GEDDY LEE

Sitting inbetween Test For Echo and Vapor Trails, it sometimes sounds like it could have been the Rush album to fall exactly between those two albums. The focus is very song-oriented and Geddy shameless applies plenty of classic songwriting clichés. One of those is cheesy chord modulations between chorus and verses, or worse, by a nasty break after the second chorus. Another feature is some fairly standard chord strumming and rather bland melodies. Some of these features also plagued the Rush albums around it but there Lifeson and Peart managed to obscure them much better then the musicians do on this album.

The album starts very pleasantly. With the first two songs we even have some great additions to the Rush canon. But from then on it sinks into sentimental FM-rock writing and mellow pop-balladry. This album painfully shows who was responsible for the cringe-worthy parts on recent Rush albums. Only the last track deserves an occasional spin, but that's only because the 8 songs that precede it are really trite.

This solo album won't add anything you've heard on recent Rush albums. Only recommended if you like the mellow side of Rush as evident on Roll The Bones and Test of Echo.

Although I wasn't expecting another Rush album from the '90s what I basically got was just that. The album's songwriting follows pretty basic patterns and it's mostly entirely aimed at fans of Rush without even trying to break new ground. That's a pity since Geddy Lee is such a talented artist who could have used this solo-opportunity to record something completely different and exciting.

There are a few instances here and there that seem to be going for something new but once the chorus line kicks in it all falls back into the familiar style that most fans would expect from this artist and this is ultimately why this is just a fans only album experience.

My Favourite Headache is not a bad solo debut album but I just can't imagine anybody but fans of Rush picking up this album since there isn't much for anybody else here.

**** star songs: My Favourite Headache (4:44) The Present Tense (3:25) The Angels' Share (4:34) Still (4:29)

*** star songs: Window To The World (3:01) Working At Perfekt (4:59) Runaway Train (4:31) Moving To Bohemia (4:25) Home On The Strange (3:47) Slipping (5:05) Grace To Grace (4:57)

Maybe my musical understanding is pretty limited, but Geddy Lee's voice is so distinct that it is impossible not to bring up Rush in the review. Although both Alex and Neil is sorely missed here. Their replacements are not too bad though. But they are not in the same league. Herein lays the difference between this album and a Rush album. There is more straight rock on this album than on a Rush album. There is more straight rhythms here than in a Rush album. The sound is also slightly different.

The similarities.......... The title track could had been taken straight out of Vapor Trails. The rest of the songs is not thousand miles away from Test For Echo and Snakes & Arrows. The songs are also very good. Working At Perfect is brilliant and a typical Snakes & Arrows song....... ehh, we are still in 2000 and not in 2008. The rest of the songs makes this a very good album. It is obvious that Geddy Lee is extreme talented and excellent on his own. It is a luxury problem for those of us who loves Rush: Should Geddy Lee release another solo album or should he put all his eggs in the Rush basket ? Holy reindeer; that question makes me a basket-case ! Anyway, this is a very good album and a feast for all Rush fans.

3.75 stars

"My Favorite Headache" Geddy Lee lets us know whom we're listening to right up front: That serrated bass riff and its chunky sound leave us with no question. The vocal melody and the words put to it evoke thoughts of madness and nihilistic hopelessness. The lyrics are a bit esoteric, which is unusual for Rush, but again, this is not Rush, and Peart is not holding the pen. My own feeble attempt to penetrate the lyrics and give them meaning would lead us to believe that the song is about (at least in part) how television is replacing our observations of the natural world around us ("I watch the sea; I saw it on TV").

"The Present Tense" This song lavishes us with pleasant guitar and bass work, alternating between loud choruses and quiet verses. As will be the case with this album, the vocal melody is incredibly creative and memorable. The bridge doesn't seem to fit in with the rest of the song, at least at first, but repeated listens can remedy that.

"Window to the World" Once again, the composition is ingenious, even if the song has more of a pop-rock feel to it. The guitar part that bookends the song is intriguing and should have been brought out a little more in the mix.

"Working at Perfekt" The guitar and bass share in making up the main riff here. The instrumentation during the choruses differs a little each time, with some cellos adding to the sound. The vocal harmonies are some of the best Lee has ever invested his voice in. Electronic sounds and bass dominate the ending.

