8 track tapes

REVIEW: ZZ Top – Tejas (1976)

ZZ Top – Tejas (1976 Warner)

Billy Gibbons described the sixth ZZ Top album Tejas as “transitional”.  Modern technology was creeping its way into the recording studio, but ZZ Top were still as bluesy and greasy as ever.  Their palette was becoming more colourful, if anything.  Not just the browns of desert landscape and beer bottles, but a broadening spectrum of shades.

Opening with fan favourite slow groove “It’s Only Love”, we are off to a stunning start.  The high twang of the guitars contrast with the low thump of Dusty Hill’s bass, but it is the chorus most of us remember best.  Frank Beard’s drums clank along creatively, and the band are cooking.  Vocals are shared between Billy and Dusty.  Three quarters in, the song shifts into something a little more tense, with a brilliant harmonica solo.

Things sound a little more familiar on the bouncing “Arrested For Driving While Blind”, a solid blue boogie.  Listen to Frank shuffle while Billy effortless rips out one of his patented smokers.  The grooves turn gently relentless on “El Diablo”, a nocturnal desert tale, with adventurous chord changes and rolling guitar work.  Once again Dusty Hill creates a backdrop of low thunder.  This ain’t blues, but a sci-fi hybrid.  Likewise, “Snappy Kakkie” is not at all standard, nor is it a bizarre Frank Zappa workout.  Yet it has certain adventurous and challenging elements that lend it a foot in many worlds.  At the end of the day, that hook of “Say hey Snappy Kakkie!” keeps you coming back.  The pace picks up on “Enjoy and Get It On”.  This track is a serious deep cut; a nice little greasy blues blitz at the end of side one.

“Ten Dollar Man”, with Dusty on vocals, is a ripper.  As Frank Beard deftly taps out the beats, Dusty and Billy get down to the business of cooking.  A menacing track with plenty of head-bopping potential.  Then you better solder your head on straight, for “Pan Am Highway Blues” rips!  ZZ Top are never content to just play the blues.  They have to throw a few tricks in the bag, and they do, but this song is focused more on the highway and the gas pedal.  Billy takes advantage of the studio tech to overlay a few nice slide guitar lines.

Dusty takes the mic on “Avalon Hideaway” which features some tasty, pounding Frank Beard fills.  The lead solo by Billy might be the best part, but the slightly funky vibe really makes it a mover.  Beard is a busy drummer without sounding busy.  “She’s a Heartbreaker” is a classic pop/country/rock/Top tune.  The croonin’ melody of the chorus is a classic that will go down as one of ZZ’s best in their vast catalogue.  “She’s a heartbreaker, she’s a love taker, but she can break a heart and take all the love she needs…”  There’s a hint of violin just to nail that hoedown vibe.  As far as Top tunes go, this one’s a masterpiece of musical fusion.

Tejas closes on a brilliant instrumental, “Asleep In the Desert”, which allows Billy to play both electric and acoustic, slow and easy, as the sun sets over the oasis and the sounds of the night begin to emerge…

Many ZZ Top albums can be considered among their best in the catalogue.  In 1976, there was concern that ZZ Top was going too far country.  Obviously in hindsight, that wasn’t the case, and we can appreciate Tejas for what it was.  Because none of its songs were included on 1977’s Best Of ZZ Top, Tejas abounds in great deep cuts.  It’s not the kind of album you buy and get all the hits you remember.  It’s something far better.  It’s an album you buy and learn a bunch of brilliant songs you might not have heard before.  It’s a must.

4.5/5 stars

The 8-track release shuffles the track order, but no songs are split between tracks, which is always nice.  “El Diablo” coming in second changes the vibe of the listen a bit.

 

 

GALLERY: Nine 8-tracks from Tim, a Guess Who book from Robert, and a bunch of stickers!

On Friday night, I unboxed some parcels, but didn’t take a super close look at the contents.  Today, we are!

From TeePublic, some stickers supporting some friends:

From author Robert Lawson, a harcopy of his acclaimed Guess Who book Wheatfield Soul:

And from the Durling Foundation, a huge box full of 8-track tapes.  Not a bad haul here!  In order, they are:

 

  1. ZZ Top – Tejas
  2. Kansas – Point of Know Return
  3. Eagles – The Long Run
  4. MECO – Star Wars Galactic Funk (yes, the legendary disco album!)
  5. Journey – Departure
  6. The Cars – The Cars
  7. Alice Cooper – Lace and Whiskey
  8. Bad Company – Bad Company
  9. Foreigner – Head Games

I never thought I would have an 8-track collection, but here we are.

Thank you, friends!

#1060: Max the Axe’s Garage Sale (Trillion Dollar Treats)

RECORD STORE TALES #1060: Max the Axe’s Garage Sale

A huge thank-you to my host Max the Axe today at a fantastic garage sale!  BEHOLD!

“9:00 AM!” he said.  “Serving shots and weed to my Facebook friends starting at 9 AM!”

There was no way I was missing this garage sale.

I only had four hours sleep, and a large Tim Horton’s coffee, to prepare me.  I didn’t think I could make it.  After the events of last night, which left me rocked (in a bad way), I didn’t think I was up for it.  But at 9:00 AM I said “to hell with it, let’s go,” and Jen and I were in the car off to the Trillion Dollar Treats that Max had on offer.

First up:  cassettes!  I picked up six:

  • Poison – Flesh & Blood
  • Metallica – Metallica
  • Van Halen – Diver Down
  • Extreme – II:  Pornograffitti
  • Ozzy Osbourne – No Rest for the Wicked
  • Van Halen – Women and Children First

You can blame Tim Durling for my sudden interest in buying Cassettes That I Already Own On Remastered CDs.  He did point out the Diver Down cassette was an unusual cover variant, with the image slanted taking up the whole cover.

Speaking of Tim Durling…

  • Led Zeppelin – Led Zeppelin IV

I’ve caught the 8-track bug, baby!  Tim remarked that my copy was in better condition than his.  Max had more 8-tracks but none from bands that I collected.

So that’s cassette and 8-track.  What about CD and vinyl?  Maxie has plenty of both, but my tab was starting to rack up.  I gave him $20 for this rare AC/DC longbox, still sealed.

It’s the live “Highway to Hell” single, with long box intact and not in terrible shape.  I used to have CD longboxes, but I foolishly tossed them when I moved, assuming their were worth next to nothing.  Just paper.  But now…

Next up:  Max has been trying to sell me a tape deck for years.  This one was $20, a Kenwood.  My old Sony has seen the better of days, and Max says this one runs perfectly.  I guess we’ll find out soon enough, to try out these new tapes I just bought, huh?

Finally, we have the magazine scores.  Some MAD, some Cracked, some Star Wars, and some music!  Even a M.E.A.T Magazine!  A little bit of everything, and…woah, that’s Lee Aaron!!

Max has so much stuff, and you still have time to get down there.  Kites, speakers, tape decks, collectables, magazines, all killer deals!  Blank media galore.

Am I ever glad I went to Trillion Dollar Treats to see Max the Axe on my Saturday morning.  My Friday was brutal – absolutely brutal.  I am sure you will eventually be reading about it in one way or another.  My real life has a habit of becoming public knowledge, because when I’m hurting inside, I need to get it out.  My only weakness.  Thank you to everyone who sent helpful messages and offered to talk.  I need to single out Boppin, Jex, Tim, James and especially Jen for talking to me last night and this morning.  I love you all.