Tres Hombres

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.

My knowledge of ZZ Top was their couple of 80s hits, which are quite catchy, but I wasn’t expecting to enjoy this as much as I did - nor be familiar with “La Grange” when I heard it. It showcased a variety of genres over a tight 35mins or so, and I particularly enjoyed their guitar work on “Waitin’ for the Bus”. How the tracks moved between genres was smooth - not as jarring as some transitions have been on other albums which have come up on this project. Had I half stars it would’ve got 3.5; however, as I don’t, and I didn’t love it the way I do the other 4* albums I’ve heard, it’s getting rather an unexpected 3 from me.

Just ok

listened to

La Grange gets this album a 3/5. The rest of the album is pretty generic to be honest. I like ZZ Top, just wondering why there are multiple albums by them on this list.

Didn't make the strongest impression on me, some crazy guitar riffs in here and I went crazy for La Grange and its live rendition, but otherwise, just alright

I didn't know I had internalized enough blues rock tropes to recognize everything on this album. Very predictable, boring, and occasionally annoying. "Precious and Grace" is actually pretty good though, and most of it is inoffensive enough.

3.5

Sympa le rock

Texas Blues just the way you'd expect it.

Not quite my thing, but I appreciate where it's coming from and the influence it had on a lot of the music I enjoy. Plus, La Grange is awesome.

Very Groovy, and the instrumentation is well done. Not my cup of tea, but a very respectable bluesy southern rock album. "Waitin' for the Bus" & "Jesus just left Chicago" are solid finds for me on this album. Admittedly, probably will only spin "La Grange" consistently. 3/5

ZZ Top was always not really my favorite classic rock band and this kind of reinforces that opinion. This is a good album, but it’s very one-note and safe. Kind of like taking your motorbike down a road you’ve been down a million times. It feels good, but you not breaking any new ground. La Grange is an all-timer though, probably the band’s best song. Might low-key be the reason it’s here. Anyway, one star for each hombre. Favorite track: La Grange Other hits: Master of Sparks, Hot,Blue And Righteous, Sheik, Waitin’ For the Bus

The Platonic ideal of whatever you’d call this vibe of music; it instantly transports me to a dive bar with a row of Harley’s out front. There’s more charm and charisma here than their cookie cutter 80s output that more immediately comes to mind when I think of ZZ Top. However, unfairly or not, this comes on the heels of spending a day with OK Computer and it’s hard to take this on its face as a result; there’s just not much there to bite into. On a different day I might bump this up a star because it’s fun and fully realized. “La Grange” somehow hasn’t suffered from being played to death, unlike “sharp dressed man” and (blech) “legs,” two songs I never need to hear again.

Not bad, not amazing, it's one of the more inoffensive things I've listened to on this list.

My previous review still stands. Can't get into it really. "Other than “La Grange” and “Jesus Just Left Chicago” I wasn’t overly bothered. I’ve never been much of a fan of ZZ Top."

Surprisingly really good

This is just not up my alley and I think primarily it’s the vocals for me. Better than I thought though and have a newfound respect for ZZ Top.

I’m sure, like Fleetwood Mac, it’s not cool to prefer 80s ZZ over 70s but while this is quality straight up, honest, no—frills, blues-based rock goodness, I often find myself wishing for some of the polish they would add later on. If it’s gonna be this stripped back, I want it as raw as possible, so I’ll go back further I think. I’ve deffo got Rio Grande Mud but maybe I need to score the 1st album for the real grit. Still it’s impressive for as far back as ‘73. They even leave some breadcrumbs for AC/DC here and there. Glad the Dr Hook harmonies were restricted to that one track at the end of side one. 3.5 stars really. It’s a big ask not to like the Top.

Solid Rolling Stones knock off. You could do a lot worse.

Decent album, but kinda boring - it feels like a recipe applied to every song

Yess

6/10 Not the most inspired album, but a decent listening experience. Highlights: Precious and Grace Master of Sparks Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers

Actually didn't mind it. "Waiting for the Bus" has a cool sound to it. Most other tracks are bluesy and it's alright, but I kinda stop following along. Good music for biker people.

Great power blues album. La Grange always a standout, Master of Sparks also a favorite.

It's alright

I haven’t really listened to ZZ Top before and I wasn’t really expecting to enjoy this, but it proved me wrong. Not sure I’d listen to it multiple times though as towards the end it started sounding a bit same-y, but once was enjoyable.

