ZZ Top

Cinco No.2 rhino

Taking Texas to the world.

The second set of ZZ Top vinyl reissues finds the band taking their Texas boogie to the world with spectacular results. 1979’s Deguello followed a three‑year hiatus and shows the trio taking a more meticulous approach to their sound that still leaves room for a fluid attitude, allowing Cheap Sunglasses to flourish.

The synthesizers move in on El Loco, starting with the phased guitar on Tube Snake Boogie and electronically enhancing the vocals on

Heaven, Hell Or Houston. But while they’re polishing their style and sexist humour on

Pearl Necklace there’s also the unaccustomed melancholy of

I Wanna Drive You Home.

It all comes together on the relentless four‑to‑the‑floor of 1983’s Eliminator, a perfect merger of blues‑rock and synth‑ pop (although blues purists may not see it that way). MTV also played its part, drooling over the stylish videos for Gimme

All Your Lovin’, Sharp Dressed

Man and Legs.

1985’s Afterburner indulges the technology, with Dusty

Hill spending as much time on keyboards as bass. But it’s still fun, although there’s really no disguising the fact that Dipping Low In The Lap Of Luxury is just a rewrite of Gimme All Your Lovin’.

Five years later, the fun is getting a little strained on the aptly named Recycler. Only the sludgy My Head’s In Mississippi and Decision Or Collision seem prepared to rebel against the formulaic approach.

With the majority of the albums weighing in at under 40 minutes, there’s a satisfying vinyl oomph in the grooves, although the ever‑thickening production gets pretty dense later on. Meanwhile, the original covers, inner sleeves and labels should satisfy collectors.