Reviews (page 4 of 13)
Got a bit samey and there’s some cheesy lyrics, but ZZ have their brand and are faithful to it! Some good riffs in here
It’s the archetype of the ZZ Top sound and I was all-set to dismiss it, but this ended up being a great fun listen.
Turn the volume to 11
ZZ Top always surprises me because I always think of them as this hardcore hardrock/blues rock band that's all about the **rock and roll** persona. This is true to an extent but this album shows that they have some range beyond just the single "Sharp Dressed Man" and other songs like that. It has a really cool sound, which I think definitely matches their persona, but it's much more well-rounded than I would have expected. That said, it's still a rock and roll album and not earth-shattering in any way.
I really surprised myself in my enthusiasm for this album.
Can really hear the moment they enter their old man era during a song about getting indigestion from eating tv dinners
Lots of bangers, a little one note
Kann man die Füße nicht bei still halten. Geil.
I knew a few songs from the album before going into it and thought they all might be a little cheesy but was pleasantly surprised. Would listen again.
Just a bunch of fun, slightly-cheesy rock music, it does lose some steam in the second half but it's overall satisfying to listen to Who doesn't like fun
Varied tracks that retain their signature sound. Favorite tracks: Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin’
A very nice surprise. It's the essence of ZZ Top. But, after the middle, starts to get a little repetitive.
80's soft rock - didn't mind it.
4.3
Solidly 4 stars
Nyt on kovaa kamaa!
Bändi otti sekvensserit käyttöön, soundi heitti kuperkeikkaa ja tällä levyllä toimii. Myöhemmillä menee överiksi
Kova levy! Useampi hitti eksynyt levylle. ⭐️⭐️⭐️⭐️
No nyt oli kyllä klassikko! Tämän voisi jopa ostaa levyhyllyyn.
Feels like rock n roll
Great album, easy to listen to with some great hits.
Fun, if overly commercialized, album. Blues-flavored pop that cannot be played live. I can’t help myself - I like it despite the “Modern Music” aspects.
My love for ZZ Top runs longer than their beards. I may have been a young’un when this album came out, but you can bet I was rocking out to it (while not understanding most of the lyrics, thankfully)! I distinctly remember watching the Legs video on MTV and thinking how cool their fuzzy white guitars were. This album was a nice nip of nostalgia and a reminder of why I love these guys. The rhythms, vocals, and their overall style still holds up for me decades later.
This album is very 80s, although it didn't age as badly as a lot of the synth heavy albums of this era. It's hard to believe that this is the same band that did Tres Hombres. Very different albums, but both good. In fact, I can pretty much copy my Tres Hombres review for this one: the hits are great, excellent even, but the rest just seems a little repetitive and a touch robotic. There is just too much filler to give it a 5.
had a good time listening to this!
You get the feeling like you would drive on the route 66 while listening to this album.
This is my 2nd ever ZZ Top album. The difference between this and Tres Hombres is stark. Not necessarily bad, but very, very different. The sound is now ultra processed, and while the grooves are still there, everything seems more sterile. I think that costs a lot of charm, but on the other hand it makes the album sound a lot younger than 40 years old.
Great hard driving rock and roll. Hard knuckle sound of bass, guitar and drums. Best tracks ..Gimme all your loving .. Sharp dressed man .. Legs
Bra, lätt att lyssna på typ 4/10 låtarna smälte inte ihop till en lång låt
I would put Tres Hombres on my 1001 list before Eliminator but this would be a close second. This album has them embracing drum machines and synth drenched ear candy while keeping their Texas shuffle blues style making for an interesting mix that always feels akin to Van Halen’s 1984 sonically. From top to bottom this is a fun record with some killer guitar work and catchy vocals. Happy to revisit and it’s an easy 4 for me.
I was pretty impressed with this. These guys managed to take blues rock, add some electro/synth feel to some parts, and the. make it danceable. At times there's even some heavy metal/hard rock touch to the guitar tone that sounds similar to Van Halen. The singing is great also. What a unique combination of things coming together on one album.
Compared to Tres Hombres, since it's the other ZZ Top album on this list, they've moved to a more "modern" hard rock sound by making it faster, as opposed to the slower Bluesy stuff, whilst still incorporating some Blues element. I think I prefer it this way. Overall a very good album. That first three album run is sensational. High 4
Snazzy guitars
First half of the album was full of the hits/bangers. Started to drag a bit for the last few songs. Overall enjoyable and fun.
Good
Lekkere stevige rock, catchy
I know this one very well. It's been awhile since i've listened front to back though. Lets GO! Classic blues rock at its finest. No time for more thoughts on this but I really dig this. 4.2/5
Want
Finally, something I recognize! Give Me All Your Lovin' is a song I heard frequently in the radio. It has this very snappy feel to it. Energetic, but classy. First album I would actually want to relisten c:
Eliminator was a trip. There was a significant drop in quality with the songs that got airplay and the songs that didn’t. Non radio songs were straight out of a Texas bar. The radio songs were superstar material.
An experiment that could have so easily gone wrong, combine sleazy Texas bar blues with the New Wave doing of the early 80s. It could have dated quickly or felt like selling out. The bearded boys pulled it off. I think it was the melding of the most complimentary aspects of both together. The tracks that didn't become the massive singles are still solid ZZ Top. Billy Gibbons' guitar blisters through the whole album, mesmerizing and lyrical.
Very interesting album though it sounded too samey at certain points
I really liked the start of this, catchy, on the beat, straight up good old fashioned American rock 4/5
I played the hell out of this in 1984. I think I had the vinyl! Put the needle down and wait for the drums of "Gimme All Your Lovin'" to blast the walls down. Hasn't lost its fastball after... 40 years?! Jesus. Hail the Texas Kings.
