1996 - Rhythmeen
"Solid silver beat machine, hunkin' down....Here comes another dope fiend, tradin' up for rhythmeen..."
In late 1995 director Quentin Tarantino asked the members of ZZ Top to contribute to the soundtrack for his new film "Dusk till Dawn". The group sat down, traded off ideas and, alone with their respective instruments, laid down the most straight lined, unfiltered rock sounds they had produced in years. Strong, fluid guitar, deep thumping bass and upfront, hammering high drums came through with a breath of fresh air that brought about a sense of rejuvenation and new purpose. The track would prove to be a motivator for the group, ultimately foretelling the sound of the next album to come.
Released in September "Rhythmeen" proved to be the answer to prayers of long time fans, a throwback to the down n' dirty blues rock that was so prevalent back in the day and put the band on the map in the 1970's. From the opening guitar sequence of the title track, drenched in drop-tuned fuzzy funk, the low, low pounding bass, and the hypnotizing, recurring beat, the listener was instantly hooked and intrigued by the apparent new direction. "Bang Bang" showcased a new, grizzled attitude, full of confident ego swagger. "Hairdresser" and "Pretty Head", at first glance appearing simplistic and even trite, compel and eventually convince the ears of the brilliance of the mind-numbing, mind-altering sounds emitting from the instruments of the maturing trio. "Loaded" features Dusty in all the glory of pompous cock rock strutting, and "Hummbucking Pt.2" has such an intense, extensive plethora of sounds in the background that each time the track is played one hears a different song.
The album would sell well, but would prove to be the first record in 15 years by the Top not to achieve Platinum sales status in the U.S, reaching a peak of #29 on the Billboard 200. Many fans commented they would have preferred this alleged return to form to have occurred in 1990, instead of the somewhat befuddled malaise of "Recycler". The group was no longer in the living rooms of the public, a combination of the lessening interest in the group's sounds and the shift of MTV's programming to more "shows" vs. music videos. The band's 1980's fans had grown up and their musical tastes matured. All that remained were those that had been there before the "El Liminator" madness. But it also seemed that the band was comfortable with the burning out of the meteor, as evidenced by the renewed focus on recording what they wanted to play, vs. what they thought the public wanted to hear.
The reason for the renewed vigor and relatively quick recording of a new album within two years of the last one is unknown. Personally I surmise that Billy, unhappy with the success of "Antenna", wanted to show that the group had not lost their mojo, their skill, their relevance. For those that listened the message was received loud and clear, this band could still rock.
The lack of sales did not overly please their label RCA, who didn't help their own cause by choosing to invest little in the promotion of the new release. It didn't matter though, the fans that cared, the ones who will always support the group, were captivated and ecstatic, and were more than happy to show off the album to their friends.
Well prior to the drop date the group embarked on a world wide tour, appropriately named "Continental Safari". Some locales had never seen ZZ in person, and overall the endeavor proved to be a great success. The set list featured an extensive number of selections from the yet to be released album, further indicating the band's appreciation for the new material.
Arguably the greatest work in the latter half of the band's catalogue, the album is an essential piece of even the casual fans collection.
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