Reviews (page 12 of 14)
Eliminator? I hardly know 'er. I could have sworn we had this already, but no, that was a different ZZ Top. I think this one is actually better than "Tres Hombres", but even though it's 80sified, it's still not my style. 'Sharp Dressed Man' always reminded me of 'Money for Nothing' (mashup potential), and the fact that there's a song about TV Dinners* on this album is only reinforcing that link for me. I feel kind of bad giving this a 2, but it's just so much guitar, you know? A high 2, let's say. Syntactically unnerving lowlight: the lyric "i'm needing someone like you / that i just wanna do love to" (D:) *About it, Wiki says "these servings of industrially processed foods are standard cuisine for lonely and culinarily challenged unpartnered gentlemen", which is a nice complex NP but also feels unnecessarily gendered. Let the lonely and culinarily challenged unpartnered humans of all genders enjoy their TV dinner song >:(
I found this repetitive. Even within songs, once you’d heard the first 20 seconds of the song, you’d effectively heard the whole thing.
nope. two stars for beard effort only.
lower mid
Ja ist ein gutes Album, ausser gimme all your loving hat sich alles irgendwie gleich angehört.
Never been a 80's MTV era ZZ Top fan. I know their popular hits of that time and can remember some of the videos but not for me. I had never listened to earlier ZZ Top before because I never liked them in 80's, but Tres Hombres is great. I had listened to that as part of the album challenge a few months ago and really enjoyed earlier ZZ Top; just not 1980's MTV ZZ Top.
This album is such a disappointment. The only reason this isn't 1 star is because of nostalgia for the 3 hits (Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man, and Legs). And those only because they were the first ZZ Top songs I'd ever heard back when I was all of 10 years old.
Soundtrack from an 80s teen comedy drama starring Molly Ringwald.
Meh. I wanted to like this more. I can recognize what it did historically and I liked these songs as a kid but... meh.
Memorable only for the flagrant use of chorus.
Bluesy country rock with some pretty terrible sexist lyrics. But the synths were dope at the time! Not for me.
haha funny beard. TV dinners sounds like a Tim & Eric song.
Boring. Sorry
A guilty pleasure at best, misogyny at its worst. Bonus points for it being 45 minutes exactly. I also like that ZZ Top essentially came out of the Fake Zombies USA resurrection.
painfully mediocre compared to all the amazing rock music that came out during this time.
Your average blues/southern rock album talking about blues/southern rock topics with a car on the cover. The first 5 songs are cool, the last 6 are garbage. Still, it can be enjoyed while cracking a lager beer in the garage.
Before: my only access point to ZZ Top is that there’s a few times Stephen King references them in his books. I think it’s actually kind of a major plot point in one of them haha. I assume they’re just classic rock? Idk much what to expect. After: Immediately this album made me laugh. “ Give me all your lovin, all your hugs and kisses too” cracked me up every time they said it. And there were just like flourishes all over the album, like the ad libs on the song sharp dressed man that made me actually laugh out loud. I feel like growing up, this is what I imagined most classic rock was like, and that made me steer away from it. Lately I’ve gotten more into groups like Black Sabbath and Led Zeppelin and wondered what had made me hesitant. I think stuff like this album is what made me hesitant haha. The vocal performance and lyrics are cheesy to me, and there’s something about the rhythm with which they’re sung that make it even worse. Legs was the first time I really started to enjoy the instrumentation. The guitar really broke loose there and started doing some interesting stuff. I didn’t catch anything else on the record I enjoyed quite as much as that. La grange auto played afterwards and that was so much better than anything found on this album
Generic rock, unfortunately, despite the lovely Texan accent.
The generator gave me this album on a very glum and rainy Monday morning in the UK. Put this on at 7am. By 9am I was on a Teams call wearing a denim jacket and bandana, drinking a Budweiser and preaching to colleagues about the 2nd amendment.
This was turgid. Feels like they know one thing and they repeat it until it forms a hit, as much to their surprise as anyone's. Sharp dressed man is a banger, without it, this would be a 1 star. Hard going in general.
Cookie cutter songs that were manufactured to satisfy a specific clientelle. They are well made and well performed, but the album is musically bland. It's the kind of music you'd expect in a rock/biker bar, makes for a nice background and that's about it. To me it sounds like they're easily capable of better and therefore it was probably a conscious decision to maximize the commercial aspect of the album.
The sound is kinda iconic. The problem is every song sounds the same. Very homogeneous, which gets stale after a while. The singles shine, but the deep cuts are bland and dated. So much toothless filler on this album really drags it down. I want albums to give me a reason to keep listening or come back. But as it kept playing, I found myself thinking, “Has this looped? Did the album restart?” Everything sounded so similar. I don’t see a reason to revisit. 4/10 Standout: Sharp Dressed Man
The three big hits on this record are the hits for a reason. The three at the end (Dirty Dogs through Bad Girl) are legitimately good songs. Outside the 6 I mentioned, the remaining 5 could’ve been scrapped and this could’ve been an incredible EP. Sharp Dressed, Legs, and Gimme All Your Lovin’ are a solid example of the 80s aesthetic. 10/10 would listen to the hits while working out. This album created some tension within the band and you can’t hear it at all. However, that’s because the band isn’t playing on most of it. It’s drum machines and synths and Billy F Gibbons. Now I’m going to eat a microwaveable Salisbury steak in front of the tube and watch Johnny! Note to self: acquire fuzzy spinning guitar
Non si esce vivi dagli anni 80
Here’s my review for Duran Duran’s Rio which I listened to and reviewed the day before ZZ Top’s Eliminator. The same review applies and any changes are in brackets: Not sure if I ever listened to this album all the way through before, but I feel like I’ve heard every song here 1000 times. I guess [ZZ Top] has dug itself deep into the collective unconscious. Album cover looks like something I would’ve seen in a salon in 1992.
I know there are some classic songs on this album from a lifetime of hearing them on the radio. Maybe that adds to my general disinterest in the album. It seemed a bit monotonous. Not to discount ZZ top, there were some pretty ripping guitar riffs throughout the album. It definitely fits the beer drinking, 80s, hard rock vibe.
Heard some songs from it. Their hit songs are ok and it's a well produced album. But the problem is that the rest of the songs sound like one long song. No variety 2/5
When listening to this all I could think of was The Black Keys. It's not a bad thing...not a great thing.
Przyjemny, ale chyba nie mój vibe, znowu nie ogarnęłam kiedy się zapętlił
Kind of underwhelming. Some classic singles though
Trochę zbyt agresywne, nie lubimy z Olą takich gitar
Ehh
This was my first ever ZZ Top album! I guess I thought ZZ Top was more heavy metal. This wasn’t bad to listen to.
Meh. It was some zz top.
the okayest dad rock
It was like listening to 45 minutes straight of Sharp Dressed Man but not as good.
Commercialized and watered down but the solos save this from 1 star. The songs that aren't hits are a drag. Tres Hombres was a much better blues record.
