Strength (Enuff Z'nuff album)

Strength
Original album artwork by Mark Ryden
Studio album by
Enuff Z'nuff
ReleasedMarch 26, 1991
Recorded1990–1991
StudioMusic Grinder, Hollywood, California,
Chicago Recording Company, Chicago, Illinois
GenreGlam metal[1]
Length57:54
LabelAtco
ProducerPaul Lani, Donnie Vie and Chip Z'Nuff
Enuff Z'nuff chronology
Enuff Z'nuff
(1989) 		Strength
(1991) 		Animals with Human Intelligence
(1993)
Singles from "Strength"
  1. "Mother's Eyes"
    Released: 1991
  2. "Baby Loves You"
    Released: 1991

Strength is the second studio album by the American rock band Enuff Z'nuff, released in 1991.[2][3] The band had positive momentum at the time of the album's release, including an appearance on the Late Show with David Letterman, as well as Rolling Stone calling them "The Hot Band of 1991."[4] Although Strength quickly entered the British charts at No. 56, the album peaked at only No. 143 in the United States.[5][6]

In 2007, lead singer and guitarist of Enuff Z'nuff, Donnie Vie, released the album Extra Strength, an acoustic reworking of the 1991 recording. Strength was re-issued June 2011 in Japan on the SHM-CD format.

Critical reception

Professional ratings
Review scores
SourceRating
AllMusic[7]
Calgary HeraldB[8]
Chicago Tribune[9]
Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal9/10[10]
The Encyclopedia of Popular Music[11]
Entertainment WeeklyC+[12]
MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide[13]
The Rolling Stone Album Guide[14]

The Encyclopedia of Popular Music called the album "an impressive and mature musical offering that combined infectious hooks, abrasive guitar work and a sparkling production to dramatic effect."[11] The Washington Post wrote that it "is actually quite likable, with a melodic flair that renders such songs as 'Heaven or Hell' and 'Blue Island' as agreeable as, say, middling Badfinger."[15] The Province thought that "as the hair drops and the lip gloss is wiped away, Enuff Z'Nuff slowly is letting its real personality show - a group that really wants to be the hard rock equivalent of The Beatles or, failing that, the glam-rock Cheap Trick or, at least, the bastard children of Slade and The Raspberries."[16]

Track listing

Credits adapted from the original release.[17]

All tracks are written by Donnie Vie and Chip Z'Nuff, except where noted

No.TitleLength
1."Heaven or Hell"3:45
2."Missing You"5:10
3."Strength" (Vie)5:02
4."In Crowd"3:08
5."Holly Wood Ya"3:06
6."The World Is a Gutter" (Vie)3:52
7."Goodbye"4:26
8."Long Way to Go" (Vie)1:53
9."Mother's Eyes" (Vie, Derek Frigo)4:37
10."Baby Loves You"4:07
11."Blue Island" (Vie)4:45
12."The Way Home / Coming Home"5:36
13."Something for Free"5:31
14."Time to Let You Go" (Vie)2:56

Personnel

Enuff Z'nuff
Additional musicians
Production
  • Paul Lani – producer, mixing at The Hit Factory, New York City
  • Lawrence Ethan, Steve Heinke – engineers
  • Bruce Brekenfeld, John Armstrong – additional engineering
  • Andy Grassi, Carl Glanville, Dave Mauragas – assistant engineers
  • Bob Ludwig – mastering at Masterdisk, New York City
  • Bob Defrin – art direction

References

  1. ^ DiVita, Joe (November 9, 2016). "Top 30 Hair Metal Albums". Loudwire. Retrieved 2021-04-12.
  2. ^ Aparicio, Nestor (18 April 1991). "Enuff Z'Nuff has new look". baltimoresun.com.
  3. ^ "Enuff Z'nuff | Biography & History". AllMusic.
  4. ^ Hot Issue Hits and Misses: Coldplay and Enuff Z'Nuff Rolling Stone. Accessed June 27, 2011.
  5. ^ Strong, Martin (1999). The Great Metal Discography. Canongate Pub Ltd. p. 184. ISBN 0-86241-727-9.
  6. ^ Billboard 200 Album Charts. Billboard. Accessed May 14, 2011.
  7. ^ Rivadavia, Eduardo. Review: Strength. AllMusic. Accessed June 26, 2011.
  8. ^ Miller, Glen (21 Apr 1991). "Recent Releases". Calgary Herald: D2.
  9. ^ Kot, Greg (2 May 1991). "Home Entertainment....Recordings". Chicago Tribune: 7.
  10. ^ Popoff, Martin (August 1, 2007). The Collector's Guide to Heavy Metal: Volume 3: The Nineties. Burlington, Ontario, Canada: Collector's Guide Publishing. pp. 141–142. ISBN 978-1-894959-62-9.
  11. ^ a b Larkin, Colin (2006). The Encyclopedia of Popular Music. Vol. 3 (4 ed.). MUZE. p. 298. ISBN 978-0-19-531373-4.
  12. ^ Eddy, Chuck (April 19, 1991). "Music review: Strength - Enuff Znuff". Entertainment Weekly. Archived from the original on April 21, 2009. Retrieved 2022-12-24.
  13. ^ Gary Graff, ed. (1999). MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide. Schirmer Trade Books. p. 392. ISBN 978-0-82-567256-9.
  14. ^ The Rolling Stone Album Guide. Random House. 1992. p. 230. ISBN 978-0-67-973729-2.
  15. ^ Jenkins, Mark (19 Apr 1991). "Enuff's 'Strength' Sound, Not Length". The Washington Post. p. N16.
  16. ^ Harrison, Tom (2 July 1991). "ENUFF Z'NUFF: Strength (Atlantic)". The Province: 50.
  17. ^ Enuff Z'nuff (1989). Strength (CD booklet). New York City, New York: ATCO Records. 7 91638-2.