El Loco

1981's El Loco is the link between ZZ Top's gritty, blues-rocking '70s albums and the synthesizer-coated sheen of their mega-platinum rebirth on Eliminator. Even the sound of the rhythm section seems further from the band's boogie beginnings and more influenced by the new wave era, but the electronic flavors popping up on "Groovy Little Hippie Pad" make the intent more overt. The Top were also courting the pop crossover audience via the mellow, melodic tunes "Leila" and "It's So Hard." Still, the album is front-loaded with three of the band's bluesiest, most appealingly gritty tracks: "Tube Snake Boogie," "I Wanna Drive You Home," and "Ten Foot Pole."