Review:

on 2007-08-04 SolitaryMan Said:

Now how the hell do you explain Rush? Unlike any band in the history of rock, unlike the Stones, Floyd, Zeppelin, anyone, Rush has stayed consistent, relevant and respected for over 30 years. No other band has kept their sound as fresh and kept their creative musical minds as sharp. That's what really grabs you after you listen to "Snakes and Arrows", is how damn good they continue to be despite all being in their 50's and having done more roadwork than any 3 other bands combined. You'd expect a serious decrease in some way...but no, this album is as tight as any the band has done. Opener and lead single "Far Cry" is the band's most radio-ready number since "Subdivisions" all of 20-something years ago, full of bright and breezy hooks, rhythms and a chorus that shows what little Geddy still has left in the pipes can still be used effectively. If anything, that's the point where Rush has suffered some; Lee's vocals haven't aged as well as some other classic rock musicians' have. Still, Rush has always been about the pure magic created by three musicians; and each song here is just another example set in stone. Most impressive song? It has to be, oddly enough, the guitar piece titled "Hope". This just cements my long-held opinion that Alex Lifeson is perhaps the most underrated guitarist of all-time, as it combines sage-like technical efficiency with a beautiful, country-ish twangy melody, something unfamiliar to Rush but it fits in perfectly. The instant I heard it, I had to begin learning to play it. Anyway, enough ass-kissing; if you're a fan of Rush, this album is going to feel right at home amongst the rest of their material, more so than any has since "Roll The Bones" and "Counterparts".
Rating: 8/10