HOLD YOUR FIRE

Another album where I DO NOT UNDERSTAND AT ALL why it is worst, most disappointing, lack of all etc... This is not worst Rush's album at least. Dear careful listener, first of all take a look on the structure of this album. Couple of 5-minute songs, short intro, singing section, guitar intermezzo, refrain singing section, finale. Where is the epic, lengthy composition, where endless soloing and etc??? Yeh, Rush here is pop, beee. Isn't it? And you are wrong. Yes, song structure is as described above. But. For me. What is the good music (not only prog)? A. Strong melody (not only vocal) B. Good playing and singing (for me if more singing that better) C. Complex arrangements All 3 points are here. In every new song we hear each time new strong melody, new interesting arrangements and old (and as usual for Rush) playing :). Not me with my English to write many details how these points are realized in HYF. But I can remind of unique Geddy's fretless bass playing, syncopating and slapping, per se second soloing guitar, as usual various and virtuoso Lifeson's solos (and competent rhythm support). Beautiful, though without Emerson-Banks-Wakeman-ish keyboards' technic backgrounding arrangements, most soft Geddy's singing here and ... I am not a drum specialist :). All together give us a beatuful album with Rush-es specific sound and show us how Rush can make excellent soft songs without falling into pop and other bad things :))). Five stars and even more, and plus plus plus.