Rhythmeen

ZZ Top | Format: Audio CD

Product Details

• Audio CD (September 17, 1996)
• Original Release Date: September 17, 1996
• Number of Discs: 1
• Label: RCA
• ASIN: B000002X04
• Also Available in: Audio CD  |  Audio Cassette  |  MP3 Download
• Average Customer Review: 4.6 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (53 customer reviews)
• Amazon Best Sellers Rank: #125,453 in Music (See Top 100 in Music)

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

31 of 31 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars ZZ Top's best album in ages and one of their best ever., January 13, 2004

By 

FairiesWearBoots8272 (USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rhythmeen (Audio CD)

In 1996, long after their 80s MTV heyday, ZZ Top ditched the gloss and the synthesizers to record a back-to-basics, no BS rock album. The result was Rhythmeen, one of the best albums of ZZ Top's career. After seeing the pop-friendly monstrosity that they became in the mid 80s (Afterburner?! Ick.....), Rhythmeen is a breath of fresh air and a reminder of what a great rock band ZZ Top is. Billy Gibbons cranks the amp way up and incorporates various distortion effects to produce Top's heaviest, hardest rocking album ever. Billy's guitar rules the show, his riffs and solos are spectacular and there are several tracks that are quite memorable. "Bang Bang" and "She's Just Killing Me" could have been rock radio hits.

If you like ZZ Top's earlier material (Rio Grande Mud, Tres Hombres) then you must check out Rhythmeen. It's not quite as bluesy as that earlier material; this is more hard rock than anything, and some of the songs are not far from Black Sabbath-style heavy metal. Rhythmeen is a must-own for fans of bluesy hard rock. This is the loudest album ZZ Top has ever made and probably ever will make and it rocks hard.

16 of 16 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Chunky, barely liquid, bottom-of-the-engine sludge..., June 3, 2004

By 

R. Holt "oldrover" (Falmouth, ME USA) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rhythmeen (Audio CD)

That's what this CD is. And I mean that in a good way. The hardest ZZ Top album EVER, IMHO. Yeah, the lyrics are goofy, but they're been lame ever since Eliminator, for the most part. Focus on the sound... that grinding, distorted, blistering lead guitar sound on some great Texas blues melodies... I've played it over and over again, and I just don't get tired of this dirty little grease monkey.

9 of 9 people found the following review helpful:

4.0 out of 5 stars Goodbye techno-sounds, hello ruff'n'ready riffing, June 3, 2002

By 

"ozzygeezer" (Birmingham, AL) - See all my reviews

This review is from: Rhythmeen (Audio CD)

This album seemingly goes back to the way ZZ Top started out in the '70's, back to the rootsy riffing and blues-soaked soloing of guitarist Billy Gibbons. The synthesized sound of Eliminator, the album that gave ZZ Top huge popularity and commercial success in '83, has seemingly been put to rest. Rhythmeen sees the band returning to earlier, earthier tones. The songs might not have the hooks'n'humor of Eliminator and Afterburner, but Gibbons's playing here is grittier and sharper than it has been for some time. The overall feel of the album is a welcome return to roots.