Rush - Snakes & Arrows
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Free Music Notes for Snakes & Arrows
Free Music Review: They're Back!!!
Hit: 5 Stars
Every Rush fan in the world anxiously awaits the day they release a new album and launch another tour. It's been quite a few years since they released their last album "Vapor Trails" (not counting their 2004 cover album "Feedback" which was great) and on May 1, they released
"Snakes & Arrows" their oddly titled new album. If you're expecting a great album when buying this, I got great news: You will not be disappointed. This album is awesome! There is not a bad song on the thing. Every song deserves a 4 out of 5 or 5 out of 5. In fact, there's only two songs that get a 4/5 in my opinion. From the opening track "Far Cry" to the final track "We Hold On," this album is SO good. You always hear The Rolling Stones getting press for still rocking at 60, but lets take a good, close look at Rush for a moment. They've been making music since the early '70s and have put out a lot of albums (I can't think of the exact number right now, but I know it's pushing 20 or is right around there)...They have the best drummer ever, one of the best bass players ever, ditto about the guitarist; drummer Neil Peart's lyrics put him in the top 10 lyricists of all time, he's arguably the greatest of them. Their music is so varied, due in part to the maturing of Geddy's voice of the years from it's original high screetch to it's controlled, high-pitching melodic singing. Rush is and remains one of the best bands of all time. For a band to be in the biz this long and put out an album this great is almost unthinkable. The best song on this album in my opinion is "Armor & Sword," which is catchy and incredible. Out of the 3 instrumentals on the album, the best is "Malignant Narcissism" which is a narcisstic track but it works great. The guitar, bass, and drum parts all show just how talented the three are. The worst songs on the album are "Spindrift" and "The Way the Wind Blows" and even those are quite good. Rush fans! Do not hesitate, purchase this album right now! Rush fans, convince people who have never heard of Rush to buy it. 30+ years later, Rush are at the top of their game and have not only released one of the best albums of their careers, but also one of the best albums of 2007.
GRADE: A
Free Music Review: Review from a life-long Rush fan
Hit: 5 Stars
To start out, I will admit that I am a bit biased. I think Rush is the greatest band ever by a long shot, and I love nearly every one of their songs. On to the review... I believe S&A is their best album since Counterparts. Test for Echo was decent and Vapor Trails was really good, but this one is even better. The album is mixed and mastered wonderfully (which is a lot more than you could say for Vapor Trails), Geddy's voice sounds wonderful, there is more acoustic guitar than in previous albums, and, needless to say, the drums, guitar, and bass are exceptional. Oh yah, and the songwriting isn't too shabby either.
1. Far Cry - Awesome, rocking single.
2. Armor and Sword - My favorite on the album. Just great harmonies and an all-around superb song.
3. Workin' Them Angels - Another awesome song. This one really gets stuck in your head. Has a Working Man feel to it.
4. The Larger Bowl - Beautiful harmonies. This one is the most poppy on the album. Very nice song with a Presto-like chorus.
5. Spindrift - This is my least favorite track on the album.
6. Main Monkey Business - This instrumental ROCKS! Not much else to say.
7. The Way The Wind Blows - Beautiful song. I love the bluesy intro that transforms flawlessly into Rush's classic sound.
8. Hope - Beautiful acousticy instrumental. Short, but sweet.
9. Faithless - The lyrical content is like Ghost of a Chance. Love this song. The verses have a Hold Your Fire feel to them.
10. Bravest Face - Really good song with powerful choruses.
11. Good News First - At first, I really wasn't into this one. But the bridge is so melodious and beautiful that it basically salvages the whole song. Also, the bridge and solo are reminiscent of Counterparts.
12. Malignant Narcissism - Another rocking instrumental. This one borrows the old drums and bass comping that we loved so much in YYZ.
13. We Hold On - Great ending track.
So, as you can see, I am very pleased with this album. It surpassed my expectations. Can't wait to see Rush live in Boston in June!! If you are even somewhat of a Rush fan, you will really enjoy this album. Go buy it!
