Rhythmeen

Rhythmeen
Studio album by ZZ Top
Released	September 17, 1996
Recorded	February–June 1996
Genre	Blues
Length	53:55
Label	RCA
Producer	Billy Gibbons, Bill Ham
ZZ Top chronology
One Foot in the Blues (1994) Rhythmeen (1996) XXX (1999)

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 and 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

Professional ratings

Review scores
Source	Rating
Allmusic
Rolling Stone
The Rolling Stone Album Guide

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