ZZ Top
ZZ Top's First Album

THE REVIEW

I have always been fascinated by American rock-blues. Despite being a firm believer that the best rock music was played by the British (The Who, Deep Purple, Led Zeppelin, etc.), I have always thought that the Americans were capable of composing genuine and straightforward music. Especially during the late '60s and '70s, the period of student revolutions, the Woodstock and Isle of Wight festivals, the famous "Peace, Love and Music" atmosphere. In short, for me, Rock Made in the USA has always been the emblem of the On The Road life described by Jack Kerouac. In these few words, I can't express the joy and at the same time the nostalgia I feel when listening to Canned Heat, George Thorogood, or the Creedence Clearwater Revival. Joy in experiencing the emotions of a generation that changed an era and nostalgia for not having lived those moments.

 On this sweltering August day, I stumbled upon a great album from one of the quintessential Hard-Blues bands: ZZ Top. The album in question is their debut "ZZ Top's First Album", released in 1971. The lineup, formed two years earlier, features Bill Gibbons on guitar and vocals, Frank Beard on drums, and Dusty Hill on bass and vocals. A power-trio that cut their teeth playing in various Texas venues before being able to release their first LP. It's an album marked by simplicity. Let me explain: the typical constructions of Prog Rock or British Hard Rock are far removed. "ZZ Top's First Album" appears as a jam session of the three Texans.
Here's the tracklist:

   1. (Somebody Else Been) Shaking Your Tree - 2:28
   2. Brown Sugar - 5:22
   3. Squank - 2:48
   4. Goin' Down To Mexico - 3:22
   5. Old Man - 3:32
   6. Neighbor, Neighbor - 2:18
   7. Certified Blues - 3:28
   8. Bedroom Thang - 3:52
   9. Just Got Back From Baby's - 4:14
  10. Back Door Love Affair - 2:42

Even though there are no real chart-topping hits, ZZ Top's work is genuine and remarkably technical. Despite the rhythms being syncopated and completely lacking in accelerations (except for "Goin' Down To Mexico" and "Back Door Love Affair"), the album still lends itself to easy listening. The music almost naturally evokes the sunny Texas highways, with the listener in a car ready to travel aimlessly, accompanied by the soundtrack provided by the three blues-men. The themes are not refined and the lofty allusions are nearly nonexistent. They are the classic road songs, the kind that accompany you at every moment. It is always useful to highlight the technical mastery of the trio, especially of the leader Gibbons, a true driving force with his gritty and aggressive guitar when needed ("Brown Sugar", "Goin' Down To Mexico", "Back Door Love Affair"...), but also soft at the right moments ("Old Man" and "Just Got Back From Baby's").
Undoubtedly, it's not the group's best work, but in moments of boredom or hanging out with friends, it proves to be very effective!