After the amazing and seriously rocking "Welcome to Blue Island" album "?" is, as the title might suggest, a somewhat more confused affair. The album has some songs that go right onto my favorites list, but it also has a few duds including the absolute worst song
Enuff Z'nuff have ever put on a record, I'll get back to that. The production varies wildly from song to song and the album feels unconnected and messy, but the good thing is that many of the individual songs easily stand on their own. The songs range from way back in the eighties and early nineties (Help, No Place Like Home, Harleya, This Guy) right up till now (Gorgeous, Joni Woni) so that might explain the somewhat disjointed feeling the album has. I guess a song by song review is in place.
Oh, If you don't know the music of
Enuff Z'nuff, then I would generally describe it as all encompassing hard rock with a ton of melodies, vocal harmonies and the strongest and most unique voice since Elvis, also known as
Donnie Vie.
My first thought when I heard the opening moments of
Gorgeous was "Dear God, They've completely lost it this time". After the amateurish intro the song quickly turns out to be a catchy rocker that will have you singing along after a few spins. Chip is the main man behind this one and he takes on the vocals too. His voice is strong but not in the same league as Donnie's and it misses that unique touch of being able to completely spellbind the listener. There is some cool detail in both the bass and acoustic guitar in the verses and overall it is a good opener.
Home Tonight is up there with my favorite
Enuff Z'nuff songs. There is a wonderful warm feeling to the song and the way the guitar is used couldn't be better. The song sustains its drive throughout and Donnie's vocals are as strong as ever, as he puts infinite emotion behind the lyrics. It is one of those perfect songs which every
Enuff Z'nuff album has at least a few of. The chorus, well the whole song, is impossible not to sing along to. The song has just the right vibe to work out perfectly. It deserves to become a worldwide hit, but I think I will just dream on.
Help opens with a typical Donnie moment where he captures the listener from first note of the piano. Derek Frigo (R.I.P.) playes a great solo which is more held back than over the top and it fits the song perfectly.
No Place Like Home has a definite Beatles feeling to it as well as a good old 80'ies vibe. The song highlights the Chip & Donnie harmonies that have made the band's music so unbelievably catchy and long lasting. The song has a fantastic melody which you don't hear very often these daze. Also notice the great bass work.
Harleya is a good ballad which has a strong atmosphere and Donnie's emotional vocals going for it, even if the song overall is slightly static.
Hang On For Life is a slick up-tempo rocker with a lot of energy. The main problem with the song is its longevity. The chorus becomes slightly monotone and doesn't provide enough excitement on repeated listens. The keyboard effect also gets a little out of hand.
Man With A Woman for some reason reminds me of Video Man from Peach Fuzz, not quite sure why. It is the same song as the bonus track on Favorites. The song misses some catchy moments to make it really memorable. It just doesn't feel as inspired as the other songs and this is one song I would call filler material.
How Are You is a marvellous ballad, written by
Donnie Vie and showcasing his ability to write songs that get under your skin and gives you the chills. An acoustic guitar and Donnie's voice is all it takes to make a ballad of otherwordly beauty. His voice reflects the emotion of the lyrics like no one else. A word of advice: Don't try and sing this song when you've had more than three beers.
Going from one extreme to another
Joni Woni is the worst song on the album by far. The production is close to demo quality and the quality of the actual song is even worse. It should have been left in the demo drawer forever. The simple and overly repeated chorus quickly gets annoying and the message of the song leaves me with an image I really don't want to elaborate on. This song is so far below the quality I have come to expect of
Enuff Z'nuff and I wonder what persuaded them to include it on the album. Donnie has got to be the only one enjoying himself here. A song that is bound to scare away potential fans as well as disappoint the die-hards. What a waste.
This Guy clears up the mess and brings the album back on track in a song that oozes with melody and warmth. The chorus is particularly wonderful and cuddly, with harmonies that creep all the way under your skin and make you repeat the song over and over.
Stone Cold Crazy is a hard pumping, in your face version of the
Queen song. Compared the the US version this European release features an acoustic live version of
Fly High Michelle as a bonus track. Having a ton of
Enuff Z'nuff bootlegs I have still not recognised where this song is taken from but it is a good performance, especially showcasing Donnie's voice.
So to sum up, 3 absolutely wonderful songs, 5 ranging from good to very good, 3 ok ones and one bottom dweller makes for an overall good, if somewhat bumpy record. You will get several slices of Melodic Rock heaven here but not as many as on their earlier albums. It is a release that I am very happy to get, but it does put up a big ? towards what the future will bring. I thrust a peace sign in the air on my way out the door and hope for something more fulfilling on the next album. There is more to
Enuff Z'nuff than this album.
Written by
Steen Monday, April 25, 2005
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