1.5 stars Growing up in the 90s I thought ZZ Top was always a joke and never considered cool. I had no idea they were so big in the 80s. Hearing Tres Hombres for the first time I thought “ok there’s some good bluesy rock here.” So I had some hope that another record on this list might be a hidden gem. I was familiar with most of the singles from this album, and did not particularly care for them. They all just sounded generic and boring. Reading that they intentionally wrote songs at a higher BPM because those were more popular seems obvious now. Having listened to Rio last week which came out around the same time, these songs all sound like “Hungry Like the Wolf” with bluesy riffs added in and less interesting vocals. And I mean all of the songs: they essentially used the same formula for all of them and kept it going. The only saving grace is that the bluesy riffs and competent vocal pieces make it not entirely dreadful to listen to, even if zoning out is inevitable. Pass.
dnf, if you just listen to the sound it feels very standard rock, nothing special but not bad, but ugh the lyricssss I am not a fan. I don’t think I’d get on well with these people, at least at the time it was written. Ik women and sex is a huge theme in music but this just feels icky
Nothing notable
Sharp Dressed Man is the highlight on an otherwise standard 80s rock album.
Couple big hits, not my favorite classic rock feel.
Not sure if I like it. That's my first ZZ top album and I don't think that's my type of music - I don't want to listen to any more of that. It's fine, the riffs are cool, but get very repetitive very quickly. Not sure if I like the lyrics - they are a bit off-putting to me but that's alright. It's not bad just not for me. Favourite track - "Sharp Dressed Man". I'm mixed between 2 and 3 so picking the lower grade.
Another mid white man rock album….
Meh
tv dinners is actually crazy. want to give 1 star because of that
the pre-packed, oven-ready, homogenised, airbrushed, bland version of rock and roll for which the 80's must answer for
meh
Holy shit, this shit sucks. Perhaps on the list because it represents a point on time where we almost lost the thread? Representative of a generation of "artists" who were charged by the music industry to remove the soul from music? I'm just glad that rock survived this music that belongs in my forgotten ashtray. WTF? I 100% did not need to hear this album before I died. Never again. This is even worse than I remembered when it was part of the soundscape of my youth. Kudos to me for actually making it through the torture to get to the end of this excrement. Kudos to you of you actually find this music interesting, but why?
Some recognizable songs that are decent, but boy this is really one note. Nothing ever progresses in each song. Also the drums man. The drums are AWFUL. The hats sound like shit. If the point of Ford commercial music like this is to be hell yea brother epic, then it should actually try to be a little more epic
Boring, the same song over and over
Sounds like every other album ever
not the best ZZ Top album by any stretch. This is when ZZ Top started to sell out for commercial appeal
Otro dia que lo que me toca se sale de mi zona de confort totalmente, podria ser la musica que suena de fondo en el Paso o en el Coyote, no soy yo muy rockera. Alguna que conocia de antes no ha sido del todo infumable, como "Sharp Dressed Man" pero tampoco disfrutona, solo soportable. No he podido terminar de escuchar la mayoria la verdad.
Fun enough in its own way I suppose, but also very dated and cheesy, without particularly strong songwriting to underpin it; not for me
Not as heavy metal or tough to listen to as I expected!
Didn’t have the same groove and energy as their other album on the list, which resulted in uninteresting hard rock that I am not a fan of
Hope their earlier work is on here, the production and drums are too slick compared to what I like about them
whatever
Some good hits but not a go to album for me.
Poor
Boring lyrics, repetitive guitar. Didn't like the guys voice either.
top
At first I thought this was a rap album, but NO IT IS NOT. Imagine the most completely generic default awful dad rock song ever. Then imagine it about 8 more times. That’s what this fucking album is. They aren’t bad it’s just I swear to god I was listening to the exact same song over and over, just with very slightly different lyrics each time. This has not enriched my music experience at all and I will not ever be listening to this nothing album ever again, it’s still probably not the worst thing this website is gonna make me listen to though, so I’ll give it 2 stars.
AA Bottom
Like so many things that have been iterated on into oblivion, I definitely respected the album for maintaining a solid, signature characteristic 80s, classic rock chug-along feeling throughout, but I can't imagine many occasions for me to listen to this again unless I wind up driving through the desert for several hours. It just feels like music made for a different lifestyle. Billy Gibbons pretty much sets the benchmark in my mind for bend-heavy, pentatonic-based blues/rock guitar solos. However, I always imagined ZZ Top to be one of those bands that would have a much more profound effect when they're playing in front of you than listening alone on headphones. Solid 2.5-3 as a personal listening experience. Several hits, no particularly bad song and he even shares his experiences with getting sick from eating TV dinners. You rarely get that kind of honesty in music anymore. Favorite song: Legs
I'm calling bullshit. So, ok this is a quintessential ZZ Top album, but seriously adding it to this list is a joke. I'm willing to gamble that everyone who needs to hear this album before they die has already heard this album and either immediately put it in rotation or said that was cool, I'm done. The point is that this is not a contribution, it's a cop out. Yes, everyone should hear Eliminator, but we already have and it's really not that amazing.
Couldn’t get through it, not my genre. Way to old, gray and slightly racist white man music
Fav: Sharp Dressed Man Least Fav: I Need You Tonight Didn’t mind the big hits but it’s the classic case of boring, one-note songs that you get with most of these types of rock albums
Never been a fan of this band and the songs you have heard were played to death. If it hadn't been for Mtv no one would have cared about this. There are a couple decent songs here. Got Me Under Pressure and TV Dinners are the only decent songs on this overrated album
Only 4/11 songs worth listening to. Mostly lyrically lacking. 2/5
The singles are ok. The other songs either sound like the singles or are about TV dinners. Not my cup of tea.
First time hearing. Not great. Not terrible. Several recognizable songs. But mostly stupid.
I can't take an album with an ode to the TV meal on it seriously if it isn't a from a band that is actively trying to be a comedy band.
Interesting range from ZZ Top, but I just don't care for it.
their beards are a lot more entertaining than the music
First part is good, cheesy but good. Second half.. oof.
Not annoying but not good either
Fun!
Rating: 2.5 Notable songs: Gimme All Your Lovin, Sharp Dressed Man. Not to my taste. It's okay but I've never been a huge ZZ fan. Production etc. Sounds great just nothing catches my attention.
Yet another of this list's mediocre albums by a once-brilliant artist. But using drum machines and synths on a ZZ Top album was, and remains, pure sacrilege. I’m glad Frank went into rehab. I’m glad Billy made a bunch of hits and the money they all deserved. But as far as albums you need to hear? This is WAAY down on the list of ZZ Top albums you need to hear. Go, right now, and listen to Rio Grande Mud. 350 albums in, my sublist now includes David Bowie (Young Americans), Metallica (S&M), U2 (Achtung Baby), Bruce Springsteen, the Cure, the Black Keys, Smashing Pumpkins, Sonic Youth, Paul Simon, Prince, Miles Davis, and the Go-Betweens. Given the GREAT music that those acts are responsible for, It's remarkable how many that this list .
This is the version of ZZ Top I grew up with. It was only slightly better than “Tres Hombres”. It had great music but, really cringeworthy lyrics that would make a young man laugh.
