ICON

Kill me, but not with any more Rush compilation albums, please.

The Rush brand is getting more and more sullied and watered out with pointless compilation albums. This one is a low price compilation album and it has one big asset: The Necromancer from the often neglected Caress Of Steel album. The rest of the songs are the usual suspects anyone can put together at their sleep. Actually, the collection of songs are pretty bad. The omission of some truly great songs from this album here are quite astonishing and that even within the framework of an album which only goes up to the Hold Your Fire album. It feels more like Rush is fielding their reserve team on this album.

The Necromancer is a welcome addition and a timely reminder that I should give Caress Of Steel more time. The rest of this compilation album is boring and uninspired, filled with songs I know forwards & backwards. The only saving grace is the low price and the possibility that someone may be turned into becoming Rush fans by it when they get this album as Christmas presents. For the rest of us; avoid.

2 stars