Tweaker: 2 A.M. Wake Up Call : Music Reviews : Rolling Stone

Album Reviews

2 A.M. Wakeup Call is the second album from producer, remixer, former Nine Inch Nails drummer Chris Vrenna under the name Tweaker. Continuing his fondness for conceptual works, 2 A.M. is a journey through a variety of nocturnal disturbances. Warm tones of piano and acoustic guitar moderate the electronic flourishes, taking the chill off songs exploring insomnia-inducing subjects like deep depression ("Worse Than Yesterday"), the manic mind ("Pure Genius") and somnambulism ("Sleepwalking Away"). 2 A.M. also finds the composer crafting tunes for interpretation by other voices, though Vrenna had guest vocalists (including David Sylvian, Robert Smith and Will Oldham) write their unique lyrical visions for his mini-soundtracks. The results are surprisingly seductive. From the stark "Nights in White Satin" vibe of "Ruby" to Jennifer Charles' opiated, candy floss croon on "Crude Sunlight," Tweaker's disquieting lullabies are uneasy listening at its finest.

GAIL WORLEY
(April 21, 2004)