ZZ TOP – Texicali EP

Shane | 28 September 2012 | Reply

Label: Universal Records
Released: 5 June 2012
Reviewed by Shane Pinnegar
7/10

ZZ’s first new release in nine years, a teaser for forthcoming album LA FUTURA, is a dirty, stomping blues lesson in what made them huge in the first place – rock solid, full of space in all the right places, and with the right royal Reverend Willy G – Billy F Gibbons’ voice and piercing tone always to the fore.

Are they treading any new ground on Texicali? Well, maybe not, but do they necessarily NEED to? The ZZ’s, AC/DC’s and Aerosmith’s of this world have all lost their way trying to modernise their sound and remain “relevant” – by going back to basics, tapping into the essence of what made them what they are, they may just score something better than fleeting popularity as they slide into their retirement years: their artistic integrity.

The undisputed grand poobah of helming reinventions such as these, Rick Rubin, has pulled the best out of the bearded three over this tasty digital only release, starting with I Gotsta Get Paid, a rewrite of a minor Texan hip hop hit about small time drug peddling. Given the full ZZ Top treatment, Gibbons shines on this standout.

Chartreuse and Consumption stomp in the dirt and kick up a reminder of their days as beer drinkers n’ hell raisers.

ZZ have always had their foundations in the blues, and Over You closes proceedings with a solid, gut wrenching blues wail which – like the other three tracks – bodes very well for La Futura later in the year!

http://www.facebook.com/ZZTop?ref=ts

http://www.zztop.com