If you want to talk about self-destructive Rock bands with roller-coaster careers, well here’s one for ya. This band was on the verge of a big break-through in the late 80’s and early 90’s but due to many different circumstances, that never happened – the coming of Grunge was just one of them. Since then this band has went through heavy drug-use, lethal overdoses, cancer death and more line-up changes than one can count with pivotal members coming and going. To be honest, I pretty much thought it was over when they released an album of unreleased material, demos and other kind of material as a new album. That was Clowns Lounge (2016) – and as a fan, it was an interesting listen with some pretty cool stuff on it, but nothing about it felt like a new-start of any kind. And the band’s frontman, lead-singer/rhythm guitarist and main-song-writer Donnie Vie had left the band for the final (?) time, due to shitloads of personal issues.
But boy, was I wrong about that. The fact is, that album actually kick-started bass-player, song-writer and the only remaining founding member Chip Z’Nuff (real name: Gregory Rybarski) to get the band going for real with himself as the new lead-singer. Enuff Z’Nuff’s new life started with 2018’s Diamond Boy which featured new members guitarists Tony Fenelle – for this album replaced by Alex Kane – and Tory Stoffregen and drummer Daniel B Hill, an album that style-wise held all the ingredients that the band built their sound on and Chip’s voice turned out to be scarily alike Donnie Vie’s which brought on the classic Enuff Z’Nuff sound even more. The album was a success and proved that Chip’s idea to keep the band going – with Donnie Vie’s blessing – the right thing to do. And now we’re given the so important follow-up, an album that needs to prove that the last album wasn’t just a lucky strike and a one-off.
The opening intro “The Gospel” really doesn’t do anything worth-while as an intro that’s been treated as a song of its own. It could have been a part of the real opener and leading single “Fatal Distraction” as all it does is to take us into that song. That song, on the other hand, is a damn good one. It’s an upbeat and straight-forward power-pop rocker that holds forth the Beatles meets Cheap Trick melodies that Enuff Z’Nuff has always been known for. The late 60’s influences are everywhere on the track and the hazy vocals are very reminiscent of Donnie Vie’s – and as for Cheap Trick references, Cheap Trick’s drummer and guitarist’s Rick Neilsen’s son Daxx Neilsen guests on the track. The chorus is heavily catchy and sounds like it could have been a forgotten pearl from the band’s hey-days. Great stuff.
Also in uptempo, “I Got My Money Where My Mouth Is” is a raunchier rocker with a groovy stomp and a meaty and distinct rhythm. With a chorus that holds a juicy rock-hook and sing-along friendly melodies but also a slight psychedelic twist, Chip and his cohorts has a real winner on their hands. I do like this. Shamelessly nicking away from The Beatles and with more drums from Daxx, the straight-forward and upbeat rocker “Help I’m In Hell” goes right for the throat with tasteful pop-turns, big melodies that oozes late 90’s Enuff Z’Nuff and slight borrowings from a band like Jellyfish. Another effective and catchy refrain brings the song home and those hooks makes sure it sticks in the head for a long while after listening. Very good.
Mike Portnoy (you know the guy who’s in 400 different bands…) guests on “It’s All In Vain”, a late 60’s inspired pop-rocker with spacey melody-arrangements and a floating, dreamy soundscape. Portnoy’s brilliant here, giving the tune a bit of a Ringo Starr touch and a chunky groove. It’s slower in tempo, holds a vintage keyboard sound which marries fine with the AOR-laden chorus. A cute little pop-song with a classic Enuff Z’Nuff melody. Donnie Vie shows up and guests vocally on “Strangers In My Head”, a mid-paced and groovy yet dark rocker with a heavier outlook and some gritty riffing. A softer, laid-back mid-passage creates some fine dynamics as well. With a spot-on chorus that’s classic Enuff Z’Nuff tells us just how good this band can still be with Vie in the band. No shadow over Chip but wouldn’t it be awesome if Vie would return once again?
Wanna hear an inaudible lead guitar from Ace Frehley? Then listen to “Drugland Weekend”. What’s that then? Well, Chip asked Ace if he wanted to play on the track, he said yes, got the song, played his solo and sent it back – and there was no sound. Ace didn’t have the time to fix it so Chip did his best to impersonate Ace and did it himself. So there you go. The song itself is a punchy hard-rocker with a grittier outlook and a solid, tough and rhythmic beat. It takes us back to the rawer sound of the band’s debut – or at least 1993’s Animals With Human Intelligence, very direct and in-your-face – and of course an effective, sleazy refrain. Yeah, I really like it.
Bordering to a ballad, second single “Broken Love” is a mid-paced, pretty soft and calm pop-rocker where Chip’s love for The Beatles goes into new heights. The keyboards takes on a vintage Beatles twist with some dreamy and half-tripped melodies while some Cheap Trick influences also comes up for air when it comes to the chunky beat, crispy guitars and the catchy and soaring chorus. Throw a little bit of “Right By Your Side” and “Fly High Michelle” with “Goodbye” on top into the mix and you’re home. Great stuff. The Hard Rock grounded uptempo power-pop rocker “Go…” comes along with a meaty punch and rowdier guitars but also a striking chorus melody with lots of hooks and a classic Enuff Z’Nuff melody-arrangement where Enuff’s lazy vocals contrast a killer dynamic to the more edgy outlook of the song. Good stuff.
Given the enormous love for The Beatles that rests within Chip Z’Nuff, it’s not a surprise that he has borrowed a couple of song-titles of that band. We already had the title “Help” on this album and for the closing track we get “Winding Road”, half of the title of that old Beatles classic. But unlike said Beatles track, this one is a gritty and raunchy hard-rocker with an almost garage type of sound. It’s riff-happy, punchy and quite heavy on an organic, stripped and solid rhythm that sounds like they went into the studio, played the song together once and then wam-bam-thank you studio-guy. It holds a big live-feel which will make it work great live but as a song, I find it only ok.
This is a really good album. Actually, I’m surprised just how good it is and it sure feels like Chip Z’Nuff has found a new spark and really owns a desire to make sure Enuff Z’Nuff is relevant in 2020 – this album sure holds what its predecessor promised. All the classic Enuff Z’Nuff elements are there and since Chip’s voice is quite similar to Donnie Vie’s, the band’s identity is kept intact. Really good songs, a slick yet earthy production and really good musical performances by the members brings the record home. That said, speaking of members, the Enuff Z’Nuff of today feels a bit anonymous for the exception of Chip Z’Nuff – kinda like Chip and some other dudes instead of the unit we used to know. But that’s besides the point, to be frank, because when you get a batch of tunes this good and the whole EZ-soundscape is intact, why complain about trivial stuff like that. The best Enuff Z’Nuff album in ages!
8/10
More Enuff Z’Nuff reviews:
Dissonance
Clowns Lounge
Diamond Boy
Tracklist:
1. The Gospel
2. Fatal Distraction
3. I Got My Money Where My Mouth Is
4. Help I’m In Hell
5. It’s All In Vain
6. Strangers In My Head
7. Drugland Weekend
8. Broken Love
9. Go…
10. Winding Road
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