Much better than expected. It tailed of a little but started superbly. The 70s spaces and clear melodies are still there which elevated it from other 80s rock
rock cervezaaaa
Loved it in the 80s a little too blues for me now
Probably half of this album is on their greatest hits, that says something, I guess. The album tracks were probably as good as the hits, but at least two of the hits start out exactly the same ("Legs" and "Gimme All Your Lovin'"). That's... weird. "TV Dinners" is a very outdated song, I doubt the next generation (Gen Z) will even know what they are. Hill's songs that he sang were... okay. Probably their best album, it was at least the most familiar. Top tracks: "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Got Me Under Pressure", "Sharp Dressed Man", "Legs", "If I Could Only Flag Her Down"
Love this album, but it has a few more tracks that I don't really remember. Definite 4, thinking about a 5. I can't believe Apple Music put some edited version of Legs on it - complete shite and nothing compared to the classic version everyone knows. Other classics are Gimme All Your Lovin, Got Me Under Pressure, and Sharp Dressed Man. TV Dinners is a single I've never heard of, though it's decent. Other songs that I didn't know before that are even better are I Got the Six, Dirty Dog, and Bad Girl. What saddens me a bit is that this album probably made the list for its combination of blues rock with synth, which in itself can be fine. But the sound was sped up in the studio to the point where these guys can't really play it live, and that sounds fake to me. I Need You Tonight is one song that doesn't sound sped up and more in line with their earlier deeper blues work - but it's not as good as the rest. But the rest of the unknowns that I really enjoyed are clearly studio enhanced. I can't give this album a 5 due to its lack of authenticity (same as I would knock a new album for autotune overuse).
One of my dad's favorite albums. We used to sit and play chess together and he would throw this on
This was fun and easy to listen to also “Sharp Dressed Man” is a classic
I prefer their early stuff but this is the what made them famous and rich. 3.5
Riffs, just loads of mint riffs. 8/10
Good listening.
I knew and loved the hits. But, this is a really fun album all throughout.
ZZ Top has its own signature blues rock sound with the tiniest hint of electronica that blends without confusing its identity.
The hits rock and the tweeners get the job done
Never put together that this was their "blues mixed with 80s electronic" album. Cool that it influenced van halen 1984 and modern bands like the black keys. Too many bops to rate any less
First half of the album is amazing, second half is very generic. Still think the first half can carry this to 4 stars though.
Honestly just great fun! All the tracks were enjoyable and was just a fun time dancing around my room!
Hyvää jytinää! Paras ZZ top tähän mennessä.
Good punky vibes
Bueno
A juggernaut, more sleek and sophisticated than it first appears to be
This album goes so hard! Gimmie All Your Lovin, , Got Me Under Pressure, Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, Dirty Dog. The mix of synth and dirty guitars is my shit!
Solid classic rock album. Almost a greatest hits album.
Tøffe karer som lager tøffe lyder. Innsett at hvis jeg gir 4 stjerner til Bob Marley, kan denne ikke være lavere i det minste. Har nok gitt litt for lave stjerner tidligere ja.. 4,5/5
Probably closer to a 3.75, liked the sound and the energy but felt that the music wasnt very distinctive. got some bangers at the front of the album, but the rest of it didnt really grab me. not bad as a whole though
So many good hits. This album is a vibe overall though, I’ve heard it before and still love it. A lot more bass than I remember, it’s a groove. Enough silliness to be fun. Solid 4, not in the regular rotation but these guys are still amazing.
strange i have always disliked zz top but to listen to a full album in context they hit different. focused more on the guitar and bass, less on the vocals and visuals which are what mostly annoy me i guess. huh. well played generator
85% Best: Gimme All Your Lovin'; Sharp Dressed Man; Legs; If I Could Only Flag Her Down Must-Hear? Sure
Massive guitars, catchy songs, flawless heavy blues playing, and the synths work well with the blues. A true classic and gem from the 80s.
- Gimme All Your Lovin' - Sharp Dressed Man - I Got The Six
Metal guitar gods
Great rock album and some really classic songs on this album.
Albums like these are exceedingly hard for me to rate. On one hand, this is a very fun album to mindlessly listen to. On the other hand, it’s lacking in creativity and is quite dated. Does ZZ Top have anything profound to tell us? No. They like expensive things, cocaine and loose women. Let he who is without sin cast the first stone. I think it’s pretentious to say that an album must have a deeper meaning or substantive message in order for it to be great. I enjoyed listening to this, sue me.
Badass riffs and badass beards. Sometimes you gotta turn your brain off and just enjoy some dumb dad rock.
Obviously a fun album
I remember when this album came out, and a band that had been just sort of an interesting piece of background noise in most people's musical perception became suddenly omnipresent. The hot women in their music videos were a big part of that, I suppose. But the songs themselves are just plain fun to listen to, even forty years later.
Altijd een goeie
classic, kind of trex with a couple of synth romantic songs
I remember when this came out in high school, I loved it. Still holds up, not a fan of the synthesizers but sharp dressed man, give me all your lovin, I got the six all good
Dad rock done really. It sounds good and definitely rocks, but still Dad rock.
Great album. You hear the blues influences.
I can’t lie, I was kinda shocked by this one. I recognized the hits but didn’t expect to like anything else. These dudes rock though.
My first foray into ZZ Top! They've always been one of those bands I've perpetually meant to get around to someday, so I'm ready to do this. Eliminator has a nice, almost slow at times, smooth classic rock feel. All the things you'd expect, you get. All the guitar parts and solos were really good. Lyrically, nothing to write home about. Good 80s vibe. Some slap bass! Standouts were "Gimme All Your Lovin'" "I Need You Tonight" and "Legs" This was a fun listen. Musically it's great, but a little samey by the end. A solid 4 stars for me!
4/5 pop-like rock. Fun and catchy
Just fun rock music. A little silly and dated, but a good listen.
How can you not love an album containing Give Me All Your Loving, Legs, and Sharp Dressed Man? The rest are good too, if a little samey. You know what you're getting with ZZ Top
- ziemlich geiles, energiegeladenes Album - kannte vorher bewusst nur "Sharp Dressed Man", was sowieso ein Banger ist, aber die ganze Platte ist ziemlich geil, kann ich nicht leugnen
Wish I could give 3.5 stars. Since I can't, I guess I'll give it 4.
Never really cared for ZZ Top, but the older I get, the more I wanna put on some jorts, a cut off, mow my lawn, and drink an ice cold sixer in my garage! It ain't poetry, but that guitar gets me going.
I enjoyed this album - even more than I expected to. Nice collection of well known and lesser known numbers. Almost a 5*, but not a "classic" in my mind.
