Rush - Snakes & Arrows:
Rush is one of my all-time favorite bands. They have many albums which I like entirely, from beginning to end (A Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, etc). For that reason, I will always have some Rush which I'm "In the mood" for (gratuitous reference to a track on their first album). Let's face it: Rush is surely THE most influential Canadian band on the prog scene, and one of the most influential of all in general. And quite frankly, I have yet to hear another band of the present that sounds like them.
I even like the more mainstream albums they released, like Grace Under Pressure, Power Windows and Hold You Fire. My interest stays strong up until Counterparts, with Presto and Roll the Bones having some "lows". Since Counterparts though, they have failed to amaze me with a full album. They have very good tracks here and there, but no entire albums. Actually, I would only take 2 or 3 of the best tracks of Presto, T4E, and Vapor Trails, and even Roll the Bones, and make one great compilation. But that's it.
But now, Snakes and Arrows has put a halt to this. YES! Finally, Rush IS BACK!!! What a fresh sound, that resonates the good vibes of the 80's, that reminds me of Power Windows and Grace Under Pressure, but with a harder edge in parts, and a little bit of experimentation in others. No it's not the prog sound of the 70's and early 80's - don't get overly excited... But I think fans of Rush will find that this is the album they have been waiting for for a long time.
My Rating: ****½
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