Generic 80s dad rock with some funny ideas for songs
I know this album so well from my teenage years that I can rate it without listening to it again (which I sort of swore I’d never do) : redneck misogyny wrapped up in a tight swamp guitar groove and largely offensive or non-sensical lyrics. Great for driving to a US military base for an air show while your dad drinks beer (while driving) in your 70s inspired Econoline van, kids sitting in the back on bench rows, not a seatbelt in sight. You can’t make this shit up.
This must be what spinal tap was parodying. Even 30 years ago I was changing the channel when this came on.
Meh.
Hubo un tiempo en que me movieron, pero todo va madurando y con pena debo decir que hoy, a la edad que tengo ZZ, ya están en mis recuerdos.
It's kinda fun, but also simple and predictable, not bad, but also not great
Kind of tough rating for me because there’s some fun stuff on here. The only problem is I don’t think any of it is very good and it doesn’t feel like this album belongs on this list to me.
You know the hits. You don't know the songs that aren't the hits for a reason.
Generic rock. The American Status Quo. Pish.
A band I expected to see sooner or later on this list. Not a personal favourite of mine, but at least I know I'll be in for an easy listen. Don't really have any expectations, maybe some cool riffs. The worst case scenario would be that it sounds truck commercial music. Maybe it'll have a bit of that vibe, but I don't think it's gonna be that bad. Gimme All Your Lovin' Oh it's this song. Haven't thought about it much, gets a lot of play on 80's stations for some reason. It's alright I suppose. The guitar riffs chug along nicely and the chorus I could see being a bit of an earworm. The verses are duds though, there really isn't much memorable about them. The final third of the track kinda goes nowhere, sort of loses track of itself. Fine. 3/5 Got Me Under Pressure The lyrics are pretty raunchy. Has a decent amount of pace to it. Decent guitars. A pretty consistent track, while nothing out of this world, does a lot right and it ends up sounding pretty good. Decent. 3.5/5 Sharp Dressed Man Classic guitar riff. Sleazy lyrics. Plenty of that rock and roll attitude. A chorus that is close to being synonymous with the southern rock genre. One of the genre defining songs of the southern rock scene. Not my favourite kind of music, but I respect it. Decent. 3.5/5 I Need You Tonight This bluesy minimalistic mostly guitar driven rock music is kinda tired at this point. The performances are pretty good, and the production sounds great, but it just lacks some pinache and personality to really drive it home. Very well constructed, with some great guitar parts, and a vocal performance that sounds very professional and fitting for the style. Just in the end doesn't do much for me. Fine. 3/5 I Got the Six One dimensional. A really predictable track. Never really does anything too different. Has decent energy I suppose. Average. 2.5/5 Legs Kinda sleazy and cringe. Horny old person drunk uncle about to get a speeding ticket core. Boring and unimaginative. The riffs are alright I suppose, just feels a bit basic. Did not like. 2/5 Thug This sounds a bit different at least. I like the bas quite a bit, has a real funky quality to it. Too bad the rest of the song sort just blends together. Sort of goes nowhere. Average. 2.5/5 TV Dinners Hmmm. Did they run out of ideas? What is the closest thing in the room I can make a song about? Oh I know! My dinner from yesterday! Eureka! At least it shows they don't take themselves too seriously, even if the final result is a very uninspired piece of oversaturated mediocrity that's only notable due to the strange concept. Ends up being repetitive and boring. Did not like. 2/5 Dirty Dog Are you sure this song wasn't on earlier? Feels like it at least. A tempo that trucks along with some guitars that are heavy on the gas. Really burns some rubber. Goes full throttle. A bootload of guitars to cruise down the dirt road to. Truck music. 2/5 If I Could Only Flag Her Down I definitely heard this song. Sound came out of my headset and into my ear then registered somewhere in my brian. Then the song kept going before finally ending. After it ended there was a brief moment of silence. In that moment I realized it was over and went to listen to the next song. I thought "That was definitely a song that exists" then never thought about it again. Forgetable. 1.5/5 Bad Girl It's fast and energetic. Really dumb. That's about all I got to say. Did not like. 2/5 Starts off okay then the sound gets tired, and it gets tired quickly. It's in your face, juvenile and horny. It's sleazy and objectifying and at times very shallow. Has some great guitar work, but it all just blends into a malformed homogenous sonic mass which struggles to distinguish itself from its own blob-like form. It's just so stuck in its own ideas that even when you think it starts to evolve some sense of variety it quickly reverts back into its own oversaturated sound. Even the songs that work have huge portions that are just simply forgetable, only really saved by a few seconds of brilliance from a clever chorus or an infectious riff. I can't fault them for their energy or skills as performers though. While I hold the opinion that the songwriting here is pretty weak, they at least sound like they're trying to make an entertaining product. There's real skill in the guitar playing, and they've obviously put effort into sounding like the best versions of themselves. It genuinely sounds like they want to be there, and that they're enjoying themselves making entertainment. It's then a shame all that effort is put into something so pointlessly uninteresting. There are some good parts here and there, but ultimately this is just average. In an ocean of classic rock albums this is just another bubble. 2.5/5 Leaning closer towards a 2/5 Fave track. Got Me Under Pressure Least fave track. If I Could Only Flag Her Down
Some of the singles are fun, but it's probably mostly nostalgia. Not an album I would likely re-listen to.
2- Stars (4/15)
Eh, not big on ZZ Top.
🎅🏼
I can't believe that these dudes have 2 albums on this list. This one is just as boring as the last one. There is something about this band that seems a bit try hard/sad?
Meh - pretty boring. 'Hard Rock' as a genre never goes that hard
ZZ Top give out creepy leather-wrapped bachelor pad energy, or maybe a Camaro-driving guy in mirrored sunglasses trying to convince you he’s “still got it.” Where have I heard these hits before? They’ve been grilled into my head by a thousand beer commercials or something. And WTF “TV Dinners”?!? Made me pause the album just to check if I was having a stroke. Throw this in the bin with AC/DC & Kiss.. Spins: 1 Playlist Additions: - Sharp Dressed Man
Idek it feels like a hot wheels commercial
Classic but not my style
‘Generic’ is kind.
Not my thing
My ex husband refused to let me walk down the aisle to “Legs.” This should have been the final red flag, but that’s why he’s an ex (albeit smaller than some of the red banners in the Soviet parade of this relationship, but still.) A closer listen of this album yields nothing but the same same sound. There are some party hits, but overall boring. 1.5 if I could, but 2 to spite my ex.
I didn’t like it as much as Tres Hombres, just repulsively horny at points
Some good ones here, but generally not my thing.
The music is good (not thaaaat good), but the lyrics are ridiculous.
Another rock album. It was fine but nothing I would go back to. A whole song about TV dinners huh?
This album starts playing the moment you enter Fredericksburg. Billy Gibbons is such a solid guitar player and riff crafter, but damn if the lyrical content doesn’t suck. Almost every single song on here is about bangin women and how hot women are but they won’t let me hit sometimes so I gotta jerk. Tv Dinners is at least funny simply in that it’s not about that. Hand the instrumentals to Steve Earle and we solve everything wrong with both bands, might even have a 4 on our hands. 8 out of 11 of the songs had a fade out on a guitar solo, just play the one and end the song man. Overall really disappointed, waste of great guitar.
