ Top’s masterpiece, and there’s no denying that Billy Gibbons is a guitarist steeped in the blues tradition. Still, something about the execution feels sterile: the riffs are locked so tightly to the beat that the rawness and unpredictability that give blues its bite get squeezed out. Muddy Waters could do more with fewer notes because each one leaned into the groove. Notes arrived early or late, hung in the air, or dragged just enough to create emotional tension and release. ZZ Top’s notes, by contrast, land exactly where expected; they’re precise rather than expressive. This music is confident and polished where it ought to feel a little dangerous, and that control ends up draining the blues of its urgency. If this version of blues-rock leaves you unmoved, it may be because nothing here ever sounds like it’s about to break. Great blues rock operates at a deeper level, where the feeling is the point and the technique is just in service of that.
Liked: Master of Sparks
This is a pretty solid blues-rock effort. It starts pretty strong with two full-bodied back to back tracks forming a single lengthy introduction, and that sets the mood. Then, slowly, it gets to La Grange. A single so well recognized I could successfully hum the solos and time changes as if I were a hardcore ZZ Top fan, which couldn't be farther from the truth. This is my first time actively giving them a listen. I'm glad I did, it does feel important, it feels like they care about the artists and genres that came before them, so there's an extra effort as far as the talent goes that really sets this record apart. Frankly, I had to read that it's considered Southern Rock for my ear to grasp at those influences. I'm impressed with how they mashed together their sound. 100% a must-listen album. I appreciate the initial drift from tracks one through two because of that prog-rock effect it creates. I also highly appreciate those live performances on the remaster, showing a band dominating a transition that was created in post production, turning it into 'their' introduction, and then swaying away towards the single everybody wanted to hear. I'd listen to this again, but I feel like La Grange is the main pull for this project, and I've never thought to myself I'd like to hear that song and songs that compliment it in a consecutive sequence... Else I'd probably have already heard this record. 3.4/5
La Grange is really classic for me but the rest of the album pales in comparison. not bad at all but it don't stick, it's just good blues rock.
The album was okay, but I'm not the biggest classic rock fan so it wasn't for me. Great background music and I might give it another listen to reassess.
Whoever made this list must love rock, because I don’t know how many of these albums I’ve heard. Many of them are the same; mediocre singing with good guitar. The lyrics themselves don’t have serious significance, either. It’s all just average.
This album was originally going to be a 2 but once I settled in to listening to it and I kind of understood what it was doing I think I'm moving it up to a high 3. Favorite Track: Master of Sparks
La Grange was a blast. The rest was OK.
***a good album, most tracks are easy listening. No RAP
Ok
Strong guitar bluesy rock. The first two songs and “La Grange” are prob the best ones.
The first song started and all I could think was why does this guy sound like he’s singing while trying to impersonate someone else but once I got over that I could appreciate the guitar playing. The transition from Waitin’ For The Bus into Jesus Just Left Chicago was chefs kiss. Idk why I’m getting Muppets vibes from their singing though lol. I just don’t think their style of music is for me like I like music that makes me feel something but I feel like ZZ Top is very much like beers with the boys, head banging type of music which isn’t my vibe in the slightest. Master of sparks was a tough listen. The instrumental saved it for me slightly. I don’t think it’s an album I’ll be revisiting nor do I think I’ll go back to any of the songs but hey it’s another artist listened to! And it’s nowhere near as bad as Suicide so that’s a plus!! Overall I think if the album was just instrumental I would’ve rated it higher because I really enjoyed the instrumentals on this album but in the majority of the songs the things that let them down for me were the lyrics and the singing style (lowkey creeped me out in La Grange at the start ahah). Also the voice screaming at the end of Have You Heard? sounds like the lil blue rat/mouse guy (can’t remember his name) from Bear in the Big Blue House 43/100
y yo pensaba que hablaban español
6/10
I like this album, it is fun and puts you in a good mood Fav song - Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers 3/5
More fun than it had any right to be.
Fun rock and roll album. Enjoyed in BB
It exists alright.
