Published on Aug 15, 1998
Wouldn’t you know it… another band packs it in just as a
breath of fresh air is injected into the band.
In 1995, Extreme might not have been seen as the “hip” band that
scored a hit with “Hole Hearted”; their next effort,
III Sides To Every Story was seen as a bit of a commercial
disappointment. Gary Cherone and crew had two choices: Go the
commercial route and aim for the next hit single, or continue
making concept albums and hope for the best.
With new drummer Mike Mangini in tow, Extreme chose the second
road and made what turned out to be their most challenging album of
their career,
Waiting For The Punchline. While this is not the easiest
album to get through (especially if you’re paying attention to the
lyrics), there are moments on this album that demonstrate how good
the band was.
I don’t claim to have perfect knowledge of the plot, but the
album seems to be the tale of an atheist who comes to discover God
in his life, yet still has difficulty accepting what he has now
seen. Right there, you know this isn’t an album aimed for radio –
not with tracks titled “There Is No God,” a song guaranteed to make
Pat Robertson cringe.
What might be lost in the “controversy” of the material is the
fact that Extreme sound funkier than they had in a long time.
Former drummer Paul Geary makes his final appearances with the band
on
Waiting For The Punchline, and his drumming finally moved
away from the robotic beat he seemed to be keeping on
III Sides To Every Story. Guitarist Nuno Bettencourt
continues to prove that he knows how to shred when the moment calls
for it (though I did find myself wishing I heard a rhythm guitar
during some of his solos), bassist Pat Badger acts as the backbone
for the band’s rhythm section. And Cherone? His vocals are as
powerful as ever; no surprise there.
What is surprising on
Waiting For The Punchline is that it does seem difficult to
follow the story line. “Cynical” obviously seems to be people’s
criticism of the protagonist for his agnostic ways, while “Hip
Today” and “Midnight Express,” despite the latter featuring some of
Bettencourt’s best guitar work, don’t really seem to fit in with
the story.
Be this as it may, most of the music contained therein is strong
enough to keep your interest. Cuts like “Tell Me Something I Don’t
Know,” “Leave Me Alone” and “Shadow Boxing” all demonstrate why
Extreme gained so many fans in their career. Still, others, like
“Unconditionally” and “Evilangelist” don’t live up to their
potential.
This brings us to the hidden title track – the final, confusing
piece in the puzzle. Does the song mean to suggest that the
protagonist’s “revelation” scenes have all been a cruel joke? Or is
the reason it was uncredited was because it didn’t fit with the
story?
Whatever the case, many fans found themselves waiting for the
punchline; the album hardly set the charts on fire. After months of
rumors, Extreme finally was laid to rest after this album, with
Bettencourt pursuing a solo career and Cherone making the leap into
the lead singer/ejector seat in Van Halen.
For a moment, let’s cast away the story that intertwines the
songs on
Waiting For The Punchline. What you’re left with is a
collection of songs that, more often than not, hit the target, and
hit it hard.
Ah, but the problem is that you
need the storyline in order to make this whole idea work.
Too bad the concept wasn’t explained a little clearer, and the
connections made easier to follow.
If you’re a fan of Extreme,
Waiting For The Punchline is probably already in your
collections. If it isn’t, it’s still worth picking up. Just be
prepared to give it several listens in order for everything to sink
in.