ROLL THE BONES

Roll the Bones is a bit of a surprise album for Rush's later stuff. Especially considering it came out of the ninties, it is a great album, one of my favorites actually. I guess in a sense it's impossible for me not to have some bias in my opinion of it, for I was practically raised on this album, and may have helped instill my love of prog-rock. My parents played it frequently in the car when I was little, and it helped make me the Rush fan that I am today. From start to finish this album is very well written and produced, every song is at least likable if not lovable. It is more similar to early Rush in the sense that Lifeson's guitar playing is unusually prominent for post Moving Pictures albums, with great riffs and solos all around, and Keyboards are quite balanced and used for atmospheric effects. Peart's lyrics are just as stunning, especially compared to anything that Rush has put out since. Yet it is very unique in that it incorporates a very subtle, almost hip-hop flavor. Something about the sound of this album just distinguishes it from anything else I have ever heard before. My personal favorite is the instrumental Where's My Thing?, which I would argue amounts to the musicianship and addictive nature of YYZ, which is probably what it was intended to be. I just absolutely love it! Lee's bass playing certainly has been kept rust free, as that song proves. Other notable songs are Dream Line, Roll the Bones, and The Big Wheel. I would consider the whole album a masterpiece if it were just more progressive, or at least compared to A Farewell to Kings or Permanent Waves even. It is still a very well written and produced album, and I completely recommend it to anyone who is interested in post Moving Pictures Rush, of which this album is my favorite. All in all I rate it about 4, give or take .5 if you're taking about eras of Rush music.