Definition of cock rock, but I like legs so weak 2/5. Won’t revisit
Did I just hear an ode to TV dinners?
Yikes
It’s a 2.5 but half isn’t available so it gets a 2.
This was the sound of every dive bar in America. It was fine, but a little "biker gang" for me
It's alright, but the problem is that I've heard it a million times and it isn't good enough to keep my interest over time. My favorite memory of ZZ Top is playing Space Quest and one of the bands in the space bar was ZZ Top. That doesn't really have anything to do with this album but sometimes I think about it and how much fun I had playing that game back in the day.
This is ok I guess. Very bland for me. Much better bands have done the same thing better before and since ZZ Top.
I'm a sucker for a couple of these songs, but the whole thing is just very one note, and doesn't do much.
Super boring, never been a fan
liked songs: Sharp Dressed Man I know this is a "classic," but I'm really not a fan of the monotony of this album. Same chords, same drum beats, same synth sounds, same guitar tone for most of the songs. I know that having a sound is usually a good thing, but there's just no variety here. It's otherwise competent, if unextraordinary. 2.25
Guitar solos are too long.
I like older, bluesier ZZ Top, but this was just horrible. It's like someone ripped the soul right out of them. At least they made a bunch of money, but it's tough to get past the "poetry" of "I've got the six, gimme' your nine." Yikes. Liked Songs Added: TV Dinners
Een paar nummers volgens de oude, no-nonsense, hard rock formule, maar ook duidelijk een groot deel volgens een nieuw 80s recept. Hier en daar funky basslines en new wave producties die je niet perse bij een ZZ Top verwacht. Het resultaat is dat het ietsjes behapbaarder is voor de mensen die deze primitieve rock normaalgesproken niet echt goed slikken. Maar alsnog, dit ietwat nieuwe imago van de band laat ze vooral klinken als een Robert Palmer voor bikers, wat het allemaal wel een beetje ongemakkelijk maakt. 5/10
4/10. Some popular songs. One of which is pretty terrible. But some nostalgia.
To me this sounds like what you would get if you asked AI to compute the average of all rock music released in the decade surrounding it. That makes it basically replacement-level rock. It's got steady backbeat, thumping bass, crunchy guitar riffs, pithy vocal lines, and zero creativity. The front half is pretty good, that has all the singles. But it really drags on the back half, there's nothing much worth listening to there. I like Billy Gibbons' guitar style generally, although on this one he sounds like he's fully embraced the Rockman-amp-style sound, he's got a bit of a tinny tone.
2/5
This is my second ZZ Top album so far... SECOND!!! How did one album make it into this list?!?!??!
Que puedo poner ante tanto rockcentrismo anglosajón? MEH Nota: 2.3
começa ok e depois de sharp-dressed man eu preciso de um banho
As lame as it is dumb. 2/5
A lot more new wavey then i expected. Those speedy bass riffs and complex drum patterns betray the laid back and purported smoothness of their beer thumping, lounging, and callous brand of hard rock presents. Still way too much filler but I do like the sound overall.
Yeah it was alright, I liked the songs with the very punchy basslines but it’s nothing too special. Fav song: Thug
There was something cool, original, and funky about ZZ Top… in 1973. But in 1983? As popular as these songs were, and I remember them well, they are packaged, shiny, and soulless. Give me back the Tres Hombres!
Like being in a montage of an 80s film. Very much the same all the way through - driving beat
Not terrible, I guess?
Inane MTV driven sexist rock.
vsf zz top
They're hot rod guys. They sound like they have a big engine, but they're only cruising. It's a wall of sound, but it sounds low effort. It doesn't have the energy of Van Halen and AC/DC. I can imagine it works very well live and I can imagine people like this record, but I don't. Favorite song: sharp dressed man
Not my style of music
Sounds like Huey Lewis and the News if the guitarist really loved to play minor pentatonic licks. Overall unimpressed. Some good songs and definitely some interesting sounds but listening to it made my eyes roll for most of it. Sharp Dressed Man, I Need You Tonight, Legs are standouts.
Just more uninspired and generic classic rock.
Couple of good songs.
Some great iconic hits, but the heavy reliance on synthesizers and drum machines dilutes the raw, bluesy energy of their earlier work. It feels more like a shift toward commercial appeal than a genuine evolution of their sound.
The Apex Mountain of dumb rock. You gotta give the ZZers credit for moving their boogie thang into a more contemporary, early-80s wrapping. But the lyrical sentiments have aged like milk, making this a tough listen in 2025. The idea of “fun” in rock has changed a lot in 42 years. A solid 2.
Never been a huge ZZ top fan but listening to this album may have changed that. Rock and roll baby!
Ah Jesus, someone gave Uncle Earl the aux cord again. Look, I don't have anything against ZZ Top. In fact, they're a pretty tight band with immense talent. I just don't care for general marketed misogyny from 2 bearded cowboys and their beardless drummer named Frank Beard. You just kind of walk away from an album like this feeling a bit ickier than when you went into it.
Mid
Disappointed with this album, not a lot to say about it for a supposed classic. The album was a snooze fest, songs seemed to blur together and the lyrics are painfully average for a rock album released in the 80s. Outside of the legendary sharp dressed man which is easily the highlight of the album and the really expressive bass work on Thug the album failed to leave any real impression on me. One of the least energetic rock albums I’ve listened to. The mix and production was pleasantly well done though. 2/5
Dad rock.
I don't really like ZZ Top, too USA 80's. The album feels like one whole song, not much diversity. From the album, I just like "I Need You Tonight". While I was listening, I pictured the movie "Easy Rider"
Fine. Would be best for a road trip
babe wake up it's 1-4-5 the record for the millionth time </3
This has better production values and a cleaner sound than their first couple of albums. The songs are tighter, but there's less of the boogie sound that makes ZZ Top fun.
Loud and repetitive. Apathetic lyrics and vocals.
This just has no personality, in my opinion. The vocals lack energy. This would be more enjoyable if they were just an instrumental band, and if they took, like, any risks. 2 stars for being bland but inoffensive.
tedious
The singles are okay - but its pretty repetitive lowest common denominator stuff. Very 80's very packaged and very dumb. The low point being TV dinners ... "This one's kinda tough I like the enchiladas And the teriyaki too I even like the chicken If the sauce is not too blue" A low 2.
