ZZ Top - Fandango! (LP)

All Music Guide

Blessed with their first fullfledged hit album, ZZ Top followed it up with Fandango, a record split between a side of live tracks and a side of new studio cuts. In a way, this might have made sense, since they were a kickass live band, and they do sound good here, but it's hard not to see this as a bit of a wasted opportunity in retrospect. Why? Because the studio side is a worthy successor to the allfine Tres Hombres, driven by "Tush" and "Heard it on the X," two of their greatest songs that build on that album by consolidating their sound and amplifying their humor. If they had sustained this energy and quality throughout a full studio album, it would have been their greatest, but instead the mood is broken by the live cuts. Now, these are really good live cuts and "Backdoor Medley" and "Jailhouse Rock" were fine interpretations, making familiar songs sound utterly comfortable in their signature sound and Fandango remains one of their better albums, but it's hard not to think that ...it could have been even better. - Stephen Thomas Erlewine, All Music Guide Read more Less