Greatest Hits

ZZ Top: Billy Gibbons (vocals, guitar); Dusty Hill (vocals, keyboards, bass); Frank Beard (drums).

Although it began as an album-oriented, hard-edged blues band, ZZ Top had amassed quite a number of Top 40 hits by the early ’90s. All are featured on 1992’s 18-track GREATEST HITS compilation, making it a more comprehensive career overview than 1977’s shorter THE BEST OF ZZ TOP. The only problem is that it doesn’t contain a single selection from such early ZZ Top classics as ZZ TOP’S FIRST ALBUM, RIO GRANDE MUD, or TEJAS. But if you’re searching for the best known ZZ Top tracks, GREATEST HITS is your best bet. Just about every radio staple that the trio penned is represented here, such as the ’80s synth-meets-blues-rock classics “Gimme All Your Lovin’,” “Sharp Dressed Man,” “Legs,” “Pearl Necklace,” and “Sleeping Bag,” plus such older favorites as “Tush,” “Cheap Sunglasses,” and “La Grange.” What the critics say… Entertainment Weekly (5/22/92, p.76) – “..a nonstop groove of smash singles..” – Rating: B+ Q (6/92, p.114) – 4 Stars – Excellent