Cinco No. 2: The Second Five LPs

Cinco No. 2 picks up where 2017's Cinco left off, serving up new vinyl pressings of the second five albums ZZ Top released on Warner. The first on the set is 1979's Deguello, the last is 1990's Recycler, and in between these two extremes lies not only 1981's El Loco but also the album that made the little ol' band from Texas a superstar: the 1983 blockbuster Eliminator. Eliminator is the fulcrum on this set, both in terms of style and popularity: the first two records find ZZ Top working toward this sleek new wave boogie, the other two -- its 1985 sequel Afterburner, plus Recycler -- find the group dealing with the ramifications of its success. If the last record is patchy, the rest all offer plenty of thrills, and the box itself is handsome and satisfying. The packaging replicates the original releases, while the vinyl pressings offer robust remasters of the original mixes, making this a first-rate way to acquire a good portion of ZZ Top's best records. ~ Stephen Thomas Erlewine