Published on Dec 8, 2000
Sometimes, listening to a band’s first cries, especially when
they’ve established a name and reputation for themselves, is a bit
difficult. It’s hard to put aside what you know about the band in
the present and try to look at them through musical granny
glasses.
That’s kind of the position I’m in as I sit here in the Pierce
Memorial Archives, listening to
1985 from Chicago-based rockers Enuff Z’Nuff. Musically,
Chip Z’Nuff and crew were sound, but they had fully developed
either their own sound or the mixture of Beatles and Cheap Trick
influences that would shape their music down the road.
This disc – complete with liner notes written by one Howard
Stern – originally was put out when the band was in limbo. They had
just parted ways with Arista, and their future wasn’t exactly
clear. (Fortunately for them, things began looking rosy real
quick.)
Even back then, there was a lot to praise in these first
recordings (which were first released in 1994). Tracks like “Day By
Day,” “Marie,” “I’ll B The 1 2 Luv U” and “Goodbye, Goodbye” all
show the talent that these guys had then… and still do. Donnie
Vie’s vocals are just as powerful, whether you’re listening to the
11 tracks on this disc or Enuff Z’Nuff’s most recent
recordings.
Yet something about the band’s sound does strike me as being –
well, not odd, but different. Of course, this is that Enuff Z’Nuff
still was searching for their own unique musical voice – something
I wouldn’t have expected them to have this early in their career.
But the Cheap Trick influence also seems to be downplayed in their
songwriting – that’s probably more shocking to me.
1985 also has its share of guilty pleasures (“Catholic
Girls”, “Aroused”)… but there are some clunkers as well. Their
choice of cover tunes (“Tears Of A Clown”) is questionable; by
putting their own stamp on this song, a lot of the magic is
quashed. Likewise, “No Second Time” and “Hollywood Squares” just
don’t have the same kind of fire as the top-notch material.
Credit should be given to the band, though, in regards to the
uncredited bonus track “You Got A Hold Of Me”. I hate wading
through dead air on a CD to get to what usually ends up to be a
studio outtake or a half-assed attempt at a song. Not only does
Enuff Z’Nuff kick into the bonus immediately, but it’s a fine song
as well.
1985 is not an album for everyone; newcomers to the band
might pick this up and wonder just what has happened to the band.
Although it’s a disc that’s ideally geared towards the die-hard
fans, this disc has enough on it to please most listeners.