Extreme is back with their first release since "Waiting for the Punchline" in 1995. I have been waiting for this day with eager anticipation - with the exception of that ironically titled "Punchline" CD, I really dug this band.
With "Saudades de Rock", Extreme make some headway in redeeming themselves for the "Punchline" fiasco. But they have some more ground to make up. The positives: Gary Cherone still sounds great, one of the most underrated rock vocalists of the genre. And Nuno still astonishes with his guitar - the guy is utterly amazing. The two of them together, especially when they harmonize, have a great chemistry (best exemplified by their mega hit "More Than Words"). It is refreshing to hear them playing together again.
The negatives: where is the melodic rock that made them famous? There are fleeting signs of their talents for melody and harmony, but they don't seem to make the full effort to reach their potential and deliver a knock out record like any from their trilogy prior to "Punchline".
My mixed feelings regarding this record began right at the start with the mediocre rocker, "Star". The next track, "Comfortably Dumb" is even worse. Then comes the best track on the record, "Learn To Love", which is pure genius - everything comes together perfectly and the guys finally synergize like we know they can. They lose me again on the rockabilly track "Take Us Alive" - it is more like a novelty song and is probably a fun break during the live show. The funk rock that is trademark Extreme kicks in with "Run" - a superb track. "Ghost" and "Interface" mark more of a return to classic Extreme balladry, and both are wonderful. Astute fans will note that "Interface" was on Nuno's excellent Dramagods release. This is the type of music I think Nuno and Cherone do best these days. "Last Hour" starts off as a promising ballad too, but for me it quickly degenerates into a grueling, lumbering chore to get through. "King of the Ladies" is another piece of junk, redundant and pointless.
Maybe my expectations were too high, but at the end of the day, it is good to hear these guys back together again. My wish is that they continue to work together, but focus on the hooks and melodies that made them a "Star".
iPOD-worthy: 1, 3, 5, 9, 11
Extreme on MySpace. Official site.
At least they don't sound like this:
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