He has been a superstar for decades: an iconic figure complete with sunglasses, beard, hat, and a smoke of one sort or another hangin’ from his lip. Billy Gibbons is the epitome of the Texas roadhouse blues.  On only the second solo album of his illustrious career, The Big Bad Blues,  Billy celebrates his roots.  Big guitar sound, insistent beats, and that rough gravely voice melt together into a robust roadhouse jambalaya of the electric blues and rock..

Hollywood 151 is just pure badass Billy Gibbons crankin’ it out on his Gibson guitar. Missin’ Yo Kissin’ is classic ZZ Top style Boogie. Mo’ Slower Blues, My Baby She Rocks, That’s What She Said, Let the Left Hand Know, and his cover of Rollin’ and Tumblin’ are all stellar Texas Roadhouse tunes. On Second Line, he rolls down the bayou to create some great swamp blues. On Standin’ Around Crying, he takes the blues low and grindin’…tasty tune!  Crankin’ Up is an interesting song with a late fifties feel that I really enjoyed…Buddy Holly came to mind immediately.

This is a perfect album to play while drinkin’ beer and grillin’ steaks or boilin’ crawfish with a bunch of friends. The ZZ Top influence is refreshingly familiar and the upbeat sound will have folks swaying, chatting, and havin’ a damn fine time!

Billy F. Gibbons – The Big Bad Blues (Concord 2018)