A Tribute
To Enuff Z'Nuff
Label: CD
Smash Records
Rating:
Tracks: 1. New Thing - dim
2. Fly High Michelle - The Millions
3. Baby Loves You - Best Of Seven
4. Someday - Shawn Mars
5. There Goes My Heart - Crash Kelly
6. Heaven Or Hell - R50
7. Aint It Funny - Barely Pink
8. For Now – Receiver
9. I Could Never Be Without You - Willie
Hines
10. Dad By Day - WWJLD?
11. Blue Island - Jim Crean/Phil Naro
12. One Step Closer - Zion James
13. Your Hearts No Good - The Rioteers
14. Freak - Seven Wishes
15. Long Way To Go - Frankenstein 3000
Bonus Track : She Forgets - Donnie Vie
(Unreleased)
Tribute albums are pretty easy to review.
Unless the bands featured are well known, the intended audience is obvious,
so really it's just a matter of how the performances and production stack
up. Really, I'm incredibly impressed by this tribute album, which contains
some very cool, well done covers. Not everything impresses, but overall,
the CD is much better than I had expected. Here's a track by track.
1. New Thing - dim
A pretty faithful cover, with good performances
and a strong lead singer. However, since it's so similar to the original,
there's not too much to be excited about. I'd be interested in hearing
more of dim.
2. Fly High Michelle - The Millions
I'm not a big fan of the original recording
because of it's overindulgent hair guitars... I love hearing EZN performing
it in concert today though. Instead of The Millions updating the song to
sound more current (like EZN has live), it sounds more like a celebration
of that late 80's era of rock. It sounds slightly embarrassing to listen
to, but really, so does the original. I wouldn't be too excited to hear
more from The Millions.
3. Baby Loves You - Best Of Seven
This cover seriously kicks all kinds of
ass. Definitely a favorite, and Donnie providing the backing vocals is
a pretty high, and warranted endorsement. I'd love to hear more Best Of
Seven.
4. Someday - Shaun Mars
I can't be too critical here, because
honestly, the original recording isn't one of my favorites. Kind of a boring
cover of a boring song, but Shaun does it justice. From this track, I'd
say Shaun Mars has a decent voice, but I really catch what kind of vibe
HIS music has.
5. There Goes My Heart - Crash Kelly
Great cover of a great song, and is definitely
one of my favorites here. Crash Kelly took a great pop song, and actually
made it subtly softer/sweeter, with great results. I would definitely check
out Crash Kelly in the future, by this track.
6. Heaven Or Hell - R50
R50's Heaven Or Hell is pretty good. Nothing
about it strikes me as to why, except I guess I like the singer's vibe.
Good track, I'd check out R50 if given the opportunity.
7. Ain't It Funny - Barely Pink
Barely Pink takes one of the heavier Enuff
Z'Nuff tracks and turns it more into a pop song. I respect them for trying
something different, but with its cynical lyrical message, Ain't It Funny
really needs the heaviness. A decent cover, but lacks the balls of the
original. It's still one of the performance highlights, and I'd listen
to
more Barely Pink.
8. For Now - Receiver
Receiver really upped the tempo of "For
Now" for their cover, and it's cool to hear a different take on a song
that could normally define the phrase "power ballad." It's really a happy
little number now, and I like it. The singer could have benefited from
more time in the studio though, as he seems to have a good voice, but is
a little too out of key at times. Receiver leaves a decent impression to
this listener.
9. I Could Never Be Without You - Willie
Hines
Musically, the performances are strong,
with powerful acoustic guitars and good backing vocals. But honestly, I
don't know that Willie Hines has any business singing lead. Granted, Donnie
Vie is a tough person to try to live up to, but this doesn't impress.
10. Day By Day - WWJLD?
Wow, it's hard to say what I think on
this one. It is close to being a very cool cover, but the backing vocals
in the chorus just seem so stupid and uncalled for. Other than that, good
performances, and a strong singer. But like I said, the backing vocals
on the chorus really ruin this track for me.
11. Blue Island - Jim Crean/Phil Naro
Pure crap. The lead singer has that "I
sucked on helium and need more Aquanet" vibe that I despised about the
80's. Well, it MIGHT appeal to some, but definitely not me, or the casual
Enuff Z'Nuff fan.
