Author: Claus Müller

The band ZZ Top was formed in 1969. After a somewhat difficult start, the final lineup was established in 1970 with Billy Gibbons (vocals, guitar), Dusty Hill (bass, vocals), and Frank Beard (drums). Although their first two albums failed to find success, the three men’s perseverance paid off, and they achieved their commercial breakthrough in 1973 with “Tres Hombres.” The album reached No. 8 on the Billboard 200 charts. The mix of Texas blues, Southern rock, blues rock, and hard rock fit the times perfectly. To date, the album has sold over 5 million copies.

All ten tracks are well-crafted, and no two are alike. The music is thoughtfully composed, has a logical structure, and offers variety within each song. A harbinger of the band’s later commercial success is the song “La Grange,” which probably all of us are familiar with. Although “Tres Hombres” didn’t achieve a breakthrough in Europe, this track later became a hallmark of the group here as well. This song in particular—but also most of the other tracks—really rock hard. It’s more about headbanging than tapping your foot. The first two tracks, “Waitin’ for the Bus” and “Jesus Just Left Chicago,” are absolute must-listens. So, the three gentlemen delivered a solid album that still holds its own in 2026 and can be considered a defining work for this band during its formative years.

The sound of the ten songs varies. In some places, I’d like to hear a bit more treble and a bit more punch. Songs No. 2, No. 3, No. 8, and No. 9 stand out for their slightly livelier reproduction. For my taste, “La Grange” has the best sound. Otherwise, the sound generally remains muffled and subdued. In terms of sound parameters, as well as dynamics and frequency response, this is a typical document of its time. The stereo image is well-defined: vocals, guitar, bass, and drums all find their place. Compared to the master tape copies from the 1970s that I have on hand, however, Rhino still has a lot of room for improvement, which is why I can only give this album an intermediate score for sound quality. It certainly could have been done better.

The master tape copies are produced by RTM in France. The standard aluminum reel comes in a labeled folding cardboard box. A four-page leaflet rounds out the package nicely. At $299.98 plus $24.99 for shipping, the price for the tape is relatively affordable. In Germany, you can expect customs and processing fees of around 57.00 EUR. You’ll need to hurry when placing your order. Most of the limited-edition Rhino master tape copies sell out within a few days.

Translated from German with DeepL.com (free version)