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Enuff Z'nuff: Brainwashed Generation
Enuff Znuff - Brainwashed Generation Album Art

Enuff Z'nuff: Brainwashed Generation

Melodic Hard Rock/AOR
4.5/5.0

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Frontiers Music
Words: Craig Hartranft
Added: 01.07.2020 | Released: 10.07.2020

The indomitable Enuff Z'nuff, lead by founding member, bassist, and lead vocalist Chip Z'nuff, has been treading the musical waters for better than 35 years. Their album output has not only consistent, but prolific: 14 albums since 1989's quite popular self-titled debut. Now the foursome return with their fifteenth long-player, Brainwashed Generation, perhaps a commentary on today's Internet and social media polluted times. The album also welcomes the return of rhythm guitarist Alex Kane, who played with the band between 1987 and 1988.

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Enuff Z'nuff

With Brainwashed Generation, Enuff Z'nuff fans will easily recognize their music style: twin guitar melodic hard rock with plenty of power pop groove and AOR accessibility. Other signature EZ musical elements include a dense twin guitar wall of riffage, lavish and harmonious vocal arrangements, abundant rock groove, and catchy refrains. With these moving parts working together they sometimes remind me of a twist between Cheap Trick and The Beatles if the were mixed together in Eighties classic rock blender.

Listening to a few songs, you'll feel that melodic power pop groove across many songs, but especially with Help, Fatal Distraction (with a guitar start that sound quite similar to a certain Cheap Trick song), the up beat and bouncy Winding Road, and Drugland Weekend. With that last song, according to the label's one-sheet, we're told that within that there's an inaudible Ace Frehley guitar solo. But I didn't hear it. Grin. Former Dream Theater drummer Mike Portnoy, playing a replica Ringo Tama kit, makes an appearance on It's All In Vain, a slow grooving rock tune with Floyd-like echoing vocals. Again slow grooving, a smooth ballad arrives with Broken Love which finishes with a stunning guitar solo.

Once more, with Brainwashed Generation, Enuff Z'nuff delivers another exceptional and entertaining album of their signature power pop infused melodic hard rock. If you're a fan, you'll dig this album. Recommended.



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The Bottom Line

Once more, with Brainwashed Generation, Enuff Z'nuff delivers another exceptional and entertaining album of their signature power pop infused melodic hard rock. If you're a fan, you'll dig this album. Recommended.

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