While ZZ Top can sometimes be ponderous and undifferentiated, this is a good album with lots of hits to enjoy, and a good sampling of the genre that ZZ Top is a leader in.
Good stuff.
7/10 Slightly generous, maybe, but it is solid, chunky rock.
pretty good actually
Fire mostly classics but some good tracks I hadn’t heard before
Fantastic midlife crisis soundtrack. Some absolute bangers rubbing shoulders with some leery creepy ballads. Dirty old bastards. Love it.
82/100. A solid hard rock/southern rock album. The first half is packed with iconic tracks and unforgettable riffs, some of my favorites from my childhood. While the latter part doesn’t quite maintain the same momentum.
Groovy rock, erg lekkah
RCS
3.6 - some good solid rock songs, but actually felt a little bit underwhelming. Maybe its who I place them against now.
Just a solid 80's rock album. TV dinners was a little odd.
I've never listened to ZZ Top before and only know them because the one guy was on Bones and they had the theme song on Duck Dynasty. Pretty cool album, I liked the Blues inspiration, and the TV Dinner song was hilarious. Pretty easy 4/5 for me
"Sharp Dressed Man" used to be my pre-date psych up song. Still a 5/5 banger. But I never listened to the rest of the album. And now that I have, it's pretty good. Good guitar work, unique-ish vocals. Good stuff. 3.5 rounding up.
Bon rock un peu hard, fait penser au Ronin de Sturgill Simpsons par moment
4.0 - Very Good
Good album, rather ridiculous
I loved this record. I used to draw this album cover. Let’s try it in 2025! So far charmingly misogynistic in an 80s beer commercial way.Is Thug the Sienfield theme?
This was a enjoyable listen, and I knew many of these songs quite well before today. The ones I didn't already know were full of the same wonderful ZZ Top flavor and I hummed along and enjoyed the music. Four stars.
I love me some ZZ Top. Their sound and vibe just do it for me. Those guitar solos are always a treat.
Pretty solid 80s butt rock with some big hits that pump it up a notch. This is what they play when the detective in an action movie walk into a strip club to get some intel. It's fun.
Rock on!
Så mycket bättre sånginsatser än jag mindes det som. Riktigt medryckande gitarr-riff. Fyra (på gränsen till femma)
Classic album
classic band. has to be one of the best of its gender 4/5
Good stuff, easy listening even with all the electric guitar
Absolute banger, this is the type of stuff I grew up on. Energy and motion in each song
Surprise hit for me. I thought all the songs would sound the same but it was surprisingly dynamic.
If you're going to do hard rock, this is how it's done.
i love zz top! makes me feel cool listening to it. summer music. late to work with sunglasses on. blowin down the road. a hauw hauw hauw .
80s glitzer up version of real ZZtop
Favorite Track: Gimme All Your Lovin
Great guitar work and sounds exactly like ZZ Top. Not mind-blowing but solid
This is the type of blues rock I can get behind. Not the deep blues stuff Rolling Stones do (not that there's anything wrong with it, just isn't my thing), but blues rock that's primarily rock. Classics all around on this album. Consistent throughout in sound (although a bit to a fault). Feel like Gibbons heard Duran Duran's album Rio and decided ZZ Top needed to keep up, but just in a blues rock way instead of moving to New Wave. Some questionable lyrics and one dud of a song (I'm looking at you TV Dinners), but overall a very enjoyable record.
Classic
Solid album from top to bottom. A rare album with no duds.
ZZ Top rocks! This album was a huge part of my early MTV music video memories. I Need You Tonight is definitely my favorite track - so sexy and soulful. I’m really looking forward to more ZZ Top on this journey. While their overall sound is recognizable and similar throughout the years, I’m looking forward to hearing the subtle differences between the various ZZ eras. And one more thing… God Bless Billy Gibbons. What a legend!!!
Better than I’d remembered. Maybe I’m getting old.
Solid album. No complaints. They rocked the hell out.
Good ol' bluesy rock n’ roll
the biggest selling album from that “little ol’ band from texas” and it’s easy to see why. all the things you would expect from a zz top album, crunchy guitars, a driving rhythm section and that unmistakable bluesy swagger. great album.
Fun album.
Well produced, wel made, and pleasing. Not necessarily my style but a good listen nonetheless.
Pretty good but felt a bit repetitive at times and maybe needed one or two songs that were deeper or less hype. All the guitar, drums, and vocals were good though. Great rock album
had a small road trip for this album saturday which absolutely influenced my rating here but hair band rock is epic and this is no exception
Really enjoyed this album. Although Billy Gibbons’ guitar playing sounds simple and straightforward, it’s crazy how tight it is. His riffs are also are legendary and his tone is so unique. This is what makes ZZ Top stand out from the rest. ZZ Top does a great job of blending genres in this album. I once listened to an interview about how they focused on bridging the gap between the redneck and hippie cultures. I thought that this was an interesting and accurate take. I previously didn’t recognize the use of synths on this album, but I appreciated the subtlety and thought it fit appropriately. I’m unfortunately missing them in concert next week due to travel, but I definitely think this album deserves to be on the 1001 albums list. The one unfavorable quality of this album is that I think there is a slight lack of diversity. The album feels like a collection of similar songs as opposed to a 45 minute journey. 4/5
Lots of hits I already knew, really enjoyed the songs I hadn't heard, solid all the way thru. Boogie rock at its best.
It's pretty cheesy but it's also incredibly easy to rock to. So many classic hits and more deep cuts, which are hit or miss, but albeit fun. So much guitar and great tunes, does it even matter how 'technically' good it is?
This was a lot more fun than I was expecting! I wrongly assumed ZZ Top was a strict hard rock band, but this was more like party hard rock. I enjoyed it!
Great album, several hits. Album keeps moving, can feel a little repetitive at times.
it's hard to resist when something is so swaggy. great guitars i activated the edit function to change this from a 3 to a 4 half a year later
Other than the MTV songs didn’t know this album very well but it thought it was a pretty good mix of bluesy rock. Forgot about TV Dinners. Good video for that one too.
Hilarious that they took a break in the late 70s, discovered synth in Europe and then dropped this beautiful album. Wanted to give it 5 but back half a tad weak
I might have overlooked how good ZZ Top’s discography is.