"Runaway Train" The main riff is simple enough, and the song is largely straightforward rock. Just over two-minutes in, there is pleasantly encouraging middle section. The song is perhaps a bit longer than it should be since it overuses the main riff and the chorus chords, but it's a solid song.

"The Angel's Share" The acoustic guitar dominates this piece, and it is one of two soft songs on the album. It's a beautiful one, about how little man knows in comparison to celestial beings. It is one of the most memorable songs on the album, with exquisite strings brought in here and there. There is a rare guitar solo in the end.

"Moving to Bohemia" The seventh song on the album is one of the best, with some of Lee's more interesting lyrics, which describe recognizing reality for what it is rather than accepting and offering up sugar-coated and censored versions of the truth. The strings make another appearance.

"Home on the Strange" Even though all of the songs are highly enjoyable, "Home on the Strange" is the worst one here. The lyrics are amusing enough, about a man Lee has worked with (and yes, he really does sleep with a chainsaw when he's camping). Lee insists that the words describe a very eccentric individual, but that we should recognize that our world is made up of many eccentric individuals, so we should not isolate them just because they are, well, weird. Compared to everything that came before and after, the music is really off-kilter, and the bridge is repetitive.

"Slipping" The only song to really make use of the piano, it is the softest one on the album. It is a song that would really be at home in the soundtrack of a romantic drama. The words remind us that no matter the intentions of the people we love, they can still fail and hurt us somehow.

"Still" What an amazing song- so full of hopeful optimism and determinism, and the groove during the verses is simply not to be missed. It is a song to listen to when the circumstances of life are bearing down upon you. Listening to it now, I think of my own difficult situations, and reflect on the economic struggles 2008 has brought. But as Lee reminds us, "These moments will pass." And at some point, we will overcome in our struggles, stand on top of the hill we were climbing, and look back with relief and great joy.

"Grace to Grace" A moderate radio hit when the album came out, "Grace to Grace" is a phenomenal way to end the record. It's inspired by Lee's mother, who was a victim of World War II. Rather than come out of those horrific experiences bitter and cynical, she has created "wonderful possibilities" with "grace and dignity," as Lee himself says. The music during the verses suggest the abrasive and harsh events people often go through, while the amazingly beautiful music during the choruses conjures up the gracefulness people who endure mature into.

Heavy rocking frost bitten Canadian boys Rush have been on the map for a good number of years now, and the trio have a dynamic relationship that few bands that have lasted as long as they have do. The line-up has only ever changed once and that was after their debut to allow Peart to join the band. Each member of the band has something to bring to the table, whether it be Peart's scientific lyrics, Lifeson's heavy riffs and passages along with a bit of necessary quirk and Lee's skilled composition. So what happens what you take the fish out of water? During the 5 year hiatus following the events that brought Rush to a screaming halt, Lee decided to embark on a solo effort. What we have here is not Rush at all. While the voice and the style of bass playing that made Lee so notable in the first place follow him onto this release and give off a Rush vibe -- this is nothing like a Rush album. So let the comparisons end there.

What to expect then? Based on the grinding bass riff that opens the title track, My Favorite Headache, a lot. While a bit misleading, as the rest of the album won't be quite as heavy as this track, this is still a great standout on the album. The distorted guitars coming in in a decidedly NON-Lifeson manner and Geddy's voice echoing in screams make for a mind blowing entrance to the album. As stated before, this is not the way the rest of the album will flow. However, what this song does is basically say, ''okay, we got the aggression out of the way, lets focus more on the emotion, shall we?''. Indeed, the next track The Present Tense does just that. Winding down a bit in terms of aggression, Geddy's bass and compositions are no less fantastic. Here is where his voice really starts to shine in it's ''new style'' -- less screaming and more melodic.

