Rush - Snakes & Arrows
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Music Reviews of Snakes & Arrows
Music Review: I've got good news and bad news
Rating: 3 Stars
For those drooling for a return to Rush's glory days, for their sound and approach in such albums as "2112," "Hemispheres," and "Permanent Waves," I can offer partial relief. Extended sections of their new album do indeed recall many of the tracks on those albums. There are times, especially in the instrumentals, when you could convince an unsuspecting Rush fan that he was listening to alternative takes of "YYZ" or "Natural Science."
So, at least for a classic Rush fan such as me, this is certainly a boon.
But I'd like to clarify a few things. Geddy Lee -- bless his heart -- is now 56 and simply incapable of hitting those banshee wails of yesteryear: "Spinning, whirling, still descending / Like a spiral sea unending," and "Each of us / A cell of awareness." No, those days are gone, gone, gone.
Which means that any future music has to be written around this problem, meaning that the majority of the songs on "Snakes and Arrows" lack the range, complexity, and register of previous Rush outings. To tell you the truth, many of the songs here could be interchanged with offerings from any of their most recent albums.
There are other ways that Rush has changed, too. One of the things that I miss most achingly is that they brought out true concept albums, where one entire side of an album was an extended exploration of a single dedicated theme. This, also, has not returned since "Hemispheres."
But most grievous to me is this: when I was younger, I was into stuff like science fiction and Dungeons and Dragons. Hence I really got into a groove with Rush's lyrics, since many of them told tales of daring spacepilots, baleful necromancers, future dystopias, Rivendell, the Greek gods, etc.
They were rock ballads. They told a story. And these kind of lyrics haven't been seen since about "Permanent Waves," and show no signs of coming back.
Not that Peart's lyrics these days aren't thoughtful or anything. But I realize now in the fullness of age that one of the things that drew me to Rush in my younger years wasn't just their music or virtuosity, but the fact that their lyrics unabashedly entered worlds of fantasy or alternate reality, and this provided a fitting soundtrack to the concerns of my geeky intellect at the time.
Instead, the lyrics on "Snakes and Arrows" are merely a continuation of Peart's bete noire for the last decade or so: that the world is fundamentally out of whack, accompanied by vague prescriptions for returning to a world of spirit and feeling. I'm sure you know the kind of didactic, syrupy stuff I'm talking about: "Sometimes the need is just too great / For the solace that we seek," "Some things can never be changed," "What am I supposed to say," "We can only grow the way the wind blows." You get the idea.
In other news, I don't believe Peart's drumming and Lifeson's fretwork can be cause for complaint.
So in conclusion, a mixed bag. I certainly welcome the turnabout in sound and rhythm that Rush has evidently embraced, but this honey drip of yesteryear, in a way, only leaves me longing for other aspects of their former greatness that the band has shown no indication of wanting to rekindle.
Music Review: The Main Monkey Business
Rating: 5 Stars
This is easily the best Rush album since Counterparts, hands down. Within Snakes and Arrows there lies an array of quality songs, this is a very lush sounding album, Rush have been given their best production treatment since Power Windows. I would like to make it clear however that this is an album that needs multiple listens to really take root within the listeners imagination. I would even go as far as to say that this is has become one of my very favourite Rush albums. It is an absolute pleasure to hear acoustic guitars used to layer and add texture to this rich and colourful record. I do miss the synthesizers however and really wish that they would bring them back, (although there is some excellent use of the mellotron on several tracks) at least to a certain extent, as they can lend an extra level of excitement and power to the Rush sound. I have always felt that with Presto, Roll The Bones and Counterparts, the balance between band and keyboards was almost perfect; The Pass, Bravado and Animate are good examples of this 'blending' of electronic and acoustic instruments.
The songs are all first rate. From the quiet, slow building power of The Larger Bowl, to the intricate musicianships of Armour and Sword, Rush demonstrate that they are still masters of progressive rock. The Main Monkey Business is one of the best pieces of music that Rush has ever produced, a beautiful, exciting and evocative instrumental that is on a new musical plateau, even for Rush. The Way The Wind Blows is another highlight and is, again, one of the finest pieces of music the band has ever created. The lyric, "Like a solitary pine, on a bare, wind blasted shore..." is pure poetry and is one of Neil Peart's very best. Also, from Armour and Sword, "No one gets to their heaven without a fight..." is another terrific lyric. Neil deals with the themes of religious indoctrination and adults pouring their beliefs and fears into a childs mind, in a subtle and quietly intelligent manner. How many rock bands today are brave enough or skilled enough to write about this kind of subject matter without sounding preachy or patronising? Indeed, the underlying shadows of religion and terrorism are a common theme on many of the albums tracks, all dealt with on several levels and I applaud Neil Peart for his quiet, rational and fundamentally sane views on the reality of the world after September the 11th.
