Rhythmeen
| Rhythmeen | ||||
|---|---|---|---|---|
 | ||||
| Studio album by | ||||
| Released | September 17, 1996 | |||
| Recorded | February–June 1996 | |||
| Genre | Blues | |||
| Length | 53:55 | |||
| Label | RCA | |||
| Producer | ||||
| ZZ Top chronology | ||||
| ||||
Rhythmeen is the twelfth studio album by the American rock band ZZ Top, released in 1996. It is their last album with longtime producer Bill Ham.
Production and recording
Billy recalls "Rick Rubin has turned me on to one of his acts called Barkmarket and that the guitar player uses C# and B tunings so we began experimenting with really low tunings." Around the Rhythmeen era Billy's collection of African artifacts began and several tracks include African tribal percussion.
This is when Billy began to sport the Nudu Hat, woven by the Bamileke tribe in Cameroon, Africa.
Gibbons uses a 1955 Les Paul Goldtop guitar which is featured prominently throughout the album.
"We originally had a working title of 'Nearing the Completion Stage'. But, it was the backbeat, that mean groove, which hit us as a strong recurring element of the album. So, we did our customary play on words, shuffling words about until we came up with our own invention—a feel-good elixir named Rhythmeen."
Reception
| Review scores | |
|---|---|
| Source | Rating |
| AllMusic |
  
|
| Rolling Stone |
|
| The Rolling Stone Album Guide |
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AllMusic gave it a mixed review, stating, "ZZ Top's long-awaited return to blues finally arrived in 1996, well over a decade after they abandoned their simple three-chord boogie for a synth and drum machine-driven three-chord boogie."
The album peaked at number 29 on the Billboard 200 and at number 32 on the UK Albums Chart.
Track listing
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 1. | "Rhythmeen" | Billy Gibbons | Gibbons | 3:53 |
| 2. | "Bang Bang" | Gibbons | Gibbons | 4:28 |
| 3. | "Black Fly" | Gibbons | Gibbons | 3:31 |
| 4. | "What's Up with That" | Gibbons, Joe Hardy, Luther Ingram, Mack Rice | Gibbons | 5:19 |
| 5. | "Vincent Price Blues" | Gibbons, Dusty Hill, Frank Beard | Gibbons | 6:04 |
| 6. | "Zipper Job" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | Gibbons | 4:14 |
| 7. | "Hairdresser" | Gibbons, Hardy | Gibbons | 3:48 |
| 8. | "She's Just Killing Me" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | Gibbons | 4:55 |
| 9. | "My Mind Is Gone" | Gibbons, Hardy, Gary Moon, Stevie Wonder | Gibbons | 4:06 |
| 10. | "Loaded" | Gibbons, Hardy | Hill | 3:47 |
| 11. | "Prettyhead" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | Gibbons | 4:37 |
| 12. | "Hummbucking, Pt. 2" | Gibbons, Hill, Beard | Gibbons | 5:13 |
| Total length: | 53:55 | |||
- Bonus track [Japan]
| No. | Title | Writer(s) | Lead vocals | Length |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| 13. | "Isn't Love Amazing" | Gibbons | Gibbons | 5:15 |
| Total length: | 59:10 | |||
Personnel
- Billy Gibbons – guitar, vocals
- Dusty Hill – bass, keyboards, vocals
- Frank Beard – drums, percussion
- James Harman – harmonica on "What's Up with That"
- Greg Morrow – percussion, drums (credited as 'Gangzz Clangzz & Percussion Thangzz') on "She's Just Killing Me" and other tracks
Production
- Producers – Billy Gibbons, Bill Ham
- Engineer – Joe Hardy
- Assistant engineers – Lizzie Harrah, Gary Moon
- Mixing – Joe Hardy
- Mastering – Bob Ludwig
- Director – Douglas Biro
- Art direction – Sean Mosher-Smith
- Design – Billy Gibbons, Sean Mosher-Smith
- Photography – James Bland
- Studio – John Moran's House of Funk aka Digital Services Recording
Charts
Album – Billboard (United States)
| Year | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|
| 1996 | The Billboard 200 | 29 |
Singles – Billboard (United States)
| Year | Single | Chart | Position |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1996 | "Bang Bang" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 22 |
| 1996 | "She's Just Killing Me" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 12 |
| 1996 | "What's Up with That" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 5 |
| 1997 | "Rhythmeen" | Mainstream Rock Tracks | 35 |