I liked it when they did more to incorporate their blues influences- the majority of this album is very straightforward AOR with some blues guitar thrown in. When they really dig into that Texas blues sound on tracks like “Waiting for the Bus” and the incredible “La Grange” they really unleash their full potential. Compilation band it seems
3 por La Grange
Texas, sweat, leather and licks. Hot telecaster fuzz
This albums alright but it feels like they don’t know what they want to be so they go more basic with it. Of course the big standout here is la grange but nothing else really reaches anywhere near the heights of that song here. The only thing keeping them out the 60s for me is that I saw them boys n concert and that they’re music videos where they’re like force ghost for helping guys score are hilarious.
Favorite Track: La Grange
Liked it.
The one that got them sued by John Lee Hooker! I had never heard "Jesus Just Left Chicago" before now and didn't know how much AC/DC's "Ride On" sounds like it. I wonder if John Lee Hooker laughed about that. This was OK. They definitely had a distinctive sound but I'm curious how well I would know their music if they hadn't been so MTV-savvy later.
Blusier than the other ZZ Top album on this list and for that I like this one more. Still don't love it but its a fun bluesy hard rock album.
3.5
It’s clear why La Grange is their biggest hit. Its the most catchy of the lot while the rest are great but more unassuming.
5.5/10
Holy guacamole, that is one of the worst album covers I've ever seen. A real assault on the eyes, to be frank. The kind of art I’d expect to find all crumpled up in the back of a fourth grader’s desk. The music itself is pretty decent, though – inoffensive blues rock with occasionally fun guitar passages. Highlights: Waitin' for the Bus, Master of Sparks, Precious and Grace, La Grange
I enjoyed Tres Hombres more than I thought I would. It's got a nice balance of bluesy rock and boogie, with some catchy tunes in there too. The band sounds tight throughout, which makes for an engaging listen. There are a couple of tracks I could do without, but overall it's a fun trip down classic rock lane. If you're into that era of rock with some blues influence, this one's worth a spin. Just don't expect groundbreaking stuff – it's more about the vibe and solid playing than innovation. But hey, sometimes you just want to kick back and enjoy something straightforwardly good. This album delivers on that front. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions - Waitin' for the Bus - Hot, Blue and Righteous - La Grange
I liked it more than I thought. First time listening to a full album.
It's ZZ Top.
Enjoyed this more than I expected to, only knowing the big songs. It's a bit more grimy than you think.
Good album! Sounds like a mixture of rock and roll and really strong blues!
Lage
Classic ZZ Top sound. I don't routinely listen to ZZ Top, but I enjoy when I do. This record is no different, but it has a warmer feeling than I expected. The music is rocking and with a good cadence. Vocals are a classic rock sound and add the right flavor on top of the instrumentation.
When I hear ZZ Top I am reminded of a pool hall in El Centro, CA called the The Ember Glo. Every time I walked into the place, they were blasting ZZ Top. Their music always reminds me of dusty border towns and beer halls. But, it’s not the type of music that holds my attention for long. A little every once in a while is good enough. La Grange is classic!
Starts out really strong but kinda fizzles out. Not bad by any stretch, just nothing I feel compelled to revisit in full
Удивительно, но это не единственный их альбом в списке
Свит хоум тексас. В целом не фанат такого жанра как музыка, на которую так падки нормисные расисты среднего возраста, но те же Lynyrd Skynyrd звучат интереснее. Из всего запомнилась только hot, blue and righteous. Мелодичная и приятная. Остальное с норм инструментами, но обычным вокалом. Короче просто дядьки. А может я просто не шарю.
Ровный бумерский блюз-рок альбом. Есть один пробивной хит, все остальное одинаковое жанровое. Все еще не мое, все еще негатива не вызывает. Имхо именно таких альбомов хотел бы меньше встречать в подборке, потому что и из-зоны комфорта далеко не выходишь, и особого удовольствия не получаешь. Nuff said.
tres hombres obtienen tres
Сложилось стойкое ощущение, что блюз рокерам того времени не хватало кого-то типа Макса Мартина. Само звучание вполне приятное - сразу представляешь себя американской глуши. Но на альбоме очень не хватает хитового звучания. Потенциал у жанра будто бы эти самые хиты для реднеков и клепать - а тут всё как-то ровно.
