Classic Rock Album of the Day- Rush- Snakes and Arrows (2007) ****
I have chosen this particular work to honor and commemorate the loss of the Professor who we lost 6 years ago tomorrow The loss still reverberates ongoing within the memories of us prog fans. And if you look at the the YT counts, you can see that his and Rush's legacy has not diminished at all since. There has been big news recently of a comeback tour from the band, which I will touch on later in this review.
I gave a lot of thought to which one I wanted to cover, and it was between this and their last. Plua the fact, I haven't covered much of their latter work. Clockwork Angels has too much of a melancholy feel. I don't know how much of this is due to content versus knowing this was the end of the band. Honestly I didn't really want to spend an two hours rehashing that aspect of their catalog.
There is a lot to love about this album, though it doesn't have that "near perfection"" feel of decades earlier. Stylistically almost might be the most Un-prog work of the band in the entire Peart era. My theory is that they were still in "Feedback" Covers mode, and feeling their hard rocking roots. Granted, there are plenty of Prog undertones and an orchestrative brush that IMO gives it an almost unique feel in the band's creative repertoire. I guess my biggest bitch overall about the songs, is that Peart's lyrics though as usual are spectacular on the philosophical front, they seem forced in the context of how they interphase with the music. OTOH, I also enjoy that Geddy seems to have relegated the keyboard more as an effective and minimal participant in the process rather than the focus. I can not also hide the fact of how much I love how mellotrons were used..... especially and again in that orchestrative perspective. I would also be amiss, not mentioning that Alex sears some awesome guitar work that is just the icing on the cake. He is the quiet musical muse that goes on like a perpetual motor in the background. Greatness is too minimal of a description of this band's abilities, impact, and legacy. I have a feeling my great great grandchildren will be rocking to "2112" in 2112.
And I ask has there been a more incredibly hard drum part made in the past 20 years than "Far Cry"? The 3X syncopative fills and side fills that augment the other parts is jaw dropping. Drumming to this is like the difficulty of trying to conduct calligraphy with your off hand. The mind just isn't designed to manage that level of complexity.
And back to the topic of the Rush Comeback..... You can't deny being excited by knowing Alex and Geddy will be performing Rush tunes again. Even with a surrogate. I don't know much about the young lady, but it hard to match this level of audacity trying to replace who many believe is the greatest rock drummer in history. I sure wouldn't want to fill those shoes..... IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Secondly, I think the memories of Ozzy being sadly and pathetically wheeled around for Sabbath's last gig should be still fresh in our minds. Will this hurt Rush's legacy? That debate will go on for years. And thirdly, and lastly..... Looking at Alex and Geddy at the Southpark Anniversary Special, and the Hawkins concert tribute indicates that they have accumulated way too much rust or have lost enough skills and range to pull it off. Geddy's voice especially. When Nostalgia and Legacy clash.... One has to win. I hope they made the right decision.
Fun Fact: More of a shout out... Props to the legendary graphic artist Hugh Syme, who designed every single Rush album cover. His Chagall like work was ingenious with the intent and focus of the album. I feel from an art POV, this was his best.
Track No.
-----------
1. Far Cry- The Crown jewel of not only this album, but maybe the final 20 years of Rush. This song hits the listener like a 2 X 4, while still conveying a level of complexity, and upper tier greatness in. musicianship. Seeing the circuits blowing was as about as apt of a statement Rush made in self lyrical mode on this one. The almost subliminal improv aura in this tune is fabulous. 1
2. Armor and Sword- Sticking with the themeing and complexity style, the band hits another Homer. I see Peart almost beg for redemption in his lyrics on this among others from prior Libertarian POV. Song very nicely ebbs and flows between balladry and hard rocking. The all hell breaking loose at the end is worth the price of admission on this one,. 3
3. Working The Angels- Masterful songwriting continues. Power ballad on steroids,. Song almost has that ultimate handle on self retrospection that Peart seemed to obsess on the last half of his career. Who could have blamed him. What he went through post 1997 would break 95% of us. What made Rush so great was their ability to genre shift on the fly so effortlessly, so effectively. 2
4. The Larger Bowl- A "10" on style and innovation. But aesthetics? Nope. Sap factor? 10. This obviously isn't filler, but our expectations of Rush? I think you get the picture. 9
5. Spindrift- AOR-ish stuff. No new ground broken here. Not filler either, just not a great tune., 10
6. The Main Monkey Business- Post '80 Rush pretty much always had one or two obligatory instrumentals. This album has 3. Some good chaotic riffing at the end, but Lavilla Strangiato this is not. 12
7. The Way the Wind Blows- Dial the switch over to bluezy hard rock-ish, to middle east tones? This mish mash doesn't work well, and is about as close to fill that is on this CD. 13
8. Hope- Nicely done acoustical instrumental ditty in S-S ballad mode, ... has a slight LZ III feel to me. 5
9- Faithless- Did I mention how much I love Mellotron?- It's use in the chorus works well, and Lifeson's solo in what has to be with his ES355 is excellent. 7
10. Bravest Face- The most audacious song on the CD. The most slightest off-tuneish approach is almost grunge in nature. I love the innovation, but it's not really not that great of a song. 11
11. Good News First- Does re-riff some Far Cry aspects. Style point for mello, and seamless transitions. 8
12. Malignant Narcissism- Got to me a top 10 Rush tune for air drummers. Dizzying Best instrumental on the album. 4
13. We Hold On- Kind of a semi-sleeper. Controlled "all hell breaking out" Song comes across effortless though putting the pen to the paper to the music yells Uber- Complex. 6
I have chosen this particular work to honor and commemorate the loss of the Professor who we lost 6 years ago tomorrow The loss still reverberates ongoing within the memories of us prog fans. And if you look at the the YT counts, you can see that his and Rush's legacy has not diminished at all since. There has been big news recently of a comeback tour from the band, which I will touch on later in this review.
