The world may not have realised it was waiting for a Latin-Cuban hip-hop album from the guitarist in ZZ Top, but Perfectamundo is just that: a mix of distinctive, Top-ish rock licks and seemingly unlikely rhythms. In fact, long before ZZ Top, Gibbons was a student of Latin music giant Tito Puente, and the influence audibly runs deep. Gibbons takes bluesy standards Got Love If You Want It and Treat Her Right on a South American tour, while his originals deliver a ridiculously catchy Tex-Mex feast in Piedras Negras, turning the timbales and congas up even louder. His gruff, growled, double entendres – delivered in English and Spanish – are not the strongest point here, and are buried in the mix. Still, whether doffing a sombrero to hip-hop or fret-melting like Jimi Hendrix, Gibbons is clearly having a blast, and the big-bearded rock beast’s yelled invitation to “Have a party! Let’s have a siesta!” is not easily turned down.
