Extreme

Saudades de Rock – 2008

Pat Badger – Bass/Vocals

Nuno Bettencourt – Guitar/ Keyboards/Vocals

Gary Cherone – Vocals

Kevin Figueiredo – Drums/Percussion

Track by Track:

1. Star (Bettencourt/Cherone)

BAM!  The song to tell you that after 13 years, the boys are ready to rock.  A homage of sorts to their heroes, Queen, this song definitely is a musical descendant of “Tie Your Mother Down” while lyrically a child of their own “Hip Today.”  The difference is unlike most of the Waiting For The Punchline album this version of Extreme isn’t quite as bitter.  The almost dissonant harmonies might throw some listeners, but it’s a well crafted song with great vocal work and of course some typical Nuno fretwork.  The only downside is I could see getting sick of the in your face chorus

B+

2. Comfortably Dumb (Bettencourt/Cherone)

A song that sounds similar in theme to Nuno’s old track with Mourning Widows, “The Air That You Breathe”, it’s a funky track that Extreme is best known for (once you get past those accoustic ballads that is).  It’s the only song that Gary uses his trademark title puns (ala “Pornograffitti”, “Politicalamity”, or “Evilangelist”) in the homage to Comfortably Numb.  The track is very gritty and dirty and then goes off into an almost epic direction as an outro.  Powerful.

B

3. Learn To Love (Bettencourt/Cherone/Figueiredo)

This is the track that proves that Extreme could do Chili Peppers as good as the Chili Peppers can.   Funk driven rocker, with some great vocals by Gary. There is also a great dueling bass/guitar work by Pat and Nuno, although admittedly not up to the standard they set with III Sides’ “Cupid’s Dead”….but then again little is.

A

4. Take Us Alive (Bettencourt/Cherone)

I was so glad to hear this one.  Extreme has always thrown a few curve balls, such as a Sinatra song like “When I First Kissed You” on Pornograffitti and i love it because it breaks up the album a bit.  This time they take to a little rockabilly chicken picken hoe down of a song called “Take Us Alive”.  It’s fun, it’s jivin, and with the chorus a great driving tune.  That being said it won’t be for everyone.

B

5. Run (Bettencourt/Cherone)

Not my favorite on the album, musically it is definitely inspired by David Bowie’s Fame.  It features some good guitar work and solid vocals but it isn’t very memorable.

C+

6. Last Hour (Bettencourt/Cherone)

Wow.  Standout on the album.  Bluesy, psychedelic slow burner with some great vocal work by Gary.  Reminiscent somewhat of Gary’s “Year to the Day” he did with Van Halen, but with more confidence.  Powerful and worth the price of admission alone.

A

7. Flower Man (Bettencourt/Cherone)

Extreme goes punky instead of funky!  Reminiscent of Nuno’s own 2 Weeks In Dizneeland.  The lyrics are very daring as on first listen you would almost think Gary is pro-war – he’s merely warning about blind following of anyone including those who are anti-war.  Musically it’s fast and furious. It’s a track that’s growing on me, but it’s not quite there yet.

B-

8. King of the Ladies (Bettencourt/Cherone/Resta/Restifo)

Hell yes.  This is a classic, fun, tongue-in-cheek Extreme tune.  Sung mostly by Nuno, it’s a great driving song.  Bass pounding, singalong chorus, funny lyrics.   It works exactly how it should work.

A

9. Ghost (Bettencourt/Cherone)

Talk about shifting in tone.  This tune is one of my favorites.  Invoking Coldplay, it’s a great fusion of piano, vocals, and rhythm with some touching lyrics and great harmonies.  This song would be a great single.  I love the fact that this band can go from something like Learn to Love to Take Us Alive to King of the Ladies to Ghost.  Good stuff.

A

10. Slide (Bettencourt/Figueiredo)

Another funky rocker that has taken time to grow on me.  Many others I’ve talked to claim this to be their favorite song on the disc, but for me it’s not there yet.  I wanted Pat’s bass to jump out and grab me and it doesn’t quite…but still a nice fun rocker.

C+

11. Interface (Bettencourt)

A leftover from Nuno’s Dramagods side project, it’s interesting to see this song get new life with Gary on vocals.  Nuno can sing, there is no doubt, but Gary is a lead singer…and that’s a subtle but big distinction.  He just knows how to sing a lead melody better and the song is better because of it.  Other than that there is little change, except a better solo from Nuno.  Decent song overall that my kids love for whatever reason.

B

12. Sunrise (Bettencourt/Cherone/Figueiredo)

If I wrote this review after my first listen I would have dismissed this as unmemorable.  Now though every time I go through the cd, it’s drawing me in more and more.  If Led Zeppelin and Queen had a bastard child – this is it.

B+

13. Peace (Saudade) (Bettencourt/Cherone)

This song is simply a Beatles homage.  Or at least a John Lennon one.  Simple, evocative, piano/vocals.  Great melody, great vocal track, subtle guitar work. It’s  a nice way to close out the album proper although some may say it drags on a bit, I like it well enough.

B

14. Americocaine (bonus track not on all CDs – Demo from 1985) (Bettencourt/Cherone/Mangone)

Not much to say here.   Good to hear this in good quality.  It is very 80s and a nice stroll down memory lane for those who loved the first album — it would have fit in well.  But to me, I’m glad to see where they’ve gotten so I don’t see myself listening to this too much.

C+

Overall:

With about thirteen years since their last effort, Waiting for the Punchline, it was intriguing to see whether they still had it and in which direction they would go.  Do they still have it?  Undoubtedly yes.  To me it’s an amalgamation of all four of their previous albums without committing to any of the four directions fully.

There is the youthful abandon of the first album in Americocaine and in King of the Ladies

There is the unabashed fun tongue in cheek shredding of Pornograffitti in Star and Run

There is the epic quality of III Sides to Every Story in Last Hour and Sunrise

There is the angry beat driven rockers of Punchline in Flowerman and Slide

This album to me mostly slides well between the two extremes of III Sides and Punchline.   A great collection  of tracks, it’s a bonafide success.

A-

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