If you are a Rush fan you will already have bought this, for those of you still pondering, it really is a great album, with the best production the band have been given in years, powerful and muscular, mysterious and layered; the way Rush should sound. The songs are intricate and well woven with lyrics that are deeply relevant in these troubled times. Armour and Sword and The Larger Bowl are full of subtle complexities and are as good as anything on 'classic' Rush albums. I feel we should also be thankful that these guys are still playing, writing and recording quality music together, after all these years. Perhaps even more importantly, Rush are still creating something with substance, something worthwhile. This is Rush, unique, melodic and exciting.
Music Review: Still no top 40 hits, just the way I like it....
Rating: 4 Stars
NOTE to fellow RUSH fans- Rush albums have always reflected the sound of the times and "Snakes & Arrows" is no exception so you need to keep that in mind! I'm shocked a few of the reviewers don't remember this history. If you discovered Rush during the late seventies circa Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanant Waves I suspect you're gonna like this CD.
BEST BETS- Far Cry, Armor & Sword, Workin Them Angels and The Larger Bowl, plus Main Monkey Business (instrumental- could get a Grammy nomination like YYZ did).
For those of you hoping for a MOVING PICTURES part II or POWER WINDOWS squared effort this CD may not always ring your bell. S&A is very well done, but- the sound is thick, background ambience is done with instrumental effects (sorry no synth leads SIGNALS fans), and lead guitar breaks with screaming solos are few and far between (sorry GRACE UNDER PRESSURE fans). I do guarantee fans of the 80's era will like this CD more than Vapor Trails or Test For Echo. There are some great riffs, acoustic lead breaks, big sound segments & drum fills in many tracks which give S&A great variety and the distinctive RUSH sound.
THE LYRICS- well they are a bit of downer for the most part. It's now ten years since Neil lost his wife and daughter- maybe understandable, I can't imagine the pain. But I honestly wonder if at some point Neil may be at risk of imposing the same fate upon himself. I hope not but maybe Geddy and Alex can pen a few songs next time just for change of pace.
PRODUCTION- I heard this Nick guy did Foo Fighters so expected he would have more of an influence getting the songs to flow better. A couple of these tunes sound really great and just when a hook is in- it diverges to a awkward lyric or different melody that would fit in another tune. The recording is clean and can be played very loud.
CONCLUSION- despite some nitpicking, the quality of these arrangements and musicianship far exceeds that of most music of the 2000 era. Really- can anyone name a newly formed rock band on the radio today which will be given enough leeway to be relevant say 10 years from now? Sorry, it's a quick hit American Idol world. So it's pretty amazing three Canadian guys in their 50's can produce such a modern edge for young bands to aspire to. We should be thrilled they've been updating their sound this way for 30+ years. Except for probably U2, I can't think of another rock band I grew up listening to that is still putting out relevant music. Think about it folks...Genesis, Yes, Journey, Styx, Bowie, Eagles, Van Halen?...nope. Also, shame on The Police for scheduling a tour without any NEW material and expecting us to pay big bucks for the privilidge to see them replay the Syncronicity tour setlist.
MY SNAKES & ARROWS RATING is 3.5 stars and rising towards 4 stars. After each listen I find another riff that sticks in my head which I'd like to hear live this summer. For reference my 'RUSH' scale is: Caress of Steel-2 stars, Hold Your Fire-3 stars, Permanent Waves-4 stars, Moving Pictures-5 stars.
Music Review: I Take it Back!!
Rating: 3 Stars
I was experiencing a logical disconnect with my original disappointment in this album (see original review below). Snakes & Arrows is Rush, and therefore should be completely awesome. However, I found the album somewhat wanting.
Then I figured it out.
When I saw the songs performed live (MSG on September 17, 2007), they TOTALLY ROCKED. I came away with a completely new appreciation for the album. All I found lacking in the musical aspect of the album was totally blown away by that one concert. I even liked "Spindrift", which I had found particularly grating. It may just be that a mere CD cannot contain the awesomeness that is Rush. And that could be why Rush felt this was their best album to date (which had some fans scratching their heads)--they were hearing it LIVE as they recorded it. Had I first heard the music live, I might have felt the same way.
