What a travesty.
― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:18 (twenty-one years ago)
I imagine there are a lot of old techno-drums "Tejas" in stock, making it years before anyone gets around to printing another run with the true sounds. If it ever is done at all before we croak.
― George Smith, Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:27 (twenty-one years ago)
― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:31 (twenty-one years ago)
I got it for some other things -- plus I couldn't do without the originals of "Arrested...," "It's Only Love," and "Enjoy and Get It on."
― George Smith, Saturday, 21 February 2004 19:38 (twenty-one years ago)
ZZ Top was riding high in the mid-'70s on the strength of Tres Hombres and Fandango, but they were starting to run out of steam by 1977's Tejas. Its predecessor was padded with a live side, but even if it was close to padding, it was still enjoyable. Tejas, despite sounding pretty good, is just forgettable. It has the patented, propulsive ZZ boogie, but none of the songs are particularly memorable, even if the whole thing sounds pretty good as it's playing. ZZ Top and their label, London, must have noticed this too, since even though the album went gold, they followed it months later with The Best of ZZ Top, which contained none of the songs from this album. — Stephen Thomas Erlewine
---> defend/exalt Tejas: how come your fave?
― Paul (scifisoul), Saturday, 21 February 2004 20:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Saturday, 21 February 2004 21:13 (twenty-one years ago)
― Broheems (diamond), Saturday, 21 February 2004 21:17 (twenty-one years ago)
― Paul (scifisoul), Saturday, 21 February 2004 21:36 (twenty-one years ago)
― Ned Raggett (Ned), Saturday, 21 February 2004 21:52 (twenty-one years ago)
I sure am not.
― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Saturday, 21 February 2004 22:03 (twenty-one years ago)
― Broheems (diamond), Saturday, 21 February 2004 22:42 (twenty-one years ago)
Add to that Frank's hostility to Ozzy and the management this offseason (not answering phone calls, period), and the likelihood that Konerko, Frank and Koch aren't going to be back to peak form, and I think we're looking at a 77-win team, the worst in, what, 7-8 years?
― Baked Bean Teeth (Baked Bean Teeth), Sunday, 22 February 2004 05:29 (twenty-one years ago)
Tejas is a masterpiece, at times the Stoniest they ever were, the most psychedelic at times, the sound is sort of cool, dead, weird, thin but complex...then at the end they invent Calexico on the last song.
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 15:57 (two years ago)
Yeah, I've talked about it on other ZZ Top threads — it's an amazing little swerve, like, "Let's make a psychedelic country-rock album and see what happens". Such a brilliant, subtly mind-warping record.
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 16:07 (two years ago)
it really rewards repeated listening. frank beard is exceptional on this, stretching way beyond his usual drumming style at points.
― Blues Guitar Solo Heatmap (Free Download) (upper mississippi sh@kedown), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 16:16 (two years ago)
May favorite ZZ Top album, I think. Pan America Highway Blues and She's a Heartbreaker on Side 2 have that Stones/Flamin' Groovies Teenage Head vibe.
― Unfairport Convention (PBKR), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 16:36 (two years ago)
Man, I love "It's Only Love." How did it never get massive airplay and become a classic rock radio staple?
― Three Rings for the Elven Bishop (Dan Peterson), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 16:36 (two years ago)
my fav top album too! mister ten dolla man with a gun in his hand!
― sault bae (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 16:37 (two years ago)
"el diablo" is my favorite, with its spooky lonesome highway vibes
― sault bae (voodoo chili), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 16:38 (two years ago)
"I've gotten good at missing her/I practice all the time."
― Unfairport Convention (PBKR), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 19:30 (two years ago)
Does this have the most "vocal variety" of any of their records? Lots of Dusty both solo and in duet, and Billy doing his "twangy voice" as well as his usual rasp.
― Halfway there but for you, Wednesday, 4 January 2023 20:23 (two years ago)
The best Top rec. Sappy Kakkie so funky.
― kurt schwitterz, Wednesday, 4 January 2023 20:58 (two years ago)
I support the ILM canonization of Tejas by ZZ Top. I think it's as funky as rock music gets. And more spooky lonesome highway vibes on "Asleep In the Desert"
― J. Sam, Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:13 (two years ago)
The only track from this album I remember getting even a smattering of airplay when it was released was "Arrested for Driving While Blind."
― immodesty blaise (jimbeaux), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:15 (two years ago)
pretty sure the version that comes with the recent(ish) zz top boxset was a 'normal' version of the album.i.e. not the rerecorded drums version that has been mentioned here and on other threads.
― mark e, Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:20 (two years ago)
Yeah, the post-Six Pack box set versions are the correct ones (this is also the mix used on Spotify), but real headz know the true Tejas experience is on the O.G. London Records vinyl, with the big gatefold and cardstock lyric sheet inner sleeve.
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:26 (two years ago)
Baller:
https://thumbs.worthpoint.com/zoom/images2/1/0610/02/zz-top-tejas-1976-issue-mt-mint_1_a496b7b4f38c2630fece488b2e1224d2.jpg
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:30 (two years ago)
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:31 (two years ago)
The recent(ish) CD box set includes reproductions of the original LP sleeves, so Tejas and Tres Hombres are both gatefolds.
https://m.media-amazon.com/images/W/WEBP_402378-T1/images/I/51demQ8l8GL.jpg
― but also fuck you (unperson), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:32 (two years ago)
Missing the inner sleeves tho (crucial in that Fandango!-Deguello run)
https://www.backwoodrecords.jp/photo/567mg_10796824.jpg
― an icon of a worried-looking, long-haired, bespectacled man (C. Grisso/McCain), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 21:35 (two years ago)
The only one without an inner sleeve is, ironically, called Frank Inner Sleeve.
― Montgomery Burns' Jazz (Tarfumes The Escape Goat), Wednesday, 4 January 2023 22:32 (two years ago)
i have this record and the inner sleeve always confuses me, i never know how to fold it back
― Tracer Hand, Thursday, 5 January 2023 09:51 (two years ago)
on snappy kakkie i like to imagine them getting into can and going hell yeah let's go with it.
― andrew m., Thursday, 5 January 2023 20:32 (two years ago)
Listening to this album now, thanks to this revive. Frank Beard's breakbeat on "It's Only Love"...!
― but also fuck you (unperson), Thursday, 5 January 2023 20:53 (two years ago)