Snakes And Arrows - Rush

This band have been prominent in my life since my early teens and they have walked with me from that age to where I am now, in the background whilst I began working and when I discovered beer and sex; watching on whilst I married and had kids and holding my hand when the marriage fell through and I got divorced. Sounds corny, I know, but I guess everyone has that own special band that they have loved for years and years…

‘Snakes and ...
...a fact that there will always be people who say, ‘Rush? Who/what the hell is that?’ Well… Rush were formed in 1969, Toronto, Canada. Their first album was the self titled ‘Rush,’ in ’74 and in the years that have followed there has only been one change of personnel, and that was Neil Peart taking over the sticks from John Rutsey after that debut album. Rush are a hard rock band who have gone through various changes in style over the years – in the ... more

This band have been prominent in my life since my early teens and they have walked with me from that age to where I am now, in the background whilst I began working and when I discovered beer and sex; watching on whilst I married and had kids and holding my hand when the marriage fell through and I got divorced. Sounds corny, I know, but I guess everyone has that own special band that they have loved for years and years…

‘Snakes and Arrows’ is Rush’s first since 2002. Now, I know for a fact that there will always be people who say, ‘Rush? Who/what the hell is that?’ Well… Rush were formed in 1969, Toronto, Canada. Their first album was the self titled ‘Rush,’ in ’74 and in the years that have followed there has only been one change of personnel, and that was Neil Peart taking over the sticks from John Rutsey after that debut album. Rush are a hard rock band who have gone through various changes in style over the years – in the eighties they were strongly influenced by ‘eighties’ music. Now they just play what they like, and that is Rock. They play it well.

Rush are:

Geddy Lee – Bass, Vocals
Alex Lifeson – Electric and Acoustic Guitars
Neil Peart – Drum and Percussion

‘Far Cry’ sets the scene – a grinding, bluesy affair, filled with expect guitar playing and a hard rocking edge. Harmony vocals add to a classic rock tune. Very catchy and a great number.

‘Armour and Sword’ finds its way to a gentle and emotional sound through acoustic guitars and meandering bass-lines, until its heavy chorus marches on, beating along to your own beat. “No one gets to their Heaven without a fight.”

‘Workin’ them Angels’ hammers along in an acoustic build up before grinding along to a crescendo. “Memory drumming at the heart of an English winter…”

‘The Larger Bowl’ has an acoustic-type into, before the guitars turn up and it churns along nicely. It is about how we are all mostly equal under the sun in body, but why are some more fortunate than others? Some blessed, some cursed…

‘Spindrift’ is quite a eerie song. It is a very personal song and grinds along to a positive sounding ending.

‘The Main Monkey Business’ is the first of the albums three instrumentals. It rocks along nicely with some great guitar changes and riffs. I see this being a popular live number for the band. Some fantastic solos here. Reminds of Mike Oldfield at times though. There is a heavy crescendo, which is what Rush do well.

‘The way the Wind Blows’ is a very bluesy number to begin with, which reminded me a lot of Gary Moore on first hearing. Then the rocking guitars come in, followed by gentler moments. “We can only grown the way the wind blows on a bare and weather shore.”

‘Hope’ is an acoustic instrumental played entirely by Alex Lifeson. It shows off his great skills well.

‘Faithless’ is next. An easy little number that rocks along nicely. “I don’t have faith in faith, I don’t believe in belief.”

‘Bravest Face’ is quite a fun song, with fun lyrics…to begin with. Then things turn a little darker. Here the lyricist looks at how things tend to have more than one side to them. “In the sweetest child, there’s a vicious streak.”

‘Good News First’ rock along gently with plenty of emotion. It is quite uplifting as well, with Geddy’s passionate voice.

‘Malignant Narcissism’ is the albums last instrumental. A bass-driven tune carries us along through speckles of shrieking guitars and pounding drums. Not a long song though, which is sad…

We finish with ‘We Hold On,’ a slow beginning and an anthem-like chorus. “But we hold on.”

As ever, all three musicians play well and they don’t let the fans down.

I have always thought Neil Peart’s lyrics were very thought provoking and influential, this album is no exception. He writes about the world today, and amongst other things he talks of pointless wars over religion and how we have to be very politically correct at times.

The album was recorded at Allaire Studios, Shokan, NY in November and December 2006. It was produced by Nick Raskulinecs and Rush, and as always the music was by Lee and Lifeson and the lyrics was by Peart – however, ‘Hope’ was written by Lifeson, all by his own self…

It is hard to compere Rush albums. There will always be those Rush songs and albums that I will hold to my heart, but as far as an album goes I liked this very much. It is similar in ways to the last one (Vapor Trails), but I always thought that album had too many fillers. This album I feel is where they have been striving to get to for the last fifteen years.

I just hope it won’t be another five years till the next one… 

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