Great
This is pretty good. ZZ Top definitely pushed the boundaries of the blues probably more than anyone else.
Nada fuera de lo común
Not for me
Enjoyed this, particularly the slightly surprising (to me) quality of their bluesy singing. But don’t feel that compelled to return.
riffs rip but i'm probably not going back to it
6.3 This is fine. I can imagine playing pool to this. Fav track: La Grange (HM: Sheik) Least fav track: Hot, Blue and Righteous
the bluesy rock beardy men
Better than expected, wider range than expected. La Grange felt like an exception rather than the standard.
tres estrellas, una por cada hombre
3/5. If you like blues rock, you'll dig the album. If you don't care for it, you'll probably enjoy at least one song (i.e. "La Grange") but otherwise find the rest just listenable. ZZ Top is one of the finest purveyors of listenable blues rock. Kings of the call-and-response method, they put tasty riff after tasty riff down with juicy solo after juicy solo to cut it all up. The vocals are well done, and range from chill to expressive. That said, the album is not particularly impressive outside of a few moments. "La Grange," is a Guitar Hero song through and through, and it still shines today, but the rest is fairly standard for blue rock and lacks anything to keep you coming back.
I can appreciate ZZ Top and their style. Enjoyed the listen but not something I personally will seek more of.
Sounds like generic ZZ Top. Not their best in my opinion. The live tracks were great though. Best part of the album.
Highlight: La Grange In a nutshell: twangy Texan rock Boogie rock is an accurate description. If you're not moving your feet in an awkward shuffle, you'd be cruising in your car with this played loud. Only criticism I have: I would have opened with Jesus Just Left Chicago then followed with Waitin' For The Bus. Overall: 5/10
My dad music
I had low expectations because I feel like they're (in my mind) a cliche, but this was a genuinely enjoyable album. La Grange naturally a GOAT.
1. Waitin' for the Bus - 7 Solid second half of the song and very simple lyrics make this an enjoyable listen. The second half in particular because of the amazing guitar solo in it. 2. Jesus Just Left Chicago - 9 Love this song lyrically. Instrumentally it's a very controlled pace but it works so well for the theme and tone of the track. Awesome track. 3. Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers - 5 Lyrically I'm not 100% in love with the chorus but the verses are alright. Instrumentally it's awesome, with another excellent guitar solo in the second half of the track. 4. Master of Sparks - 3 Vocals sound pretty poor on the track. Instrumentally it's okay and vocally it's a bit stale but the sound of the vocals is really rough and it makes the track really tough to get through. 5. Hot, Blue and Righteous - 2 It's just a boring track. 6. Move Me on Down the Line - 6 It's a decent song. Lyrically it's okay but nothing too phenomenal. Instrumentally it's very enjoyable with some awesome chords. 7. Precious and Grace - 7 Solid sounding track. The guitars are really enjoyable on this. They have a dirty solo with some awesome progressive chords that lead the drums in very well. Good stuff. 8. La Grange - 9 This is an all-time classic or at least that fact almost demands it be a 10 but vocally it's not quite enjoyable enough to make it so. Despite this, it's still a brilliant track and instrumentally it's phenomenal. Certainly the best track on the album so far. 9. Sheik - 6 Instrumentally it's good but lyrically it's very simple, almost to a fault. Still, the guitars sound great on it and it's overall and alright track. 10. Have You Heard? - 4 Another really basic track that kind of just pedals along with no huge draw or element that stands out. Pass over track but it's the last one on the album and pretty weak ending. Average Rating: 5.80 Adjusted to 5-Point Scale: 2.90 Rounded Up: 3 Stars
Play this if you are emptying your garage on a summer morning. It's just the right feeling for that.
