XXX is the thirteenth studio album by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 1999. This album celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band. The live track, "Sinpusher", is an altered chugging version of their 1994 song "Pincushion" with different lyrics and a slightly heavier guitar riff.
Having avoided the fate of many 70's boogie bands, which became confounded by the new wave direction popular music took in the 80's, ZZ Top continued incorporating synths and mechanized beats into its sturdy blues-rock sound well into the 90's. On its 14th studio album, the "Lil Ole Band From Texas" continues dabbling with the sounds of technology. Merging Billy Gibbons' dirty-sounding fuzz guitar with chugging beats, ZZ Top creates songs such as "Crucifixx A Flatt" and "Dreadmonboogaloo" that wouldn't sound out of place at a rave. Elsewhere, the Texas trio pays homage to its blues roots, particularly on the grinding "Fearless Boogie" and the slow burn of "Made Into a Movie."
The last quarter of XXX brings together live cuts that evidence ZZ Top's split personality as blues mavens and samplers of the Silicon Age. The more traditional segment finds Elvis Presley's normally finger-snapping "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" transformed into drawn-out 12-bar blues while Gibbons tears up the sublimely lascivious shuffle "Belt Buckle" with some impressive work on slide guitar.
ZZ Top: Billy F. Gibbons (vocals, guitar); Dusty Hill (vocals, bass); Frank Beard (vocals, drums).
Additional personnel: Jeff Beck (guitar and backing vocals on "Hey Mr. Millionaire").
Production:
Producer: Billy Gibbons Engineer: Joe Hardy Assistant engineer: Gary Moon Mixing: Joe Hardy Mastering: Bob Ludwig Digital editing: Brad Blackwood Recording: Joe Hardy Art direction: Bill Narum
Track Listing:
1. Poke Chop Sandwich - 4:50 2. Crucifixx-A-Flatt - 3:59 3. Fearless Boogie - 4:01 4. 36-22-36 - 2:35 5. Made into a Movie - 5:13 6. Beatbox - 2:48 7. Trippin' - 3:55 8. Dreadmonboogaloo - 2:36 9. Introduction by Ross Mitchell - :34 10. Sinpusher - 5:18 11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 5:21 12. Hey Mr. Millionaire - 4:14 13. Belt Buckle - 4:05
XXX (1999) (RCA RECORDS) (13 TRACKS)
ReplyDeleteZZ Top
Album Description:
XXX is the thirteenth studio album by American blues-rock band ZZ Top, released in 1999. This album celebrates the 30th anniversary of the band. The live track, "Sinpusher", is an altered chugging version of their 1994 song "Pincushion" with different lyrics and a slightly heavier guitar riff.
Having avoided the fate of many 70's boogie bands, which became confounded by the new wave direction popular music took in the 80's, ZZ Top continued incorporating synths and mechanized beats into its sturdy blues-rock sound well into the 90's. On its 14th studio album, the "Lil Ole Band From Texas" continues dabbling with the sounds of technology. Merging Billy Gibbons' dirty-sounding fuzz guitar with chugging beats, ZZ Top creates songs such as "Crucifixx A Flatt" and "Dreadmonboogaloo" that wouldn't sound out of place at a rave. Elsewhere, the Texas trio pays homage to its blues roots, particularly on the grinding "Fearless Boogie" and the slow burn of "Made Into a Movie."
The last quarter of XXX brings together live cuts that evidence ZZ Top's split personality as blues mavens and samplers of the Silicon Age. The more traditional segment finds Elvis Presley's normally finger-snapping "(Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear" transformed into drawn-out 12-bar blues while Gibbons tears up the sublimely lascivious shuffle "Belt Buckle" with some impressive work on slide guitar.
ZZ Top: Billy F. Gibbons (vocals, guitar); Dusty Hill (vocals, bass); Frank Beard (vocals, drums).
Additional personnel: Jeff Beck (guitar and backing vocals on "Hey Mr. Millionaire").
Production:
Producer: Billy Gibbons
Engineer: Joe Hardy
Assistant engineer: Gary Moon
Mixing: Joe Hardy
Mastering: Bob Ludwig
Digital editing: Brad Blackwood
Recording: Joe Hardy
Art direction: Bill Narum
Track Listing:
1. Poke Chop Sandwich - 4:50
2. Crucifixx-A-Flatt - 3:59
3. Fearless Boogie - 4:01
4. 36-22-36 - 2:35
5. Made into a Movie - 5:13
6. Beatbox - 2:48
7. Trippin' - 3:55
8. Dreadmonboogaloo - 2:36
9. Introduction by Ross Mitchell - :34
10. Sinpusher - 5:18
11. (Let Me Be Your) Teddy Bear - 5:21
12. Hey Mr. Millionaire - 4:14
13. Belt Buckle - 4:05