Greatest Hits

by

ZZ Top

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It's tough being an aging rock band in the pop world. At a certain point both fans and record company turn away from your music and focus on what's hot now. ZZ Top, I think, has suffered this fate. While they still continue to make good music, no one seems to be listening anymore. Fine. I still like them. I still buy their cds. This compilation is the only best of ZZ Top that's worth buying for now. They really should have two disc or three disc retrospective like The Cars have and ELO has. However, this one disc compiles some of their greatest 70's and 80's hits in one place with a couple of new songs for 1992, "Viva Las Vegas" and "Gun Love." At 18 tracks this is a nice buy. No extensive liner notes though. After 1992, ZZ Top released Antenna in 1994, which dropped the synthesizers and went back to hard rocking blues. Then they released 1996's Rhythmeen, which seemed like they were going for a more mud-swamp, mid-tempo hard rock blues. In 1999 they released XXX which finds them still rocking the blues but with a bit more fun like they had before 1990's Recycler. This Greatest Hits, however, is perfect for those wanting a sample. This is a must have for any rock collector.

ZZ TOP-GREATEST HITS: Originally "That Li'l Ol Band From Texas" was a greasy power trio steeped in gutbucket southern bloozer rock which served their legions of fans admirably. Starting with the mega-selling ELIMINATOR, those infernal curses of rock and roll, the dreaded synthesizer and the sequencer, began to dominate their sound. A red hotrod, dark shades, gyrating "Top-ettes", and Rip Van Winkle beards completed their schtick in trade. If any or all elements of this MTV makeover appalls the RNB purist in you, then pick up a copy of THE BEST OF ZZ TOP, crank up JESUS JUST LEFT CHICAGO or BEER DRINKERS AND HELL RAISERS, and pretend these cats called it quits in 1982. Otherwise, read on...GREATEST HITS offers the interchangable SHARP DRESSED MAN and GIMME ALL YOUR LOVIN' as the best of their musical metamorphesis, while the nadir is represented by new wavey duds SLEEPING BAG and VELCRO FLY (the latter thankfully missing here). The classic booty ode TUSH, JOHN LEE HOOKER chug-fest LA GRANGE, and funky fashion statement CHEAP SUNGLASSES are welcome "oldies", but where's their soul-searin' cover of SAM AND DAVE's STAX chestnut I THANK YOU? A new version of VIVA LAS VEGAS, complete with Elvis soundbites, is either good or awful, depending on your tolerance for such stuff. In short, if you like your ZZ over the Top, GREATEST HITS is a no-brainer.

RATING: THREE RAZORS