If you are a fan of House MD then you should now that Thirteen is probably the most beautiful girl on the American television. Thirteen is also the number that tells us how many years pasted since EXTREME's last album, Waiting For The Punchline.  I do not know how many of you really missed EXTREME all these years, either way Saudades De Rock is here and it's brand new.

When I pressed the 'play' button on the CD player I though that I put a QUEEN CD in by mistake, somehow EXTREME managed to copy the vocal harmonies of this legendary band and decided they should open their come-back record this way, with Stars.   

That is pretty much what Saudades Of Rock is all about, a mixture of EXTREME's influences. It's like they are  paying a tribute to the bands they where inspired from, but unfortunately they tried to add some new musical trends to this effort that really brought the whole album down a notch. Comfortably Dumb has an obvious reference to the Comfortably Numb classic by PINK FLOYD. Take Us Alive, with a fast Blues/Country rhythm, Learn To Love, Run and Slide have the Funk Rock tempo and feel that EXTREME used to have. King OF The Ladies bears a catchy chorus and nothing more, while the song Ghost is one of these piano-based ballads that leans to the British Pop disgusting way of singing.

The best moment of the album is the bonus track that is included in the European release of Saudades De Rock (by Frontiers Records). Americocaine is a demo track, taken from a recording session back in 1985 and really has a great Hard Rock mood in an early-VAN HALEN-style.

EXTREME are back with their only 5th studio album in their 20-year-old career. Poor contribution if you ask me, but still, they are four amazing musicians and I am sure something good will happen in the future if they stay together. Peace!