Bluesy rock is a genre I normally really like but this didn't really grab me.

Not bad for jazz

Yeah just a good bluesy rock album. La Grange is good.

So different from their 80s stuff. Pretty unique sound

There's such reverence for ZZ Top so I was excited for thos album, but I'm underwhelmed. It's... fine. Full of guitar parts, and Beer Drinkers and Hellraisers is a banger, but it's all a bit... soft. Nothing bad in there but everything feels a little safe and sterilised.

Basic but that’s not to say it’s bad. It’s better than the more mainstream “eliminator” as it focuses on classic blues rock more which they are clearly good at. It’s a little repetitive but mainly because it’s just one genre, it is relatively short though which actually makes it better as it prevents further repetition. There’s nothing really groundbreaking or unique to this but they are just good at what they do, the guitar’s great, drumming is all it needs to be, bass also all it needs to be and the vocals are decent but fit the music well. Favourites: move me down the line. Other than that there were no standouts but all the songs are consistently decent at least. Overall, 6/10.

ZZ Top before they were very commercial sounded good, they really refined their sound down the line, but I don't think they strayed too far from where they started musically.

La Grange was clearly the highlight, but the rest of it was just ok.

A solid, 70s rock album. This is the only ZZ Top album I’ve ever owned, and as much as I enjoy it I don’t feel the urge to check out the rest of their catalogue. I’m sure purists will say otherwise, but this is fulfilling enough. Some great songs. Worthy of your time. Not sure how “essential” it is, but a good album nonetheless.

3/5

Nothing new here, just ZZ Top hard committing to a mixture of blues, rock, and a bit of country, all with a heavy-for-it’s-time twist. This record was recorded/produced really well though, it’s quality of sound stood out to me consistently for something made in 1973. “Precious & Grace” is my non-La-Grange pick for this project. Soft 3/5

A haw haw haw haw

Guitar heavy 70s blues rock? Sure! Though La Grange is clearly a stand-out song, there's definitely more to this album than the one song. Good listen

Not their best album but definitely worth a listen. Several throw away tracks but was the beginning of them finding the groove that would really define their sound.

I just really did not need to hear another 70s blues rock album.

"Waitin for the Bus" and "La Grange," plus filler.

Just a classic rock sound.

Probably the okayest album on this list. I never once considered giving it above or below a 3. La Grange is a great song, though.

Is La grange awesome? Yeah! Are several album cuts pretty cool? Absolutely! Do I need to listen to this album again? Probably not!

Fun straightforward album. Not sure I would put it on this list.

Nice blues-rock album. La Grange is such an anthem, I love it. It deserves 3 stars just for that. Heh, a haw haw haw, now I need a beer! Favorite tracks: Precious and grace La Grange

Old school rock. Great album.

This album isn't music as much as it is a vibe. Waitin' for the Bus is a modern re-imagining of the haunted rockabilly classic Mystery Train. Jesus Just Left Chicago is laidback and effortlessly cool. Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers has a rare but very welcome vocal contribution by the bassist. Master of Sparks and Hot, Blue, Righteous don't stand out by themselves but work perfectly fine within the context of the track list. Move Me on Down the Line injected some energy. Precious and Grace feels like a filler track. But La Grange is the crown jewel of this album and instantly recognizable. Sheik has got a nice rhythm but doesn't quite live up to La Grange. I kind of wish the bassist sang more, he sounded better than the lead singer. Otherwise, this is the type of album that ends up on a show like Sons of Anarchy.

It was fine, nothing really jumped out at me but less cheesy than zz top I'm familiar with

Loud.

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.

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

An ok album - found it a bit uninspiring

Added it to my cowboy playlist

Lowkey laid-back.

Too track: Precious And Grace

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

Good album with some good songs! 6.1/10

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'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

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.

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

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

Yeah man, cool.

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

El Si mang

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

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:)

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.

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.

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

Good

I met Seikh from Mozambique.

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

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

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

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?

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.

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

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.

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

Not my vibe

Some good ones

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.

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

Alright

point9.

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

Bluesy!

its a jam

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

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

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

Good solid bluesy rock

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

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

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!

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.

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.

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

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

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.

Love zz

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.

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

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

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

It's hard to go wrong with ZZ Top

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

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.

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.

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

Да, легенды, но не на мой вкус