SUBDIVISIONS (RUSH)

Over the years Rush has been a very influential band, whether that be in Canada or otherwise. Many bands or band members in interviews have stated that they loved Rush growing up, and why not? Rush have always been musician's musicians, their instrumental skills have impressed the best and amazed the rest for many years. It was only a matter of time until a tribute to them would be formed, and though this is the second of such an album it's still impressive to see such great musicians come together to record the music they loved none the less. This album maybe had less "star" musicians than the last work did, but this one still has some good moments.

The music itself is very different than Rush's originals. Of course, this is to be expected from musicians that come from a very different time period, and listening to the music with a fresh ear can lead to interest results. Trying to compare this music directly to Rush would be a bad thing, as the music is very different. Each of the artists have put their own spin on the music and it's just as much as an acquired taste as Rush was to begin with. Some of the vocals are not nearly as good as the originals and sometimes the pacing has been altered dramatically, again, don't expect Rush. After all, what would be the point of buying it if it sounded just like the originals.

Some of the material on the album sounds pretty cool. Some of the songs have been extended using some hair-metal-esque instrumentals (something most prog fans may be fearful of), such as SUBDIVISIONS or LIMELIGHT. Others ave been made slower such as 2112 or BASTILE DAY and these songs actually have a pretty cool sound to them. BASTILE DAY in particular (while sometimes a bit too electronic) is given a new side to it through this performance, however, the original is still better. Both TOM SAWYER and LAKESIDE PARK are now voiced by the over-the-top Sebastian Bach, someone who actually does a fairly good rendition of the songs listed.

Other material on this album are not nearly as good as Rush's masterpieces. The opener, DISTANT EARLY WARNING, is voiced by a peculiar vocalist that doesn't sound nearly as good as Geddy (though his voice is likely the closest to Geddy's), same goes for SUBDIVISIONS. DIDACTS AND NARPETS is one particular track that does no justice at all to the original contained in Rush's 1975 epic "The Fountain of Lamneth", the drumming is done okay enough, but it's the "LISTEN!" at the end that Geddy does so well that just comes off as silly in this version. The rest of the songs on the album also often come off as average, doing no justice to the song but also not making it sound bad.

So in the end the album is for collectors/fans of Rush or the performers on the album. Definitely listen-to-able, but not quite as well performed as the original. Still interesting, but not an album that's essential by any means. 2 stars for a good bunch of covers, and a couple less than impressive ones. Still recommended for anyone who wants to hear new versions of the old songs, and maybe gain new appreciation for the old ones.

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