COUNTERPARTS

I can understand why some might not like this CD, simply because it's not one of Rush's 'proggiest' releases. That does not, however, bring it down very much at all, in my opinion. It's hard 90's Prog-Rock at it's best, showing that Rush is not only not slowing down, but getting sharper, more intellectual and more proficient. They know what makes a catchy song. They know how to craft a moving guitar solo, a foot-stomping drum beat, a hefty, speedy bass-line. They know how to wite good lyrics, without making them too deep or hard-to-grasp. In my opinion, this CD just marks the maturation of what was already an amazing "Art-Rock" band. There isn't a single throw-away song on this album (although the Speed of Love could've used a little more "oomf" if that makes any sense). Some might say that Counterparts is more Pop than Prog, and to some extent, they may be right -- but that's only because the songs are so catchy.