Tejas

ZZ Top

Full Moon / Warner Brothers Records, 1976

http://www.zztop.com

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 04/25/2002

In a sense, you can't fault ZZ Top for putting out a weak album back in 1976. The little ol' boogie band from Texas had cranked out four albums in three years, creating some songs which will probably be forever revered in the annals of Classic Rock Radio. But by the time of their live/studio split Fandango!, one could hear that Billy Gibbons, Dusty Hill and Frank Beard were in serious need of a break.

Pity they didn't take it before they released Tejas, easily ZZ Top's weakest release to that point. A collection of re-hashed so-unds dipping back to their debut release, it often sounds like ZZ Top is on cruise control - that is, until you hit the final two songs. Unfortunately, by that time, it's far too late (and far too little material) to save this one.

Never mind the fact that I'm listening to the absolutely crappy remix that was the albatross of my_heart_sings_the_harmony_web_ad_alt_250 The ZZ Top Sixpack, far too often the songs that Gibbons and company offer up sound too much like ground that's already been well tread upon. "El Diablo" has more than just trace elements of "Goin' Down To Mexico" off ZZ Top's First Album, while "Snappy Kakkie" is almost a mirror image of "Neighbor, Neighbor" off that same album. "Pan Am Highway Blues" is a less creative attempt to tap into the emotion of "Blue Jean Blues" from Fandango!, while "It's Only Love" sounds like it was written to be the "next hit single," but it never really develops the kind of legs it needs.

Simply put, 80 percent of Tejas has the sound of a band resting on its past glories - and while I wouldn't slander those moments (many of which I've enjoyed over the years), this disc proves that the past wasn't enough to propel ZZ Top into the future. Tracks like "Arrested For Driving While Blind," "Enjoy And Get It On" and "Ten Dollar Man" are limp and lifeless, daring to suggest that ZZ Top might have lost their creative spark.

Then come the final two tracks. "She's A Heartbreaker" finds the band tapping into a musical source they hadn't previously investigated, combining Southern rock with almost a Mexican influence. Whatever the mixture, this one is a lot of fun to listen to, and it would have been interesting to have seen how such a concept would have developed with the band. The album's closer, "Asleep In The Desert," has ZZ Top tackling an instrumental and turning in a performance that would have made Stevie Ray Vaughan weep with joy. Gibbons's understated guitar helps to drive this song home to the listener, and it delivers its payload well.

If only Tejas had more moments such as these, the disc may have been salvagable. As it is, though, the two great performances are overwhelmed by the lackluster songwriting and performances which make up the bulk of the disc. If you're exploring the musical landscape that is ZZ Top, it would be best to leave Tejas off of your vacation plans.

2002 Christopher Thelen and "The Daily Vault". All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Full Moon / Warner Brothers Records, and is used for informational purposes only.

Rating: D+

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© 2002 Christopher Thelen and The Daily Vault. All rights reserved. Review or any portion may not be reproduced without written permission. Cover art is the intellectual property of Full Moon / Warner Brothers Records, and is used for informational purposes only.