ZZ Top
Greatest Hits

THE REVIEW

Between Texas and Mexico, once upon a time there was a guitar with a dirty sound, so dirty...

This could be the beginning of the tale that tells the story of the "Tres Hombres," who are literally just three but make noise like 100, and play as if there were twice as many in the band. A bit of blues, a bit of rock and tex-mex and there you have it, an irresistible sound, which first conquers the southern United States and gradually the whole world. The greatest hits of ZZ Top collected in this 1992 compilation, released by Warner. Still women and long beards, the "Borrachos" never seem to tire of everything revolving around the band's name, suggesting that their journey will continue for a long time.

All the best ones are there, starting with "Gimme All Your Loving" and "Sharp Dressed Man" which seem like twins and pair very well together, with the electronic sounds mixed with the growling guitar of the bearded Gibbons, a beard that has been the group's symbol for decades, leading into the ballad (the only one) "Rough Boy," and the wild blues "Tush." All in one breath, knowing and hoping to be able to go on for quite some time longer. You travel through the entire history of the group, "My Head's In Mississippi," a great demonstration of Billy Gibbons' voice, "Pearl Necklace," "I'm Bad, I'm Nationwide," all great hits of the band, which also indulges in a cover, the now too-often revisited "Viva Las Vegas," with added electronic sounds that double Z has been competing with for some time: listenable. The soundtrack of "Back to the Future Part 3" brings back the full 80s in sound, even though in the movie it was performed by them in person, but in a country version (a must-see). "Gun Love" is the other unreleased track on the record, but historical pieces await us after "Give It Up," "Got Me Under Pressure," "Cheap Sunglasses," "Sleeping Bag," and "Planet of Women"; it's impossible not to mention the entire tracklist, which continues to travel through ZZ Top's past, among twisted blues where the guitar never ceases to be pleasantly tortured, pushing the pedal ever further.

The grand, spectacular finale, with "La Grange" that makes you want to move even while sitting down (who doesn't tap their foot or tap on a table with their fingers while listening to it is either deaf or has never listened to music), as captivating as most of the songs contained here. Another classic "Tube Snake Boogie," also here with electronic experiments worthy of the rebellious and subversive fame the group has built over the years, many, their long career, longer than the beards of guitarist-singer and bassist Frank Beard; drummer Dusty Hill does not adhere to the others' idea when it comes to beards for reasons not well understood by the review's author, but he complies with a big pair of dark glasses and long hair.

Reviewing a "Greatest Hits" can spark controversies and disagreements, but such a record is highly recommended, and perfectly reflects the spirit of the band in 18 tracks (still too few), also drawing in novices, and perhaps convincing them to start acquiring old CDs.

In conclusion, Texas is and will be the land of cowboys, but also of great musicians, rock, country, and above all blues, and the Gibbons/Hill/Beard trio is part of all this even if at times it seems not to want to, distancing themselves from the usual canons of American music. But the "south" is also this, also the blues, and even more so the rock.