Hardware
Billy F Gibbons is a man that needs no introduction. Famed, axe wielding guitar slinger, petrol head frontman of ZZ Top, he takes a break from the band to deliver a fantastic solo album, ‘Hardware’. Recorded in the California desert with drummer Matt Sorum and guitarist Austin Hanks. Billy and Matt also produced the album, along with Mike Fiorentino and engineer Chad Shlosser providing additional production.
The album opens with ‘Lucky Card’ and is in fact the third single from the album. A two and a half minute rocker that is absolutely drenched in the blues. Billy’s vocal was on top form and in fact doesn’t seem to have waned from the hard rocking early ZZ Top days. I love the guitar work too, the slide guitar is great and I especially appreciated stereo image. The production is great too across the whole album! You can really ‘see’ the band in front of you, with rhythm guitar being panned hard to one side and the lead to the other with bass and drums centre!
‘She’s on Fire’ is possibly the most ZZ Top style song on the album. It has a real urgency about it, apparently the inspiration came from a Mexican restaurant that the band frequented that burnt down. Inspiration comes from the strangest places. Great vocals with a great scream midway through. The BV’s take the gospel type chorus declaring ‘She’s on Fire’ again and again. I absolutely love the guitar on this track too. Really crunchy and the bass absolutely pops out of the mix too!
I loved ‘More More More’ – A hard hitting blues rocker complete with slide guitar and a great vocal from the Reverend. I also liked the bits of distortion at the beginning in the countdown. We’re already at 11 and we’re only on track number three! Billy doesn’t let off the gas though, ‘Shuffle, Step and Slide’ is another rocker. I love the sound of that bluesy lead guitar and the chugging rhythm will have you rocking along to this one.
‘Vagabond Man’ is the first ballad of the album. It’s a track I really hope to see live one day. It’s a lighters/phones in the air moment. A really stripped back song, the vocal is exquisite and that guitar is to die for. I love it, a definite album highlight for me.
‘Spanish Fly’ is completely different, a little experimental, the opening felt a little electronic, you might even say modern and contemporary, the middle of the song could be a Hawkwind track, the end with Billy shouting ‘c’mon, c’mon’ almost felt like I was listening to a hip hop record. The fusion of so many different musical genres, although very clever, didn’t quite do it for me.
I’m pleased to say we’re back in familiar territory with ‘West Coast Junkie’, a bit surf rock meets Billy’s gruff growl, I really like it. I love the bits of spoken word that then meets absolutely sizzling guitar work. A definite head bopper, this one definitely conjours that feeling of that hot desert heat. Another stunner follows with ‘Stacking Bones’, featuring Larkin Poe. I’m surprised that this wasn’t released as one of the singles as it is definitely another favourite of mine. The guitar is magnificent, Billy’s vocals are great, I love the contrast between Billy’s growl and the girls BVs. All in all, a wonderful track!
I have to mention the one cover on the album, ‘Hey Baby, Que Paso’ is a really fun song. Light hearted and energetic with a hint of Latin flavour. This is another one that I would love to see Billy play live, it’s one of those songs that I imagine the entire crowd upon hearing the opening chords will jump up on their feet. It would have been nice to see some extended soloing on this one, I feel it would’ve leant itself to some more improvisation, even though we’re treated to some blues harp, perhaps we’ll have to wait for the live version for some hardcore guitar soloing!
The final track is great. A spoken word piece that nods its head to various rock and roll icons of the past and present. Billy’s delivery again is spell binding. Smooth, raspy vocals with psychedelic guitar, it almost makes you feel you’re on some sort of rock and roll trip as you listen. The spoken word finishes as the music swells and crescendo’s to the end of the song and draws the album to a close.
All in all, a pretty, damn fine album. I wonder whether at times there was a little bit too much musical experimentation, which I felt cut into the natural through line that the album had. That being said, a great selection of songs with lots of varied high points. I really hope Billy embarks on a solo tour post pandemic, as I would love to see some of these realised in a live setting.
Released By: Concord Records
Release Date: 4th June 2021