This is when they hit the big time. I still Ike’s the first few albums better but this was pretty good
Such a great and fun album. I love it. It's got some eh moments, but nothing "bad." Saw them live and they translate to a stage too. Such a fun performance and this album has a ton of those hits. I also LOVE how Hannah refers to "Sharp Dressed Man" as the "Duck Dynasty Theme Song" which it IS lol. The first 3 songs of this album go SO HARD and "Legs" is top tier. Liked Songs: "Gimme All Your Lovin' " , "Got Me Under Pressure" , "Sharp Dressed Man" , "I Got the Six" , "Legs" , "Dirty Dog" , "Bad Girl"
always it’s just a cool, solid listen with these guys
Fun, though not particularly meaningful. Not that absent-minded and fun is a bad thing...
Banger after banger! Top tunes all the way through!
Really fun album with some heavy hitters and a lot of variety. A little bit filler at the end brings it down to a 4/5
80s classic, great tunes, innovative mix of blues and synth grooves
Enjoyable.
That guitar is so quintessential to ZZ Top! It's a thing of beauty. I just love the driving beat with the hard rock and blues genres. Billy Gibbons rightfully deserves credit for every single guitar riff and solo. There's no other band that does it like ZZ Top. Of course I already knew the singles off Eliminator, and I did find myself interested in the non-singles, too. But a thought kept popping up: Eliminator is very one note! All of these songs, which are undeniably great, are so similar--too similar. But because ZZ Top sounds so unique, the album doesn't sound too tired. Well, except of course a song, inexplicably, about tv dinners. I kid--they somehow made a song about tv dinners sound good.
Man, ZZ Top's formula was just unique and worked so well for them. They make everything they do sound good. What I didn't really know going into this is that this album marked kind of a "redefining" moment for the band where they introduced more 80s sounds into their mix, pushing them beyond the very bluesy sound of the 70s that they were known for. It clearly worked well for them, because so many of their hits are found here on this album. Honestly, I don't really have many notes other than that. ZZ Top does their thing, and they do it well. Probably a 3.5 for me, and I'll round up.
On the one hand, I wouldn't say this album is groundbreaking... vs. Tres Hombres or other early ZZ Top. On the other hand, the singles from this record are all great, and it was impossible to escape the barrage of videos when this album came out. Considering most people had never heard or seen of these guys before this record, and the visual and musical styles worked so well together, it's fairly unique... especially considering that pop music at the time was either new wave, dance oriented, or heavy metal, for the most part.
I thought this one was pretty good, and caters to my personal tastes. Although a lot of the songs are very similar, this is just good old rock and roll, and very enjoyable. It’s funny, but Legs, which was probably the bands most popular song, is one of my least favorites. It’s not that I dislike it, I just like other songs a lot better, particularly Gimme all your Lovin’ and Sharp Dressed Man. I give this album 4 stars.
I’m a sucker for cock-rock. So when some Southern Boys™️ ditch the blues and extend their range, get a lot harder, and get right in my face while they tell how a hot little lady can turn them into a big ol’ horn dog, I fall to my knees and sing my praises. Hell, I’ll even tolerate them when they take a break to sing about TV dinners, for some weird fucking reason. (Of course, all puns are intended.)
Catch rock
Well, it's finally time for me to talk about the last band on the alphabet of bands on the 1001 albums list. That, of course, is ZZ Top. What other bands start with the last letter of the alphabet twice? I'm not sure there are many out there, and I highly doubt any of them are as good as ZZ Top. This album's good! I'll start with the one complaint that I have here. The album's kind of repetitive in the lyrical front and said lyrics haven't aged the best for some songs. This is a fairly standard hard rock affair as far as the songs. ZZ Top likes singing about cars and women. But hey, at least the women they're singing about aren't underage (I think)! Some of the songs didn't age the best (specifically the last 3). However, while the album ends on some of its weaker notes, it comes out swinging with some of its best. In particular, the opener "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and the third song, "Sharp Dressed Man" are absolute bangers. Those songs are amazing. I especially love the riff on the latter. Billy Gibbons is a pretty solid vocalist. Dusty Hill is not only a pretty good bassist, but he's also canonically Hank Hill's cousin. That's funny. Frank Beard's drumming is good too. Overall, while Eliminator has flaws, I find this to be a mostly enjoyable album with a great style to it. Also the band has some legendary beards. Light 4/5.
I was all ready to slate this before I listened, but I found myself quite enjoying it in parts. The lyrics are totally inane and the slower tracks wear on my patience at times, but songs like Gimmie All Your Lovin, Legs and Sharp Dressed man were good fun. I wouldn't listen to ZZ Top often, but this daddest of dad rock was alright.
I do think they defined their sound and crafted this album brilliantly
It's classic rock, with some very nice guitar lines and riffs. His voice is very rounded and speaks well to the surrounding sound. Good stuff.
Pretty cool
I have a soft spot for these guys- they toiled for many years and finally hit the big time. Very cheesy 80's rock but I love it.
Very sexy and heavy sounding. This is probably the first blues-style album to feature synthesizers and drum machines.
Precisely what's on the label.
I've not "listened" to ZZ Top before. But I've heard them. A bunch of familiar tracks. Really enjoyed it.
Great album
Great electric guitar sound. Some amusing lyrics. Classic rock that had my foot moving almost the entire time and constantly wanting to break into air guitar, wether I was zoned out on vocals or not
Eindelijk een vrolijk album wat niet depressief is! Het is niet helemaal mijn smaak maar ik kan er wel lekker op rocken! Rock on!
Some dad's favorite classics on this one. And I am becoming one of this dad, lol
Part of the soundtrack to the early 1980s, contains four hit singles: "Gimme All Your Lovin'", ,"Sharp Dressed Man", "TV Dinners", and "Legs". I still prefer the old, perhaps less commercial, ZZ Top style, but what's not to like.
