[Mr.PD]

EDIT: This thread started out to be about Mescalaro, but after the release of Chrome Smoke and BBQ, I resurrected it and changed the subject a bit. So if like most people here, didn't care for Mescalaro, read on. We get to the good stuff a little ways down the line here.

I just picked up the latest ZZ Top CD, Mescalero.
I can't figure out if I like it or not. Some of the songs are good and some just don't do much for me.
The biggest thing to hit me is the distorted bass line in some of the songs. I have gotten accustomed to distorted guitars, but distorted bass? The song Punk Ass Boyfriend, has a lot of it. When I first heard it I was on my motel rig with the Koss KSC35 phones, the bass rattled them to where they sounded like Kraco car speakers with the volume cranked all the way up on the Jensen stereo.

( yeah, I had this set up when I was a kid)

The distorted bass is present in many of the songs. Right now I am listening to this through the RS-1's and it's not as prevalent as it seemed with the Koss's but it is still there.

Then they use the F word but it's kinda blanked out, I don't think I got an edited version, but I am not sure. I can't find any reference to there being a clean and a dirty version.

Other than the bass line there are some good songs on here. I kinda like Buck Nekkid and Piece, also the title cut is growing on me.

Anybody else heard this? What's your opinion?

 

[usc goose]

zz top is still alive? they must be like a hundred million billion years old.

all apoligies for the off topic post.

so... anyone else have this one yet?

 

[mojoman]

I saw ZZ Top back in May. They are very much alive.

 

[Mr.PD]

What the heck? Me and mojoman are the only two people here that like ZZ Top?
C'mon, surely someone among you has picked up their newest release.

 

[Iron_Dreamer]

I've seen a TV commercial for it

Seriously, I'll pull out Eliminator for a listen every once and awhile, but I never really was a huge fan of theirs. Maybe I'll check this new album out and see how the boys are doing.

 

[GlowWorm]

Huge ZZ Top fan, but I prefer their older stuff (pre- Eliminater). I read somewhere that Billy Gibbins was Jimi Hendryx's favorite guitar player, he's one of mine as well.

 

[Sol_Zhen]

I'm in the same boat as Goose. I had no idea that ZZ Top was still together as a group.

 

[Old Pa]

I prefer early ZZ Top. The few good tracks on "Mescalero" only reminds me of what Gibbons used to write (and evidently still can) and how the band used to be all gutbucket and dirty licks, not smooth, synthed and polished. In this regard, most of "Mescalero" was just a cruel joke to me. Just not quite as bad as "XXX".

 

[mojoman]

I don't particularly like what I've heard off the new album. Sounds like they were trying to mimic the various ZZ Top eras. Like others have stated I prefer the early years but must say that you really should see them live. That's were you get to hear vintage ZZ Top. I was at a friends house this past Saturday night and he put on the One Foot In the Blues compilation. There's some great stuff on that one. Much more entertaining then Mescalero.

 

[erix]

Haven't got it yet but I will - I always buy ZZ Top stuff. I find something to like on every recording.

I like XXX - 'Made Into A Movie' is SICK (in the nicest way)! I think it's interesting how the Rev. Billy G. can still sound like himself no matter what he's playing or what it's playing through. And I'll tell ya, unless you've had the pleasure of sitting in a room with a loud amp, a fuzzbox or three, and 6 strings stretched across a piece of wood, you'll never truly appreciate how special Gibbons' tone is.

Anyway, I'm not going to limit my enjoyment of an artist's work because they have evolved/matured/embraced new technology/whatever. Are you the same person you were when you first heard them? Probably not. I don't think it's fair to dish an artist 'cause they don't stay in the same place their whole career.

Unless it's RHCP - they need to get back on Heroin.

[/rant]

ok,
erix

 

[Dusty Chalk]

Well, I knew they were still alive and together, but only because of a news article saying they had insured their beards for US$1M!

 

[blessingx]

ZZ Top saved our last Prez. Why don't they help the current one?

 

[Mr.PD]

I prefer the earlier work also. I really liked Eliminator but Afterburner was too copy cat. My favorite was Deguello. At one time I had all the albums on CD up to Antenna (which sucked) then I lost all of them and I haven't felt like replacing them yet. All I have now is the greatest hits and best of albums plus Eliminator and now Mescallero.

I didn't know there was a tv commercial.

I like this album but, the bass effects are a bit annoying. It really did rattle the Koss KSC 35's.

 

[Mr.PD]

Hey the latest addition to the ZZ Top collection is Chrome Smoke and BBQ.
This is great stuff.
It's a box set that comes in two variations. I got the simpler and cheaper normal box set. There is also one that the box looks like an old shed (ok half of a shed) and has paper dolls, and sells for almost 80 bucks. I got the regular box set that sells for around 50 bucks.
4 CDs and a very nice book. This set chronicles all of ZZ Top. There a tracks from the days before they were ZZ Top. What I really liked though is the book. A lot of history in there. I really like the section where each of the guys tells a little something about each song in the set.

This is one of the few, expensive box sets that I feel was worth the bucks paid.

 

[lan]

Interesting. Is any of the audio remastered though?