PRIMITIVE OVERFLOW (Donnie Vie) - Honor Way Down (2012)

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PRIMITIVE OVERFLOW is the creation of Hoyt Binder, a Los Angeles based guitarist, songwriter and session player inspired by classic bands.
The interesting thing in the band's debut "Honor Way Down" is the prescence of Enuff Z'Nuff frontman Donnie Vie at the mic.

Marketed as a Prog Rock album, "Honor Way Down" has variations in this genre, but the music here has many influences ranging from Classic Rock to the commercial melodious rock Enuff Z' Nuff delivered in numerous works.
Seems good ol' Donnie was involved in part of the songwriting and arrangements, and his touch is noticeable through these ten songs.
This is clear in the melodic harmonies and nuances heard in "Day To Day" for example, though at the end Hoyt adds a proggresive oriented guitar solo.
Same in the really good main melody and bridge of "Turnin' Round" which sounds really Z' Nuff without the dirty guitars, or in the gently poppy harmonies on "Waiting For You". All good tunes.

The progressive overtones are more evident on tracks such as "Caving In" with its syncopated rhythm or title track "Honor Way Down" where the Hammond keyboards and the rhythm section play prog tricks everywhere.
The instrumental "Midnight Rendezvous" is complex and intriguing, while things get darker in the more heavy "Follow Me". It's curious to hear Donnie singing this type of music.
"Listen Honey" mixes commerciality with prog textures, followed by the quite effective short instrumental "Our Praylude".
Last track and longer here, "Animation", is perhaps the most complete track on the CD showing the virtusity of all involved, including virtuoso keyboardist Ronald Van Deurzen and Redeption's drummer Chris Quirarte. Donnie Vie delivers fine harmony vocal parts in a tone not usually known from him.


Apart from hear Enuff Z'Nuff's Donnie Vie singing again, "Honor Way Down" is a good opportunity to discover an interesiting musician in Primitive Overflow's mastermind Hoyt Binder.
Binder obviously has a Prog root, and his playing and arrangements pay tribute to many well known acts in the genre. Complemented by Vie's melodic vocals they have created a really captivating recording, which demands some attention to be enjoyed plenty.
Kudos to Donnie Vie who has taken some risks trying a new genre for him, resulting in a succesful performance. Production is good and organic, with all the intrumentation transparently mixed.
Good and Interesting.


01 - Turnin' Round
02 - Caving In
03 - Day To Day
04 - Honor Way Down
05 - Midnight Rendezvous
06 - Follow Me
07 - Waiting For You
08 - Listen Honey
09 - Our Praylude
10 - Animation


Donnie Vie (Enuff Z'Nuff) - vocals
Hoyt Binder - guitars, vocals
Ronald Van Deurzen - keyboards, Hammond b-3
Paulo Gustavo - bass
Chris Quirarte (Redeption) - drums


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www.amazon.com/Honor-Way-Down-Primitive-Overflow/dp/B008I5CUPW