Fun and rocking
At the opening song, I thought to myself “was ZZ Top going for that sweet sweet MTV spot??” Then by the second song, specifically when that little electric guitar lick came in at the end of the chorus, I thought “damn were they secretly good at it too?” It kept going too! Everybody knows “Sharp Dressed Man” but my highlight of the record for me is the song after, “I Need You Tonight.” A really cool night crawler style track. I have a problem with how horribly legs is sung, but somehow ZZ Top is saved with their general scuzzy aesthetic not setting the bar too high in the first place. As is the case with all pop-leaning records, it tapers off in the second half in a noticeable way. This is briefly saved by a whole song giving tribute to TV Dinners. But then we are right back to the objectifying women and attempting to make more arena rock hits. I’m a bit torn on what to give this. Ive gotta remember what this album was trying to achieve - I must remind myself that this band made a huge sonic transition for this record. But I don’t think they totally sold out, their ethos and lyrics kinda stayed the same. For marrying their dusty, oily hearts to the new-school sound of the 80’s in a successful fashion, I give this a light 4 outta 5 stars
My first zz top album. Very enjoyable
Manly rock for men about manly things. Rock and roll with chest hair but no depth. So fun.
Solid album from ZZ Top at the peak of their powers. I've always liked this album, it just falls shy of being an album I love.
I've tried listening to this album all the way through and i can't. Well I did this time and it was a bit easier to listen to this time around kok
Great progression into a more 80's sound while retaining the ZZ Top sound although Billy didn't credit Linden Hudson for cowriting most of the album.
Full of bangers and it's suprisingly a solid record end to end. Time has shown ZZ Top have quite a unique sound and it holds up even after all these years. The singles themselves though were so much fun to revisit.
Very nice, very rock n roll
Fun
I listened to this a lot, back in my youth.
May have heard Gimme All Your Lovin' before? I like the guitar and driving sound, also like the chant-like nature of the chorus. Got Me Under Pressure reminds me of something (intro guitar, truck commercial?). Also like the general drive of Sharp Dressed Man. Slower tempo I Need You Tonight, kinda boring and whiny? I like the vocals on I Got the Six but maybe it's cause I'm working out and i don't want to hear myself breathing. Legs has some 16th note thing which is fun, vocals and lyrics are meh. Pretty sure Thug is about car sex; empty space is different fromnother songs, but it maintains tempo (what is that guitar??). TV Dinners - serious or innuendo I'm missing?, not a huge fan of slower tempo, moan(?)iness of the vocals. Dirty Dog guitar is similar to earlier tracks, like bass, questionable lyrics?. Like syncopation guitar/drum of If I Could Flag Her Down, (Elvis vibes?) Bad Girl has an interesting guitar (8th notes) coming in on off beat, fun guitar solo(ish) moment, definitely prefer more uptempo songs.
Very fun album.
Super energetic and packs a punch. That guitar is so satisfying to the ears. Highlights: Sharp Dressed Man TV Dinners If I Could Only Flag Her Down
Very popular sounds.
It kind of feels like they write songs based off of what they are currently doing or seeing, which is kind of funny, but overall really good Best Song: I Need You Tonight Rating: 7.5/10 4 Stars
Not enough blues in this list
Finally something good :) Probably one of the best ZZ Top songs on this album "Gimme All Your Lovin´ " and on of the best rock songs of all time. Sharp dressed man also a good one. Just a typical ZZ Top record. 4 stars
Типо ты крутой байкер или там на роадстаре едешь куда-то или в баре играет.
Pretty good.
Good album that hit at the right time. This album made me more aware of the rest of ZZ’s catalog. 3 guys who mad good music with simple to the point lyrics.
Pretty good. Love ZZ Top
Really good album, songs that I've not heard that I definitely want to listen to again. Only listened to a couple before and didn't quite realise where all the lyrics were going.
7/10
Wonderful 80s rock from some absolute legends
listened to it on my run this morning, of course I knew almost all the songs
This sounds vastly different from the idea I had in my mind. It was a lot more fun that what I expected.
really liked it favorite track: legs
Yeeeeeah!
Previously rated: Tres Hombres (5/5) ********************** Iconic album. Three HUGE radio hits still played today. I have big nostalgia for those music videos too. Looking beyond that, Got Me Under Pressure is a really good one that should have been released as a single over TV Dinners (what were they thinking?) The other tracks are...OK. I wish there was a version of this album with real drums over the drum machine, which I think gives it a cohesive sound, but still a net negative overall. Best track: Sharp Dressed Man
Nostalgic goodness
01) Gimme All Your Lovin' - 10,0 02) Got Me Under Pressure - 9,0 03) Sharp Dressed Man - 10,0 04) I Need You Tonight - 9,0 05) I Got the Six - 8,5 06) Legs - 10,0 07) Thug - 8,5 08) TV Dinners - 8,5 09) Dirty Dog - 8,0 10) If I Could Only Flag Her Down - 8,0 11) Bad Girl - 8,0 TOTAL: 8,86 (89/100) Current ranking: 48/392
First things first: I love ZZ Top's sound: It's the perfect mix of heavy but not too heavy. The guitars are distorted but not too much. The drums have this really persistent driving rhythm. I don't *love* the vocals but they work. Even on this saturated album dripping with 1980s production I think the overall sound is great. Now to the songs themselves: The hits, all at the top of the album, are great. But after that though there is a bit of chaff. I perhaps could compare this a bit unfavourably to Back in Black which came out three years earlier, has a similar vibe and is full of back-to-back bangers. However, in spite of a bit of a lack of songwriting this album keeps going for me. It's great music to work to; a great sound, driving beat, but none of it interesting enough to make me stop and listen carefully. Best songs: Sharp dressed man Gimme all your lovin' Legs Worst songs: TV dinners (what is that about) I got the six (such a filler track)
Typical ZZ Top-an entire album about women, sex, legs, and cars. I thoroughly enjoyed nearly every song. Favorite Song: "Legs"
Love these guys! Just a threesome of hard rock beasts. Classic Americana. Aging and dying now, but still pounding the road and putting it down. Good Bless ZZ Top.
Not their best, but the intent of this album was mixing it with more modern (at that time) compositions and sounds. For that, it was extremely successful. A fun to listen album, with a pleasant mix.
Good, clean 80s rock. Fun. Their most successful album. Really driving beat. Sounds like an excellent night out. Really tight songs. A good time.
“Legs”? More like beards. Amirite?
