Eliminator

Not my favourite thing over all but I definitely liked it. Sharp Dressed Man is as fun as ever, but I think my favourite track might be TV Dinners, as goofy as it is lyrically. The glossy production weighs it down a little, but there are certainly more dated sounding 80s rock records out there.

Groovy southern rock goodness, didn't realise how much good b side material ZZ top had. Really good listen

Great. Loved the guitar.

Greste Rock n Tolk album.

Well produced, wel made, and pleasing. Not necessarily my style but a good listen nonetheless.

Another rock album. It was fine but nothing I would go back to. A whole song about TV dinners huh?

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

was i supposed to get high before listening to this or something? i wasn't around in 1983 but it blows my mind that this album was their biggest commercial success. it's like they threw everything at the wall trying to force a single and nothing stuck so they shoveled it all together and called it a record. it's a shameless beg for the three minute radio and television slots it managed to end up with. it's boring, generic jock rock without a single memorable moment on the entire album except for how phoned in the whole thing is. overused fadeout endings with no segues. slow, clunky, 3-note solos. awful drum machine action for no clear reason. lazy, cringey lyrics that boil down to "i love testosterone! why don't women want me?" if you put "classic rock" into a generative AI the random bullshit it came up with would have more heart than this garbage. i don't even have a joke or a bit for this one, it was just an unpleasant listen through and through. 1/5 best experienced via guitar hero on easy and nowhere else

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

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.

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

Definition of cock rock, but I like legs so weak 2/5. Won’t revisit

For three days now every time I would try to listen to this album I'd get about 2 minutes into a song and just switch to youtube. 1/5 This came out a year after Pyromania, people had an idea of how Hair Metal worked by now how is this album this boring.

This sure is some classic rock. Not much else to say about it. The hits are good, but I've heard them too much so I don't really care for them anymore, and everything else is just ok. Mid 3.

This was a...fine album I guess? None of the songs really jumped out at me, even the famous ones like Gimme all your lovin'. I generally like classic rock but I dunno, this didn't really catch me. Not to say it was bad, and considering the influence ZZ Top has for many of my favourite artists, this album deserves to be on the list. The guitars were cool though. 3/5

Did I just hear an ode to TV dinners?

Such a mood boosting, toe tapping, dance inducing album.

Did not love, did not hate

Enjoyable for a few songs but the whole album sounds exactly the same and it quickly lost its appeal. Every instrumental part is simple, repetitive and sounds artificial. They definitely bring a lot of energy which helps, but this is not something I want to listen to all the time.

Yikes

Good but not the best

It’s a 2.5 but half isn’t available so it gets a 2.

This is the kind of music I'd be into while drinking in a pub or something. But I don't really have much interest in listening in general.

This was the sound of every dive bar in America. It was fine, but a little "biker gang" for me

3.5 To take from my review of the Songs of Leonard Cohen "There are three brilliant songs, one good one, three qualified bummers, and three flaming shits." That probably sums this up pretty good. Still pretty fun in spots and a great 3 piece band that sure fills the sonic space

Lots of hits I already knew, really enjoyed the songs I hadn't heard, solid all the way thru. Boogie rock at its best.

Solid... But, I'll be real. Me and Texans do not vibe.

Good rock. Still rock.

I am going to be honest I was disappointed to get zztop today, but this album is better than I thought it would be. It's a decent album with some of there main classic songs and they have there sound which is enjoyable in short bursts, but it just gets very repetitive.

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?

ZZ Top’s Eliminator is a defining album of the 80s, fusing blues rock with slick synthesisers and a radio-friendly edge. Packed with iconic tracks like Sharp Dressed Man and Legs, it’s a fun, stylish, and energetic ride that cemented the band’s place in rock history.

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!

To itself now.

You know what you’re going to get with zz top. The hits are good the other filler is so similar to each other it’s hard to tell them apart

I have this album on vinyl. It's a good listen. The hits from this album cannot be denied. They hit you with an infectious groove right from the start, and it delivers consistently throughout the album

Great album, several hits. Album keeps moving, can feel a little repetitive at times.

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.

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

Fortunately I was up for a few guitar solos today, because I'm pretty sure that was 80% of the album.

Not my favorite, but it has some classics.

Hilarious, classic, fun, and with some filler. At its best it’s great fun. Would go well with some sort of beer rage too though. 3.5

id like to hear a remastered version w no synths. it suffers from bad 80s production.

