ZZ Top’s First Album
Released in 1971 by London Records
Genre: Southern Rock, Blues-Rock
Personnel:
• Billy Gibbons – guitar, lead vocals
• Dusty Hill – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Goin' Down to Mexico", co-lead vocals on "Squank"
• Frank Beard aka Rube Beard – drums, percussion
• Producer – Bill Ham
01.(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree
02.Brown Sugar
03.Squank
04.Goin' Down to Mexico
05.Old Man
06.Neighbor, Neighbor
07.Certified Blues
08.Bedroom Thang
09.Just Got Back From Baby's
10.Backdoor Love Affair
The Album
Retrospect is a powerful tool, because if I was reviewing this album in 1971, it would get a very low rating. Looking back almost 40 years, I can honestly say the Boys from Texas definitely laid down the tracks that would make them famous. Of course, they have fine tuned and changed their techniques over the years, but this album is a true representation of southern boogie and raw blues, and pays homage to all the blues players before them. They played the blues in its rawest form; Billy Gibbons, with his ’59 Les Paul he named “Pearly Gates”, could pick the blues in its’ most soulful form. Add the rhythm of Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, whom complimented Gibbon’s playing perfectly, and you have one of the best southern boogie, blues-rock bands to ever be recorded. As history would dictate, these 3 musicians have stuck together through four decades of Texas style boogie, and they have had the same producer, Bill Ham, all the way through to the last recorded album of 2004. What an incredible achievement!
The album itself is quite a collectors’ item, since the only true sound of the “First Album” can only be found on the vinyl pressing. The CD is a re-mastered remix from 1987, which adds reverbing drums and other synthesized enhancements along with some voice dubbing, which I find robs the album of its raw blues. I won’t quibble over the changes too much, because the remix is also fairly decent, and it was the first version I listened to. The changes don’t lunge out at you but they are noticeable if you compare the vinyl with the CD. I didn’t get ahold of the vinyl until I found it at a yard sale a couple years ago, for only 50 cents. The vinyl album is by far the best, especially if you like to hear the blues, the raw blues that Gibbons played. The remix changes the whole sound of the simple blues riffs that Gibbons played, it changed the album into a sound more like “Tres Hombres”. They have gone back and remastered certain tracks off “First Album” and kept the original sound, but the whole album has never been remastered as it was first recorded.
The Music
”(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree”~This song is a basic blues-rock song using classic blues riffs, with some added Gibbons tricks. The lyrical style of this song would become a staple of ZZ Top, fun and hinting at sex. Song titles is one thing ZZ Top does with expertise, and making the songs just as fun as the title.
”Brown Sugar”~This is a blues song through and through. Starting off as a slow blues classic then releasing into a blast of blues-rock . This is the sound that ZZ Top helped to pioneer. Excellent song.
”Squank”~You will instantly recognize this song as ZZ Top. Dusty Hill does a marvelous job of lead vocals. You will hear a pretty awesome bass drum line from Frank Beard, too. Another solid song.
”Goin’ Down to Mexico”~A great southern boogie song. This song hints at what was yet to come from The boys from Texas. One of the better tracks off the album.
”Old Man”~This song is a stand out on the album, since it is a ballad. I like this song, but other critics gave this song a bad review. It does feel out of place on the album, but the music and lyrics are great. This song will prove to be the only of its kind from ZZ Top, so I will give it a thumbs up!
”Neighbor, Neighbor”~Another typical ZZ Top song. This is one thing the band did right out of the gate, they set down their signature sound.
”Certified Blues”~The title says it all, except it is certified blues done ZZ Top style.
”Bedroom Thang”~This song has a theme you will see repeated over and over, in songs like “Pearl Necklace”,”Tube Snake Boogie”, “Tush”, and “Legs” (just to name a few). It is catchy, fun, and a hefty dose of blues-rock.
”Just Got Back From Baby’s”~ This song is another dose of blues-rock. Gibbons’ solo and the rhythm section mix like sugar and water and you end up with some sweet blues!
”Backdoor Love Affair”~ I think the ballad should have been the closing song, but instead the production decided to end with a hard hitting blues-rocker.
This album was perfectly executed, even though it is raw ZZ Top (which is the beauty of any debut), with only one song seemingly out of place. I still feel if “Old Man” would have closed the album, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed the change of pace. This album came out in the wake of the Cream/Clapton explosion of blues-rock, and these Texas Boys proved they had something new to offer . I highly recommend this album to blues-rock/southern rock fans, and it is essential that any ZZ Top fan add this to their collection.
My rating for listening pleasure 4.5/5.
