A Tribute To Enuff Z'Nuff
 by ScottVile

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)

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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.