Do I still have some issues with the album? Sure. I think Neil's lyrics are particularly depressing and fatalistic this time around (can "The Way the Wind Blows" really have been written by the same man who gave us "Everyday Glory"?!), and if the songs are only one-hundredth as good on the CD as they are live, that's an engineering or production problem, I think.
So if you are a fan who found this album somewhat disappointing, I can completely sympathize--and encourage you to get tickets next time they come around. It'll completely change your outlook. I promise. :)
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Original Review:
As eagerly as I anticipated this album, I am rather disappointed by my first run-through. None of the tracks really grabbed me. Snakes and Arrows features some musical snippets that really could have BEEN something under the right direction (I kept waiting for those melodies to swell and transform into something incredible, I could hear it there under the surface!), but in the end was not particularly remarkable.
I think lack of energy is really the big fault of this album. As I listened to the somewhat plodding tempos and similar-sounding songs, the only thing running through my mind was the opening bars of "Force 10". THAT has power and force and passion and makes you want to DO something, express yourself, revel in the joy that they create with their music. And for heaven's sake, when you see them live...whoo!
However, the album is still Rush and therefore worth your time. Neil's lyrics (and use of a pantoum) are very HIM, as usual (can't put it any other way!), and although Geddy seems to have acquired a somewhat excessive fascination with layering his own voice over the past few albums, his bass playing is second to none and he sings well. Alex, perhaps inspired by his success with the opening theme to "Andromeda", provides us with a fun, quirky little instrumental all his own that is less like "Victor" than one might have feared.
Even if Snakes and Arrows is not one of Rush's best, I will of course give the album many many more listens. A ruby among diamonds is still precious, no?
Music Review: Brought to you by the letter "ssss"
Rating: 5 Stars
Like many others, I highly anticipated the release of this album. In the latest edition of "Guitar One", guitar hero Alex Lifeson was interviewed on Rush's latest, "Snakes and Arrows". During the interview, he said that because he gets bored very easily, he wants to experiment with new tones that will inspire him. The different guitar tones, among lyrics and overall songwriting, do add different textures to "Snakes and Arrows". When I read that Rush was "going retro" on this album, I automatically pictured the "2112" album, but I guess my assumption was too obvious. However, this is a strong album altogether and should prove a nice addition to your collection.
The album in general reminds me a bit of Dream Theater, which, in my opinion, is a great thing. The beautiful, two-minute, acoustic piece, "Hope", performed solely by Alex Lifeson, is a wonderful piece, and due to his performance and the DADAAD tuning makes it sound a lot like a Led Zeppelin folk instrumental. "Malignant Narcissism", the other, two-minute instrumental, sounds like sped-up Black Sabbath with some dirty, alternative-rock textures.
On "Bravest Face", there's a brief, clean-blues tone that reminds me somewhat of Stevie Ray Vaughan and there's a reoccuring, yet not main, jazz riff in "Good News First" that kind of reminds me of a sped-up version of the riff in Peter Frampton's "Do You Feel Like We Do?". Neil Peart's drumming is spirited and energetic here; the music doesn't focus so much on his drumwork as earlier releases, but he proves that after all these years, he's still got talent and passion.
The lyrics here are interesting, too, opposite completely to storytelling epics such as "2112" or "Hemispheres". However, they add a lot of meaning to the songs and paint a picture of what Rush is telling. The art within the booklet adds to the description behind each song, so it helps to view the pictures and read along as you listen. At least, that's what I did, and it worked quite well for me.
Geddy Lee's basswork is present here, too and his voice is as vibrant and youthful as it was on Rush's debut (which, IMO, is an underrated album). Anyway, he delivers the lyrics with his signature style and it never wears thin. From the Pearl Jam-esque anthemic lyrics in "Bravest Face" to the self-assuring words in "Faithless", his voice carries Peart's words throughout.
Alex Lifeson's guitar work, as I previously got started on, is probably the key element on this album. None of the songs make me automatically think of the openings on "A Passage To Bangkok" or "The Trees", but Lifeson proves right from the start that anything he can think up, he can play, and excel at doing so.
The album as a whole is mystical and murky, diverse and delightful, and, at least to me, goes to show that Rush doesn't miss a trick. I hope you enjoy it as much as I do, and I hope you can buy a copy before the stores rocket the price up to eighteen bucks (the regular amount for a new album). Anyway, thanks, Rush, can't wait to see you on tour this summer!
Peace!