ZZ Top - Fandango (1975) (Remaster Edit 2006)

Blessed with their first full-fledged hit album, ZZ Top followed it up with Fandango!, a record split between a side of live tracks and a side of new studio cuts. In a way, this might have made sense, since they were a kick-ass live band, and they do sound good here, but it's hard not to see this as a bit of a wasted opportunity in retrospect. Why? Because the studio side is a worthy successor to the all-fine Tres Hombres, driven by "Tush" and "Heard It on the X," two of their greatest songs that build on that album by consolidating their sound and amplifying their humor. If they had sustained this energy and quality throughout a full studio album, it would have been their greatest, but instead the mood is broken by the live cuts. Now, these are really good live cuts -- and "Backdoor Medley" and "Jailhouse Rock" were fine interpretations, making familiar songs sound utterly comfortable in their signature sound -- and Fandango! remains one of their better albums, but it's hard not to think that it could have been even better. [The 2006 reissue of the album adds three live tracks: "Jailhouse Rock," "Tush," and "Heard It on the X."]...S. T. Erlewine

320 @
96 MB
2000mustangs

Tracklist:

01 Thunderbird 4:10
02 Jailhouse Rock 1:55
03 Medley: Backdoor Love Affair/Mellow Down Easy 9:51
04 Nasty Dogs and Funky Kings 2:44
05 Blue Jean Blues 4:44
06 Balinese 2:36
07 Mexican Blackbird 3:05
08 Heard It on the X 2:25
09 Tush 2:17
10 Heard It on the X Live / Bonus Track 2:36
11 Jailhouse Rock Live / Bonus Track 1:52
12 Tush Live / Bonus Track 3:42

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