Rhythmeen

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Rhythmeen
ZZ Top - Rhythmeen.jpg
Studio album by
ZZ Top
ReleasedSeptember 17, 1996
RecordedFebruary-June 1996
GenreBlues rock, hard rock
Length53:55
LabelRCA
ProducerBilly Gibbons, Bill Ham
ZZ Top chronology
One Foot in the Blues
(1994) 		Rhythmeen
(1996) 		XXX
(1999)

Rhythmeen is the twelfth studio album by the American blues rock band ZZ Top, released in 1996. It is their last album with longtime producer Bill Ham.

Production and recording[]

“We originally had a working title of ‘Nearing The Completion Stage'. But, it was the backbeat, that mean groove, which hit us as a strong recurring element of the album. So, we did our customary play on words, shuffling words about until we came up with our own invention – a feel-good elixir named Rhythmeen.”[1]

Gibbons uses an early 1950s Les Paul Goldtop guitar and is featured prominently throughout the album.[2]

Reception[]

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
Allmusic2.5/5 stars [3]
Rolling Stone3/5 stars [4]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide3.5/5 stars[5]

Allmusic gave it a mixed review, stating: "ZZ Top's long-awaited return to blues finally arrived in 1996, well over a decade after they abandoned their simple three-chord boogie for a synth and drum machine-driven three-chord boogie."

The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and at number 32 on the UK Albums Chart.

Track listing[]

No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
1."Rhythmeen"Billy GibbonsGibbons3:53
2."Bang Bang"GibbonsGibbons4:28
3."Black Fly"GibbonsGibbons3:31
4."What's Up with That"Gibbons, Joe Hardy, Luther Ingram, Mack Rice[6]Gibbons5:19
5."Vincent Price Blues"Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank BeardGibbons6:04
6."Zipper Job"Gibbons, Hill, BeardGibbons4:14
7."Hairdresser"Gibbons, HardyGibbons3:48
8."She's Just Killing Me"Gibbons, Hill, BeardGibbons4:55
9."My Mind Is Gone"Gibbons, Hardy, , Stevie WonderGibbons4:06
10."Loaded"Gibbons, HardyHill3:47
11."Prettyhead"Gibbons, Hill, BeardGibbons4:37
12."Hummbucking, Pt. 2"Gibbons, Hill, BeardGibbons5:13
Total length:53:55
Bonus track [Japan]
No.TitleWriter(s)Lead vocalsLength
13."Isn't Love Amazing"GibbonsGibbons5:15
Total length:59:10

Personnel[]

Production[]

  • Producers – Billy Gibbons, Bill Ham
  • Engineer – Joe Hardy
  • Assistant engineers – Lizzie Harrah, Gary Moon
  • Mixing – Joe Hardy
  • Mastering – Bob Ludwig
  • Director – Douglas Biro
  • Art direction – Sean Mosher-Smith
  • Design – Billy Gibbons, Sean Mosher-Smith
  • Photography – James Bland
  • Studio - John Moran's House of Funk aka Digital Services Recording


Charts[]

Album – Billboard (United States)

Year Chart Position
1996 The Billboard 200 29[citation needed]

Singles – Billboard (United States)

Year Single Chart Position
1996 "Bang Bang" Mainstream Rock Tracks 22[citation needed]
1996 "She's Just Killing Me" Mainstream Rock Tracks 12[citation needed]
1996 "What's Up with That" Mainstream Rock Tracks 5[citation needed]
1997 "Rhythmeen" Mainstream Rock Tracks 35[citation needed]

References[]

  1. ^ Vogel, Michael (27 September 1996) "ZZ Top - Rhythmeen". The Album Network
  2. ^ Billy Gibbons Rock&Roll Gearhead book
  3. ^ Thomas, Stephen (September 17, 1996). "Rhythmeen - ZZ Top : Songs, Reviews, Credits, Awards". AllMusic. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  4. ^ "ZZ Top: Rhythmeen". RollingStone.com. February 2, 1996. Archived from the original on 2009-05-25. Retrieved June 16, 2012.
  5. ^ Cross, Charles R. (2004). "ZZ Top". In Brackett, Nathan; Hoard, Christian (eds.). The New Rolling Stone Album Guide (4th ed.). Simon & Schuster. pp. 907-8. ISBN 0-7432-0169-8.
  6. ^ "ZZ Top - Rhythmeen (CD, Album)". Discogs. Retrieved July 12, 2013.
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