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The decade spanning 1976 to 1985 established Rush as one of hard rock's premier acts, and the eight studio albums released during this period offer the finest songs of the band's catalog. During that decade Rush was on an incredible roll, with every album offering top-notch songs. Never before and certainly not since has the band matched the quality of songs like Limelight, Free Will, The Analog Kid, The Trees, and a half dozen other classics released during that period.
It's not that the band suddenly started to suck around 1986, but they did abruptly lose two key assets: their songwriting gifts and, equally striking, Alex Lifeson's astonishing ability to compose memorable riffs. I believe Rush's immense popularity is due primarily to Alex Lifeson; at his creative peak the guy was practically a machine -- nearly every guitar riff he came up with was brilliant, and these riffs formed the backbone of the best albums in Rush's catalog.
I don't hold it against Lifeson that his masterful ability to compose energetic guitar riffs and solos seemed to evaporate after 1985, any more than I'd hold it against a 35-year-old who can no longer dunk a basketball. It seems clear that being a first-rate hard rock guitarist is a young man's game. And if you look at some of Lifeson's guitar-god peers, their gifts often eroded in a far more catastrophic manner than did Lifeson's.
It's indeed probable that Lifeson's technical abilities only increased after 1985, as he became interested in complex wailing chords. But any growth he made as an guitarist couldn't begin to offset the creative talent that was lost. Compare the riffs and overall guitar sound of Freewill and The Trees to any Rush song that came after 1985 and it's instantly obvious that something vital had vanished. Without Lifeson's trademark riffs and solos, never again would the band compose a classic on the order of Limelight.
Many of us Rush fans have had a love-hate relationship with post-1985 Rush. We faithfully buy their albums, yet consistently end up with an overall feeling of disappointment. Rush's work ethic and talent is such that they are incapable of releasing a bad album. But without the inspired guitar-driven song writing they once offered, the releases consistently pale when compared to their peak work.
So when Rush released Snakes and Arrows I dutifully yet reluctantly picked up a copy the moment it became available, bracing myself for another album of exceptional craftsmanship yet one that would continue Rush's post-1985 tradition of being an overall letdown. Although Neil Peart had written a lengthy essay ("The Game of Snakes and Arrows") claiming that the recording process had been the most satisfying the band had ever experienced, I was so used to disappointment that I refused to get my hopes up.
After my first listen, I decided this album was worth my time to write a review. But I wanted to make sure I did justice to this album. I've since listened to Snakes and Arrows closely more than twenty times, and I'm not the least bit tired of it. Everything about this album stands up to, and in fact demands, careful and repeated listens.
The only negative comment I can make about this album is that even the best songs don't quite reach the songwriting heights of Rush's classic period. But the band makes up for this deficit, bringing things to the table we've never before heard. Most obvious is the gorgeous sound production. Despite the fact that all three members of Rush are virtuoso musicians, this is nevertheless a band that lives and dies based on its choice of producer. Back during the Terry Brown era, Rush's production work was consistently excellent. Since then, the band has had their ups and downs with different producers. Vapor Trails, their previous studio release of original material, was simply butchered in production. I've repeatedly tried to listen to Vapor Trails but I've never enjoyed the experience. While some listeners regard Vapor Trails as a strong album, I consider it unlistenable.
By contrast, Snakes and Arrows isn't just the best-sounding of Rush's albums, it's among the best-sounding hard rock albums ever released. I can't overstate how highly I regard this album's production. The textures are nuanced and gorgeous, and the attention to sonic detail throughout stands up to the production quality evident in albums by studio geniuses like the Basement Jaxx and Kruder and Dorfmeister.
In Snakes and Arrows, we have an album that is meticulously crafted yet never comes across as sounding slick. If I had the opportunity to tell the band one thing, it would be that they would be out of their minds to ever choose anyone other than Nick Raskulinecz to produce future studio albums. In Snakes and Arrows, Raskulinecz' exquisite production instincts have restored Rush's musical relevance and given the band a new lease on life. Listen closely to any other album in the Rush catalog, and I think you'll agree that none offers the gorgeous sonic qualities of Snakes and Arrows.
Even though the songs on this album aren't as strong as Rush's peak work, the overall listening experience this album offers is the band's finest yet. Put on a pair of good headphones and you're transported to a world in many ways richer and more interesting than what you'll find in Hemispheres or Moving Pictures.
For the first time in twenty years, Rush has released an album that stands shoulder-to-shoulder with their finest work. As songwriters, these guys can no longer dunk a basketball, but their overall game has only improved. After a twenty year drought, I hold Snakes and Arrows, without reservation, as being among the top four albums released by the band. And to think I had thought they were losing it.
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Best They've Done In Years
Picked up the new Snakes and Arrows cd the day it was released. I'm one of those people that, although I love music, and listen to lots of it, all the time, I still usuaully cannot get a feel for an album without a few listens.I just got through listening to the whole thing straight thru while working on the computer, and I have to say...Wow, this is some good stuff! I have all of Rush's music. In fact, Farewell to Kings was one of the first albums I ever walked into a record store and bought. Just for a perspective, I consider Hold Your Fire they're "worst album". I liked Vapor Trails for the music, but still don't like the bad sonic properties of the mastering job (Metallica's St. Anger got one listen from me and I shut the door on them).Some people have said that the instrumental The Main Monkey Business just didn't do anything for them? I think it rocks! Sure it's not gonna be as exciting as hearing YYZ back when you were in High School and you and all you buddies thought Rush were Gods, but it is the YYZ of Rush in 2007.I have definately been let down by "New" Rush discs before (Power Windows, Presto, Hold You Fire, etc.) But, this one is so diverse. It's got that "heaviness" of Counterparts, with the sprinkling of acoustic guitars reminiscent of Farewell to Kings. No keyboards. No Rapping (OK I like Roll the Bones...but). Just really good modern Rock from a very mature and intelligent band. Four and a half stars actually.
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- Reviewed in the United States on September 24, 2007
- Reviewed in the United States on May 14, 2007
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Matteo RosinReviewed in Italy on May 5, 2016
Album sublime e qualità audio più che eccellente
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