ZZ Top - La Futura

Rick Rubin and ZZ Top working together for many sounded too good to be true.

Just the thought of the pairing sets the benchmark super high.

Maybe so high that no matter how good the album would be it would fail to make the grade due to the preconceived certainty that it would be all killer and no filler.

The excitement was certainly ramped up when the Texicali ep was released.

The magic was liberally sprinkled over 'I gotsta get paid' and the only people who weren't happy to get aboard with it were curmudgeons who preferred to be stuck in a time warp.

Now that the full album has landed it would appear that any concerns that the direction would stray too far from the ZZ Top template, or that Rubin couldn't last the pace and inject the fire into a full album, have been proven to be groundless.

From start to finish 'La Futura' is a classic ZZ Top album, just with added balls.

Big huge hairy tea bagging balls.

Very few old fans will be disappointed as it's all here

Instantly recognisable the trio have simply dusted off their instruments, put the greatest hits tours and album packages behind them, and settled in to kick ass in style.

While I find the eighties material they did fun, if rather lightweight, La Futura has put that period to bed to a certain extent, and seen the band return to their roots with plenty of blues influenced texan rock and roll coming to the fore.

It sounds like a dirty, road weary, battered but unbowed slab of a challenge to those who had lost faith.

If anyone considered the band past it then they have just been royally slapped down.

Best appreciated with a bottle of tequila.