Rhythmeen

ZZ Top: Billy F. Gibbons (vocals, guitar); Dusty Hill (vocals, bass); Frank Beard (vocals, drums).
Recorded at Charlatan's, Hollywood, California; Ardent Studios, Memphis, Tennessee; John's House Of Funk, Houston, Texas.
Personnel: Billy Gibbons (vocals, guitar); Frank Beard (vocals, drums); Dusty Hill (vocals).
Audio Mixer: Joe Hardy.
Recording information: Ardent Studios, Memphis; Charlatan's Hollywood; John's House Of Fiunk, Houston.
Photographers: James Bland; Rob McKinley.
There are some things in America that you can count on year after year, like Coca-Cola, the Super Bowl and the latest ZZ Top album. RHYTHMEEN is no exception. On these 12 tunes Billy Gibbons, Frank Beard and Dusty Hill continue to do what they have always done best: making lowdown, swampy rock and roll with a monstrous guitar crunch.
As usual, the Topsters' sense of humor is in the forefront. Witness "Zipper Job," a rocking ode to sex-change operations, or the slow-grinding, bizarrely ominous "Vincent Price Blues." In fact, most of the tunes on RHYTHMEEN contain a good dose of the band's loopy, Texas-fried scamp sensibility. Dusty Hill's vocals retain their raw, morning-after-the-morning-after tequila hangover quality. And fans will be pleased to note that Gibbons' guitar work is as dirty and untamed as ever. On "Loaded" he reaches new depths of unwashed guitar glory; he sounds as if he's playing through a prehistoric garbage compactor.