I gave a lot of thought to which one I wanted to cover, and it was between this and their last. Plua the fact, I haven't covered much of their latter work. Clockwork Angels has too much of a melancholy feel. I don't know how much of this is due to content versus knowing this was the end of the band. Honestly I didn't really want to spend an two hours rehashing that aspect of their catalog.
There is a lot to love about this album, though it doesn't have that "near perfection"" feel of decades earlier. Stylistically almost might be the most Un-prog work of the band in the entire Peart era. My theory is that they were still in "Feedback" Covers mode, and feeling their hard rocking roots. Granted, there are plenty of Prog undertones and an orchestrative brush that IMO gives it an almost unique feel in the band's creative repertoire. I guess my biggest bitch overall about the songs, is that Peart's lyrics though as usual are spectacular on the philosophical front, they seem forced in the context of how they interphase with the music. OTOH, I also enjoy that Geddy seems to have relegated the keyboard more as an effective and minimal participant in the process rather than the focus. I can not also hide the fact of how much I love how mellotrons were used..... especially and again in that orchestrative perspective. I would also be amiss, not mentioning that Alex sears some awesome guitar work that is just the icing on the cake. He is the quiet musical muse that goes on like a perpetual motor in the background. Greatness is too minimal of a description of this band's abilities, impact, and legacy. I have a feeling my great great grandchildren will be rocking to "2112" in 2112.
And I ask has there been a more incredibly hard drum part made in the past 20 years than "Far Cry"? The 3X syncopative fills and side fills that augment the other parts is jaw dropping. Drumming to this is like the difficulty of trying to conduct calligraphy with your off hand. The mind just isn't designed to manage that level of complexity.
And back to the topic of the Rush Comeback..... You can't deny being excited by knowing Alex and Geddy will be performing Rush tunes again. Even with a surrogate. I don't know much about the young lady, but it hard to match this level of audacity trying to replace who many believe is the greatest rock drummer in history. I sure wouldn't want to fill those shoes..... IN ANY CIRCUMSTANCE. Secondly, I think the memories of Ozzy being sadly and pathetically wheeled around for Sabbath's last gig should be still fresh in our minds. Will this hurt Rush's legacy? That debate will go on for years. And thirdly, and lastly..... Looking at Alex and Geddy at the Southpark Anniversary Special, and the Hawkins concert tribute indicates that they have accumulated way too much rust or have lost enough skills and range to pull it off. Geddy's voice especially. When Nostalgia and Legacy clash.... One has to win. I hope they made the right decision.
Fun Fact: More of a shout out... Props to the legendary graphic artist Hugh Syme, who designed every single Rush album cover. His Chagall like work was ingenious with the intent and focus of the album. I feel from an art POV, this was his best.
Track No.
-----------
1. Far Cry- The Crown jewel of not only this album, but maybe the final 20 years of Rush. This song hits the listener like a 2 X 4, while still conveying a level of complexity, and upper tier greatness in. musicianship. Seeing the circuits blowing was as about as apt of a statement Rush made in self lyrical mode on this one. The almost subliminal improv aura in this tune is fabulous. 1
2. Armor and Sword- Sticking with the themeing and complexity style, the band hits another Homer. I see Peart almost beg for redemption in his lyrics on this among others from prior Libertarian POV. Song very nicely ebbs and flows between balladry and hard rocking. The all hell breaking loose at the end is worth the price of admission on this one,. 3
3. Working The Angels- Masterful songwriting continues. Power ballad on steroids,. Song almost has that ultimate handle on self retrospection that Peart seemed to obsess on the last half of his career. Who could have blamed him. What he went through post 1997 would break 95% of us. What made Rush so great was their ability to genre shift on the fly so effortlessly, so effectively. 2
4. The Larger Bowl- A "10" on style and innovation. But aesthetics? Nope. Sap factor? 10. This obviously isn't filler, but our expectations of Rush? I think you get the picture. 9
5. Spindrift- AOR-ish stuff. No new ground broken here. Not filler either, just not a great tune., 10
6. The Main Monkey Business- Post '80 Rush pretty much always had one or two obligatory instrumentals. This album has 3. Some good chaotic riffing at the end, but Lavilla Strangiato this is not. 12
7. The Way the Wind Blows- Dial the switch over to bluezy hard rock-ish, to middle east tones? This mish mash doesn't work well, and is about as close to fill that is on this CD. 13
8. Hope- Nicely done acoustical instrumental ditty in S-S ballad mode, ... has a slight LZ III feel to me. 5
9- Faithless- Did I mention how much I love Mellotron?- It's use in the chorus works well, and Lifeson's solo in what has to be with his ES355 is excellent. 7
10. Bravest Face- The most audacious song on the CD. The most slightest off-tuneish approach is almost grunge in nature. I love the innovation, but it's not really not that great of a song. 11
11. Good News First- Does re-riff some Far Cry aspects. Style point for mello, and seamless transitions. 8
12. Malignant Narcissism- Got to me a top 10 Rush tune for air drummers. Dizzying Best instrumental on the album. 4
13. We Hold On- Kind of a semi-sleeper. Controlled "all hell breaking out" Song comes across effortless though putting the pen to the paper to the music yells Uber- Complex. 6
Last edited:
