antiReviews: Enuff Z'Nuff - '10'
By Scott Vile

Label: Spitfire Records
Release Date: October 3, 2000

 Track Listing:
 

1. There Goes My Heart
2. Fly Away
3. The Beast
4. Your Heart's No Good...But I Love Your Face
5. Wake Up
6. What Can I Do?
7. Suicide
8. All Right
9. Holiday
10. Bang On
11. The Jean Genie
12. Everything Works If You Let It
13. There Goes My Heart (CD ROM Video)

Chances are you've never heard of Enuff Znuff. That is such a shame, because these Chicago veterans have been producing great albums year after year since the early '90s. Their new album gets it's title by it's place in their discography, and it is quite possibly Enuff Znuff's finest yet. 

At the core of Enuff Znuff are co-founders Chip Znuff and Donnie Vie. They share a spark together, that certain magic to write one great song after another. '10' shows how Chip and Donnie have matured as songwriters, making songs that are more complicated yet still easily accessible. Every album they've put out has been great, but this time around the album sounds more focused and the lyrics don't just grab you, they usually hit you over the head. 

The opening track "There Goes My Heart" proves that Enuff Znuff is at the top of their game...this song, like every other, showcases super catchy, smart songwriting. Imagine the Wonders' song from that Tom Hanks movie ("That Thing You Do") multiplied by twelve and you have a basic idea of what "There Goes My Heart" is all about. It sounds very 60s-ish, very much like the Beatles, and is just catchy as all hell. Another track with direct Beatles' influences is "All Right." "All Right" is a great feel-good track with clever lyrics, a catchy chorus, and some very entertaining harmonica, courtesy of Donnie. In fact, quite a few of the songs on this disc sound like an homage to 60's/70's British rock, and their cover of David Bowie's "The Jean Genie" shows that they're not hiding it, either. 

Although the band is more poppy this time around, there are some great heavy tracks on the album as well. The second song on the disc, "Fly Away" (not to be confused with the Lenny Kravitz hit) is a track about breaking away from that guy/girl who's just no good for you. "You're not in love, you're in denial," vocalist Donnie Vie reveals, "I get confused sometimes myself." The band has a talent for making songs that are just impossible not to relate to. "Fly Away" is a great hard rock song, with it's layered guitars and non-linear vocals, but it's also very touching and original. "Bang On" is a sleaze-rock song that almost seems to poke fun of the 80s glam genre they are unjustly pigeon-holed into. But it also shows that the band is great no matter what kind of song they play, and is definitely head and shoulders above most of anything that came out of that era. Another great rock song is the album's closer, the previously released "Everything Works If You Let It," originally from their criminally under-appreciated 1999 effort "Paraphernalia." It has been remixed this time to showcase Smashing Pumpkins frontman Billy Corgan's guest guitar contribution. It's a Cheap Trick cover, and it's no secret that Cheap Trick is a band that Enuff Znuff adores. They not only do this rare track justice, they make it heavier and perhaps even top it.

 "The Beast" is another lyrical standout. You can tell that this song is autobiographical in tone. It features an acoustic backbone, complimented by electric guitars. Although no sympathy is intended, you can't help but feel for Donnie while listening to his life struggle though his emotional vocals.

 "Your Heart's No Good...But I Love Your Face" is one of those cynical songs that make you laugh with and sing along at the same time. It's highly melodic and builds to a heavy, rockin' ending. "What Can I Do? (To Make You Cry)" is another one of their dry-wit rock songs that basically asks the question, "If I can't have you anymore, how can I get back at you?" "What Can I Do" showcases some very cool Jerry Lee Lewis style keyboarding from singer Donnie Vie.

 The band jokes about "Wake Up" as being their "Stairway To Heaven," and true, it is musically complicated. However, I'm more reminded by Aerosmith's "Dream On." Regardless, this is another gem by the guys, a song about trying to make a girl "wake up" to the great guy under her nose. With vocal harmonies coming from everywhere and it's heartbreaking lyrics, this is another song that will affect anyone who pays attention to it.

 A great extra feature on this disc is the Quicktime video of their first single, "There Goes My Heart." It's very high quality in frame rate and size, and also in budget. The band must have put a lot of money into making this video, but instead of making their fans pay $10 to own it on VHS (which they easily could have done to their die-hard audience with no complaints), they give it to away on this CD! It shows that they really do mean it when they say they "hail" their fans.

 Although the albums' title wasn't intended to be egotistical, �10' really is a �10' in every sense of the word. Not only is each track strong, each track really deserves radio airplay and commercial success. It's hard to choose a favorite song on this diverse album because each one is fantastic. Chip and Donnie's commitment to songwriting is evident, the album was made on a small budget yet it still sounds fabulous. If you are an Enuff Znuff fan, pick it up. If you are at all curious about the band, pick it up. If you just want to hear some great rock, pick it up! You won't regret it. This site didn't call Enuff Znuff "Band Of The Year" for nothing!!!

 The Band:
Chip Znuff � Bass, Vocals
Donnie Vie � Vocals, Guitar, Piano, Harmonica
Ricky Parent � Drums
Monaco � Guitar

Listen to samples and Purchase This CD online

Visit the Official site for Enuff Z'nuff