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ZZ Top - Mescalero Audio CD

A fair review of the ZZ Top "Mescalero" Audio CD. Please note that the below review is the views of the authors, and authors only. You can get a complete list of all ZZ Top reviews here, or go back to the ZZ Top tabs.

ZZ Top Band: ZZ Top
Title: Mescalero
Rating:
Release Date: 2003-09-09
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: Mescalero 2: Two Ways to Play 3: Alley-Gator 4: Buck Nekkid 5: Goin' So Good 6: Me So Stupid 7: Piece 8: Punk Ass Boyfriend 9: Stackin' Paper 10: What Would You Do 11: What It Is Kid 12: Que Lastima 13: Tramp 14: Crunchy 15: Dusted 16: Liquor

Lo que yo no mucho quiero
Since their 1990s switch to RCA they have been following a dusky muse that makes them progressively harder and harder for me to listen to. Just my opinion, but the best ZZ Top was in the Warner Brothers years. The band's lyrical wit is still there in MESCALERO, but the overall album sound is just more dark, murky, unhealthy brew for the subwoofer. Out of respect for earlier releases and a hope they will someday bring more balance back to their sound I let this offering have a lenient three stars.


Z Z Bottom

To start with, the sound is so compressed it sounds as if it was recorded inside a Tequila bottle, and then squeezed out. This album should be titled "Compression". It's a far cry from that rough "Tres Hombres" sound, or from the disco-boogie era that followed, or even from the crunchy "Antenna". For twenty years ZZ sounded raucous, but clean. On "Mescalero", everything - but specialy guitars and vocals - is mudded out amidst merciless compression. Of course it is just a matter of taste. Some will like it, some will not. Count me on the latter. Perhaps so much compression will fit a heavy metal outfit, but, to my ears, not a blues-rock band. ZZ is now sounding artificial to me, or, in other words: they are outfocusing the true Texan sound.
I also did not appreciate the material. I couldn't find a catchy tune, a moving riff or a memorable solo. Either they ran out of ideas (and "Que lastima" is evidence to that), or I was in a bad listening mood; or the thundering compression led me, or them, astray.
I'm not saying they should rework "La Grange" for every release, but the songs herein are so indistinctive they just won't linger.
Although with "Mescalero" the band zzbottomed entirely, I'm a fan and won't give up on them.
Next.


ZZ rocks
Every song is good. This is a great cd. A definite must for any fans of ZZ Top.


A Pleasant Suprise
Overall, I find this to be one of the most appealing albums the band ever made. The ZZ Top grunge album, of all things, and it's fantastic. Saturated guitar tones, royally overdriven bass, superb drum sounds - "Mescalero" is a bigtime treat to hear. The songs are very groovy, very fun, and very, very distorted. This album is awesome, and kind of f**ked up, actually. Texas has had its share of ever-unique musicians, and here's another fine example that proves you never know what they'll do next. Recommended!.


ZZ Top Getting Back to Basics..Again!
) I am thoroughly enjoying this album - not a true Tres Hombres/Rio Grande Mud classic, but the band have acknowledged that blues, with some good ol' rock boogie is what they do best, rather than the synthed-up efforts of their late 80's music. This is raw ZZ Top, as you might remember them from from their early 70's style of music (with one or two track exceptions. Recommended.
.


You can see a complete list of all ZZ Top discography, or go back to the ZZ Top tabs. There is also a good guide on how to read guitar tabs here.

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