ENUFF Z’NUFF – Welcome To Blue Island

Enuff Z’Nuff were one of my favorite bands, but since their excellent debut and the follow-up album, Strength, the band has gone downhill. Of course, they’ve released some good albums through the years, but this album just makes me sad. Z’Nuff’s obsession with Beatles, and their formulaic writing and concept (let’s be Beatles with fuzz-guitars), have resulted in yet another bland album, with annoying non-catchy choruses, lyrical cliches and repetitive and identical sounding songs (Sanibel Island-It’s outta control, The sun). There’s nothing on this album that makes the hair stand up, or you haven’t heard before. Even Marc Bolan didn’t make music this formulaic, and that says something… Highlights: Man without a heart.

Bonus review by Guest Writer

“Roll me, roll me like a doobie … I’m as high as a mountain … with women half your age, swimming in alcohol.” These are just three sentences you’ll find on Enuff Z’Nuff’s 12th studio release, and if you judge the album just by “fun” content, it’s hands down a keeper.

Enuff Z’Nuff are troopers and obvious subscribers to the notion “keep on keepin’ on.” Even though the music industry has yet to embrace them, and in fact cast them under the misnomer “hair band,” they are still hard at it. With their new CD, Welcome to Blue Island, you’ll find yourself asking why they aren’t a much bigger band. As far as writing ultra-melodic pop-oriented rock, no band has released a better album this year in that genre.

The CD starts with an Everclear-sounding song called “Saturday,” a paean to summer. This song makes you want to get out on a lake, go skiing, skinny-dipping or swimming, and of course, imbibe large quantities of alcohol. If you remember the band from their “Fly High Michelle” days, QUIT IT. They have improved tenfold since then, and this is a rocker, complete with a cool scream during the guitar solo. This song needs to make it out there to the masses.

“Can’t Wait,” begins with an interesting chorus and Donny Vie offering some very emotive vocals. You can tell the whiskey and cigarettes (tobacco and other) have added more character to his voice. It’s bluesy with an edge at times, and other times, sleek as hell. This doesn’t sound anything like the first track, but it’s just as good.

“Sanibel Island,” starts with the chorus again, acoustic guitars during the first two lines, and the repetition of the line “it’s out of control, it’s out of control.” The song in essence is about happiness, finding paradise, and obviously, boozing like a depressed Irishman. Again, the song just screams SUMMER!

This is honestly one of those CDs you’ll put in your stereo, probably not expecting much if you are not that familiar with the band, and “pleasantly surprised” doesn’t begin to explain your experience. As on the Ren & Stimpy commercial for “Log,” the best way to explain it is, “It’s better than bad … it’s good!”

Enuff Z’Nuff are known for their ballads, of course, and a song called “87 Days,” written with the Bulletboys Marq Torien, is one of those heartfelt songs that will make you hit rewind again and again, if you are in that melancholy mood. Donnie sounds sincere, but Marq even sounds better. Torien never really has a chance to sing this kind of sentimental stuff with the Bulletboys, but he impresses here.

Some other good tracks are the doobie song, “Roll Me,” a strange, fun ditty called “Roller Bladin’ in the Sun,” and a slower piece titled “I’ve Fallen in Love Again.” They do a couple covers here as well, the Lennon/McCartney song “Hide Your Love Away,” and Nirvana’s “All Apologies.”

What else can be said? This is just one of the major surprises of the summer. Well, a surprise if you never gave these guys chance or are unfamiliar with their music. You’d be selling yourself short if you didn’t pick this up.