Albums like a hit parade of these good but forgettable rocky songs
Every track is basically the same, but they're all great
A good attempt at updating their 70’s Southern Boogie sound for the 80’s, and fun to listen to, but I can’t think of anything else that sounds like this. People may have enjoyed it, I enjoyed it, but not enough to try to emulate it and I think there’s a significance in that. Maybe the first attempt at Boogie New Wave worked so well that nobody felt the need to try it again? Also, is there any innuendo in TV Dinners at all? It feels like there should be, but it seems to be played completely straight. I get that the joke is that TV Dinners are bad, but is there anything deeper than that? I need to know. Why would you write a song about pre-packaged meals?
4/5 very good nice music
Gutes Hardrock Album mit viel Riffs und passenden Songs mit dem Highlight „Sharp Dressed Man“. Passt.
Fun 80s rock
Got that 80s rock sound I love and is surprisingly versatile if you pay attention
Cool, fun and predictably horny. Enjoyed the album, will definitely listen again. Recognised some of the music and was good to put a face (or beard) to it. Album covers a wide range of subject matter, from shagging, banging, 69ing and screwing, to TV dinners... which incidentally felt more like a 'Who's line is it anyway' style challenge, than a real rock song. I can only assume this was put on the album to check people were still paying attention, like when Matt Damon and Ben Affleck added a raunchy gay sex scene in the middle of the Good Will Hunting script, again to check the producers were reading it properly. 4 out of 5. If they'd have made a song about takeaway pizza and scissoring it probably would have been perfect.
Zed Zed Top both know how to and thoroughly enjoy rocking out. You can tell that some of the music is almost effortless for them. They find their groove repeatedly throughout the album and Sharp Dressed Man never gets skipped on my playlists. Southern Blues rock is hit or miss for me generally but they do it very well. Their style is iconic and idk who else was singing about 69ing in the 80’s but these dudes just ooze swag. The popping funk bass in Thug? They could’ve just stuck with their classic style but no, funk breakdown mid album. They can’t be stopped. I love some variety in skill and expression and they’re having fun with it the entire time. Like who tf writes a song about TV dinners but doesn’t phone it in. It’s a filler song clearly but it’s still groovy as hell. It’s a very strong 4 or a slightly hesitant 5. No flaws but I have other albums I would still put above it. Fun fact apparently my uncle who lives in Houston was their accountant in some capacity back in the day. I think they played his wedding lol but I could be mistaken it’s been forever since I heard the story. He’s got some connection though.
When I listened to Tres Hombres, I admit I felt a bit let down. But this sound is the sound that I was looking for. Just a bunch of dudes who can absolutely rip it and are singing about ladies. That’s rock n roll, man. Stellar album. Super enjoyed it and a very easy listen.
It’s so hard to place them in a genre for me. Like they technically aren’t pop rock just because of how many electric guitars they use but their melodies and compositions really do have a catchy (if not formulaic) sound. Which isn’t a bad thing. Definitely enjoyed myself and I think I liked it better than the last one so I’ll give it a four.
The first half of this album rocks! I knew I liked "Gimme All Your Lovin" and "Sharp Dressed Man", but I didn't realize that I knew "Legs" as well. Those first 6 songs are really solid. After "Legs" the album falls off pretty hard though. Definitely can't be a 5 star with the back half of the album, but I'll gladly give it a 4.
Clearly rips. Each lick seems designed to buzz out of a stadium sound system. But there’s something presentational about them - like they’re a Chuck E. Cheese version of themselves. I wanna hear play a smaller sound. Can they still hit the blues then?
This album is pretty great from start to finish. Just a hit parade of corny MTV videos back in the early 80s. My favorite licks on here are "Got Me Under Pressure." Every time I hear ZZ Top, I always wonder why they were in "Back to the Future III" ... or, for that matter, why they made "Back to the Future III" in the first place. What a time to be alive.
I always found ZZ Top quite funny, but I never took a closer look at them. I wasn't particularly interested in their music back then. I did listen to some of the songs on the album when they were released. But they weren't among the songs I listened to regularly, and it wasn't until later that I took a closer look at ZZ Top. I now like their music and have even been to a live concert by the old geezers. And so I actually listened to the whole album. It may be a little simple, but it's fun. 4/5
Although not as raw and powerful as Tres Hombres and Tejas that were more blues roots. I still enjoy this album as it was on heavy rotation all 4-5 singles when mtv was starting out and I saw those videos a billion times and are an essential part of my childhood. Maybe more poposh and less complicated music but when the 2 same drum beats work why change it.
what happens when you take the experimental synth ventures of the 1980s and fuse it with the cool and classic rock music that's been present since at LEAST the early 70s? this badass and pleasure-seeking album could only come from the united states. texas if we're being a bit more specific. get in the truck or bike, chug some beer, watch some football. this album is the definition of "heeeeeeeellllll yeah brother".
TV dinners have my skin turning red - tell the boy she had milk. The hives are coming! The hives are coming! Wasn’t expecting the power rock at all!
I actually got this album a long time ago from this project (pre-group-enrollment), and while it's not my first (or 2nd or even 25th) choice for an album to listen to again within a year, I'm kind of glad I get a chance to actually review it (I only left a star rating, and an unfair 2 stars at that). For one, I'm a bit shocked this was already their 8th studio album by 1983, and even more shocked that they were only halfway through their studio album output. I'm also impressed at how many of the songs from this album stayed on the radio for a long time afterwards. And while they've never been on my list of great bands, this album is a pretty good example of how well they pivoted in the 80s to create a sound and shtick that kept them popular album after album for decades afterwards. The videos for their singles are all hilariously dated in so many ways, but with the exception of "TV dinners" they also have an impressive continuity between them (I now discover that the three videos were all produced by Tim Newman and have many of the same actors) and capture the very odd contrast of sounds and styles of the trio, and especially these days it's striking how apolitical they managed to be, especially since I'd guess they were more southern-fried than SoCal lefties. I'm pretty sure I'd never heard most of the other (non-single) tracks on the album, but some of them were pretty interesting; "I need you tonight" sounds a lot like an Eagles song, although there are bits of the distinctive ZZ Top sound interspersed in it, and "Thug" has an interesting bass-line and beat to it (not too many lyrics, though). It looks like we'll also get their album "Tres Hombres", and while I'm not sure we really need *two* ZZ Top albums in this collection (even if the earlier one likely has much more of their boogie blues roots), this one definitely captures the 80s ZZ Top sound surprisingly well. (And I love it that Mark Knopfler tried (pretty successfully) to reproduce Billy Gibbons' trademark guitar sound on Dire Straits' "Money for Nothing" (and pretty successfully), but Gibbons never replied or helped him out, but acknowledged later that Knopfler more or less nailed it.)