Pop rock ochentero de calidad con una fundación sólida en el blues clásico que ZZ Top solía hacer en sus comienzos. Un álbum controvertido que marcó la transición del grupo a música de masas con mucha presencia en la MTV. Tanto, que incluso consiguió hacer su música popular entre los adolescentes de la época. Será música comercial y algo manida, pero este rock ochentero cercano al glam siempre ha sido uno de mis placeres culpables. Y más aún cuando se sigue intuyendo algo de delta blues bajo las capas de sobreproducción sintetizada. La guitarra de Billy Gibbons es tan virtuosa como siempre, pero sin excesos de indulgencia, y el resto del grupo no se queda atrás. En cuanto a las letras… mejor vamos a hacer como si no existieran. Lo he disfrutado bastante.

Good album. Even though this was the first ZZ Top album I had heard, I like their older bluesier stuff better. And that TV Dinner song is the worst.

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.

pretty good. i like the 80s take on blues-rock. fav song: legs or i need you tonight (sharp dressed man maybe a bit overplayed). some of the outros felt 5 min long though

This is ok I guess. Very bland for me. Much better bands have done the same thing better before and since ZZ Top.

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

Some of the most embarrassing, cringey, Crap Rick and roll ever made. Their whole value proposition is they have beards. Total bollocks

Every song sounds the same but they’re all bops

When this came out it was huge, MTV obviously gave them the springboard into living rooms who’d never heard of or seen this band before. Check. Post 80s I’d only hear them in a bar or if I flipped on an oldies station. Giving this a 3 for nostalgia.

I might have overlooked how good ZZ Top’s discography is.

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

This is when they hit the big time. I still Ike’s the first few albums better but this was pretty good

Sometimes some dumb turn your brain off 80s rock is all you need

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"

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

decent

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

A masterpiece! Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man and Legs are brilliant! All other tracks are perfect.

Top tier music for walking around on a sunny day, or driving while intoxicated

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

Oh god. Mijn ongemak bij ZZ Top is altijd erg groot. Het heeft iets primitief, zo simpel. En het is zo'n act die alleen Amerikanen serieus kunnen brengen. Want hoe dom zien die twee gasten eruit, dat is pure comedy, maar ze nemen dit zelf bloedserieus. En dan vervolgens een zoet popnummer als Gimme All Your Lovin' je plaat mee beginnen. Oké, puur op de muziek beoordelend is 1 ster misschien erg hard. Maar daar hebben ze het zelf naar gemaakt... 4/10 Highlights -

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.

Love this album, like earlier ZZ Top but dancier and more upbeat. Love the riffs and the rocky blues sound.

pretty ridiculous, fun sometimes with the steel strings

always it’s just a cool, solid listen with these guys

Kinda mid, but not really my kinda rock

Fun, though not particularly meaningful. Not that absent-minded and fun is a bad thing...

2/5

i have to say, standing up at my desk while listening to this made me dance quite a bit more than i usually feel inclined to.

Banger after banger! Top tunes all the way through!

Ahaha, I remember this from back in the day. My dad loved those videos. The famous songs are bangers, the rest not so much

Classic ZZ Top here. This album broke it wide open into the MTV era. No way do these guys sell many of this album without MTV. It's good solid guitar rock with blues-influenced riffs. Really tight melodies and simple lyrics. Got a bit repetitive after a bit. 3.33/5 Songs you can't miss: Sharp Dressed Man I Need You Tonight Legs Bad Girl

This is my second ZZ Top album so far... SECOND!!! How did one album make it into this list?!?!??!

A parte un paio di canzoni, l'album è piacevole ma non colpisce.

I saw ZZ Top in Texas once at a steak restaurant. They called me fat.

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

This is peak ZZ Top. Outstanding. But only so much.

ZZ Top was one of the best concerts I’ve ever been to. This album made me happy.

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.

Que puedo poner ante tanto rockcentrismo anglosajón? MEH Nota: 2.3

I got this right after listening to ACDC and I put it in the same category. I’m not a fan of ZZ Top, I don’t think I can be. There are a couple of really cool songs, some of them actual classics, but the rest is just bloat. Mediocre at best, I’d rather listen to a “greatest hits” or just a few of their tracks.

começa ok e depois de sharp-dressed man eu preciso de um banho

Meh? Liked a few songs but don’t think I’d come back to it

A few really good songs on here, Sharp Dressed Man is an absolute classic, but I thought it dropped off after Legs and nothing really stood out.