Too alpha
Oh boy, I've got a bit of work to do catching up so I figured why not start with some low hanging fruit? My hopes were that I could at least find something surprisingly standout here, but no, it's the same story as Tres Hombres, it honestly kind of annoys me how forgettably average this band is outside of a standout song or two. This is like the britpop equivalent for guys who probably have a punisher skull as their facebook banner Highlight: Sharp Dressed Man
Pretty sure every song on this album is a 5/10 and for that reason given its commitment to complete and total utter mediocrity I gotta deduct a point. I'm pretty sure I forgot about ever having listened to thus album mid way through listening to it 4/10 Fav tracks - none Least fav - none
Honestly, a pretty boring listen. Besides a few highs, the album is pretty bland. If you love one of the songs on the album, you'll love all of them because they're all pretty cookie cutter. Not a bad album, just very forgettable. Worth a re-listen: No Yeh: 1 Gimme All Your Lovin' Eh: 2 Got Me Under Pressure 3 Sharp Dressed Man 4 I Need You Tonight 11 Bad Girl Meh: 5 I Got The Six 6 Legs 7 Thug 8 TV Dinners 9 Dirty Dog 10 If I Could Only Flag Her Down
i puked during the slap bass solo
Cialis rock
Zelfde als vorige ZZ Top.
Ik vond die andere wel lache maar dit voelt als standaard dad rock. Misschien gewoon niet in the mood for vandaag, sws monday blues if im honest, maar heb dit uitgezet wat fuck it
Not bad. Sort of like a southern Aerosmith. Probably 2.5
One of my first records was ZZ Tops 1977 greatest hits album. Funky, greasy blues rock. Not monumental but good stuff. This record is blues based pop that feels like it was run through a 1980's computer. A few catchy tunes and MTV made this record huge but I don't find it appealing even as a period piece
The band were savvy in using the music video genre to their advantage promoting this album.
extremely stereotypical zz top, just like what i imagined their song is like after hearing "sharp-dressed man" for the first time and only that song is good the others don't rock 2/5
Got sick of listening to it towards the end
Legs reminded me of Stacy Kiebler, which caused one of my erogenous zones to tingle. However, that moment was fleeting and it marked the halfway point of an album that was far too long. I don't like the chugging guitar fuzz, it's relentless. The drums sound dead flat, no punch just a sort of ‘pfft’ on the snare. The bass was good in parts, a bit like the mighty Quo! I don't know why I had to listen to this album before I die. I imagine I'm going to be asking this a lot. If it turns out Harry Nilsson’s Soundtrack to Popeye the Motion Picture isn't on this list, I'm going to be furious with the curators.
This album has all of the worst hallmarks of the 80s - massive over production, too much crappy synth, over-gated electronic drum sounds that just go 'dik-dik-dik-dik' ... The whole thing makes me feel like I'm wearing a shiny suit with the sleeves pushed to the elbows, and (judging by the lyrical content) some old man's cum stains on the crotch. Billy Gibbons is a great guitarist. Frank Beard is a shit drummer. Dusty Hill was on the album too.
There's something I like about this in spite of myself, and there's a lot I don't like about this. I have no idea how to rate this. That was what I thought during the first couple of tracks anyway. After finishing it, I like it a lot less. It's like if you took Dire Straits and added distortion and a dash of misogyny. And I don't like Dire Straits.
Best Song: Sharp Dressed Man. I don't even know if this is the best, or if it's just familiarity that makes it feel a bit better. Worst Song: Thug. Another boring jam track on an album of mostly boring jam tracks. Overall: No matter how technically proficient the band is able to sound, they lack an ounce of soul. In a way that is difficult to articulate, ZZ Top has always felt flat and passionless to me.
Despite actually knowing some songs on this record, I actually preferred listening to Tres Hombres on this list. This was all kinda samey and a bit bland?
Will not buy on vinyl. Doesn't rock my socks.
I'm not sure what it is about this album I don't care for. Despite there being several hits on here, the whole thing just feels kind of boring and uninspired to me. Even the hits are kinda meh. Sharp Dressed Man is ok, and I kind of liked I Got the Six. Otherwise, this is a pass for me.
Sticks to the formula like glue. Guitar tone is nice, but apart from that it's bog standard redneck rock.
CHEESY BEYOND ALL CHEESE! Still though, the blues-rock/new wave hybrid has its' charms. I'm already very familiar with all the hits. There aren't any other songs that stand out as different or an improvement on the hit songs. They found a new formula and went all in on 11 tracks of it. By the time track 10 started I was praying for this to be done. Learned while Listening: This is the manufactured "image" era of the band. Manager was hiding the fact they were using tape-recorded backing tracks on stage, Billy Gibbons & Linden Hudson created a majority of the album w/o Beard/Hill input...etc. Gotta have 120 BPMs for hits! (And it WORKED! LOL) Favs: N/A Least: "I Got the Six" (1x) 2 Stars, C-
Sounded dated, not timeless, also not great
The 80's polish removed the best characteristics of ZZ Top's gritty early sound.
Hair rock innit. Not my bag really.
Whhh….. like a stale donut
we makin it outta the family reunion to this one
Somewhere between a 2 and a 3
ZZ top is so uninspired. There is nothing remotely creative or original about this band and i dont understand why there is one, not to mention two albums on this list
His vocals sound like they left the lead track and the left the background vocal to beef up the vocal track. He really lost me at TV dinners
Every song sounds the same except for like 2, just listen to Sharp Dressed Man or wait for it to come on your local rock station lmfao
TV Dinners. What the hell did I just listen to? I don’t love blue’s rock so this was not my thing.
Se sintió muy repetitivo, el sonido muy típico del rock de la época.
Not bad after all these years
Ja nee teveel geluid
i do not want to listen to this shit. i almost gotta concussion today, i lowkey wish i was hospitalized so i didn't have to listen to this nvm they made the duck dynasty theme this actually the best album ever albums not even that bad, i just don't like out of 80s/70s hard rock album. i get like nothing out of them, they all sound the same to me. Unfortunately I'm not a 50+ balding white dad wielding a spatula in one hand, a budlight in the other manning a grill at family barbeque and actually a bisexual he/they black kid sitting in a dorm at a liberal arts school. if i was i would probably love this album. this shit aint made for me idk what to say
ugh whatever
Good music and definitely a real early 80's rock vibe. Most likely wont listen to this again just because that's not my preference.
Put this on in the office, told people about the 1001 albums and all of their comments would be added to the review. Obviously us oldies knew the hits, Dave tapped his fingers on the desk to gimme all your lovin, but I only noticed when it had finished. No one had anything constructive or critical. Which I think speaks volumes.
Straight forward, fast-tempoed rock songs. First half was good. By the second half, it starts to sound monotonous. Nothing much really to listen to.
It's very one-noted music, all songs are so similar and musically not interesting. It was not an unlistenable album but I for sure won't listen to it again in the future.
sounds like this album is stuck in an 80’s white man’s capitalistic hellscape and i want out
You need to understand something. I don't normally come into these kinds of establishments. This music pumps like an action sequence from a US car commercial for a pickup truck (or any meaty car with a big enough donk to substitute for ego awareness and intellect) in the dessert, where a tight denim wearing blond with red lips tilts up her hat to look at you, then wink, and kick up some dust. ... It's cheap, low, formulaic cliché ear juice. And just like bourbon, it does the job, even if it hurts to know it's basically couch syrup you're drinking. Get me out of here before someone sees me. Back entrance?
I love early ZZ Top. La Grange is one of the 70’s great singles. They were agreat boogie band, but they changed course with this album. It was a huge disappointment for me. The best thing about Legs was the film clip. Greatband, but ordinary album.
