Rock and Roll Hall of Famers ZZ Top have released their 15th studio album, and their first release in nine years. As Billy Gibbons said at a performance that I attended several years ago, “Same three guys, same three chords!” Billy Gibbons (guitar and vocals), Dusty Hill (bass and vocals), and Frank Beard (drums) don’t fall far that assessment and that’s exactly what their fans know, love and expect. These three guys have been making music together for more than forty years and they have developed a distinct sound. Their latest offering, La Futura, produced by Rick Rubin and Billy Gibbons, goes back to the band’s blues roots with the addition of modern production elements, some extended guitar parts from Billy Gibbons, and classic ZZ Top riffs spattered throughout the CD.
The opening track “Gotsta Get Paid” has hip-hoppy lyrics and a hip-hop groove, yet it has somehow incorporated all the elements of a ZZ Top classic. It’s followed by a song called “Chartreuse,” which is reminiscent of the twelve-bar blues of “Tush” from 1975’s ‘Fandango!’ album with some techno guitar distortion to freshen things up.
Lyrically, there’s less humor in the country-blues ballad “Over You,” but overall, this release is still chock full of sexual innuendos and seemingly personal experiences. “Flyin’ High” and “Big Shiny Nine” definitely bring back the fun. “Heartache In Blue,” my personal favorite, has layered vocal tracks with some nifty foreground/background effects and I absolutely love the addition of the blues harp, courtesy of James Harman, on this song.
While ZZ Top’s signature stylings are still intact, there’s an apparent element of technology present on this CD, keeping things interesting for the band affectionately referred to as “that little ol’ band from Texas.”