🤟

I don't really have strong feelings about this one either way lol I could take it or leave it

ZZ Top were a top tier band and this is a gnarly album, but it’s really a Billy Gibbons solo experiment - and a superb one - than a band record. Packed with chunky riffs and delightful, expressive guitar sketches, this is a joyful, fun record. Doesn’t feel right to compare it to “Très Hombres” et al, as they’re entirely different set-ups.

After so much insipid '80s rock recently it's a treat to get a decent example! Knew the singles and the ominous cover (evoking my library copy of "Christine") from the family Citroen console, if not the rest of the album. Perhaps my dad thought they sold out their blues'n'boogie roots for something more processed, discarding this in disappointment? More fool him, I enjoyed it a lot and salute it's place in this pantheon.

As lame as it is dumb. 2/5

Say what you will about ZZ Top, it's decent 80's blues inspired rock! 3/5

A classic album by ZZ Top. The hits are timeless.

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.

Enjoyable but disposable 80s trash. Sometimes you just want a Big Mac, and that's fine, but 11 of them is a bit much. I'd say they rate comfortably below Brian Johnson AC/DC, but above 80s Aerosmith.

Good. Fun

Ist es immer das Gleiche? Ja, es ist nicht vielfältig. Aber es klingt einfach geil und es ist lustig

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.)

Found it hard to listen all the way through, not my genre of choice, but I’ve always liked Give Me All Your Lovin’ and Sharp Dressed Man.

1. I should buy a dodge charger 2. I miss the “ah haw haw haw” ZZ Top 3. just a humble song about how suits and money can absolutely get you pussy 4. driving down a David lynch highway to this song 5. I am, once again, asking for a dodge charger 6. you know for all the parts of women’s bodies they’ve mentioned on this album, surprisingly no titties. i know that took restraint but also can’t relate 7. why’s the car on the cover kinda… 8. Billy Gibbons warns of the horrors of processed food in 1983 9. a zz top song called “dirty dog” should be better than this js 10. okay we’re back 11. these dudes are such ass men you gotta respect it

Catch rock

Decent

Subtlety zero, but it is very fun to listen to. Energy wise, it's a hell of an album. Not my favorite flavour of (hard) rock, but I can definitely picture myself listening it very loudly while driving. On the down side, lyrics leave some things to be desire, and the style become slightly boring and repetitive once you've reached the end of the album. I had never listened to ZZ Top before, and it was a rather nice discovery, even if I'm not completely sold as of now.

80s 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.

Classic

I expected to not really care about this one, and that ended up being the case for a lot of it - mostly in the first half. The guitar solos were what stood out to me the most, other than that I don't care for the hits and the rest didn't stand out much either. It just really seemed to drag. Thought I would have my first 2-star BUT something about the 2nd half of this album really seemed to pick up, and I was really enjoying it by the end. Just fun songs. I would probably even grab a vinyl copy so i can just play side B. I really liked it. And it does make me want to go back and see if I missed something in the first half. We'll see, but for now I am rating 3 stars. Alright I am starting my 2nd listen through now. Something I was thinking about regarding Gimme All Your Lovin: I'm gen z so this always just sounded like one of the bad-to-the-bone type songs/bands that were overplayed in movies. That was my impression going into this album. But if I close my eyes and place myself in 1983, 15-or-so years old, just picked up this cool car record the day it came out with no clue what its gonna sound like, brought it home after school and put it on my speakers - this song is pretty sweet. Track 2 sounds better to my ears now too. I think my knee jerk reaction was bias from the overplayed tracks. Forgetting that helps me understand the hype.

I do think they defined their sound and crafted this album brilliantly

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.

The quality and my interest really petered out towards the end. 2.8.

I think I need some doxycycline and azithromycin after listening to this album. Personal enjoyment: 3 Relevance to this list: 3

On paper I hate a lot of hard rock but this is fun and has a sense of humor so I like it. Not really my thing but I still like it.