SOLID DAD ROCK ALBUM!
Great classic rock album
De Ramones van de dad rock (aka alles klinkt wel een beetje hetzelfde). Maar ze komen er (net als de Ramones) mee weg. Heb wel wat medelijden met de bassist, want miljaarde, wat een saaie basslines. 3.6
Idk how I feel about this album its a little samey maybe, but overall still enjoyable. Standout tracks: Gimme All Your Lovin', Got Me Under Pressure, Sharp Dressed Man
A bit silly but great guitar riffs and an overall fun album. I enjoyed this more than the previous ZZ Top album I've had on the generator (Tres Hombres). Cracking singles, particularly Sharp Dressed Man and Gimme All Your Lovin. If I have any criticism it's that it's all a little samey and the fillers are just slightly inferior versions of the hits.
8/10
4/5
This is a blast from my past. Prefer some of their less 80's sound - but good songs are good songs and they do use that production to make it shine
I need to eliminate my biases because this album was a banger and I didn’t think it would be.
Could have reviewed this blind, having listened to the LP a hundred times. Great MOTR rock, not really dated since it came out in the 80s.
Enjoyable album, familiar sound and easy listening. Would listen again.
Great album of Hard rock blues. Standouts Tracks: Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin
Fuck, I don't know what to say. It's a ZZ Top album, perhaps their best. You get exactly what you expect from a ZZ Top album, and if that's your jam then you are probably having a great time with this one 4/5
4/5. Much better than I was expecting. Just blues and pop rock mostly but the production is sleek and clean, with bass right up in the front. The drum machine is a choice that does feel a little disingenuous considering their aesthetic but after listening and realizing what they are going for, it works very well. It's just as hard to make a catchy, accessible song and they made several of them from this album. It's not perfect and some songs do not hold up or stay interesting. Though for what this is, it's still really good. Best Song: Sharp Dressed Man, Gimme All Your Lovin', Legs
The music was good, the lyrics were bad. 4/5
Half of the album sounded like the same song, although that song is pretty good so I'm not complaining. First 4 songs are fire, album drops a touch after that but it's still pretty good. Also Jake is NOT Johan Liebert.
Nice one
It is an iconic eighties album and the backing videos were great for a guy in his late teens. It is not my favorite ZZ Top album, preferring the older more blues-driven songs from their seventies output. Excellent musicianship. Billy Gibbons is still a fantastic blues guitarist and the rhythm section backs him up beautifully. RIP Dusty Hill.
- It is possible I am being too nice with this, because very little wow'ed me here. ZZ Top feel like rock journeymen. Very competent. Very successful. Nothing that makes them sound like authors. - I am impressed by their ability to get under your skin without relying on the fastest of tempos. These songs make you want to party, but they do not exhaust you. - But some of these tracks, namely the singles, are very powerful. Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man, and Legs are all bangers. TV Dinners is pretty dumb (and dated).
So many bops here
Great 80’s rock
Great sound
Much like the previous album I hated these guys growing up. Their constant airplay and cheese beards irked me. But much like the last album of theirs on this list I quote enjoyed it. Some songs have been played to death on the radio, but that's not their fault for making great songs
I'm well familiar with ZZ Top as southern blues-rock legends, and this album Eliminator includes some of their biggest hits - "Gimme All Your Lovin'", "Got Me Under Pressure", "Sharp Dressed Man", and "Legs". The first half of this record sandwiched by those tracks is a solid collection of bonafide rockers that keep a good generally fast tempo with delicious guitar riffs from Billy Gibbons. Even "Thug" mixes it up with a slower tempo complemented by a slapping bass solo from Busty Hill. But then comes "TV Dinners", a novelty song where the double entendres with microwavable meals are clunky at best. By the end of that track, the momentum is lost, as the rest of the second half devolves into more overt sexual lyrics that end up even dumber by comparison. The only track in this batch I'm partial to is "Dirty Dog" as it tries to get the tempo going again and the guitar riffs again come in clutch. There is another problem with this album that becomes more noticeable in the back half - the drum machines. This was a calculated approach by Gibbons, as he was informed by pre-production engineer and co-writer Linden Hudson that many hit songs at the time had a tempo of about 124 beats per minute. Thus, the decision was made to use drum machines to keep at this new pace. While it does mean the songwriting is improved as the group focused more on timing, that left Frank Beard in an awkward spot as the band's drummer who is not actually drumming on this album. Personally, I prefer live drums in hard rock music, especially regarding ZZ Top's previous material. I still generally enjoy Eliminator as an album. It's a fun guitar-driven romp that's only dated by some production and lyrical choices. Make of that as you will.
Cool music, cringy lyrics. I didn't like this as much as Tres Hombres but it's still quite a fun listen
This is what I expect from a ZZTop album.
As a child of MTV, this is straight dopamine to my brain triggering massive nostalgia. ZZ Top has always stayed true to their Texas blues roots and sound even when they went video to kill the radio star. This is a very specific sound and not one I usually go for but is a nice change of pace.
Some good cheese and sleaze. You essentially hear the same 3 or 4 songs over and over but they're done well even if everything feels dominated by Gibbons.
Epic guitar riffs and solos. Average, but very distinct vocals. Much more into the music than the lyrics. Found a few songs that I'd like to listen to again.
Probably the Beard Boys bext album. Certainly their poppiest, if that's a word.
Previously semi-aware of the hits and the beards of the band, this album has turned me into a fan of ZZ Top full stop. The guitars rip and the beat drives. Roadster funk vibes. I'll be adding some ZZ to every American road trip playlist from here on out.
Yoooooooo, Zz top leip Mannen met baarden
Anything from ZZ Top is fun
Very bluesy, undoubtedly manly and solid album. Great tones and licks.