Not quite enough variety for me, La Grange and Waitin' for the Bus were good while I was paying attention
Very easy going, bluesy rock music that does the job. Its not exactly exciting but its a decent listen at a short 33 minutes. Standout Songs Jesus Just Left Chicago Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers Precious and Grace La Grange
Favorite - Jesus Just Left Chicago 7/10
I don't think i'll go back to thiss any time soon, love La Grange that's a bout it
fave song: la grange
5.4/10
Fun album, kinda dated. Very repetitive. 5/10
MBGA (make beards great again)
QUIERO COMPRARME UNA MOTO
Blues de blancos, de entrada NO. Tiene algunos buenos temas (3), pero a mi entero se me hace bola. Mucho mejor Eliminator, mejores canciones y un rollo más original, donde ya hay sintes y cosas horteras que le sientan bien. Me gusta también más La Futura, el último disco que sacaron (creo) de 2012, que es de puta madre. Escuchadlo. No entiendo porque lo meten entre los 1001 un discos solo por un puto plagio. A la vía.
I liked some tracks but most just fine and head nodding tracks
I appreciate a band that is so sure and comfortable in themselves that they don’t need to rely on trends or over-the-top productions to make a name for themselves (all discussions of facial hair put aside). This is stripped-back, solid rock music, if a bit monotonous at times.
Perfectly serviceable rock. "La Grange" is great, "Waitin' For the Bus" and "Jesus Just Left Chicago" are good, and the rest is okay.
A strong opening song and it was filled with groove. When the 1st song ended, it smoothly transitioned to the other song, but I don't know if that's just because of the app where I listened it to. My ears definitely appreciated hearing the guitar solo and riffs throughout the album. Additionally, I think there are some songs (La Grange) in here that will be featured on some old guy's facebook account with a video compilation of their construction job. As stereotypically manly as it can be. Liked songs: Waitin' for the Bus Hot, Blue, and Righteous Jesus Just Left Chicago Master of Sparks Rating: 3.3/5 JAN 19, 2026 - 6PM
In grade 10 got my free copy of Tres Hombres by calling in to CFRW FM, the only non-top 40 radio station and easy to win stuff from cause they didn't have a lot of listeners. Album sounded like fairly cool laid back cowboy blues and came with 2 free concert tickets what the hell. But the band had evolved fast, nothing cool or laid back. The 3 thin cowboys on the cover were big bellied, bearded, white Vegas style rhinestoned suits and gigantic Stetsons, a power trio blasting everything at Kiss concert volumes. I felt kind of betrayed, hard to complain about the price. I've never listened to anything else by ZZ, but I still like hearing this album now again, i don't think of it as hard rock at all, it still sounds like cool laid back cowboy blues to me.
6.5/10
Perfectly enjoyable listen, but nothing really grabbed my attention. Solid 3/5.
La Grange is an awesome song. The rest is decent. The guitar work is fantastic and the trio has a tight sound. I tend to prefer the more bluesy stuff. This is almost a 4.
I like this more than I thought I would. But, maybe that was low expectation. I think I thought of ZZ Top as more of a shtick than I band. But this was scrapper than I predicted with some decent fuzzy guitar at times
Middle age white guy music. Opening track is great. Most of the rest - especially the slower tracks like Hot, Blue & Righteous - are just okay. Husband thought it was Kings of Leon, which made me laugh.
Classic bluesy rock. Some of the transitions were a bit jarring. A stand out or two. Overall, I found this good, if not great. 3.5/5
Pretty good, loved early songs the middle lost me a bit but also hard to tell what was thieves in comparison ti parliament. Can’t wait for Daine’s review
Ooooh that opening guitar really got me but it just wasn’t really enough for me to properly absorb it all (though admittedly I was probably too distracted on the whole). Relistening to bits and pieces this morning, it’s fine!
White boys play the blues adequately with more than one blatant John Lee Hooker knock off. Great driving music, in that the riffs are loud, basic and frenetic. The singing doesn’t really match the subject style for me though.
⭐⭐⭐ La Grange är så mycket grit som man kan tänka sig, alltid medryckande. Slår mig att jag uppskattar, Hot, Blue and Righteous, har nog inte tänkt så mycket på den tidigare men den avviker från det normala ZZ top som en soulig balad. Albumet i stort är enkelt producerad skitig blues rock. Men också mer "souligt" än vad jag mins sedan tidigare. Tycker om albumet men det är dock mindre spännande än när jag hörde det första gången. Får därför en stark trea.