Released in 1971 by London Records
Genre: Southern Rock, Blues-Rock
Personnel:
• Billy Gibbons – guitar, lead vocals
• Dusty Hill – bass, backing vocals, lead vocals on "Goin' Down to Mexico", co-lead vocals on "Squank"
• Frank Beard aka Rube Beard – drums, percussion
• Producer – Bill Ham
01.(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree
02.Brown Sugar
03.Squank
04.Goin' Down to Mexico
05.Old Man
06.Neighbor, Neighbor
07.Certified Blues
08.Bedroom Thang
09.Just Got Back From Baby's
10.Backdoor Love Affair
The Album
Retrospect is a powerful tool, because if I was reviewing this album in 1971, it would get a very low rating. Looking back almost 40 years, I can honestly say the Boys from Texas definitely laid down the tracks that would make them famous. Of course, they have fine tuned and changed their techniques over the years, but this album is a true representation of southern boogie and raw blues, and pays homage to all the blues players before them. They played the blues in its rawest form; Billy Gibbons, with his ’59 Les Paul he named “Pearly Gates”, could pick the blues in its’ most soulful form. Add the rhythm of Dusty Hill and Frank Beard, whom complimented Gibbon’s playing perfectly, and you have one of the best southern boogie, blues-rock bands to ever be recorded. As history would dictate, these 3 musicians have stuck together through four decades of Texas style boogie, and they have had the same producer, Bill Ham, all the way through to the last recorded album of 2004. What an incredible achievement!
The album itself is quite a collectors’ item, since the only true sound of the “First Album” can only be found on the vinyl pressing. The CD is a re-mastered remix from 1987, which adds reverbing drums and other synthesized enhancements along with some voice dubbing, which I find robs the album of its raw blues. I won’t quibble over the changes too much, because the remix is also fairly decent, and it was the first version I listened to. The changes don’t lunge out at you but they are noticeable if you compare the vinyl with the CD. I didn’t get ahold of the vinyl until I found it at a yard sale a couple years ago, for only 50 cents. The vinyl album is by far the best, especially if you like to hear the blues, the raw blues that Gibbons played. The remix changes the whole sound of the simple blues riffs that Gibbons played, it changed the album into a sound more like “Tres Hombres”. They have gone back and remastered certain tracks off “First Album” and kept the original sound, but the whole album has never been remastered as it was first recorded.
The Music
”(Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree”~This song is a basic blues-rock song using classic blues riffs, with some added Gibbons tricks. The lyrical style of this song would become a staple of ZZ Top, fun and hinting at sex. Song titles is one thing ZZ Top does with expertise, and making the songs just as fun as the title.
”Brown Sugar”~This is a blues song through and through. Starting off as a slow blues classic then releasing into a blast of blues-rock . This is the sound that ZZ Top helped to pioneer. Excellent song.
”Squank”~You will instantly recognize this song as ZZ Top. Dusty Hill does a marvelous job of lead vocals. You will hear a pretty awesome bass drum line from Frank Beard, too. Another solid song.
”Goin’ Down to Mexico”~A great southern boogie song. This song hints at what was yet to come from The boys from Texas. One of the better tracks off the album.
”Old Man”~This song is a stand out on the album, since it is a ballad. I like this song, but other critics gave this song a bad review. It does feel out of place on the album, but the music and lyrics are great. This song will prove to be the only of its kind from ZZ Top, so I will give it a thumbs up!
”Neighbor, Neighbor”~Another typical ZZ Top song. This is one thing the band did right out of the gate, they set down their signature sound.
”Certified Blues”~The title says it all, except it is certified blues done ZZ Top style.
”Bedroom Thang”~This song has a theme you will see repeated over and over, in songs like “Pearl Necklace”,”Tube Snake Boogie”, “Tush”, and “Legs” (just to name a few). It is catchy, fun, and a hefty dose of blues-rock.
”Just Got Back From Baby’s”~ This song is another dose of blues-rock. Gibbons’ solo and the rhythm section mix like sugar and water and you end up with some sweet blues!
”Backdoor Love Affair”~ I think the ballad should have been the closing song, but instead the production decided to end with a hard hitting blues-rocker.
This album was perfectly executed, even though it is raw ZZ Top (which is the beauty of any debut), with only one song seemingly out of place. I still feel if “Old Man” would have closed the album, you probably wouldn’t have even noticed the change of pace. This album came out in the wake of the Cream/Clapton explosion of blues-rock, and these Texas Boys proved they had something new to offer . I highly recommend this album to blues-rock/southern rock fans, and it is essential that any ZZ Top fan add this to their collection.
My rating for listening pleasure 4.5/5.
