 | This article needs additional citations for verification .(June 2012) |
| Rhythmeen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 17, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | February–June 1996 | |||
| Genre | Blues [1] | |||
| Length | 53:55 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Producer | ||||
| ZZ Top chronology | ||||
| ||||
Rhythmeen is the twelfth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1996. It is their last album with longtime producer Bill Ham.
Billy recalls "Rick Rubin has turned me on to one of his acts called Barkmarket and that the guitar player uses C# and B tunings so we began experimenting with really low tunings." [2] Around the Rhythmeen era Billy's collection of African artifacts began and several tracks include African tribal percussion.
This is when Billy began to sport the Nudu Hat, woven by the Bamileke tribe in Cameroon, Africa.
Gibbons uses a 1955 Les Paul Goldtop guitar which is featured prominently throughout the album. [3]
"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." [4]
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |    [1] |
| Rolling Stone | [5] |
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide | [6] |
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." [1]
The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and at number 32 on the UK Albums Chart.
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rhythmeen" | Billy Gibbons | 3:53 |
| 2. | "Bang Bang" | Gibbons | 4:28 |
| 3. | "Black Fly" | Gibbons | 3:31 |
| 4. | "What's Up with That" | Gibbons, Joe Hardy, Luther Ingram, Mack Rice [7] | 5:19 |
| 5. | "Vincent Price Blues" | Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard | 6:04 |
| 6. | "Zipper Job" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Hairdresser" | Gibbons, Hardy | 3:48 |
| 8. | "She's Just Killing Me" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | 4:55 |
| 9. | "My Mind Is Gone" | Gibbons, Hardy, Gary Moon, Stevie Wonder | 4:06 |
| 10. | "Loaded" | Gibbons, Hardy | 3:47 |
| 11. | "Prettyhead" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | 4:37 |
| 12. | "Hummbucking, Pt. 2" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | 5:13 |
| Total length: | 53:55 | ||
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Length |
|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Isn't Love Amazing" | Gibbons | 5:15 |
| Total length: | 59:10 | ||
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 ] |
ZZ Top is an American rock band formed in Houston, Texas, in 1969. For 51 years, it consisted of vocalist-guitarist Billy Gibbons, drummer Frank Beard and bassist-vocalist Dusty Hill, until Hill's death in 2021. ZZ Top developed a signature sound based on Gibbons' blues style and Hill and Beard's rhythm section. They are known for their live performances, sly and humorous lyrics, and the matching appearances of Gibbons and Hill, who wore sunglasses, hats and long beards.
ZZ Top's First Album is the debut studio album by American rock band ZZ Top, produced by Bill Ham and released in January 1971 by London Records. Establishing ZZ Top's attitude and humor, the album incorporates styles such as blues, boogie, hard rock, and Southern rock influences. "(Somebody Else Been) Shakin' Your Tree" was the only single released from the album.
Rio Grande Mud is the second studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top. It was released in 1972 by the London Records label. The album title was inspired by the Rio Grande, the river that forms the border between Mexico and Texas.
Tres Hombres is the third studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released on July 26, 1973, by London Records. It was the band's first collaboration with engineer Terry Manning. The album would be ZZ Top's commercial breakthrough in the United States charts. It peaked at number 8 on the Billboard 200 albums chart in 1974. Its lead single "La Grange" reached number 41 on the Billboard Hot 100. It is the first of many ZZ Top albums to incorporate the use of Spanish terminology in their branding. "Tres Hombres" means "three men" in Spanish.
Degüello is the sixth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in November 1979. It was the first ZZ Top release on Warner Bros. Records and eventually went platinum. It was produced by Bill Ham, recorded and mixed by Terry Manning, and mastered by Bob Ludwig.
El Loco is the seventh studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1981. It foreshadowed the band's extensive usage of synthesizers on Eliminator, Afterburner, and to a lesser extent, Recycler, by way of employing a synthesizer on a couple tracks, played by an uncredited Linden Hudson.
Antenna is the eleventh studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1994. It was the band's first album to be released on the RCA label.
Mescalero is the fourteenth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top. It was released in September 2003, as the band's final release for RCA Records. While the band still retained their foundation in blues rock, Mescalero explored genres like country and Tejano. Recording sessions took place at Foam Box Recordings in Houston, with Billy Gibbons as producer.
XXX is the thirteenth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in September 1999. The album's title commemorates the band's 30th anniversary.
Tejas is the fifth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top. It was released in late November 1976, on the London label. The title is a Caddo language word meaning "friends", which is the origin of the name of the band's home state, Texas.
Eliminator is the eighth studio album by American rock band ZZ Top. It was released on March 23, 1983, by Warner Bros. Records, and rose high on the charts in many countries. Four hit singles were released—"Gimme All Your Lovin'" which reached the American Top 40, "Sharp Dressed Man", "TV Dinners" and their most successful single, "Legs". Eliminator is ZZ Top's most commercially successful release, with sales of 11 million and diamond certification in the US.
One Foot in the Blues is a compilation album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1994. The album contains a selection of the band's songs which fall into the blues genre. With the exception of the songs taken from the Degüello, El Loco, Eliminator and Recycler albums, the 1987 digital remixes were used.
"Legs" is a song by the band ZZ Top from their 1983 album Eliminator. The song was released as the fourth single in May 1984 more than a year after the album came out. It reached number 8 on the Billboard Hot 100 in the United States, and the dance mix version of the song peaked at number 13 on the dance charts.
"Tube Snake Boogie" is a song from American rock band ZZ Top's 1981 album El Loco. It was released as a single the same year and reached No. 4 on the Billboard Mainstream Rock chart.
"Tush" is a song by American blues rock band ZZ Top and was the only single from their fourth album Fandango! The song was named the 67th best hard rock song of all time by VH1.
Fandango! is the fourth album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1975. The album's first side consists of selections from live shows, with the second side being new studio recordings. A remastered and expanded edition of this album was released on February 28, 2006.
Recycler is the tenth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in October 1990. It was the last album to utilize the band's synthesizer-driven production style which began on Eliminator and marked a return to the band's blues roots.
"My Head's In Mississippi" is a song by ZZ Top from their album Recycler. The song was produced by band manager Bill Ham, and recorded and mixed by Terry Manning. In December 1990, the song reached number one on the Billboard Album Rock Tracks chart and number 166 in Australia.
"What's Up with That" is a song by ZZ Top, released as the second single from their 1996 album Rhythmeen.
Perfectamundo is the debut studio album by American rock musician Billy Gibbons and rock band The BFG's. The album was released on November 6, 2015, by Concord Records.
| |
| Studio albums | |
| Compilations | |
| Live albums | |
| Box sets | |
| Singles |
|
| Other songs | |
| Video albums | |
| Tours | |
| Related articles | |
