SNAKES & ARROWS

Just to add my 2 cents on Snakes & Arrows. It's again a great album by Rush, with great songs, and a coherent sound throughout. Geddy Lee's voice sound as great as it did in their heyday between 1978 and 1985, which in fact is the period they tried with good succes to emulate once again. Which also is the main pitfall for this album, with most songs I have the feeling I heard it before, chords ands sounds from those period are willfully coppied and added to the new songs, like the intro which is a clear reference to Hemisphere's or Malignant Narcissism sounds like an attempt at recreating YYZ. More references can be found by the dedicated listener. Luckily this possible bad element of the album is overshadowed by the quality of the songwriting and enthousiastic deliverence of Rush.

The sound is largely dominated by Alex's guitar, with a continuous infectuous bassline which proppels the music to great heights, of course Neil's drumming can't be faulted. Basically this is Rush as good as it gets. Favourite songs according to me are the opener Far Cry, Workin'Them Angels, the instrumental Main Monkey Bussiness, and the compelling YYZ reworking Malignant Narcissism.

I can't give it 5 stars, but it surely is an astounding return to form (not that Rush ever really lost form though). For Rush fans this is required to have in your collection, 4 stars and highly recommended.