Extreme’s new album likely to please rock/Van Halen fans
It’s been ten years since Gary Cherone had the Toughest Job In Rock as Van Halen’s third singer, having to replace both David Lee Roth and Sammy Hagar. Since then, Cherone has kept busy with various projects and is at the top of his vocal and lyrical game. After a brief reunion with his original band, Extreme, in 2006, and a tribute concert in 2007 for late Boston vocalist, Brad Delp, Cherone and his old band seriously thought about about making some new music together.
It’s been almost 13 years since Extreme has released a new album of material and, with various detours and projects under their belts, the seasoned Boston-based band has reformed and knocked it out of Fenway Park with Saudades de Rock (pronounced “sow-dodge”). We’ve heard the entire album and it’s full of good ol’ ass-kicking rock ‘n’ roll. We recommend that Van Halen fans pick it up.
The iconic rock foursome — vocalist Gary Cherone, guitarist Nuno Bettencourt (who’s one of the most underrated guitar gods), bassist Pat Badger and new drummer Kevin Figueiredo — recorded their fifth studio offering at NRG Studios in Los Angeles with Bettencourt at the helm as producer and mixer. The album boasts 13 tracks and clocks in at just over an hour. Official release date is August 12th.
Coming off of his Drama Gods project as well as a brief stint with Perry Farrell’s Satellite Party, Nuno Bettencourt is in command with his robust and funky-rock guitar virtuosity and sounds as fresh as ever. The riff in opening track “Star”, illustrates this in spades.
Signature sounding funk jams such as “Comfortably Dumb”, “Run” and “Learn to Love” are raw and energized with Pat Badger’s driving bass as well as showcasing Extreme new-comer Kevin Figueiredo on the skins. Flavored throughout are the signature harmonies which Extreme does tastefully, but not to excess.
Other notable standouts include the Coldplay-ish “Ghost” featuring Bettencourt on a haunting piano as well as “Last Hour” which shows Cherone’s range with a roaring crescendo that is almost reminiscent of his appearance on the Van Halen III track, “Year to a Day”. There’s even the rollicking hoe-down “Take Us Alive” showing off Bettencourt’s rockabilly, chicken pickin’ chops.
“‘Saudades’ was always a beautiful word to me,” Bettencourt explains about the Portuguese album moniker. “It expresses a longing; an underlying sadness for something or someone that’s been missing in your life, and never quite sure if it will ever return. In this case, for us, it’s rock and roll. Saudades de Rock.”
Gary Cherone adds, “I like how it expresses that longing we’ve been feeling to play for our fans and be together again.”
For a versatile rock ‘n’ roll band which unfortunately has been pigeon-holed by their smash acoustic ballad “More Than Words” (see Mike Myers’ hilarious version from “Love Guru”), this brilliant new album is sure to dispel any preconceived notions of what the band has to offer and will perhaps garner a newfound respect which has not exactly been as forthcoming in the past.
Gary Cherone’s official website (includes Van Halen 1998 photo gallery)
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August 10th, 2008 at 9:04 am
This album is absolutely SICK!!! SO glad these guys are back!
August 11th, 2008 at 1:00 am
Next to Ed you have Nuno. He is amazing. Some of our fans also failed to appreciate how incredible a singer Gary Cherone was during his 1 album with this band. I have listed to “Saudades de Rock” and it’s the best rock album I have heard in years.
Glad they are back and the whole band shines on “Saudades”, the new drummer K-Fig is outstanding, but when Pat Badger and Nuno Bettencourt play with eachother, it’s sweet.
August 11th, 2008 at 2:30 am
Extreme is a very underated rock band, indeed! If you love Van Halen, you probably would love Extreme. Nuno is amazing. From what I’ve heard, their new album is excellent. And they’re great live.
August 11th, 2008 at 3:35 am
Listening to the album now. WOW! Extreme are back! Nuno’s tone is sweet and his playing is spectacular as usual. Please tour Australia again, guys!
August 11th, 2008 at 3:39 pm
we should have given Gary Cherone a better welcome as Van Halen fans. great singer. he deserved to at least followup the album “3″ with Ed, Alex and Mike. not fair to critique him to death for that one album that we all know Ed and Alex totally f**ked up. Ed should have let Gary sing all of the piano based “How Many Say I”, Ed your voice doesn’t match his like Nuno, haha.
Take a listen to Extreme’s Peace (Saudade) on SDR, wow. Saw Extreme live and Gary was amazing and that band is a great band for Van Halen fans to follow. Nuno is a guitar god and that new drummer looks like animal from the muppets out there. Badger is also a great bassist. Shame we shit on their lead singer while he was in our band. I feel shamed. All of Extreme albums are brilliant rock albums. I hope they continue to make more of them while we wait for our band to get it together with Roth. It’s nice to have a band just about as good as ours doing something on the side.
