Rush Archives

Wow. Seems like Friday was the day that things really heated up online regarding Snakes & Arrows. Album art, track lists, sell sheets and an expanded audio clip of “Far Cry”. The works.

Just my luck… I was flying back home from an overseas business trip. After we crossed the Labrador Sea, we worked our way south, flying east of the Laurentines. Since we were cruising over the Great White North (it really was — tons of snow!), I popped in the Etymotics and listened to all of Permanent Waves and Hemispheres. Absolutely brilliant music.

One of the reasons I like Permanent Waves and Hemispheres so much is Geddy Lee’s bass tone — the damn thing sounds like a rubber band at times. It’s punchy, it snaps and it lives in its own space. It’s just my own lousy opinion, but ever since the band moved to Atlantic, the tone has been buried and the bass has lost its distinctive voice.

Having just heard the expanded clip, I sort of feel like I did when I hear all of “One Little Victory” — vague. Granted, I haven’t heard the entire song, but the layering of the vocals isn’t my cup of tea. Geddy has such a distinctive voice and like his bass tone, it’s at its best when it’s clean and cuts through the clutter.

Whining aside, I’ll certainly be buying the disc on May 1 (looks like the May 8 info was incorrect). After all, Rush will forever be my favorite band.