Many of the tracks on the album are just that -- melodic and very reflective. Window To The World is very much in the same vein as the second track as is Working at Perfekt. A couple of tracks that can easily lull the audience into a comatose state if they're not paying attention to what they're doing. The next giant standout however, is the amazing Runaway Train. Synths and a classic guitar riff (anyone who listens to Vancouver's radio station - Rock101 - will recognize this riff as the background to their ''legends of classic rock'' segment) press this track along until it slows down for Geddy's excellent delivery. Not a runaway train at all in terms of music, this track is tightly knit and characterized by the perfect blend of amazing music and lyrical content. The Angels' Share is another good, slower track that introduces the second, even more emotional second half, but first... some quirk!

Indeed, the pair of tracks that come up next, Moving To Bohemia and Home On The Strange are a couple of quirky tracks that Geddy pulls off quite well, even if Rush maybe would not have been able to. Moving To Bohemia is an almost ominous song with intriguing lyrical content while Home On The Strange is... well... strange. But in a good way. Seemingly describing himself in a parodic manner, this song is likely in place simply to lighten up the album before the very emotion segments begin.

Then, as suggested by the moving piano at the top of Slipping suggests, the maelstrom of emotion begins. Though subdued, there's no doubt that these tracks are enough to make one look inside oneself very closely. Slipping in particular is characterized by an excellent segment of vocalization about halfway through that solidifies the song and indeed, the album. Still is a much less heart-wrenching track that's still pleasant and emotional to the point where one wants to regain that comatose stare obtained sometime back around the second track.

Then, hey, heavy guitars! Not letting up in the tradition of Rush's coda tracks being some of the best off every one of their albums, Grace To Grace is an excellent, powerful rocker in the same style as the opener. Though it slows down considerably at each chorus section, this one is still a driving track that incorporates the emotion portrayed in the previous tracks to make for a very exciting song.

While not a Rush album and somewhat lacking in true progressive material this one still earns a 4. Not a progressive masterpiece, but certainly a work of art that would fit well in any prog music collection. It seems that bass-players really know how to capture the audience with serene music, because their solo efforts are usually excellent. Great job Mr. Lee!

For those Rush fans who haven't heard this, be prepared-- it is not Rush; the distinctness of Alex and Neil's sound become apparent the moment the title track opens. In general, the songs show off little virtuosity and instead focus on craftsmanship and lyrics, with many containing some powerful messages and moving passages which Rush fans will be right at home with. The songs are quite a bit more mellow as well.

While the backing band players are no slouches, there are few instrumental moments to get excited about-- even from Geddy himself. However, fans of his singing will in no way be disappointed-- Geddy delivers what may be his finest vocals yet.

"MFH" deserves to be checked out by anyone who likes Rush, who will certainly find many of the songs meaningful and enjoyable.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 3 Lyrics/Vocals: 3 Style/Emotion/Replay: 4

Things get started with the title track "My Favourite Headache" one of my favourites on the album. Geddy really shows off his bass playing skills on this one. Check out his playing during the intro ! This is the only song where his playing really stands out. Great song ! "The Present Tense" surprised me a little bit at how much it reminded me of the "Vapor Trails" album sound. Another good one is "Runaway Train" it's a little heavier then the rest with some good guitar. "The Angels' Share" is also quite good, a mellow tune with some orchestration.

"Home On The Strange" is a humorous song. I received a promo copy of this song through my daughter who knows a DJ at our local radio station. He offered my daughter a whole pile of promo cds that they were going to throw out, she took this one knowing my love for RUSH. It has the song "Home On The Strange" on it as well as a 42 second clip of Geddy's thoughts on this song. Geddy says that this was the last song they did and he and Jeremy Taggart performed this song live and they recorded it while adding the guitar and vocals later. Geddy says it was fun and spontaneous. He also mentions that Jeremy is a great Canadian drummer. I should note that Jeremy grew up about a half hour north from where I work. He is the drummer for OUR LADY PEACE and you have to check out their debut record "Naveed", it's amazing ! To continue being off topic, some are surprised at Matt Cameron being the choice of Geddy for the drummer. Keep in mind though that the guys from RUSH and PEARL JAM are great friends. I remember Geddy saying they were at the PEARL JAM concert in Toronto a few years ago and had a case of champagne sent to their friendsdressing room for after the show. "Slipping" is such a good song. Inspiring lyrics and I like the heavy soundscape with a vocal melody along with it. The rhythm section is great on "Grace To Grace".

Overall this is a pretty good record, but non-essential.