ZZ Top - Rancho Texicano: The Very Best of ZZ Top
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Free Music Notes for Rancho Texicano: The Very Best of ZZ Top
Free Music Review: + 1/2 stars...A Thoroughly Satisfying Career Retrospective
Hit: 4 Stars
Although it is not the hits-intensive package that 1992's GREATEST HITS was, this two-disc retrospective does a solid job of covering ZZ Top's 20-year career on Warner Bros. from 1970's ZZ TOP'S FIRST ALBUM to 1990's RECYCLER.
In addition to early hits like "La Grange" and "Tush," there are, of course, the mid-eighties MTV hits like "Gimme All Your Lovin'," "Sharp Dressed Man" and the original single version of "Legs." [GREATEST HITS included a remix version.] The album closes with a rousing live version of "Cheap Sunglasses" from 1980, but the dance mix of "Legs" and the 12" remix of "Velcro Fly" leave a bad taste in an otherwise stellar collection of big hits and strong album cuts.
All in all, it's a matter of how big a fan you are. If you want more than the 18-track GREATEST HITS but don't want to spring for the 4-disc box set CHROME, SMOKE & BBQ, then RANCHO TEXICANO is exactly what you're looking for. HIGHLY RECOMMENDED
Free Music Review: Better Purchase Than The Box?
Hit: 5 Stars
I own both this 2 cd collection and the "Chrome, Smoke & BBQ" 4 cd box. If you are a casual ZZ Top fan or want to add a ZZ Top album to your collection, this 2 cd set is the way to go. The sound is suberb and track selection excellent. "Rancho Texicano" flat out smokes any previous ZZ Top "greatest/best of" package of 2 cds or less. Plus, I praise the "Gods" of boogie for not including ZZ Top's worst song ever, "Heaven, Hell Or Houston", here. If you are more than a casual ZZ Top fan, bordering on or crossing into die-hard territory (like me) skip this set and drop the extra cash on the box set. The Moving Sidewalks tracks are a must. And, even though disc four of the box is a little weaker than the previous three, it is still essential ZZ Top. Finally, if you have the extra cash around, buy both!
"Rancho Texicano" is much more user friendly for the car.
Free Music Review: Not perfect, but a Texas cut above 1992's "Greatest Hits"
Hit: 4 Stars
I am not a hardcore fan of ZZ Top, but there are more than a few songs that made this a must buy purchase for me. Although I was familiar with and like some their early hits like "La Grange," "Tush," and "Cheap Sunglasses," it was not until buying their multimillion selling "Eliminator" in 1993 that I started to get into them. I know that some longtime fans disliked it when ZZ Top glossed up their sound with synthesizers, but to me that's exactly when they found their niche. Although I'll get shot by some for writing this, when I am in the mood for something more traditionally bluesy, my first instinct is to go to Stevie Ray Vaughn and not early ZZ Top. They followed "Eliminator" in 1985 with the release of the equally addictive "Afterburner," which includes the massive hit "Roughboy," which may not be the greatest ZZ Top song in the mind of purists, but I could listen to it forever. The same goes for "Stages," "Pearl Necklace," "Sleeping Bag,' just to name a few.
This 2 Disc compilation is sequenced chronologically and breaks down the group's hits into their pre-synth and post-synth periods and it seems to hit all the right notes. Some have correctly mentioned that the last 3 selections on Disc 2 are absolutely unnecessary (these include a second version of "Cheap Sunglasses" (Live), and remixed/dance versions "Legs" and "Velcro Fly," which are already in the collection in their much better original versions) and that by not having them, it could have left room for other songs that may be missing.
If you only like the pre or post synth ZZ Top, you may find yourself disappointed by this selection, but in all fairness it represents their very best and both periods produced worthwhile material. I wound up making a 1 Disc personal version that took what I thought was the very best for me and I am loving it. Almost of the hits are here and if that is what you are looking for, you could do a lot worse. Also, this collection has good inserts that give new fans and may remind some older fans of how these guys got to where they are. I do wish that they would have gotten into some of the behind the song stuff, but it's not a must for any collection. I give this collection a solid 4 stars for its thoroughness, great remastering, and just because I finally have some of my favorites in one place. The 1 point penalty is for the shoddy 3 song choices on Disc 2, but I can live with it now that I have made my own version as I never want to hear these remixes again.
Free Music Review: ****1/2 - a great introduction to the bearded ones
Hit: 4 Stars
Or maybe the place to end up for casual fans who just want one ZZ Top album in their collection.
"Rancho Texicano" gathers (most of) the best from ZZ Top's rough and tough 70s albums on disc one, and the 80s MTV hits on disc two, and while they shouldn't have ended the set with 12" remixes of "Legs" and "Velcro Fly" (which are here in their original versions as well), the tracks selection is generally very good, even if it largely ignores the band's 90's efforts.
There are still plenty of highlights, though, from the band's grittiest early blues-rock stompers "Brown Sugar" and "Francene" and the slow grind of "Just Got Back From Baby's" and "Fool For Your Stockings", to latter-day smashes such as "Gimme All Your Lovin'" and "Legs", and the dirty "Pearl Necklace". And the fact that this collection is not limited to hit singles means that somewhat lesser-known gems like "Waitin' For The Bus" and the supremely funky rave-up "Tube Snake Boogie" are included as well.
The layout is quite nice, the annotation is good without being magnificent, and while this is not quite everything you could ever want from ZZ Top, "Rancho Texicano" still blows "Greatest Hits" out of the water.
Unless you want to pick up the 4-disc "Smoke, Chrome & BBQ" box set right away, this fine career overview provides the best available introduction to the little ol' band from Texas.
Free Music Review: Worthwhile collection
Hit: 4 Stars
I am a guitar player and I took a chance on this collection hoping the whole lead on "Just Got Paid" would be there and it was! Later CD reissues chopped it off in the middle. So I was glad they did not edit the old material. The songs in this collection are in chronological order and it was fascinating to see just where the band changed. Once they started using synthesizers and electric drums in the mid-80's, Billy didn't have to fill in as many gaps with his guitar and I think it hurt the band. I still think they were better up to and including Eliminator. I would love to see them do an exclusively traditional blues CD with limited electronic effects.