Yeah it was alright, I liked the songs with the very punchy basslines but it’s nothing too special. Fav song: Thug

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

Is it the best album ever? No. Is it the most technical, well performed album ever? Also no. But what it is is an honest, fun as hell, catchy, and charismatic record that's impossible for me not to smile and nod to

Найбільш комерційно успішний альбом ZZ Top, примітною рисою якого є перехід гурту до більш "сучасного" #hardrock - ового звучання. Не втрачаючи при цьому всьому свій #bluesrock - овський шарм. Проте, на мій погляд, він не стільки важливий для самого гурту, скільки для такого явища, як #southernrock в цілому. Для тих хто не в курсі, Southern Rock - це жанр, що зародився на півдні США та в значний мірі покладався на блюз рок до якого додавались елементи кантрі та фолк року. Не без участі Lynyrd Skynyrd, жанр набув популярності у 70-х, але у 80-х його популярність пішла на спад. І саме на Eliminator, ZZ Top, фактично, "перевинайшли" його звучання, та повернули цікавість до подібної музики. Щодо вражень, то цей доволі енергійний хард/блюз рок, просякнутий південним духом Техасу, "заходить" на диво гарно. Проте, це тільки в тому випадку, якщо вам справді подобається блюз роковий гітарний саунд під доволі бадьору ритм-секцію. І якщо вам довподоби звучання таких гуртів як Clutch чи Black Label Society, то вам, щонайменше, буде цікаво повернутись до "першоджерела". Але наскільки б цей альбом не був "важливий", їх більш блюзовий Tres Hombres (1973) мені подобається набагато більше.

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.

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!

Somehow it seems that at least one of the members of ZZ Top sold his soul for commercial success. The songs have very fun hooks, energy, and presence, but in many ways they are unremarkable or at least not clearly the ZZ Top of earlier years. They went from Rock and Roll to Pop and it basically ended them as a band. You may enjoy this album, but it is more of a stop down than a step forward.

9/10

Very sexy and heavy sounding. This is probably the first blues-style album to feature synthesizers and drum machines.

Who cares if it’s all drum machines and synthesizers, it moves and grooves

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.

Like being in a montage of an 80s film. Very much the same all the way through - driving beat

Not terrible, I guess?

kind of annoyed that I enjoyed this. ZZ Top is so boring but also catchy.

Great album

Top 3 Songs: 1 - Got Me Under Pressure (2) 2 - Sharped Dressed Man (3) 3 - I Got the Six (5)

Inane MTV driven sexist rock.

3.5

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

This is rock as it should be rocked. 5 stars, fantastic album.

Bluesy rock and big bushy beards. This album contains just about every track I like and are familiar with so to me it’s their greatest hits album. Good for a change when in the mood but not one I’d keep spinning. 3/5 28/1/25

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

Two tallboys way up

I think we all know the hits on this album... (Sharp Dressed Man, Legs, Gimme All Your Lovin'). They are also the best song. The rest feels a bit like filler is is very samey. I feel like I should give this 2, max, for the quality of the music (with all its clichés) but that's not the point of this music. It was more about having fun and they didn't take themselves too seriously. So an extra point for that.

Just straight up guitar-based blues rock. All of it sounds pretty much the same. Not much vocal melody, plenty of straight-up 4 beat guitar.

sounds like hard rock condensed, not bad not amazing NNN

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.

I listened this in remaster, but I think I'll still give this 5 stars if I listen to the original.

Fun and rocking

This album is fun, but I feel like this album is precisely when ZZ Top went from solid guitar driven southern rock to straight up cheesy. Still, enjoyable enough.

Sort of giving me Bob Seger lyrics. Enjoying this.

This is fun to listen to, but it’s a lot of the same thing

vsf zz top

rock para papais carecas e barbudos (com sintetizador). eu num grado de zz top nao, viu. umas musica meio vazia só pra vc ouvir uns solinho meio broxa. não é "inescutável" mas é paia. dito isso, legs é bem legal, até.

Soulless blues boogie rock

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

епт какое то хард-рок диско получилось

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

My first zz top album. Very enjoyable

ZZ Top acending to the top of their carreer with a mix between blues and rock. This album contains the top hits "Sharp Dressed Man", "Gimme All Your Lovin" and "Legs".

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.

Pretty good. ZZ Top is ever reliable.

Generic MOR Rock, decent enough but feels a bit too clean

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

Rock n roll, baby. Oh, and cocaine. A bunch of cocaine, too.

It was good

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.

Not my style of music

Very nice, very rock n roll

crap

Fun

17/01/25 It was alright, they had a few good songs. A lot of it sounded the same.

I listened to this a lot, back in my youth.

Это гениальный Альбом! Скорее всего когда я прослушаю все 1001 одну пластинку, эта всё равно останется одной из любимых!!!

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.

Fantastic album. Start to finish. Very tight. A little samey but that's OK.

