ZZ Top - The Complete Studio Albums (1970-1990) Box Set

Warner Bros. Records Salutes The Texas Trio’s Musical Legacy With Boxed Set Featuring Original Mixes Of The Band’s First 10 Albums

The 10-Disc Collection Arrives June 11

The set, including the albums initially released on the London label as well as the string of Warner Bros. Hits that followed, includes ZZ Tops’ First Album (1971), Rio Grande Mud (1972), Tres Hombres (1973), Fandango! (1975)*, Tejas (1976), Degüello (1979), El Loco (1981), Eliminator (1983), Afterburner (1985) and Recycler (1990). Each album is presented in a wallet sleeve that faithfully reproduces the original artwork, including the gatefold designs used for Tres Hombres and Tejas. The set presents, for the first time on CD, the original mixes for ZZ Tops’ First Album, Rio Grande Mud and Tejas that have long been on the wish lists of the band’s most fervent fans.

*At inception, Fandango! was a seamless amalgamation of both studio and live recordings; the original track line up is intact for this set.

Read more here...
http://www.rhino.com/article/zz-top-the-complete-studio-albums-1970-1990?eml=rn/051413/

Pre-order at Amazon for $60.89 and free shipping.

Not bad for 10 albums worth of material I suppose. I'm somewhat of a casual ZZ fan myself, but that would make a pretty sweet addition to my collection.

Nice. Original mixes rather than those 'beefed-up drum mixes'.

Finally! The original mixes! I will definitely be getting this.

I have the albums already but will still probably get this ?

Great to see the original versions but I'll pass since I have killer digital versions of the vinyl. You would never tell they are vinyl rips.

oh i am tempted by this...

exact33 wrote:

oh i am tempted by this...

I've been meaning to add ZZ Top to my collection (beyond a greatest hits album I have).... looks like great timing on this!

thejokeriv wrote:

exact33 wrote:

oh i am tempted by this...

I've been meaning to add ZZ Top to my collection (beyond a greatest hits album I have).... looks like great timing on this!

It is because the CD's I own of the original 70's albums have a terrible mix, someone's bright idea to make these albums try to sound like 'Elimantor', in this boxset, the albums are heard is they were meant to be heard.

James B. wrote:

I have the albums already but will still probably get this ?

I am struggling with this decision to, because I have alot of these albums on CD, but I have those crappy 80's mixes on those 70's disc

ZZ Top has always been a "greatest hits" band for me, however, I'm pretty much burned out on the hits these days. If I never heard 'Sharp Dressed Man' again, I'd be fine with that.

I know they've got some deeper cuts that are real gems so a set like this would be right up my alley. All the "classic albums" in one shot. The original mix-factor is just icing on the cake for me.

The price is right for me to pull the trigger on getting this. I don't hate the "synthesized" styled remixes as much as some people but I'm sure hearing these as they were meant to originally be heard will be worth it. It'll also fill in the remaining gaps.

Bumping this one because it's out today. Can't let Black Sabbath hog the spotlight Amazon is listing it at $39.98 w/free shipping. That's less that $4 an album.

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Bumping this one because it's out today. Can't let Black Sabbath hog the spotlight Amazon is listing it at $39.98 w/free shipping. That's less that $4 an album.

must fight temptation!

exact33 wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Bumping this one because it's out today. Can't let Black Sabbath hog the spotlight    Amazon is listing it at $39.98 w/free shipping. That's less that $4 an album.

must fight temptation!

LOL! Seriously considering ordering it, can't beat the price for all that is included!

Ordered mine today...looking forward to receiving it!

thejokeriv wrote:

exact33 wrote:

MetalGuy71 wrote:

Bumping this one because it's out today. Can't let Black Sabbath hog the spotlight    Amazon is listing it at $39.98 w/free shipping. That's less that $4 an album.

must fight temptation!

LOL! Seriously considering ordering it, can't beat the price for all that is included!

Same here. I've been on a bit of a spending jag lately with all these new releases and DB's firesale, so I'm really gonna try to hold off on that one for now. But, man is that tempting.

Is it too late to tell my wife I know what I want for Father's Day?

Got me some good music for bar-b-cueing and beers this weekend.

What this boxset lacks in bells & whistles, it more than makes up for it in some great Texas boogie. Good stuff.

I don't really like the last three in this set but from what I've heard of the earlier stuff £29.99 might just be cheap enough to dive in.

Most of the CDs in this set have better-than-average dynamic range for a modern releases.

Here are the ratings from the DR Database (the higher the number the better dynamic range):

Afterburner - DR=14
Recycler - DR=11
Eliminator - DR=7 (why so poor on this particular album?)
El Loco - DR=13
Deguello - DR=14
Tejas - DR=11
Fandango - DR=9
Tres Hombres - DR=13
Rio Grande Mud - DR=9
ZZ Top's First Album - DR=9

In an era when most rock CDs average around DR=5 these are excellent...but I wonder why Eliminator is so poor in comparison to the rest.

S.D. wrote:

Most of the CDs in this set have better-than-average dynamic range for a modern releases.

Here are the ratings from the DR Database (the higher the number the better dynamic range):

Afterburner - DR=14
Recycler - DR=11
Eliminator - DR=7 (why so poor on this particular album?)
El Loco - DR=13
Deguello - DR=14
Tejas - DR=11
Fandango - DR=9
Tres Hombres - DR=13
Rio Grande Mud - DR=9
ZZ Top's First Album - DR=9

In an era when most rock CDs average around DR=5 these are excellent...but I wonder why Eliminator is so poor in comparison to the rest.

Haven't got around to playing Eliminator yet........ I thought Tres Hombres sounded fantastic

S.D. wrote:

Most of the CDs in this set have better-than-average dynamic range for a modern releases.

Here are the ratings from the DR Database (the higher the number the better dynamic range):

Afterburner - DR=14
Recycler - DR=11
Eliminator - DR=7 (why so poor on this particular album?)
El Loco - DR=13
Deguello - DR=14
Tejas - DR=11
Fandango - DR=9
Tres Hombres - DR=13
Rio Grande Mud - DR=9
ZZ Top's First Album - DR=9

In an era when most rock CDs average around DR=5 these are excellent...but I wonder why Eliminator is so poor in comparison to the rest.

I wonder if they used the 2008 "Collectors Edition" remaster. I believe that was done at a different time than the previously remastered Tres Hombres and Fandango. Maybe the sound was brickwalled on that 2008 remaster. Just speculating.