Didn’t love. Sounded like Kings of Leon at times.
I owned this on CD, wasn’t a fan back in the day. I’ve grown into blues rock over the years, but not enough for this to quite squeeze a 4 star. The grange was my highlight
Ég byrjaði í tvisti, fannst þetta frekar döll, en á fjórða lagi þá skánaði þetta smá, og svo kom La Grange í lokin og ég ákvað að henda í annan umgang. Nú er þetta solid þristur, sem ég átti ekki von á. Mun ekki setja þetta á aftur, en þetta er fínn fulltrúi áttundatugar bar-rokks.
Waitin for the Bus was the only track that I got into. The rest was fine but not as distinctive.
This one was also nice, but grabbed my attention the least as of yet. Dad rock FTW tho
hell yeah
that's zz top all right. not too much to say about this one - they've proven their place in history, and i have to shout out the houston hometown pride. but that's about it! okay!
Dad rock through and through. Inoffensive but uninspiring.
This was alright, but nothing really stood out to me to be honest. I have heard better, but it wasn't annoying. More like it passed through me.
First listen Saved 3/10 Top track: La Grange
A bit slow for my taste, but this kind of Rock always entertains me while listening in the background.
ZZ Top is so effortlessly cool, dude. Kinda bluesy rock they'd play at a biker bar or something. I've heard better from them and that's why I'm giving it a 3 instead of a 4.
Me distraí ouvindo algumas vezes, posso tentar de novo depois.
I didn't know any ZZ Top that was released earlier than the classic singles from Eliminator. I did wonder if I'd know La Grange, but I didn't*. Anyway, I liked the sound, and found this an enjoyable listen. I thought the music was pretty timeless, too; it wouldn't have surprised me if this had been released more recently. Or, indeed, earlier. Classic blues rock that moseys along. *I thought La Grange sounded a bit like Spirit in the Sky, tbh 🤔
Love La Grange. The rest of the album was a little bit disappointing. Nice bluesy stuff but all quite samey.
From all classic rock bands, zz top always has my respect
Starts really great but kinda falls flat the more it goes on
Solid
This album was fun.
178 Segundo disco que me sale de ellos. Aunque es un gusto escuchar La Grange de nuevo. Es necesario tener dos discos de ellos? El disco anterior que escuché Eliminator (número 28 en este challenge) era bueno, pero monótono. Deberían dejar sólo este ;)
La grange es simplemente esa cancionnn, me encanta el ritmo y el estribillo, dsp ninguna otra canción se me destacó, aunque diría que mi segunda preferida fue waiting for the bus. Como album completo me gustó tho 3
like one half listen
Texas two lane sizzling asphalt rock/blues. I can almost smell the billiards bar through iconic tracks such as “la grange”. ZZ Top, if slightly more consistent on the album would receive higher, but... W: 3.5/5 P: -/5
This was decent
I can't stand most of the hard rock bands that popped up around the 70s. I never even lived in that decade and I am still sick to death of the sex drugs and rock n roll era. ZZ Top is an exception though. They seem to have a healthy sense of humor and know not to take themselves too seriously or come across as threatening. This one was a fun listen.
Was expecting more rock. Heavy on the blues. La Grange is one of my favorite ZZ Top songs.
Good vibe
There was a time where I thought La Grange was the coolest song ever. I think I was 10?
Good grooves, solid middle of the road album
Rock Chido
Pronounced Zed Zed Top in the UK 🎩🎩
(74/100)
Total nostalgia. Thought Eliminator was their only one with big bangers.
Perfect for you if you love guitar solos and naming US States so actually a pretty good fit for me.
