After his brilliant solo album "Just Enough" Donnie Vie finally stirs it up again!
This time it's a package release of a DVD and EP, cleverly titled "DVieD-EP".
The DVD with the subtitle "Baby Pictures" spans through Donnie's career with exclusive footage from the early start of Enuff Z´Nuff in 1986 to the final reunion show in August 2003. Furthermore the DVD also focus on Donnie's present career as a solo artist
The DVieD is divided in chapters with Donnie presenting and commenting on all footage. The absolute coolest footage is from 1993 where Chip and Donnie went to Japan for the first time to promote the "Animals with Human intelligence" album. The duo plays some great acoustic shows with Donnie in vocal top form. The version of
Right By Your side is priceless along with a rare performance of
Mary Anne Lost Here Baby where Chip´s bass is so loud that it drives the song.
The "Strength" chapter is also pretty cool, since it displays Enuff Z´Nuff in the studio laying basic tracks for the "Strength" album.
To round off Enuff Z'Nuff; Seeing Vik Foxx, Derek Frigo and Donnie together again performing
In the Groove from the reunion show gives an Enuff Z´Nuff fan a big lump in the throat.! Frigo looks better than ever and his playing is unique. It certainly is a great loss that Derek Frigo only got 38 years on this planet.
There is footage from the solo shows Donnie has played in LA primarily at the Cat Club. A cool cut is John Corabi and Donnie dueting on Beatles´
Don´t let me Down. Furthermore the "going solo" chapter has a home video for
Code Red, which also is featured on the EP. To make this release extra special there is an EP with a random playing order depending on the pressing!
Except for the brilliant rocker
Code Red the audio songs are pure pop songs.
Somewhere sounds like a cool summer hit - once again Donnie proves to be a brilliant writer with flair for soothing melodies.
Gordon Lightfood´s
If you could read my mind is definitely the best of the 3 cover versions. I am not too fond of drum machines and horn sections created on computer. The sound is a bit synthetic and Donnie hasn't worn out any of his guitars in recording these 6 songs. Personally I am more into the basic means of guitar, bass and drum with additional use of piano if needed.
Donnie does need to work more on the production, since the sound doesn't match 95 percent of the demos that we receive at RevelationZ Magazine.
Overall it's a great DVD and since the audio EP is just a bonus, the "DvieD-EP" is a great release.
Rating: 6.5/10Written by
Michael Wednesday, August 9, 2006