If I died yesterday, would my life have been different if I heard this album? No, because I've already listened to the singles, the only good songs on here, and so have you. From what I can tell this was also the last time ZZ Top was good, and it stops about halfway through here. Of course, who can speak ill of Gimme All Your Lovin' or Sharp Dressed Man, and there's solid groovy guitar work throughout, but neither of the two genres they're mashing here have aged particularly well, especially churned together for pop consumption. Legs is the perfect sequel song to Tush, I wonder if they ever made a third song called Boobs.

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.

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

I do not like this. Surely Dad Rock can do better than this?

Not enough blues in this list

3.6 didn’t like as much as i thought i would. would throw it on in the background but no crazy standouts.

Couple of good songs.

I can't imagine ever _choosing_ to sit down and listen to this, but, for the singles, at least, it's undeniably fun. The deep cuts aren't as strong and it tails off significantly in the second half. Billy Gibbons is a great guitarist though.

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.

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

3/5

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.

They've got guitars and they know how to use them, just don't ask them to shift out of their comfort gear.

Типо ты крутой байкер или там на роадстаре едешь куда-то или в баре играет.

Mid

Overall: 6/10 The hits off of this album belong in some sort of hall of fame. Possibly for rock. As for the deeper cuts, those can be put in a box and be forgotten about. Fav Song: Gimme All Your Lovin' Least Fav Song: If I Could Only Flag Her Down

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

Gear: Abyss DIANA MR Artwork: ⬛🚘🔦 Production (2008 Remaster): 🎧😘🤌 Music: 🎸🍼😎 Rating: 🚘🚘(🚘)/5

Not bad. Great singles.

Solid

No skips.

So many jams. I know ZZ top from the *absolutely wild* stuff my dad would listen to while working on his motorcycles, so I honestly had no idea he had songs that were not completely from outerspace. Every single song on this record is a banger.

Pretty good.

Dad rock.

2 good songs 1 star

Generic

Favorite track: Sharp dressed man other picks: gimme all your loving, legs

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"

A couple of jams, but ultimately just sounds the same after a while

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

Fine. Would be best for a road trip

I would be happy to never listen to this album or any of these songs ever again. Empty calories and it doesn't even taste good

babe wake up it's 1-4-5 the record for the millionth time </3

How dare you start with Gimmie All Your Lovin' then be so mid! Favourite track: Gimmie All Your Lovin'.

4 estrelas

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.

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.

I had low expectations, but this is dumb rock fun.

The singles slap but the other songs are pretty pedestrian

tedious

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

great album, shaking ass

This sounds vastly different from the idea I had in my mind. It was a lot more fun that what I expected.

didnt hate it i guess

really liked it favorite track: legs

I want to make a smoothie now.

Not my style and songs sounded much the same. Cool though, no doubt.

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.

Yeeeeeah!

Too alpha

EVERY lady is crazy about a sharp dressed man? EVERY one?? Doubt.

While this definitely holds stronger than Tres Hombres, it still ultimately feels generic enough for me to not care for it that much. Very 80's rock. And not in a good way. There was a lot of enjoyable moments and instrumentals on here, but ZZ Top really just doesn't have anything outside of the "generic garage rock" appeasement. It was a very average listen, but nothing offended me here. This album is the kind of shit you'd hear blaring from the site radio at an exhaust mod shop. Still, better than Top 40 hits or if you're unlucky enough to find the worlds gayest exhaust fitter who happens to be listening to Radiohead.

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

Having now listened to ZZ Top’s too ‘best’ albums I can comfortably say they are overrated bluesrock for old men who like hot rods and day drinking. I’m not going to say that this is BAD music per say, more that outside the big hits their music is forgettable and samey. Seriously name a ZZ Top track outside the hits that you would go out of your way to listen to.

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

A very fun album, and one you have only heard two songs from. Reading about this album, it marked a huge shift in ZZ Top's sound and also their appeal. Moving from their blues-y sound like on Tres Hombres, into the coveted space of "songs that play on the PA of fishing/camping/auto stores". I don't think that the band here were trying to create anything groundbreaking, I think they wanted to have fun playing music and wanted their audience to have fun as well. And that's exactly what this album is. The two hits here are good, I have probably heard them both one too many times and on repeat listens of this album I found myself skipping Gimme All Your Lovin' as I am mentally transported to being 12 years old at TimeZone, returning to the skeeball machine because I did not get enough tickets to buy a sticky hand. The line 'Clean shirt, new shoes' will never not be funny to me as the defining features of a Sharp Dressed Man. This album is frontloaded as fuck, not saying the second half is bad per se but certainly not as memorable. Before listening I had a suspicion that I would walk away from this only having enjoyed the hits, but I was pleasantly surprised with Thug which has an absolutely killer bassline and I found myself replaying it more than a few times. If/when I open a hobby store that caters to middle aged men, I know what I will be putting on the shop radio. Highlights: Sharp Dressed Man, I Need You Tonight, Legs, Thug

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

Ehh. I mean, it's ZZ Top, speaks for itself.