I’ve always liked but don’t love La Grange. Wasn’t familiar with anything else here, which is all fine but not exciting
so so boring and all the songs sounds the same
Not my music, good listening tho, af least there's some variation in the album
Decent blues rock, it's got "La Grange" on it. Probably won't listen to it again but I didn't mind it while it was on. Score: C
Early blues rock album by a legendary band.
mid, have it on vinyl record tho lol
Not bad, but very generic riff-based rock; the transitions between songs were so seamless (especially from "Waitin' for the Bus" to "Jesus Just Left Chicago") that I thought some of the songs were just one big extended song from the previous track
- kyl seiskytluvulla on vaan osattu tehhä rentsii hyvää rokkimussiikkia
Meh pretty good
Has some mainstream classics here and they are deft at rifting their nuts off. Main issue I have is its a collection of nice rifts and not much to lift that out of the individual brilliance. Not to say there is no merit here as thats wrong. Contextually they smashed a hole in a genre here in the early 70s. A very unique style and that blues undertone. I could hear bands like Stone Roses in here with "Sheik" with their fairly epic metronome polished guitair sound. I dont want to bring context and impact to music industry into it so here be my score.
Aside from “La Grange” (and, to a lesser extent, “Have You Heard?”), I don’t really connect with the songs. But ZZ Top’s sound—it’s a very particular brand of blues, y’know—is welcome. 3.5?
One listen on the train in to work, gotta say that I enjoyed it. Would listen again.
Low 3 Was enjoying the production and cool cover, but its too samey
The guitar tone is amazing but I dont think theres a lot of memorable material here. The middle is the best.
Cool riffs and full sounds but nothing outside of La Grange that really stood out
That live show must have been absolutely electric. I'm mixed on this album, definitely some classics but there's a few songs I couldn't get much into.
Fine
It just is.
Viril
Better than I was expecting. Exactly what I was expecting. Guitar driven, bluesy, not too bad.
6/10
ZZ Top is, well, ZZ Top. They are very recognizable, both in look and musical style. That music is guitar forward rock n rock.
Alterna-rocker kid me in 1986 would punch me in the face for saying it (I was no sharp dressed man), but I really like this ZZ Top record. It just has a feel, texture, vibe: thick, shuffling, bloozey, driving. The songs are nothing crazy but the way they play them--great.
Okay, interesting to hear the early version of ZZ Top. I knew only “La Grange.”
7/10
perhaps fire...
When I picture “Masculine Rock,” this is what I envision. It was fun and explosive, and the song blended into one another quite well. Sheik blew me away, it stood out among the rest.
Got La Grange. Rest is sleeper. 3/5
Pretty standard Southern blues rock. Some solid guitar playing and some great tunes, but nothing exceptional.
Swampy blues. Look at the difference in the number of listens between the big hit and everything else.
Three friends is a nice name for an album. i am going to go hang out with three of my friends now
I feel like this is an album Randy Marsh would love. 3/5
Bah c'est pas si mal ZZ Top
Rv
I'm not usually a fan of bluesy guitar-driven stuff, but this was pretty good. La Grange goes crazy, obviously.
nice grooves. it's funny to me that La Grange is pretty much the only one where they do the ZZ Top voice but it's the one everyone knows. Master of Sparks is my favorite
Not my genre, not my time. When reviewing these albums, I try to acknowledge the context with which it was released. I have found it becomes harder to appreciate the cultural significance of albums the older they are and you rely more on how the music makes you feel. I don't know much about blues or rock music yet to tell you how good I think this album is. La Grange is the only song I have heard and I must say it does get me charged hearing it. I think if I gave the album more of a listen, it would grow on me more. It's an overall tight production that I don't find hard to listen to but not one I am currently reaching to put on again. 6.3/10
My God you're greasy.
As a child of the 80s, I feel a little dumb for not knowing that ZZ Top was around a good decade earlier. I did find this bluesy-rock to be more interesting than their big 80s anthems, but it's not really up my alley.
I'm more familiar with the later more rocking ZZ Top. I have to give them at least a 3 because the Afterburner tour was my very first rock concert at like 8 years old. I had no idea that they were the band for the song La Grange.