First listen Saved 3/11 Top track: Gimme All Your Lovin'
This is mostly uninteresting but well executed and produced rock and roll. The lyrics have a depressingly horny desperation. “Legs” is perhaps the mostly insipid male-gazey song of all time (appropriately WWE’s Stacey Kiebler used it as her theme music). “She’s got legs and knows how to use them). Yes, like most non-aquatic animals.
1. loving - 2 2. prezzure - 1 3. drezzed man - 3 4. tonight - 1.5 5. ziz - 1 6. legz - 2 7. thug - 1 8. tv - 1 9. dirty dog - 1.5 10. flag - 1.5 11. bad girl - 1
This is just rock. Nothing really special, just something I hear on my dad's radio.
It was as I remembered, a bunch old old hairy people trying and succeeding to be cool, for a year or two. This produced the massive 'Legs' and 'Gimme All Your Lovin'. Everyone knows, or should know these two songs. On their own, those two deserve a 3 star score. I liked 'Thug', however the rest knocks it down a star.
ew
Naja
I can't help but find this generic. I bet it was cool but the hits here are so overplayed they've become mind numbing, and the rest sounds exactly the same.
Highkey the same song over and over again. I liked the bass playing and the solos but honestly I thought it wasn't that great. Maybe it was influential? It didn't influence me.
This is fine and sounds good, but I think ZZ Top is not very good.
This is a very nostalgic album for me. It is the early days of MTV when the video made a song a bigger hit. ZZ Top had good music, but their videos for this album really helped them rise to the top for a time. Listening to this album now I really hear how influenced it was by the synth-pop of the time. Did not realize that then, obviously. I like the music/songs……but I have and will never seek out listening to one of their songs or this album.
Just not my thing.
2.4, listened to it while cleaning and kinda brought an interesting high bpm kinda vibe to the function that i wasn't necessarily all for. It was good and I'm glad that I have listened to ZZ Top, but they really aren't all that for me on a day to day basis. I'm more into vibes and sounds in music than the aspect of rock that this album very well exemplifies. I can see how it is and was so influential, but none of the songs really stood out to me in particular unfortunately. I'll always like that one song I have saved in spotify though because of the memories it brings with my mother and the long walks we would have talking about music and food and everything in between (days). Would've given a 3, but based on how irregularly I would listen to it and how it just felt like generic rock to me without any extreme standouts, I went for 2.4 vs a 2.5 which would unfortunately round me to a 2/5.
It’s just not my style. It quickly fades into “background 80’s guitar” in a way I don’t find inspiring.
Good background music, can enjoy it despite from time to time
Basic Southern rock fancified by the beardy brothers, I give it a meh for musicality, oh well. 2 stars
mid
not my scene
nah
This album starts strong and has a trend in sound/style that runs throughout. Seems like they run out of steam on the back end of the album, starting with “TV Dinners.”
I mean, I can listen to it ironically...
I was ready to write it off completely until I changed to proper speakers and an appropriate volume. So, it does rock. It's still dumb (and thirsty) as sand and made me wish I was hearing other hard rock instead, but it's something. If only the lyrics to Legs weren't so unbelievably lame, we'd have one cool song on here.
The singles are great but the rest of the songs are just like the singles, except not as good.
Både positivt och negativt överraskad på samma gång, om det är möjligt. Bra riff, ordentlig jävla rock bara. Det är roligt, även om den konstnärliga ambitionen kanske inte alltid når upp till mina krav. En låt är liksom dedikerad till mikromat. Det är på den nivån jag försöker hamna för att uppskatta SätaSäta Topp. Och då kan jag bitvis gilla det. Låtar som 'Gimme All Your Lovin'' och 'Sharp Dressed Man' är jävligt tajta. En anledning till att jag inte vill kalla detta konst är - och förhoppningsvis låter jag inte för pretentiös nu - texterna. Detta är rockmusik gjord för att headbanga till, inte för att svepas med i poetiska bildspråk. Ovan nämnda 'TV Dinners' behandlar mikromat så här: "I throw em' in and wave em' / And I'm a brand new man", eller "I like the enchiladas / And the teriyaki too / I even like the chicken / If the sauce is not too blue". Även i albumets bästa låt, 'Legs', tvingas man lyssna igenom rader som "She's got hair / Down to her fanny". Närmade mig tre stjärnor stundvis, men måste hålla mig till två om jag ska ha någon jävla standard i det här projektet. Bästa låt: Legs
Rock n roll
Fun band from the 80’s.
Pretty standard late 70s record, a couple big hits. Sounds like it could be in the soundtrack for a random 80s movie. Nothing special really. 4/10
ZZ Top definitely should be on the list. Personally, I don’t like the music so 3 minus additional point for TV Dinners
Meh
Sharp dressed man and Legs are 80s tropes at this point. TV Dinners has astonishingly bad lyricism, especially when he dives into the TV dinners he likes. There are some bright spots though and the guitar is always rippin.
Can't do another of these but I know there are still so many to come :(
Opinions have not changed since I first listened to this about 3 years ago - the opening track and Sharp Dressed Man both slap, the rest is just annoying butt rock
Could I listen to one song if it randomly came on the radio while driving ? Sure. But no more than that.
Not as good as I remember
Always thought this was a little too radio friendly, too polished losing the charm they originally had. It's ok but they were better
Once again an album that just isn’t my thing. There’s some good rock licks and I understand on a fundamental level why someone would love this. But I can’t stand listening to this kind of thing more than a couple of minutes. 2/5
I recognised more of these songs than I realised I would have –– most likely from sitting in Hard Rock Cafe I expect. A solid good dad-rock type band, average album. There hits were at the beginning of the album, meaning I didn’t care too much about finishing it. Favourite tracks: Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin’.
Hey man it's zz top.
Man I didn't really like this. Just feels so formulaic and repetitive, similar grooves in every song. The hits are OK. Feels like Van Halen and that type of thing which I also don't like :/. Fav songs: - Gimme all your loving - Sharp dressed man
All right. Overall this albums didn't suit me very well, but Gimme All Your Lovin' and Sharp Dressed Man is two very very good songs. But that's it. The slower songs is feeling meningless and is dragging the hell of anybody who tries to enjoy something. I had to stop writing when I noticed the exhausted guitar on Need You Tonight still was playing after five minutes.
The two big hits off here are great for what they are: songs for tearing down a highway on a hot day. ZZ Top bring the riffs and the beards, but not much else. All style and no substance to me, and I was pretty bored by the halfway mark. They kinda strike me as the band that Van Halen would have been, had they been Truckers.
