Music News & Reviews

Brilliant acoustic version of hard rock music's lost classic

Some of regulars from the message board community at Metal Sludge may slag on Donnie Vie from time to time, but that has nothing to do with the man’s artistic ability. It probably has more to do with Enuff Z’Nuff's general approach to the music business (which is often confusing and disjointed) – and maybe about a few of his whacky MySpace rants. Overall, Enuff Z’Nuff has built a passionate fan base that is eager for more music and even more performances. But they are frustrated. And I know – I am one of them!

One of Donnie’s solo albums had been sent to me months ago, and I kinda blew it off. My bad! On Extra Strength, Donnie Vie masterfully recreates a classic Enuff Z’Nuff album – Strength – but all acoustic. The stripped down songs demonstrate strength (how fitting) and vulnerability. Opener “Heaven or Hell” has a few extra layers, but for the most part Extra Strength is just a man, a guitar, his voice, and sometimes a piano. To summarize in one simple word - brilliant!

Other reviews:
“Extra Strength is a timely reminder that behind Enuff Z’Nuff’s glamorous façade there are some very strong songwriters.” – Classic Rock Magazine UK

“Mr. Vie has created a great record, which pays tribute to the original 1991 masterpiece and yet has something new to offer. The songs that work best are surprisingly the electric ‘Missing You’ and ‘The World is a Gutter.’” - Revelationz.net

“The title track ‘Strength’ has always been superb and here, instead of the mellotron laden original Vie chooses to utilize piano and strings to serve up a haunting, stark arrangement. You can hear the crack in his voice, and almost see the tears in the eye.” - HardRockHouse.com

Buy Extra Strength directly from Donnie Vie's website.

Hear samples on YouTube.com:
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Heaven or Hell”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Missing You”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Strength”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Hollywood Ya”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “It’s No Good”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “In My Life”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Mother’s Eyes”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “The Way Home”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Time To Let You Go”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Baby Loves You”
Rock music – Donnie Vie – “Blue Island”

Something old, something new on Ariel Aparicio's rock album "All These Brilliant Things"

Before you read on, you need to understand the definition of the following two words:

eclectic  [i-klek-tik]  
1. Selecting or choosing from various sources.
2. Made up of what is selected from different sources.
3. Not following any one system, as of philosophy, medicine, etc., but selecting and using what are considered the best elements of all systems.

fun  [fuhn]
1. Something that provides mirth or amusement. 
2. Enjoyment or playfulness. 
3. Of or pertaining to fun. 
4. Whimsical: flamboyant.

These are the only two words I can use to accurately describe the music of Ariel Aparicio – eclectic and fun. Borrowing a bit from classic 70’s glam, punk and new wave, you can hear a little bit of everything on his latest album - All These Brilliant Things. Yet, as a whole, the album has flow and is full-filling. Its flavoring might lean more towards Bowie (as on “Heaven”) on one song, then towards The Stooges with others. Throw in some power pop-esque melody for good measure, and you’ll get the picture. But it does all this while establishing its own identity. All These Brilliant Things starts of in a quirky singer/songwriter mode, and soars onward and upward from there. Play this album at your next party – your friends will think you have the coolest mix-tape (or iTunes playlist) in town.

"Powerful and majestic...The sound is based on the true spirit of rock and roll, and is timeless in its quality." Local Vertical

"Ariel Aparicio's latest album, All These Brilliant Things is made in the spirit of the great rock event... With more thrills situated throughout, All These Brilliant Things makes for a good listen." Parasites & Sycophants 

"All These Brilliant Things is the third disc from Brooklyn musician and restauranteur Ariel Aparicio. The disc successfully brings together the sounds of 70's glam rock, 80's pop, and current-day post-punk." Brooklyn Rocks 

Here’s more about Ariel Aparicio (from his official bio):
“Ariel’s inspiration for the record came from a desire to create a timeless rock & roll album that would combine the majestic pop of Bowie’s “Diamond Dogs” with the full-frontal assault of The Stooges “Raw Power”. Tracks often begin with the kind of catchy, rhythmic riff-heavy stuff one might associate with “The Strokes”, before oscillating into wave-like guitar solos and cascading into b-sections of unpredictable melodic beauty. Songs like “Bones” travel from the unexpected arrival of a drunken horn section to the smash of a balls-out rocking verse. “Down In Tijuana” a short, lo-fi interlude on a record with otherwise meticulously detailed production (Ariel majored in audio-engineering at NYU) harkens back to his Latino roots with a brief Spanish language piece one could easily hear billowing forth from a beat-up old transistor in a Havana storefront. “Jameson & Cocaine” openly bemoans lost days of addiction, “Don’t take my Jameson & Cocaine”! While “Hang Around” is an anthem of optimism and perseverance written for his newborn son.”

Visit Ariel Aparicio's MySpace page.