ROLL THE BONES

Very close to Presto in its quality, this album seems to be it's couterpart. It's heavy where Presto was light and a bit more mythical where Presto was mystical. The songs are very unique from each other, but it's probably Rush's tightest concept album. All the songs have something to do with fate, and it's give and take, as the album's title would suggest. Because of this theme, this is a very philosphical album. It still rocks, maybe harder than anything since the mid-70's stuff even, don't get me wrong. It just takes the intellectual stance, and then tempers it with some very visceral music. For most of the 90's this was my favorite Rush album. Though I've gone through a few others in that top spot since, now that I think about it, it may still be my favorite. Bravado is a great look at risk/reward. Neurotica is very intense, with the ability to dizzy. And Ghost of a Chance sports a guitar solo that almost has it's own storyline. My advice is this: forget about the rap in the title track (this is a Rush album---it's supposed to be a little silly) and pick this baby up. If you like Peart's worldview in the least, this is a must have. It sounds odd, but I think this album may have changed/saved my life numerous times.