Tweaker ≡ 2 a.m. Wakeup Call (2004)

Tweaker
2 A.M. Wakeup Call
Genre Alternative Rock/Industrial/Electronica

1. Ruby (feat. Will Oldham)
2. Cauterized
3. Worse Than Yesterday (feat. Mellowdrone)
4. Truth Is (feat. Robert Smith)
5. Remorseless
6. Pure Genius (feat. David Sylvian)
7. It’s Still Happening (feat. Hamilton Leithauser)
8. 2 a.m.
9. Movement of Fear
10. Sleepwalking Away (feat. Nick Young)
11. The House I Grew Up In (feat. Johnny Marr)
12. Crude Sunlight (feat. Jennifer Charles)

Chris Vrenna's Tweaker project has grown. Whereas "The Attraction to All Things Uncertain" was a decent album that showed a lot of good ideas but sometimes felt a bit too much like Vrenna's old employer, "2 a.m. Wakeup Call" is a step in the right direction. Inspired largely by his wife's insomnia, and joined this time by songwriting/construction partner Clint Walsh, vrenna delivers a much more varied and satisfying listen. All in all, the album holds together nicely, with a dark and subdued tone, hinting at frustration, tension and impatience. It works significantly better as a statement, with the vocalist feeling additive rather than opposing as they often felt on the previous album. The music ranges from goofy and bouncey to subdued and minimalist to explosive, loud and aggressive. And while gues Robert Smith probably steals the show with his almost lazy sounding vocal on the constantly shifting "Truth Is", the whole record has got its moments, from the nearly Jane's Addiction energy of "It's Still Happening" to the delicate and plodding "Crude Sunlight" to the unnervingly haunting and brilliant Tones on Tail cover, "Movement of Fear". It's not quite the masterpiece you'd like it to be, but its a rather good record, and its well worth the investment for fans of unique music. Recommended.

--Michael Stack(Amazon.com)

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