Hurtsmile is a new project by Extreme/Van Halen frontman Gary Cherone and his brother Mark. Fans of Extreme will find similarities in theme and tone with his previous band’s masterwork “III Sides To Every Story.” The band straddles the line from brilliant hard rock (“Just War Theory”) to unlistenable tripe (“Jesus Would You Meet Me”). Mark Cherone is an excellent guitarist as evidenced on “Stillborn.” The riff work on “Kaffur (Infidel)” is so good it overshadows Gary’s vocals and even the melody line. The best rocker is “Love Thy Neighbor” both Cherones are equally represented here. But what is surprising is the amount of mellow ballads and eclectic experiments. The best of this style is the soulful “Beyond The Garden/Kicking against The Goads.”
Overall a solid mixed bag here. Even Mark’s skills and Gary’s impressive vocals cannot save a horrible song like “Just War Reprise.” Fans should pick through this release for the goodies hidden here.