Really not for me
Interesting discovery, that in essence this was a studio creation. Still don’t like it, thiugh
From the beginning, it's not the usual kind of music I listen to but I can rock with it. Gimme All Your Lovin' feels like a solid album opener, it sets the tone nicely and allows every artist in the band to show themselves off well, from guitar solos to strong, charismatic vocals. The next song Got Me Under Pressure is a lot more intense, there's a heavier driven bass and darker subject matters are discussed in this one. I feel like it's slightly repetitive though, but the momentum is never dropped which is always a positive. Judging by the next song Sharp Dressed Man, I think I've found the style I prefer from them, which is the playful and flirty side of them, which is weird to say about a hard rock group but you know what I mean. It's a lot more charming, and the vocalist's humour and charisma shines a lot more through this. Also, the improvisational sections from the band seem to feel a lot more engaging and free with this kind of concept, so I'm a fan! I won't lie, I feared their ballads as I know a lot of groups of this time easily came off as very cheesy with ballads, but there's a smoothness and a finesse to this track that makes it feel so sultry and sexy. The vocalist's gruff vocals work to add a raw edge to the song, and the guitar solos are something to be admired. The whole sound of this just works so well to create that nighttime romance experience. I Got The Six weirdly comes off as very artificial and abrasive to me, the vocals don't do enough for me to feel engaged but rather feel repelled and the whole energy of the song just feels too camp and processed rather than real and raw, which is what I'm growing to enjoy from their music. Legs has the perfect balance of camp and rock to me, it's sleazy but it's fun and playful at the same time. The composition of this song feels sonically satisfying, I love the blending of synth and acoustic instrumentation and the gruff vocals really shine here as it adds to the whole sleazy aesthetic. Overall, one of the strongest songs on the album so far and a strong showcase of my favourite qualities from this band. I can't lie, the beginning of this song made me feel nauseous but that's because it's wishy-washy. However, as soon as the song begins, I'm hooked. The subversive nature of this song having an instrumental chorus is fantastic, and shows there's a mystery and unexpected element to their music which you wouldn't necessarily attribute to them on a casual listen. They're a multi faceted group with a lot of hidden qualities, and this song feels perfectly within their wheelhouse while also pushing their boundaries. I feel like I could hear New Order or Depeche Mode releasing something similar too, which shows their influence on rock music as a whole. TV Dinners, in comparison to the rest of the album, feels dull and lifeless. It feels like it's just plodding along, and I could understand how someone may enjoy this outside of the album, but when put against such stronger tracks, this just feels pathetic and boring. Every album needs to have a couple of filler tracks, but it's just a shame when you can tell which ones were intended to be the filler tracks. Maybe this will grow on me in time, maybe I'll prefer to listen to this outside of the album like I'm assuming others might too, right now this just feels forgettable, which is more offensive than being bad to me. Dirty Dog sounds like at least 3 of the other tracks on this album, and unfortunately it sounds like the ones I feel come across as artificial. The best way I can describe this song is that it sounds like a theme song for Cops. The guitar solos in this song are very good, I'll give it that at least, but the song itself just feels naff and over-produced. I'm craving the variety back now though, because I'm getting deja vu in the space of 35 minutes. Now I know you think you know what I'm going to say, but I actually really like this one. It's very hypocritical of me, but this actually works. The structural composition of this song aids to keep the interest and momentum going in the song, the genre presentation fits the narrative to a T and there's a new softer vocal quality expressed in this song which feels really nice to listen to. The energy in this song never gives up, and it reminds me of some of my favourite contemporary artists like St Vincent so maybe I'm just more tuned to this style. I hate to say that we've ended this on a slight disappointment but the artificial dad rock sound is back, and I'm not overjoyed to see it. I can see that this is clearly their signature style, and I can understand how that may not be for me but it's a shame it's ended like this for me personally. I will say the energy is electric in this, and it feels like them at their prime so for hard core ZZ Top fans, this would be the perfect encore, just not for me. Track ranking: Thug Legs If I Could Only Flag Her Down Sharp Dressed Man I Need You Tonight ----------------------------------------- Gimme All Your Lovin' ----------------------------------------- Dirty Dog Got Me Under Pressure Bad Girl TV Dinners I Got The Six Final comments: Pleasantly surprised by this album, I found a lot that I could get into that didn't align with their stereotypical style but I still feel a slight disconnect from it unfortunately. Score: 68/100
I understand that these men are talented musicians - particularly Billy Gibbons - but I really can’t stand their music. I find their blues riffs annoyingly unrelenting and their lyrics absolutely misogynistic. Obviously they weren’t the only ones to go this sexist direction with their songs in the 80’s (“Cherry Pie,” anyone?), but the fact that I don’t enjoy their music just makes it worse. However, I’ll round up my 1.5 stars to 2 in light of their contribution in the third installment of the Back to the Future trilogy.
If I am going to be so honest, this was a hard one to get through. It sounds a bit too much like what would play in a movie while the main protagonist is in a bar after going to a trucker derby :((
A few good well known songs but its 80s low tier rock, proof that a memorable music video can make a middling song better.
vaya temazos, simplemente gimme all your lovin’ para empezar !! ya se avecinaba un buen disco me gusta mucho la guitarra distorsionada y el groove en general del disco (y aún no lo he terminado) es un género que me puede embafar un poco, pero sin duda para escucharlo y ponerme de buen humor es un sí la guitarra en thug, wow es que es un disco para escucharlo cuando hace sol, tienes cosas que hacer y estás sola y contenta y puedes bailar y sentir la música mientras haces cosas
Not my cup of twa
Starts strong but quickly becomes very repetitive.
80s rock style, generic movie background music for when cars are going across the highway. I liked “sharp dressed man” Made it to “Legs”
really average and forgettable. like it was fine. but i forgot i was listening to it half way through listening to ut because it became background noise but better to forget then for my ears to be in pain for 45 minutes.
This is about as generic as you can get when it comes to 70s rock, which is strange, because this came out in 1983... its certainly got the technical ability at times, but otherwise this sounds like nothing in particular for most of its run time, and I genuinely forgot I was listening to music until I looked down and realized I had four tracks left, all of which I could also tell you nothing about. Its fine, I guess? It has a quality to it that isn't as cheesy as the glam metal outfits that were starting to sprout at the time, nor are the synths used in a way to overshadow the main instrumentals, something groups like Van Halen failed to do, but still this album is incredibly dull. Sharp Dressed Man has a good hook and riff, but otherwise this is the kind of music people mean when they say they like "classic rock," and I don't mean that in a good way.
Hviler seg på at riff og kul gitarlyd er nok til å fenge. Det er det ikke. Det er både treigt og slitsomt samtidig, trolig pga trommene. De trege låtene er best. En gammel variant av White Stripes.
Pretty generic dude rock
take the groove out of ZZ Top and put a steady 80s beat underneath, with predictably mediocre results. energy without heart. music: hated. (⌐■_■)
ZZ Top has a lot of charm to me but I’m not sure it goes much further than that. God bless ‘em for being the blues rock band that came up with a good enough gimmick to have real longevity and success.
I had to listen to this growing up when I was in the car with my dad and brother. I didn't enjoy it then, and I don't enjoy it now. It all sounds about the same.
easy listening - nothing super special
More accesible rock
I've finally learned why there are so many ZZ Top tribute bands. Because every rock band is a ZZ Top tribute band, some people are just more honest about it than others. This includes ZZ Top, who seemed to just parody themselves in the second half of the album. I was actually having a blast with this until the line "She has legs and she knows how to use them" made me fall out of my chair laughing and it was all downhill from there. 2/5. They had me in the first half, not gonna lie.
