Average Reviews:
(More customer reviews)(Three and a half stars) The album that brought the "Eliminator" period to a close, and the end of the eighties for ZZ. I get the feeling that the band knew exactly what they were doing when they made this album. They had ridden a second wave, and a second decade, of popularity, and being the accomplished musicians they were, they knew it had to end sometime, why not finish it of with an effort befitting a band of journeyman musicians? It's a bit of a shame they didn't take more chances... this release has a slightly mellow, and even melancholy attitude about it, and although it uses this effect to good end in some songs, it also makes it somewhat unspectacular overall. Billy's guitar playing has gone completely in the direction of the thick distortion and simple chords that started with Afterburner, and though his lead playing has it's hot spots, I personally miss the arpeggiated rhythms, clean tones and raw feel of earlier ZZ Top.
2000 Blues has a great deal of feeling, I think it's a high point. Burger Man is an interesting song, how many other bands tried a classic blues-novelty style song in 1990? If only it was a little better... I have a thing for Tell It, with its laid back rhythm and syncopated flourishes. My Head's in Mississippi is this releases signature song, with it's La Grange like sound. There was a lot of "they're finally back to the old ZZ" with Recycler's release, mostly because of this song, but the creative direction that it started really didn't hit it's stride until the release of Rhythmeen six years later. Recycler ended ZZ's stay in the '80's limelight, and the beginning of their semi-retired(?) period, in which ZZ has recaptured some of the spark of individualism that is their best quality, and that mega stardom can apparently dull, and that little old band from Texas still churns 'em out.....
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