Formed in 1969, ZZ Top is a blues rock band from Houston, Texas. The band consists of bass guitarist and vocalist Dusty Hill, guitarist and vocalist Billy Gibbons and drummer Frank Beard. The band released its first album and trying to hide this from the fan’s called this ZZ Top’s First Album in 1971.
ZZ Top provides a tight blues inspired rock that has a long the way incorporated new wave, punk rock and dance rock. It is also know for its lyrics laced with double entendres and innuendo that can at moments be quite funny. The band’s top selling album was Eliminator in 1983 which sold more than 10 million copies in the United States alone. ZZ Top was inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame in 2004.
Tres Hombres is their third album and was released in 1973. It was engineered by Terry Manning. It might be described overall as a southern rock sound that laid it’s unique Texan perspective over a layer of funky rhythm played in a way that comes across as the genuine thing. There is an unmistakable John Lee Hooker feel that Gibbons manages well to make his own as an amped up shuffling bloozy sound that stole the hearts of suburban America as it cut through all the radio static.
The only shame here is that turn in the 80s when ZZ Top changed its sound into something that fit their cartoonish videos. It may have won them some money that they might not have otherwise gotten. But, for many, myself included, it ended their seriousness and from a bluesy, brawling band with lead guitar that sculpted the airways, they became a parody of themselves and might as well have put their vehicle up on chop blocks to be dismembered as a band that once was something remarkable but no longer. Still, this is a review of Tres Hombres and for La Grange alone this solid album would have its place in rock n roll posterity forever. Aloha Promises Forever gives this sonic gem a very solid 8.5 on a scale of 10. Guitarists will enjoy the work here and rest of the world will enjoy their memories.
You may listen to the full Tres Hombres album at:
ALOHA PROMISES FOREVER 
Yeah, that’s a good one. Love these guys. I’ll somewhat defend the ‘Eliminator’ album, though. Some good stuff there IMHO.
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Thinking maybe I was in a purist mood when I wrote that. Musically, it wasn’t up to their usual level. Then again, it made considerable bank for these guys. So, maybe you’re right? Everyone has the right to turn in significant directions. What did you find particularly good or done right in Eliminator? Seems like while I’ll concede it did well for them commercially, there was significant degradation in the musical chops? Love to hear your take, please.
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I don’t know about the chops part but I especially dug the first three tunes, “Gimme All Your Lovin”, “Got Me Under Pressure,” and “Sharp Dressed Man.” “Legs” and “TV Dinners” are pretty good but I do like “If I Could Only Flag Her Down.” So, at least 1/2 a good album. Maybe the rest is good, don’t remember. I played in bands around this time and “Sharp Dressed” was always fun to play and a real crowd-pleaser.
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I’ll give it another listen to later today. I was in bands as well – multiple instruments and vocals. But, I came at music maybe a little differently. Classical to jazz to fusion to progressive hard rock with a little bit of blues/blues rock and flamenco thrown in along the way. Promise to give another listen to Eliminator. Music like any other art is so subjective and I’m often more opinionated than I should be in my thoughts and likes and dislikes. Thanks for you input on this!!
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