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 Track: "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.

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

Best three opening songs on an album, ever? Yeah I think so.

Great! 5/5

Honestly, I enjoyed this more than I thought I would. I vaguely knew of ZZ Top before listening to this, including a couple of the hits here. But what's interesting is their trajectory, incorporating synths and new wave elements into their music. (They cited Depeche Mode as an influence???) The 80s are here, let pop rule. I was shocked that I knew "Legs", since I figured it was by one of the plethora of new wave one-hit wonder bands, but it was these tres hombres all along! The guitars sound great, nice and crunchy. I find the album does drag a bit at times, but the better songs manage to split it up. Fav tracks: Gimme All Your Lovin', Sharp Dressed Man, Legs

“Legs”? More like beards. Amirite?

i puked during the slap bass solo

Is it called "Eliminator" because it makes you want to eliminate yourself? Anyway, even though the songs might have seemed interesting at first, they lost me soon after. Each song seemed similar to the other. It could have been a shorter album or even an EP.

Solid rock. Good hooks, great solos and even a massive bass solo. Don’t mind it one bit

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

Albums like a hit parade of these good but forgettable rocky songs

Every track is basically the same, but they're all great

Living in Texas in the 80's, I swear I heard this one too many times. But f*ckall, it is good fun. Not my favorite but perfectly representative of 1983.

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

Splendid stuff

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

Big beards and synthesizers... ZZ Top were Shoreditch hipsters with Texan accents. All I knew about the boys was their look, I didn't expect them to be combining southern boogie with new wave. On the first side the mashup is seamless and contains all the singles I somehow already knew. After Legs it begins to wear on me, especially when they inadvisably slow the tempo down on TV Dinners (the single I didn't know, for good reason). A really welcome surprise of an album for me after a run of disappointing rock records on my feed. The not-as-old-as-they-looked dogs showed they had new tricks.

Gutes Hardrock Album mit viel Riffs und passenden Songs mit dem Highlight „Sharp Dressed Man“. Passt.

Decently fun cock rock from the 80s. I still like “Sharp Dressed Man” and “Legs”, just not as much as I did as a kid.

The band were savvy in using the music video genre to their advantage promoting this album.

Great album. I love ZZ top and their gritty gasoline fuelled ruggedy rock. It's packed with energy and sounds good, even though the lyrics might not be much haha. All I can think of is blue jeans, hot rods, and the open road.

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

Fun 80s rock

Guys being dudes type of album. Something to put on when you feel like vibing to some fun electric guitar and gruff vocals. Nothing stands out too much, but a fun listen nonetheless.

Solid rock n roll

Got that 80s rock sound I love and is surprisingly versatile if you pay attention

Sharp dressed man is sending me back to my Duck Dynasty obsession 3/5

11/21/24. ZZ Top adapted to the 80s very well - kept their style and swagger while also embracing new sounds. Enjoyable album.

Got sick of listening to it towards the end

Finally something I can get my ear holes stuck into! This is the kind of thing I’ve been waiting for. Some iconic songs and lovely sounding guitar. Love that Frank Beard made a living out of playing the exact same drum beat in every single song, and also love that he was the only member not to have a beard. It’s a big fat succulent 5 stars from me, putting ZZ Top of my rankings.

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.

Was fun. Enjoyed the music and bits of silliness but couldnt get over the incessant horniness behind 90% of the songs. Guitar in most songs was the stand out. Really cool

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.

Very MTV era vibes

Started strong. Relentless rhythm section and some fine synths. It became samey samey towards the end by which time I was, frankly, bored.

One of my parents favorites, and I can understand why. Killer tunes and great fun.

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.

This felt very similar to “Tres Hombres” to me. One undeniable hit in “Sharp Dressed Man”, and the rest is good. Very easy to listen to and I like the style, but there wasn’t enough variety or “wow” factor for me to bump it up to a 4.

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.