Released in 1995,
Tweaked
marked a new beginning for
Enuff Z'Nuff
, as the Chicago natives attempted to put their drug problems, financial straits, and especially their major label woes behind them. The release of the previous year's
1985
album (so named because it comprised nothing more than the band's first demo recordings) had killed two birds with one stone, earning the boys some well-needed pocket change, and effectively doing away with all of singer
Donnie Vie
and bassist
Chip Z'Nuff
's creative output thus far. For the most part,
finds
in a more
psychedelic
, laid-back groove than on previous records, starting with very first track
"Stoned"
and all the way through cheeky closer
"How Am I Supposed to Write a Love Song?"
In between, they strut their way through the swaggering
"If I Can't Have You,"
glide across the easy
blues
of
"Without Your Love,"
and evoke melodies past in somewhat derivative numbers like
"We're All Alright"
and
"Life Is Strange."
Even at its most extreme, however,
never really starts to cook. The acoustic
"My Heroin"
steals blatantly from
the Beatles
(surprise!), while the cryptic
"Mr. Jones"
see the group exploring its darker side, but without ever raising its voice. Still, the band can produce a gorgeous
ballad
when pressed, and the excellent
"It's Too Late"
certainly bears that distinction. In short,
clearly represented an attempt to regroup, and
would carry on with building confidence from here on out. ~ Eduardo Rivadavia