12. One Step Closer - Zion James
Zion James gives One Step Closer a really
cool vibe. He slows the tempo and adds some slide guitar. A disc highlight,
and I'd be interested in hearing more from him.
13. Your Hearts No Good - The Rioteers
This could possibly be my favorite track
on here. I loved the original, but thought it was too "busy" production
wise. The song is a lot more stripped down here, and as a result, this
is one of the few times of a cover song possibly surpassing the original.
Toward the end of the song, where the track takes a heavier direction,
the Rioteers vocalist sounds a little out of his element... but it's still
somehow charming. Thumbs up, and I would check out The Rioteers in the
future.
14. Freak - Seven Wishes
By track 14, I'm realizing how long this
tribute is. The production of the Seven Wishes song is a little muddy,
and it's a weird combination of grunge and cock rock. All but one guitar
is tuned way down (which works) with one really 80's squealy one (which
doesn't work at all). I'm not a huge fan of the lead singer's voice, either,
who also reminds me of an 80's shrieker. Grunge and hair metal is an odd
combination, indeed, like putting chocolate sauce on a piece of steak.
It just doesn't work for me.
15. Long Way To Go - Frankenstein 3000
The original Long Way To Go is a cool
song because it's a weird combination of almost metal with Donnie Vie doing
an Elvis impersonation... This cover sounds like death metal, but really,
after several listens, the only reason is really because the lead singer
sounds like he's into death metal. Frankenstein 3000 does a decent job
(and I love the name) but I'm not into the singer's vibe.
16. She Forgets - Donnie Vie
This is more than a little depressing
to listen to. It's a great song, but Donnie Vie either does not have the
resources or the studio knowledge to compete production-wise with the unsigned
artists covering HIS music. Really, this is an example of why the partnership
of Chip and Donnie was such a great one. Donnie has a great voice and some
great songs, but Chip obviously is the one who knows his way around a studio
and is the one who can make things happen when the $$$ isn't there. My
advice to Donnie: Get out of L.A., your band needs you. And if your music
is going to continue to sound like this sonically, you might need them
back just as much.
Overall, this is a cool little addition
for an Enuff Z'Nuff fan's catalogue. There are some good performances and
interesting takes on the songs.
Posted by Maxx:
Hahaha dude I agree on the karaoke except it should be BAD karaoke. I saw the sham, I mean Just Z'nuff on that lameass Sludge tour and John did ok on some songs but he totally doesn't have the range for others. The Way Home was painful to listen to him try and hit those notes. Chip shouldn't tour without their real vocalist. It makes the band look like a second rate joke with mini-me singing. All due respect to Jon but he is simply the hired gun "tour" guitarist for the band and this whole three-peice is an insult to their history and music. If Donnie doesn't want to do hasbeen Metal Slut tours with Lamer Pussyfags and Pretty Queer Floyd, then the band should just stay home instead of draging the name through the mud with a second rate karaoke show. Seriously, what in the hell is Chip thinking? They try and get past this unfair grouping with crap lame glam fag bands like Faster Pussycat and then go on tour with them? One sponsored by Metal Sludge? Geez, no wonder Donnie didn't want to be a part of that. And opening for Erik Martin? Come on, the guy has some dignity and why go through all the hassles of going on tours like that and losing money cuz Chip just has to have a tour bus so they can roll into town to play a show that wasn't promoted, when he can make more money doing one off shows in LA. Chip please stop this cherade. If it doesn't include Donnie, it's not Enuff Z'nuff. Ringo can tour all he wants and call it the Beatles but with out John, Paul and George it's a silly sideshow masquarading as the real thing. John's an ok singer but he isn't in the same ballgame as Donnie. Donnie has a hell of a lot more talent and range and writes a lot better songs. Where is that Lowtek CD? That's what I thought.
Posted by Derek :
Did you mean Johnny Vie = karaoke? If you're gonna insult someone you can atleast spell their name right. Stupid jaggoff.
Posted by aG:
Texas, that is a joke on Donnie's part. You have to take anything he says with tongue in cheek.
Posted by Texas Z'nuffster:
Man, the whole Donnie thing, If your short on Dough LA is not the place to be, Did you see at his website he will custom write you a song for $200 how wierd, Swallow you pride and work something out, Joannie Vie = Yoko Ono ?
