ZZ Top at Its Best

The first album, the ZZ Top 1979 recordings for Warner Brothers, is simply ultra-cool. The sound of three Texans gradually changed from a pure blues rock doctrine toward the sound, which should make the trio finally famous. "Degüello" was indeed on the charts not very successful, but it cemented the reputation of ZZ Top. In the accompanying tour, the band then played for the first time in Europe (the well-known Rockpalast night).

Although contains "Degüello" with "Dust My Broom" a 100% authentic classic Blue (written by Robert Johnson, made famous by Elmore James), but the rest of the album sounds much more daring and modern than anything ZZ Top have previously recorded. At the same time also changed the image: On the booklet photo you can see how the beards of the musicians have become longer. Although not yet SOO long, but much longer than before. The second (not very) new logo can be seen: The sunglasses that are also in the best track on the disc, "Cheap Sunglasses" sung.

I personally so that the album a slightly weak start offers - "I Thank You" is still one not to my favorites, and in terms of energy put ZZ Top only after properly. On the other hand this title, a cover version of Stax title by Sam & Dave, the newfound affinity for the Soul, which also led inter alia to the fact that Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard have learned the saxophone play (at least rudimentary). Be heard on the second track, the brilliant "She Loves My Automobile", in which also still the Harmonizer is used and Billy Gibbons' voice something 'Wacky' adds. Immediately afterwards comes the next highlight: the funky, rhythmic unbeatable "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide" - that sounds cool! Then the band screwed down the pace, even if "A Fool For Your Stockings", a surprisingly airy blues with schnalzender (Acoustics -?) Guitar, certainly not that's what you'd call a "Slow Blues". Really it is then inclined with "Manic Mechanic", a tricky piece of a mistaken mechanic who is represented with correspondingly mad harmonizer voice and sound effects. Such a thing would have never dared earlier ZZ Top! After that we will be with "Dust My Broom" (the only other cover on "Degüello") and Gibbons on the slide guitar level again. "Lowdown in the streeet" simmers so to himself, and reiterates the Soul affinity. The "Lone Wolf Horns" have their second outing in the rapid (and clearly ambiguous), shrieked of Dusty Hill Kracher "Hi Fi Mama" before then already "Cheap Sunglasses" sounds and the Groove grabs the listener. "Cheap Sunglasses" is a stroke of genius, a pearl in the ZZ Top Catalog, with the text and the screwed arrangement wonderfully wacky - my favorite number of ZZ Top. Finished is the album then with "Esther Be the One", a play about a woman who can deal well with the machine gun (!). The melody emphasized, almost melancholy song sounds like a premonition of "Legs" and other pop songs, which the band should a few years later to conquer the world.

The bottom line is far too short, but extremely successful fun.

Playing tips: almost everything, but "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide", "Manic Mechanic" and "Cheap Sunglasses" are worth an extra mention.