Extreme Atlanta GA

Extreme

Extreme

A & M Records, 1989

REVIEW BY: Christopher Thelen

ORIGINALLY PUBLISHED: 03/13/2000

In some ways, Extreme was a band who never got the recognition they truly deserved. Musically, they often proved themselves to be a sharp group, thanks in no small part to the work of vocalist Gary Cherone and guitarist Nuno Bettencourt. Maybe they were stigmatized by the success they eventually had with two ballads, "More Than Words" and "Hole Hearted" - a fate that sunk other bands of that time, like Mr. Big (who are still together) and Saigon Kick.

But in other ways, Extreme might have been so much hype. They never were able to repeat the success they had with Extreme II: Pornograffiti, former members have had difficulties with post-Extreme work (I'm not commenting on drummer Pat Badger's new project, only because I have yet to listen to it), and most of their albums have disappeared into the realms of obscurity.

The group's self-titled debut from 1989 has moments of brilliance, but to borrow a phrase a certain TV show once used, Extreme often sounds like they're not quite ready for prime time.

In a way, this disc tries to mimic some of the biggest cliches in rock at that time. You have your song that sounds like it was lifted from Nazareth's "Hair Of The Dog" ("Flesh 'N' Blood"), you have your stereotypical paeans to good ol' T&A ("Teacher's Pet"), you have your Van Halen-clone (uh, maybe we shouldn't go there) in "Mutha (Don't Want To Go To School Today)", and you have Bettencourt proving he studied the Eddie Van Halen book on guitar licks. You even have the sign of things that were to come in the ballads department with tracks like "Watching, Waiting" and "Rock A Bye Bye".