Metronome bushy rock
I don’t know anyone who dislikes ZZ Top. They kind of stand apart from the rest of the music world as their own thing. But that said it’s not exactly Led Zeppelin either. But it’s good, solid reliable rock a rock and Eliminator is ZZ Top at its pinnacle.
....
Honestly this is pretty awesome. Everything so tight and well paced, the guitars sound amazing and so dark. I got a little bit bored towards the end of the record but I really really enjoyed it. 4/4.5
solid album with a great energy, i took a few tracks off this album i can’t complain
Much more my style. Didnt realize how many zz top songs I unknowingly liked. Good album, would listen again
We all have beards!!
I've always been aware of this band, but have never sat down and listened to any of their songs. And I have to say I was pleasantly surprised. This fun 80s rock album with sick guitars, good energy, and interesting themes. Solid album.
Fun stuff. Awesome cover.
Rockklassiker.
Surprised for sure, only knew Sharp Dressed Man, amazing guitar licks and very down to earth lyrics, did not enjoy last track
Okay so it's pretty good. Tres hombres is better. People hate them because they became popular but isn't that the goal?
Gut
Classic 80s rock. For the right mood, it's great.
Some really great guitar riffs here and also some really great songs!
Knew the singles but was pretty enjoyable to listen to them in the context of the album, exactly what I expected but easy to see why they have legendary status
Sleazy southern rock. The boys try their best at dipping their beards into some pop/rock to help them continue to have the spare time to cultivate their follicals. Some rightly classic tunes on here, though they struggle to keep it going for a whole album: Best Tracks: Gimme Some Lovin'; Sharp Dressed Man; If I Could Only Flag Her Down
dit zou 5 sterren moeten zijn, maar ik mis een beetje de rauwheid van de vroegere albums.. te eighties gelikt, dus sterretje minder
Knetterfout. Misschien ook omdat ik dit album niet kan horen zonder te denken aan het klassieke youtubefilmpje 'This drummer is at the wrong gig'. Dit is ook echt van die semi-stoere rockmuziek die nog wel acceptabel is op familiefeestjes, waarbij de ooms dan heel even naar elkaar kijken en elkaar een tevreden knikje geven. Een solide album, waarbij de twee grootste hits wel voor het grootste plezier moeten zorgen. De gitaren en ook de bas klinken lekker, de drums zijn zeer acceptabel voor een 80's album, hele tassen vol met solo's die tot de nok gevuld zijn met boomer-bends. Veel meer heb ik niet nodig om een voldoende uit te delen. Hoge drie of lage vier.
GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN aso bis etz nuuuur banger sharo dressed maaaan i need you tonight afoch e langs gitarresolo
mega geile ahfang aber iwenn chli seicht, drum machine giht dumm und gitarresoli hard und megaaaa horny
Overall just a great cohesive album of his and blues rock. Really enjoyable
Not as good as earlier ZZ Top
💖 sharp dressed man 🗣️ 8️⃣
riff heavy blues rock
Beard guys rule
This is the re-invented, commercial version of ZZ Top. That is not a criticism, just a fact of life. And if it weren't for this album I would probably never heard Tres Hombres. Having said that this is the first time I've heard this album. I was obviously aware of the released tracks from it, and they're all high quality, as are the the others. Basically it's a great album, just not quite as good as TH. All in all a solid 4, and yes I would buy it.
Did you know that ZZ Top's sound on this album was actually kind of controversial? Yeah, Dusty Hill, the bassist, compared it to the "Electric Dylan" controversy. I mean, ZZ Top, to that point, were best known for playing blues and boogie—the kind you'd hear in southern Texas, not too far from the Mexican border. So this comes along, and... What's that? Synthesizers? Drum machines? **New wave influence**? I gotta imagine their audience weren't happy with this contemporary, more-commercial sound. All these years removed, however, spinning it here in 2024... I'unno. Maybe it's not "La Grange", but it still sounds to me like ZZ Top. And that's all I could really ask from a ZZ Top album. Sure, the songs all sound like each other, but take it from a fan of AC/DC and Motörhead: that ain't a bad thing for some people. If the sound's good, distinctly theirs and they do it really well, who cares if they keep repeating it? So, y'know, I'm pretty good to give it a 4 all around. It's not a magnum opus masterpiece—gimme TRES HOMBRE if you want that—but as an early 80's rock record, it ain't one where you can go wrong.
Simple rock tunes but done very well by the musical trio. Easy 4.
I’m at a 3.5 that I’ll bump up to a 4. This is a good album, with one big issue for my sensibilities: the solos just go really fucking long, man. I wouldn’t mind it if it were one solo every now and then, but it feels like every single fucking song has to have at least a 90 second solo (or what feels like even longer) in a way that creates such a gap between verses that it just starts to feel like empty noise after a bit. That’s not to say the solos are bad; a good number of them have excellent guitar work and percussion, and they’re captivating in their own way, but if I were listening to this album in a car, I feel like those solos would just drag the fuck on in a bad way. With all of that said, though, what’s here is really strong 80s rock. Yes, it’s a bit formulaic, and that formulaic nature is what stops this from ever getting close to a 5 in my ears, but the formula works really well at an individual level. As an album experience, though, it just becomes too noticeable, much like the extended solos do. There’s great energy on all of these tracks, and I enjoyed every single one of them, but I kind of found myself in a holding pattern after the melodies wore off with each new track. I could keep nitpicking at this, but I’ll just get to it: it’s a solid album with noticeable problems (for my tastes) that manages to drag a lot of great 80s rock standards out while occasionally dragging along and sounding like a drag. However, the good outweighs the bad enough for me to bump this up to a 4; it’s still a pretty enjoyable album and a hell of a way to practice your air guitar, at least.
ZZ Top has a swagger to them that's just so damn cool. Billy's guitar playing is supreme and the rhythm section carries the vibe. This isn't their best work, but it's still great.
Pretty much all bangers.
I think ZZ Top's image - the big beards and hot rods - kind of leaves an impression that they're a bit of a joke. But, really, they're just fun. Thoroughly enjoyable blues rock album.
I always mix up the riffs for Gimme All Your Lovin' and Sharp Dressed Man. This album has a lot of their big hits, wow.
Crunchy guitars - good stuff. Besides the classics really enjoyed I Need You Tonight & TV Dinners.