August 11th, 2008 at 10:20 pm
I downloaded this album to preview it yesterday (i.e., I like it, I buy it).
This is my opinion: this album sucks!
Extreme is as boring as it gets here. I don’t really have time to elaborate, but it’s basically the same lamo rock opera shit, Queen-wannabe crap they have been doing since their 3rd album. I have nothing against these guys, I just don’t like their music. A matter of opinion and taste.
I however think that comparing Extreme to Van Halen is just plain insulting to all true VH fans.
Again… just my personal opinion.
August 12th, 2008 at 8:58 am
What has VH done since 1982? Not much. Eddie has lost all his creative genius. He clearly cannot be seen as an innovator anymore. The booze and coke has ruined him, sadly. What did we get on the last VH tour? Anything new? No, nothing, not even a single new song. Atleast Nuno and Gary have put out a new album. They actually give a crap about their fans. The VH/Dave reunion tour was nothing more than a quick grab at the cash. They could not care less about their fans, it’s all about the money for them.
Eddie was a monster 20+ years ago but comeon, do something new for a change and stop hanging onto the music from 25 years ago, it’s embarrassing.
I’ve been playing guitar for 20+ years, and sorry VH fans (and I grew up on VH) Nuno has far more depth in his playing than Eddie. Perhaps VH will make me eat my words and put out something worth listening to.. I don’t hold my breath though… flame away
August 12th, 2008 at 1:18 pm
I must be one of the few who enjoyed VHIII with Gary. The overall album wasn’t so great, but there were a few good tunes on it. I think it could have been improved just by some better production, but unfortunately I doubt we’ll ever see a remastered version of this one.
I saw them live twice on the VHIII tour, and thought Gary did a good job of covering the earlier two incarnations.
Dave still does the best Dave songs & Sammy still does the best Sammy songs, but I didn’t mind Gary either. I guess I’m just a fan, no matter who is actually singing the stuff.
August 13th, 2008 at 1:17 am
R.U.C.RE.US?
Did you listen to more then just the first song??? I mean that has a Queen sound but after that it all pretty much Rock. The album sounds nothing like III sides.
No Rock Opera at all. Not sure at all what you are talking about. Either you did not listen beyond the first song or you are, even though you say you are not, biased against the band.
Again the song STAR, yes does sound like Queen.
Comfortably Dumb = Funk Rock
Learn to Love = Led Zep style riffs and great rock
Take Us Alive = Led Zep/Elvis Rockabilly
Run = Funk meets David Bowie
Last Hour = Blues/Rock
Flower Man = punkish Rock
King Of the Ladies = Funky/Hip Hop Rock
Ghost = Great Ballad
Slide = Straight up FUNK!
Interface = Another Ballad
Sunrise = Melodic Rock (Van Hagar)
Peace = Another Great Ballad
Some of Extremes Harmonies do sound like Queen but there is no Queen like sone except for Star.
Great ROCK album. 9 out of 10.
August 13th, 2008 at 11:45 am
First off, in my opinion the new Extreme album rocks. I gave it two full listens and as a big fan of Extreme I’m actually a little disappointed that they didn’t have more songs like “Star” on their as this showcases their voices, and their playing ala III Sides. But the album rocks and should be purchased by rock fans, think “Waiting For the Punchline” with a little dab of “III Sides” and you’ve got it.
Also, I am a huge fan of Van Halen, with Dave first and foremost, but also with Sammy and Gary. All three versions had unique sounds to them but I must admit that I feel Gary was much better than Sammy. I wish the second album from the Gary lead group saw the light of day because we all would be impressed with the depth of the songwriting and the new, fresh direction they were taking. This won’t happen though because Warner Bros. sucks and want’s to pigeon hole the band.
Well at least we have a new Extreme disc and maybe with a little luck Ed and Dave will make it happen with VH one more time—
August 15th, 2008 at 9:25 pm
Holy crap, this CD rocks. Especially Comfortably Numb, Run, and Learn to Love.
Definitely purchase worthy.
August 18th, 2008 at 7:10 pm
Damn! that new drummer Kevin Figueiredo kicks ass. Great to have these guys back and don’t hold out for another 13 years now guys, get a followup to Saudades de Rock out in about 3 years time. That would be insane to break this band up again. This is a very impressive rock album and needs a followup for sure. Saw them live to and they totally rocked my world.
This should help some VH fans get by why we wait for a new VH album with Roth. Thanks Extreme!
August 19th, 2008 at 6:24 am
… Why do I sometimes feel guilty for liking VHIII ? And absolutely adoring “How Many Say I”? Maybe I’m just too young (= 17.)
Anyway, looking forward to getting this album.
August 21st, 2008 at 11:01 pm
Not as good as Waiting for the Punchline, but it’s still a good album. As Magnesium Jake said: it often sounds like a combination of Waiting… and III sides.