Rush - "Snakes And Arrows"

[Wyvern]

I just downloaded the new Rush album amongst high expectations. I have from "Caress of Steel" to "Grace Under Pressure" and then "Counterparts" and "Test For Echo", the rest of the albums failed to catch my attention, including the very unnatractive "Vapor Trails" and their cover album.

So I was wondering what a great but changing band like Rush can offer in the latter part of the first decade of the 21st century. Being a quintaessential band of progressive rock oin the 70-80's and a clear influence over bands like Dream Theater, Shadow Gallery and most neo-prog metal bands of today, I was wondering what can they come to in 2007?

Well the new album is not a retro project, if you got stuck with "Hemispheres" ad stopped there this will not appeal to you, probably it won't appeal the bunch that liked "Moving Pictures" and "Signals". But I'm sure that if you dug "Counterparts" "and TFE like I did this one will definitively get you there.

The album has:

1. a definitive Rush sound
2. Geddy Lee vocals are as good as 10 years ago
3. the band is progressive and it's rock. No modern sounds in here, no attempts to sound like....
4. This is the album that should follow TFE.

It's not as heavy as '2112', 'Cygnus X-1', 'YYZ', 'Distant Early Warning' to mention a few songs, but just check 'The Main Monkey Business' and yes they mean business. A great instrumental with a mean riff and powerful melody and for me worth enough the price of the slab.


This is the kind of album that caught your attention from the start and then probably willl grow up from there (or not).

A recommended purchase for 2007, specially if you're a Rush fan hungry for some meat in your band.

 

[J-Dubya 777]

I'm a HUGE Rush fan from way back, and with all the hoopla about it being "Hemispheres"-like really had my hopes up. Well done, well executed, but, IMO, completely lacking ANY kind of fire.
Not something I'll rush home to throw on the cd player...

 

[Wheezer]

I like it quite a bit but none of it completley kicks my ass. There's some nice little bluesy and folksy pieces on it here and there that are pretty cool. I'll buy it a week from tomorrow because it'll be cheap at Best Buy.

 

[SoundMaster]

Gee, if it's even close to the great Vapor Trails I'll be happy.

 

[Wyvern]

Gee, if it's even close to the great Vapor Trails I'll be happy.

I disagree VT was horrible, I bought it, spin it like three times and sold it again (that was before downloading as a check up tool).

But this one is more akin to "Counterparts" and TFE. It's not their finest hour and again it's not a return to "Hemispheres" or "Signals", but it's definitively Rush.

NP: Beto Vazquez Infinity - 'After The Tenmpest'

 

[Marco Spain]

I´m a huge Rush die hard fan too. I travel in september 2004 from Madrid to Milano for seeing the R30 tour. 3 hours, one of the best show of my life, amazing experience.

I don´t agree with people that consider "Vapor trails" awful. Obviously it´s not their best effort but there 2 or 3 very good songs: "One little victory", "Ghost rider" and "Earthshine".

"Snakes and arrows" is a must buy for me. I got all their studio albums, 4 live albums, 3 DVD´s, Geddy Lee solo album (quite boring) and Alex Lifeson´s Victor (quite good). Like every Rush album I guess they won´t disappoint me. Errr, well, maybe I´m not too much into The Police wannabe "Hold your fire".

 

[princess_of_the_night2112]

Yeah Earthshine is absolutely fantastic, one of my favs. And of course the Rush R30 tour was the best concert of my entire life - STUNNING.

So far I've only heard Far Cry and its bloody awesome, the more I hear it the more I love it - in fact just heard it about half an hour ago on planetrock so that was cool. Planetrock were actually supposed to be playing a few tracks from Snakes & Arrows tonight but something happened and they didn't get the album, think its Friday now.

I've managed to get myself a 2nd row ticket to see the mighty Rush in October - SUPREME OR WHAT!!!!!

 

[Wheezer]

Yeah Earthshine is absolutely fantastic, one of my favs. And of course the Rush R30 tour was the best concert of my entire life - STUNNING.