Repetitiver, tanzbarer Hardrock mit zugegebenermaßen teilweise guten Gitarren. 2-3
I don't get why a band that feels so loose can sound so stiff. Not like that Billy. The bad kind of stiff. Seriously, I've heard "Tres Hombres," I know this is a fun band, but this record is no fun. I read the album summation and while I should be on board for pushing ZZ into Blondie territory, I can't help wishing for the zonked out weirdos that knew how to boogie. Instead they've recast themselves as Nueve riche party crashers who drive their caddie into the pool or pour everclear into the punch bowl. Watch out folks, hide your monocles, the boys are hack in town.
I know ZZ Top's hits (e.g. Tracks 1, 3 and 6 here, 'Gimme All Your Lovin', 'Sharp Dressed Man' and 'Legs') and I'm not a huge fan. It's just kind of generic 70s/80s rock. They sound like a ton of other bands from that time, they don't really have anything that about their music that stands out to me. Let's see if this album can change my opinion about that. Meh, pretty much what I was expecting. 2/5
This album tops out at enjoyable but inessential, and bottoms out at deeply embarrassing (“I Need You Tonight”, “I Got the Six”).
Fun to drive to, but not much more than that.
The band's deep dive into their signature sound. Nothing wrong with it (esp if you like boogie blues), but not an album I'll seek out.
meh, some food songs but kinda boring
lowkey this was not good…. like tv dinners???? was that lifted from an infomercial and no one told me?
this music that i think i can only fully understand if i peaked in 1988 when i was the popular high school quarterback, and now have an unfulfilling marriage and a queer art school son that i try to support but don't understand. that being said, it's pretty alright dad rock. not the best, not the worst.
The general cycle of my enjoyment of this album is enjoying the first few seconds when the punchiness is at its max and most visceral. Then when the vocals come in, my enjoyment plateaus. I don't mind the vocals typically but to me, they contrast the instrumentals in a way that's less than stellar. Then when the distorted, bluesy guitar takes the forefront again, my enjoyment goes up once more before one last steady decline. "Sharp Dressed Man" is an exception here and it's a song where I think every aspect blends particularly well with one another. Not a fan of how it just fades out though. "TV Dinners" is another favorite of mine because it, ever so slightly, reminds me of a The Doors song. I sort of already mentioned this but easily my least favorite part of any of these songs is the vocals. They're not bad per se (unless we're talking songs like "I Need You Tonight") just very one-dimensional. The song structures aren't very interesting either and neither are the lyrics. The only thing this album has going for it is its hard rock instrumentation which I will say, does sound great and Billy Gibbons is a very talented guitarist, taking notes for 60s legends and blues styles. Those moments when the drums and guitars hit are firey and the highlight of this album. Overall not a terrible album, just not one I found particularly interesting. Still found stuff I enjoyed here though.
Technically excellent, but really really not my style. Active since 1969 => holy fucking shit!
One of the weirdest commercial successes of the early MTV era or any musical era. Their earlier records are miles better. And this gets serious points off for being way overexposed (with cheesy videos and stupid songs) at a time when much more interesting music would have better used the space. One's still not convinced it wasn't all a joke; certainly these guys seemed to enjoy it.
Un buen álbum de Blues Rock, con una producción bastante interesante. El mejor track del LP es sin duda Sharp Dressed Man, ya que es sumamente entretenida y pegajosa. Sin embargo, después de un tiempo, el disco comienza a sentirse largo y repetitivo; la novedad de la producción se pierde en las primeras pistas del trabajo, logrando que la segunda mitad del disco sea bastante aburrida. ¿Hay alguna necesidad para que haya más de un disco de ZZ Top en esta lista? No lo creo.
As a white person I naturally like ZZ Top, but outside of the hits this one sucks.
It was okay, nothing very memorable. Not much to say about this one.
Personalmente no me gusta este genero, pero tiene mezclas de sonidos interesantes...
The hits are the hits. The rest didn't interest me.
This era and style of 80's rock really carries mixed reviews for me, but of all the bands trying to do this ZZ Top is one of the ones that worked better for me. However, there were still the issues I find typical of the genre with frequently empty lyrics and songs that are about a minute longer than needed as well as some songs that were their entire run length too long. I think I'll stick to the hits only and even then they are an average listening experience. Highlights - Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man
Meh
Meh.
A lot of my favorite childhood memories were spent with my Dad driving to and from baseball games on the weekends, for most of my junior high and high school career we spent our Saturdays driving to the cursed land of Agoura Hills for scrimmages . A great deal of that time was devoted to my Classic Rock education. We'd trawl between Southern California's 2-3 classic rock stations, playing the game of who could guess the song the fastest. One lesson imparted on me across all those drives is how profoundly embarassing the 80's were for many bands. Creative bankruptcy and seismic changes to culture left many of the biggest bands of the 60's/70's in the lurch and their attempts to retain a cultural and commercial cache ranged from either flat-out cringe to just plain terrible. Somewhere in the middle of that spectrum lies ZZ Top's Eliminator. A mid career, sign o' the times appeal to the commercial overlords. An album with a couple undeniably catchy songs that still get classic rock airplay, but also sounds so very sterile and mechanistic. Just about every element on this record sounds so dated and processed to all hell. These songs move at a quick tempo, but the use of drum machines sucks all the life out of them. The result just sounds comically overblown and even if a number of the songs are solid I'll just never be able to get behind this.
I might have liked this better if I was a lyrically undemanding, horny, single, unsuccessfully on the prowl, beer-addled young male ready to party.
Eliminating the album from my brain after today.
sounds like any other generic 80s album
I can see this albums influence on modern day rock, especially southern rock all over the place. Unfortunately i struggle to separate this album from the beer and pick up truck commercials that it’s sounds are all too often found in
2 out of 5. It all sounds the same, good vibe but I wouldn’t jump to listen to this or throw it on. Couple good songs but overall; it’s ok.
Thug good track for sampling
väldigt lame alltså. en svag tvåa. det fanns något parti här och där som kändes lite gött men generellt väldigt kass
This album didn’t really do much for me. A lot of songs were much longer than they needed to be. It was honestly a struggle to get through at some points.
Im just not a boomer uncle I guess
Not my thing
Best Songs: N/A Listen Again: No
I didn’t want to listen to this. The popular songs were torture to get through. The rest was fine for background music I guess.
Mostly 45 minutes of the same song. I remember being 10 years old and thinking some of these were bangers. I was a really dumb kid. But to be fair the lyrics sound like they were written by a 16 year old trying to sound badass to his 10 year old little cousins - 2
Vrij heftig. Niet heel medolieus. Hard rock. Ik mis way diepgang. Het wordt overspoeld met elektrische gitaren. Te weinig hevoeligheid
At their best, ZZ Top are quite enjoyable. This is not ZZ Top at their best. The album is still fairly enjoyable though.
Hearing one of these songs is fine. Less so hearing them all in a row. I didn't make it through this.
Idk I just don’t get the ZZ Top thing.
Ah, well, those days... From today's view: mediocre music and bad lyrics.