Mescalero (album)

Mescalero
Studio album by ZZ Top
Released	September 8, 2003 (worldwide) September 9, 2003 (United States)
Recorded	2002 Foam Box Recordings (Houston, Texas, United States)
Genre	Blues rock, boogie rock, hard rock, Southern rock
Length	61:27
Label	RCA
Producer	Billy Gibbons
ZZ Top chronology
XXX (1999) Mescalero (2003) TBA (2011)

Mescalero is the fourteenth studio album by American rock band ZZ Top. It was released on April 15, 2003 as the band's final release for RCA Records. While the band still retained their foundation in blues music, Mescalero explored genres like country, Tejano. Recording sessions took place at Foam Box Recordings in Houston, with frontman Billy Gibbons as producer; Gibbons wrote most of the songs for the album, collaborating with engineers Joe Hardy and Gary Moon, as well as band members Dusty Hill and Frank Beard.

Background and recording

In 1993, ZZ Top signed with RCA Records, which produced Antenna (1994), Rhythmeen (1996), and XXX, the latter of which marked the band's thirtieth anniversary of their formation and gained mixed reviews from critics. They mostly toured in the years between XXX and Mescalero, visiting nations like Australia and New Zealand, along with various countries in Europe. In 2002, the band performed at the annual RodeoHouston and with Brooks & Dunn on CMT Crossroads. They went on a short Casino Tour in the United States and European Tour.

In 2002, ZZ Top convened at Foam Box Recordings in Houston, a private studio owned by the band that was used to record XXX and Rhythmeen (1996). Billy Gibbons produced the project and wrote most of the songs, collaborating with engineers Joe Hardy and Gary Moon, as well as band members Dusty Hill and Frank Beard. A variety of instruments were featured on Mescalero. After taking a lunch break at a Mexican restaurant, ZZ Top hired a marimba duo from Chiapas, Mexico. The father-and-son team provided entertainment at the restaurant and were anxious to be featured on a rock album. After explaining that there were only three chords involved, they played on the title track. James Harman played harmonica on "Que Lastima," a title meaning 'what a pity.'

Release

Promotion

In 2003, ZZ Top showcased two tracks from Mescalero in a performance at RodeoHouston in Texas. "Buck Nekkid" was used in a television commercial promoting the album.

Composition

Music

Mescalero is centered around a variety of Tejano instrumentation including accordion, pedal steel guitar, and harmonica. The album often features slide guitar and "fuzzy" bass sounds. It opens with "Mescalero," a track with marimbas featured throughout the entire song and a solo at the end. "Two Ways to Play" is a hard rock-inspired track in which Billy Gibbons' guitar is tuned down a whole step from standard pitch. "Alley-Gator" made use of the accordion and a 1955 Gibson Les Paul Goldtop played by Gibbons. "Buck Nekkid" is a moderate swing, while "Goin' So Good" is a slow ballad, the latter of which Gibbons used a 1949 Fender Telecaster prototype and played Steve Cropper-tinged licks; he traded phrases in call and response form with a pedal steel guitar. "Me So Stupid" is a moderate rock featuring a clip of Gibbons' voice remaining constant throughout the track. Dusty Hill sang lead vocals on "Piece."

Touring

Following Mescalero's release, ZZ Top embarked on the Beer Drinkers and Hell Raisers Tour (April–November 2003). The tour spanned three months in the US, with a European leg visiting twelve countries and included a concert in Helsinki, Finland as special guests with The Rolling Stones. After returning to the United States for another string of performances, ZZ Top appeared on The Tonight Show with Jay Leno; they played at the Compaq Center (previously known as The Summit) and was the last event to ever be held in the venue. The band continued touring to support Mescalero throughout summer 2004 and performed at the Crossroads Guitar Festival.

Critical reception

Allmusic awarded the album two out of five stars, stating that "[a]part from the dreadful misstep of 1999's XXX, they showed signs of life on all their RCA labeled albums, and their fourth, 2003's long delayed Mescalero, is no exception to the rule. Billy Gibbons' fat guitar tone really has some presence here, at least on some of the album, and there are enough rhythm tracks not performed to a didactic click track to provide some real swing."^[1]

The album peaked at number 57 on the Billboard 200.^[2]

Track listing

All songs written and composed by Billy Gibbons, except where noted. 

No.	Title	Length
1.	"Mescalero"	3:50
2.	"Two Ways to Play"	4:15
3.	"Alley-Gator"	3:47
4.	"Buck Nekkid"	3:02
5.	"Goin' So Good"	5:34
6.	"Me So Stupid" (Gibbons, Joe Hardy, Gary Moon)	3:33
7.	"Piece"	4:19
8.	"Punk Ass Boyfriend"	3:05
9.	"Stackin' Paper" (Gibbons, Hardy)	2:58
10.	"What Would You Do"	3:03
11.	"What It Is Kid" (Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard)	4:13
12.	"Que Lastima"	4:24
13.	"Tramp" (Lowell Fulson, Jimmy McCracklin)	5:12
14.	"Crunchy"	3:13
15.	"Dusted"	3:55
16.	"Liquor"	3:22
Total length:		61:27

Bonus tracks

Japanese release
No.	Title	Length
17.	"Sanctify" (Gibbons, Hill, Beard)	4:20

Hidden track
No.	Title	Length
18.	"As Time Goes By" (Herman Hupfeld)	4:27

Personnel

• Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals, producer
• Dusty Hill – bass, vocals
• Frank Beard – drums, percussion
• Marimbas de Chiapas – marimba
• Dan Dugmore – pedal steel guitar
• James Harman – harmonica
• Joe Hardy – engineer, mixing
• Gary Moon – mastering
• Steve Ralbovsky – A&R
• Ryk Maverick – album cover design
• Mike Waring – photography

Charts

Album – Billboard (North America)

Year	Chart	Position
2003	The Billboard 200	57

References

1. ^ "Review". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/mescalero-r635967/review. Retrieved September 22, 2011. 
2. ^ "Charts & Awards". Allmusic. http://www.allmusic.com/album/mescalero-r635967/charts-awards. Retrieved September 22, 2011.