Rush - Snakes & Arrows

It’s funny - as I don't like reading most album reviews, as I like to form my own opinins instead of having pre-set ideas before I listen for myself - yet here I am in the span of a few days doing another!!

However - I cannot stop playing this CD. Rush reviews, have become filled with all the popular clichés like "a return to form!" or "sounds like their previous album!" or "it's an anthem!" or "it's powerful and majestic!" but - this CD flat out ROCKS. I've always liked Rush for their ability to reinvent their sound - good or bad. Needless to say, this album is very different from their previous release, Vapor Trails. No disrespect intended to Vapor Trails, but this is simply a better album in terms of production, sound and songwriting, and, thematically, Snakes & Arrows seems like a more ‘important’ work.

That said - now time for my cliché - “Snakes & Arrows is, musically and lyrically, one of the best recordings of Rush's 35 year history.” Rush’s studio output over the last decade or so (which basically includes two albums, Vapor Trails and 1996’s Test For Echo) has not been without its share of memorable moments, including such tracks as “Resist”, “One Little Victory”, and “Secret Touch”, but the band’s move away from the synthesizer music of the 1980s that brought them worldwide fame in favor of the power trio set-up seemed to come at the expense of the bands driving force - the guitar work of Alex Lifeson. In the case of Vapor Trails, actual solos were nonexistent. Snakes & Arrows, on the other hand, has Lifeson taking a completely different approach, and the band sounds re-energized in the process. His guitar work is rich, melodic, and diverse, and fans will be thrilled to know that it doesn’t come at the expense of the band’s overall heaviness. He provides layer upon layer of ‘clean’ chords, acoustic guitars throughout (at the suggestion of David Gilmour!!), and tastefully-mixed distortion.

I’ve been listening also to some interviews with the band about the new CD and drummer Neil Peart describes this album as his "lover's quarrel with the world. " It's not necessarily a protest album, or autobiographical, but his lyrics seem very personal this time out with a heavy religious tone to them. In “Far Cry” reflects his own personal spiritual journey: “One day I feel I’m ahead of the wheel / And the next it’s rolling over me / I can get back on.” Good stuff! His drumming – as always – is just top notch! He’s clearly enjoying tossing different elements into the mix, from his elaborate tom fills, African-inspired rhythms, jazz-influenced breaks, and even a cool ‘flange’ effect on hi-hat.

Geddy Lee’s lead vocals hold up exceptionally well. Age has taken down his vocal range a touch, but he sounds well aware of his vocal range, and he sounds comfortable throughout the entire record.

Acoustic guitar dominates “Workin’ Them Angels”, but it’s Peart’s lonesome traveler lyrics that lead the way, sung by Lee in a superb vocal turn. “The Larger Bowl” sounds downright relaxed, a masterful display of a lyrical structure. Lee’s bass dominates “Spindrift”, Lifeson almost channels Stevie Ray Vaughan on the politically charged “The Way the Wind Blows”, and then gets all jazzy during his solos on “Bravest Face”.

Of the three instrumentals, two are especially noteworthy (not to discount Lifeson’s acoustic interlude “Hope"), showcasing the trio’s chemistry. “Malignant Narcissism” cranks up the funk, anchored by Lee’s bassline, while “The Main Monkey Business” is old school Rush. I’ve been checking out the Rush fan websites and it is this track that everyone seems to love the most.

To me - It’s enough of a surprise that Rush has managed to remain together for 33 years, but the fact that they’ve done so while retaining their musical integrity is an even bigger achievement. This CD may be their best yet. Oops – theres a cliché!!

5 out of 5 stars