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Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box

ZZ Top - Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box Audio CD

A fair review of the ZZ Top "Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box" 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.

Band: ZZ Top
Title: Chrome, Smoke & BBQ: The ZZ Top Box
Rating:

Release Date: 2003-10-14
Media: Audio CD

Tracks: 1: You Make Me Shake - The Moving Sidewalks 2: Joe Blues - The Moving Sidewalks 3: Crimson Witch - The Moving Sidewalks 4: Miller's Farm 5: Salt Lick 6: Brown Sugar 7: Goin' Down to Mexico 8: Just Got Back from Baby's 9: Francine 10: Just Got Paid 11: Ko Ko Blue 12: Chevrolet 13: Bar-B-Q 14: Sure Got Cold After the Rain Fell 15: Whiskey'n Mama 16: La Grange 17: Waitin' for the Bus 18: Jesus Just Left Chicago 19: Beer Drinkers & Hell Raisers 20: Master of Sparks 21: Precious and Grace 22: Shiek 23: Thunderbird 24: Jailhouse Rock 25: Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings 26: Heard It on the X 27: Blue Jean Blues 28: Mexican Blackbird 29: Tush 30: It's Only Love 31: Arrested for Driving While Blind 32: El Diablo 33: Enjoy and Get It On 34: She's a Heartbreaker 35: Asleep in the Desert 36: I Thank You 37: Cheap Sunglasses 38: I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide 39: Fool for Your Stockings 40: Deg�ello Album Radio Spot 41: Manic Mechanic 42: She Loves My Automobile 43: Leila 44: Tube Snake Boogie 45: I Wanna Drive You Home 46: It's So Hard 47: Pearl Necklace 48: Heaven, Hell or Houston 49: Gimme All Your Lovin 50: Got Me Under Pressure 51: TV Dinners 52: Sharp Dressed Man 53: Legs 54: I Got the Six 55: Dirty Dog 56: If I Could Only Flag Her Down 57: Sleeping Bag 58: Stages 59: Woke Up With Wood 60: Rough Boy 61: Can't Stop Rockin' 62: Planet of Women 63: Velcro Fly 64: Delirious 65: Concrete and Steel 66: Lovething 67: Penthouse Eyes 68: My Head's in Mississippi 69: Give It Up 70: Doubleback 71: Blues 72: Reverberation (Doubt) 73: Viva Las Vegas 74: Gun Love 75: Francine 76: Cheap Sunglasses [Live] 77: Legs [Dance Mix] 78: Viva Las Vegas [12" Remix] 79: Give It Up [2,800 Mile Remix] 80: Velcro Fly [12" Remix]

Chrome, Smoke, & BBQ will have to do for now
This is a great set of tunes, and it is interesting to see them progress from album to album, song to song. "Chrome, Smoke, & BBQ" is ZZ Top's career-spanning box set, or at least the period they were with Warner Bros. And the sound is a hell of a lot better than what's on the albums. Man, those suck! I've only bought ZZ Top's post-WB cds, and I had "Eliminator" and "Afterburner", which weren't re-done for the dreaded "Six Pack", because they were released during that period. I was going to start on the old albums, figuring I would live with that sound. Then, this set came out, and I purchased it, and I won't touch the old albums until they are remastered. It just won't seem right. Now that they have ZZ's greatest songs sounding right, maybe Warner will get it together and remaster all of the old albums. ZZ also needs to stay away from the remixes. Why not put on "Dust My Broom" from "Deguello" or "Balinese" from "Fandango"? That would've been much better than the "Give It Up 2800 Mile Remix". Oh well, most of the material that is on this record is great, probably about 98%. This will just have to do for now. Until the remastered albums come out, THIS IS WORTH EVERY FREAKING PENNY! Long live the Reverend Billy G, the Dust Man, and the Beardless One!.

4 CD's Is Two Too Many
So it comes as no surprise that anything the venerable group has done post 70's has not aged very well. As I've said for many years; the longer Billy Gibbons(guitar)and Dusty Hill's(bass) beards got, the worse their music got. Sure "Legs" and "Give Me All Your Lovin'" were cool in the 80's, but here, put up against classic riffs like "Just Got Paid" and "Fool For Your Stockings," they just don't measure up. I hate to say it, but who the hell gave Billy a synth? That one act brought the downfall of a once great rock band. Don't think so? Go back and listen to Top's smokin' version of "I Thank You" or the crazy "Manic Mechanic. " They could burn your house down with their music alone. Material like that is why I gave it 4 stars. It's worth it just because of songs like "Waitin' For The Bus" and it's partner "Jesus Just Left Chicago. " The best the 80's had to offer was "TV Dinners. " Not much of a comparison. And don't even get me started about the "Recycler" era. Why Billy, why the synth? WHY?.

There is a difference from the original
com and listen to the songs. If you're like me and have every ZZ album already, and are sitting on the fence on whether to shell out the $ for this box, do yourself a favor and head over to itunes. There is actually a pretty big difference in the remasters, especially the earlier stuff like Brown Sugar and Chevrolet, and in stuff from Degüello. The simple, straightforward tone of the remasters is what cinched the purchase for me. The unreleased stuff is there too for the listening. You decide. Also available from itunes. com, a legal download of the entire album for $20 less than this site.

"Limited Edition" box set vs. standard box set.....
I ordered the "limited edition" set which is an additional $18 after I looked on another site and read that the limited edition came with ZZ Top action figures which I thought might be fairly cool. There are two box sets available for this Texas Top collection. After receiving my set I found out that the "action figures" are actually color paper cut outs of the band and a few things like BBQ Ribs and a picnic table, etc. So. . . the music is great with a few omissions that are detailed in other reviews. I just wanted people to know that the only difference between the limited edition and the standard set is color paper cut outs. If that is worth the additional pesos to you fine. . . . after seeing them I really wish I hard ordered the other set. Great Jams though.

Great collection
It's just that it's a lot of money for only a few songs I don't already have. Hey! the music's great. Include the remixes and thats still only about as much material as there's on mescalerowhich is a lot cheaper. That said, it's a great collection showing the badn progress through the years and I think every album should be included because this set is not to cater for one person's personal preferences, it's to give you an overview of the band from 69-92. DOn't have a ZZ Top CD/record and would like to start a collection, start here and see which songs from which albums you like and then go and buy the album. If you want American blues, their album is on Amazon, just type in "American Blues" under the Popular music [artists name] heading and the result "Is here" is 9 songs from the American blues band, containing Dusty Hill, Frank Beard and I think Dusty's brother was the other member. The moving sidewalks are also on Amazon and three tracks appear on here.

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.