That was a great show and Earthshine was one of my favorites of the night. Absolutely killer live!

I've managed to get myself a 2nd row ticket to see the mighty Rush in October - SUPREME OR WHAT!!!!!

Uhhh, SUPREME would be an understatement. That kicks all kinds of ass!!!

 

[desert_demon]

Having already bought Black Sabbath: The Dio Years, Snakes and Arrows is now the album that I'm most impatiently awaiting since I'm a huge RUSH fan. I agree that their latter stuff doesn't spark the fire that their early stuff did but there is a LOT of great material on their albums from Counterparts to today.

 

[princess_of_the_night2112]

That was a great show and Earthshine was one of my favorites of the night. Absolutely killer live!



Uhhh, SUPREME would be an understatement. That kicks all kinds of ass!!!

Yes Wheezer Earthshine was that phenomenal live that it very nearly brought a tear to my eye, it was soooo OUTSTANDING.

Here's a photo of my 2nd row Rush ticket - at the SECC, the Front Blocks at that venue are JJ, GG and HH and my ticket is 2nd row in the front block JJ - canny believe I managed to get my paws on a ticket that close to the stage - I am ecstatic!!!

 

[#1_Droogie]

I really like it so far. I haven't spinned it enough to leave a lasting impression, but I definitely like it. The songs sound modern, yet they often have a more classic feel to them too, which I really dig. I can't say it touches any of their seventies material, though.


off topic; Alex's solo on the new Porcupine Tree album is almost disappointing. It's not bad or anything, but just not as great as he's done before.

 

[TENTH DREAMER DECEIVER]

Waiting to buy a legitimate copy.

 

[Electronicoil]

I'm looking forward to this one.

I was not a fan of Vapour Trails at all. But I'm looking forward to this one anyway.

 

[Wyvern]

Waiting to buy a legitimate copy.

Just to clarify things Einstein. If you properly read my post you'll see I dowloaded for CHECKING purposes. Like any proud collector I will buy the album as soon as comes out next week.

Most people here do the same, in this time and age at the high cost of CDs and/or souless silliness like iTunes (which IMO is even more expensive than an original CD), you have to be sure before expending your money (unless you're filthy rich and don't care).

I except from this rule OOP albums, bootlegs and rare stuff not available in the market.

 

[Wheezer]

Waiting to buy a legitimate copy.

There's more than a few bands out there that owe me some money for the shit discs I paid for and listened to one time. They stole from me. I don't give them an opportunity to do that anymore. I download and listen to the disc before I buy it.

Since I'm not wasting money on CDs that I'm not going to listen to, I buy more CDs from bands that I wouldn't have tried. The same amount of money is leaving my pocket for CDs but it only goes to bands and discs that I like.

 

[Electronicoil]

There's more than a few bands out there that owe me some money for the shit discs I paid for and listened to one time. They stole from me. I don't give them an opportunity to do that anymore. I download and listen to the disc before I buy it.

Since I'm not wasting money on CDs that I'm not going to listen to, I buy more CDs from bands that I wouldn't have tried. The same amount of money is leaving my pocket for CDs but it only goes to bands and discs that I like.

Makes sense to me.

Folks getting high and mighty about downloading need to keep this in perspective.

 

[Wyvern]

There's more than a few bands out there that owe me some money for the shit discs I paid for and listened to one time. They stole from me. I don't give them an opportunity to do that anymore. I download and listen to the disc before I buy it.

Since I'm not wasting money on CDs that I'm not going to listen to, I buy more CDs from bands that I wouldn't have tried. The same amount of money is leaving my pocket for CDs but it only goes to bands and discs that I like.

Brent for president!

 

[Fangface]

You can (legally ) listen to 7 full songs here :

http://www.kkrw.com/cc-common/mfeatures/rushOD/

I like it so far!

 

[Wyvern]

I like it so far!

I already ordered so far .

 

[Wheezer]

Brent for president!

But, but, but ..... I don't want the job!