MY FAVOURITE HEADACHE

For many Geddy Lee's only solo album is viewed as a watered down version of Rush, characterised by short songs with neat, clear melody lines. There are grungy moments reminiscent of Rush's Vapor Trails, the introduction to Grace To Grace not too far a cry from Earthshine, but for the most part My Favorite Headache is a less technically complex Test For Echo. The absense of Neil Peart and Alex Lifeson does inevitably decrease the level of musicianship yet songs like the emotionally moving Still or humour- injected Home On The Strange thrive regardless. There are no weak points and Lee instantly shows he means business from the frenzied Les Claypool style bassline with which he opens the record. Ben Mink does a praiseworthy job as guitarist and his sprinklings of violin fill out Pop-Rock ballad The Angel's Share wonderfully. My Favorite Headache is an extremely well written, consistent solo debut full of intelligence and wit, songs like Runaway Train, The Present Tense and Working At Perfekt are a savoured breath of fresh air before passing under the forbidding thunderclouds of Vapor Trails.