Let's go, H-town. This was way more tolerable than I was expecting, almost enjoyable. I like the lo-fi album cover, the relaxed drinking-at-the-bar vibe. It feels very authentic to me, like you're just hanging with a few dudes from Texas (not always a good thing). It does make me curious if their later stuff is a little more polished or even glammy. Realistically, though, I probably won't dig any further into their catalog. Glad I listened to this, though. Solid 3.49 stars. I would happily spend a week as one of these dudes hanging out in Houston in the early 70s at some dive bar. Probably on Westheimer next to a field full of cattle, in someplace that is now considered the "middle of the city," surrounded by parking lots and strip malls.
Another strong blues rock album, this time with a bit of a Texas twist. And beards. Long, flowing, beards. I feel you don't need to know anything about ZZ Top before hearing this album to know the guys who made it had some great facial hair. When Tres Hombres is strong, it's really strong. La Grange stands the test of time for a reason- it is a prime example of blues rock guitar done well. A few other tracks also showcase what it's all about. The remaining songs are just kinda there, though. They don't add a lot to make the album great all the way through. Even if they aren't bad, they're mostly forgettable. They also don't change up things too much, making it a tad bland as a whole. Despite the negatives, I rate this one as pretty good. I'd probably be more inclined to listen to the top songs on their own than sit back for the whole album again, though. Overall: 3.4/5
yo i lowkey zoned out for this one
Genomgående stabilt album, 2.5 av 5
La Grange is always great!
This was fine. Not amazing. Kind of sleepy at points, which you wouldn’t expect from ZZ Top. La Grange is an excellent song. A few at the front were decent. Nothing else really that great though. Pretty average.
No private session used for Spotify. I have always liked ZZ Top's music, but never was really into it until I started playing the guitar again and started enjoying their music for that alone, this album is good for that and makes it fun listen.
very just ok tbh
STRICTLY PENTATONIC!!! I like a ZZ Top as much as the next guy, but over the course of an album it's a little boring. As a kid this was all i wanted - fuzzy guitars, no bullshit (I hated songs with piano in them), never got the beard thing but generally was on board with ZZ Top. Now as a MATURE man I find it a little vapid. I'm a douche.
La Grange and Jesus Left Chicago are just so damn good. The rest is nice but never reaches the level of those two.
I don’t think this holds up. The playing is fine, and it’s not abjectly offensive, but not my thing
ZZ-Tops commercial breakthrough.
enjoyed and listened again but unlikely to relisten after this
Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers is going on the Bonnie’s queue
Me at 9y/o: Man, ZZ Top rocks! Me at 19y/o: Man, ZZ Top sucks. Me at 29y/o: Man, ZZ Top rocks! Quintessential beer drinking music. I’d do anything to grow a beard like that.
7/10
Not a ZZ Top album I knew - enjoyed it
J'aime beaucoup la prod minimaliste. Mais album quand même ordinaire dans l'ensemble. La voix me gosse souvent.
This is another album that I don’t mind listening to, but I would probably pick other albums to listen to instead. I enjoyed the blues rock guitars and the growling vocals. I also like that they have an image and the fact that Billy Gibbon plays with a peso. Maybe 3.5 stars.
Neat, though it gets a bit repetitive at some point. 7/10
This album was fine, most of it didn’t make much of an impact on me. Still not a bad album to listen to.
I'm not a huge fan of Southern Blues Rock, but ZZ Top sounds quite tight and focused on this album. Could imagine drinking a case of beer and smoking a carton of cigarettes to this album easily. 6/10
Just cool rock. Pearly Gates has got to be one of the best sounding guitars made. It straddles rock and blues wonderfully. la grange is an all timer.
ZZ Top is an interesting band. I have heard their music for so long without ever really knowing it. I definitely liked this album more than Eliminator, but not by much. It is very solid and has some really good songs, but a lot are just kind of boring. I had high hopes after the first couple songs, but it went downhill from there. I will say, though, I have a more favorable opinion on ZZ Top after hearing this album. There was variety in this album, but it just didn't all land for me.
I liked this more than Eliminator, but it doesn’t especially stand out to me. Their music sounds like what they play in a Chevy car ad.
not my thing, definitely one for the boomers Would I listen again: eh Deserves to be on this list: maybe 3.2
I like the guitar :) definitely something to listen to while driving
Rock 101 style classic rock.