What to do when you have just released a new album in the midst of a pandemic and can’t go out on tour? Well, either you sit idle and watch Netflix series or you jump into the fire and get started on a new one. If you don’t have any new songs then? Well, you can always record a cover-album while writing – and by the looks of it, that’s exactly what Enuff Z’Nuff did. The band’s love for The Beatles has never been something they have shied away from – quite the contrary they have embraced it fully and openly. So it feels only natural that when Chip n’ the boyz decided to record a cover-album it’s with Beatles songs – or Beatles’ related numbers.
Opening with a more uptempo, fat and hard-rocking power-pop version of “Magical Mystery Tour”, a song I never heard a cover of before so kudos for trying out something different. Keeping the original melodies intact it’s also the one thing that gives away that it’s actually that Beatles track as the song itself sounds like Enuff Z’Nuff. And nothing wrong with that, it’s actually they way I think a cover should be recorded and while I dig this version I keep hearing the original in the back of my head and it’s really damn hard to beat that one, now isn’t it?
Being a rowdy and edgy rocker in its original form, the John Lennon track “Cold Turkey” is done pretty much the same way here – gritty, angst-ridden and full of emotion. I guess going cold turkey is something Lennon and Chip has in common. The crushing guitars and beefy rhythms works well with this song and EZN makes a great cover of it. The ballad “Eleanor Rigby” has been covered by both Swedish metallers Pain and Twisted Sister guitarist Eddie Ojeda, none of those made much of an impact on me. EZN has taken this orchestrated slowie and turned it into a raw and down-to-earth rocker with a chunky crunch, quite straight forward and direct. The melodies tattles of which song it is but otherwise we get a power-pop version here – and I quite like it. Good one.
Paul McCartney’s Wings’ “Live And Let Die” however is a choice I could have done without as Guns N’Roses covered it in the early 90’s and it has been played to death since then. It’s not as overblown as G N’R’s version but it’s still a bombastic half-ballad albeit slightly heavier. It’s nothing wrong with this cover but McCartney has a million songs to choose from so why include this? “Dear Prudence” isn’t an obvious choice though but it has never been a favorite Beatles track of mine. Here they have tried to keep true to the original’s haziness while adding a bit of a tougher punch. I think they managed to make an interesting version of it, so thumbs up here.
“Helter Skelter” might be made for Hard Rock acts to cover, like McCartney knew what was to come in later years, just ask Mötley Crüe, Aerosmith and a million others. While keeping it close to the original, riffing away with fire and intensity, it actually comes across as a too unimaginative choice. It’s frantic and it rocks but truth be told I have heard better versions of it. Not bad though. Another Wings track, “Jet”, however is a fun one. Originally, it’s an uptempo pop-song and the upbeat vibes are kept here too. True to the original, Chip & Co has Enuff Z’Nuffed it and turned it into a power-pop, glam-rock stomper with AOR-ish vocal-melodies making this chorus a damn catchy one. I also love the Thin Lizzy-like twin-leads. Great stuff.
“Revolution” is originally a chunky rocker and that hasn’t changed all that muchg here. With a good, meaty groove and crispy riffing, EZN brings out an organic live-feel on a stripped-down note. The song really feels like a one-take here. Enuff Z’Nuff has played it live throughout their career which is probably why it’s a natural choice and why they easily nails it. “Back In The USSR” is an edgy rocker with a big groove when The Beatles did it and that hasn’t changed here at all. This might be edgier, rougher with a grittier guitar-sound and a Cheap Trick-ish vibe and glammy elements added but it suits them really well and I think the cover is excellent.
Speaking of unimaginative choices of covers, “With A Little Help From My Friends” must be one of the most covered songs in history. With only ten tracks, why choose this one? So, EZN took this semi-ballad and gave it an Enuff Z’Nuff goes Classic Rock treatment and sure, the gospel-like arrangements in the chorus are cool and sure, I think they gave it a good shot at doing something different to the song – they actually make a good version of it – but it’s still a dull choice considering we’re talking about a band that has a masterpiece like Revolver (1966) under their belts. I don’t wanna sound like a whining bitch here, I just think there’s more to The Beatles than this track.
While Chip and his version of Enuff Z’Nuff has recorded this album with love, passion and conviction and has sort of gone full circle with this album (well, maybe a Cheap Trick covers album is needed to fulfill said circle) and there are some damn good versions on it and no really bad ones, there are a few too many obvious choices which I think draws the score down. It’s a fun record and I enjoy it but at the same time, it’s impossible to better the originals and while I don’t think that was ever the intention. A pretty good album that was probably made for their own pleasure than anything else.
6/10
More Enuff Z’Nuff reviews:
Dissonance
Clowns Lounge
Diamond Boy
Brainwashed Generation
Tracklist:
1. Magical Mystery Tour
2. Cold Turkey
3. Eleanor Rigby
4. Live And Let Die
5. Dear Prudence
6. Helter Skelter
7. Jet
8. Revolution
9. Back In The U.S.S.R.
10. With A Little Help From My Friends
CD & Festival reviews 