Free Music Review: Full Circle
Hit: 5 Stars
I have been a Rush fan since 1978. I remember sitting up until 1AM to see them on Don Kirshner's Rock Concert. Seeing them lip-sync to "Xanadu" with bloodshot eyes in the early AM, I was hooked. I saw them in concert at the International Amp in Chicago in 1980 and 1981 and was mesmerized at the sight of Neil's flailing arms. I quickly took my allowance and bought up the old back catalog and loved it all. Then came Hemispheres which I adored, "Permanent Waves" which I loved, "Moving Pictures" which was cool, and then "Signals". Which I tolerated. After that, I bought the albums up to "Hold Your Fire", every album with high anticipation that led me back to my teenage years, only to be disappointed. Was it back music? Maybe not. Was it cheesy? Yep. The cheesy synths of the 80s made my stomach churn. I didn't buy the couple 90s albums, I just refused to put out my money and get irritated again. I bought TFO and VT, which I thought was a turn in the right direction, but they still seemed kind of lifeless. I picked up the new CD yesterday and have listened to it 4 times now, and I can honestly say, that for the first time since 1981, I have listened to a Rush album and look forward to hearing it again. Is it the 70s regained?? No, not even close. But what this album is, is finely crafted, smooth running songs that have grown on me with each listen. "Hope", is the acoustic guitar solo we have been waiting for 30 years for Alex to record. It is only a shame that it's a hair over 2 minutes long. I would love to hear him record a Steve Howe type album showcasing this type of acoustic. Acoustic is a running theme with Snakes, as all of the songs have been crafted on the acoustic, and the tapestries and layers of sound on this album, may be Rush's finest moment on vinyl, I mean plastic! The other 2 instrumentals on the album rock out, I think they are better than YYZ. Don't buy this album looking for the next 2112, but listen to it with an open mind (all you old fans). I think you will like what you hear!Free Music Review: The Best Rush CD in Years
Hit: 5 Stars
"Snakes & Arrows" is by far the finest collection of music Rush has released in well over twenty years. I can't say Rush has ever released a truly awful album, but they have swam in the waters of mediocrity on more than one occasion. Rush has always displayed outstanding musicianship on all their albums however sometimes the songwriting has been lacking to say the least. I'm happy to say that this release showcases some of the finest lyrics Neil Peart has written since the eighties.
The album opens up with the energetic single "Far Cry" which is the best album opener since "Dreamline" from 1991's Roll The Bones. The song has an energy level similar to that found in "One Little Victory" however the improvement is that it has a great melody and one of the best choruses from a Rush song in years.
Many of the best tracks here touch on religious fanaticism. "Armor and Sword", "Workin' Them Angels", "Faithless" and "The Way The Wind Blows" tackle the religious fundamentalist without being blatant or in-your-face. "The Way The Wind Blows" in particular is subtle swipe at the current administration and "Faithless" has the message that being a believer does not make you a good person and being an unbeliever does not make you a bad person.
Some of the other tracks on this release are about strained relationships. "Spindrift" uses the weather on the sea as a metaphor for a relationship gone awry.
This is the first Rush studio release to feature multiple instrumentals. "The Main Monkey Business" is an instrumental that fits up with the likes of "YYZ" and "La Villa Strangiato". "Hope" is a fine solo by Alex Lifeson and "Malignant Narcissism" is a short but sweet jam session.
At this point in their career it becomes more and more likely that the latest Rush release may be their last. If "Snakes & Arrows" is to be their last (and I hope it isn't) it will be comforting to know they band went out on a high note.
Free Music Review: A Beautiful Thing
Hit: 5 Stars
As with every Rush album, you need to listen quite a few times to "get it." Every album is great in its own way, but admittedly some are greater than others. Most fans of Rush would probably agree that the last couple haven't been among their best and some may have wondered if Rush had passed their prime.
Enter Snakes and Arrows. I've listened again, and again - and I get it. Not only is it a better album, I consider it among their best. There have been comments that it gets back to their roots but I don't heard a lot of "classic Rush" in this album. I do hear a lot of "classic" however.
There is a lot of beautiful acoustic guitar and several breaks and transitions do have that 70's even late 60's feel. Some of the funkier, bluesy stuff is more honest and sincere than any past attempts. Alex always seems to push the artistic beauty of the guitar to new heights and this time around is no different as evidenced by "Hope", an acoustic beauty. Geddy's bass and Neil's skins, as always, are awesome.
Many of the songs are smoother and more melodic (like some of their later 70's works), even at their most hard and driving points. There are modest keyboards in this album - not too much, not to little. And though not as complex as some of the past greats, songs like "The Main Monkey Business" still leave you with that intense head-shaking, "wow" effect. (I love that effect!)
There's a pocket of Rush fans that can't get past Permanent Waves. If you want Rush to create another 2112, well, it isn't going to happen and this album is no different in that regard.
But if you've always been a Rush fan and see the beauty in every album, you're going to absolutely love this one. If you were a Rush fan and then lost it in the 90's, this album could bring you back in the fold. Either way, this album proves that Rush is definitely not yet past their prime!