COUNTERPARTS

In my opinion, this was the last good "new" material that Rush made before they started their slide. It seems that Alex played with some emotion at times -- such as in Stick It Out and Everyday Glory, which is good. What keeps this album from being "great" is that some of the melodies kind of drag. Nobody's Hero sounds kind of preachy, Between Sun and Moon needs sharper edges like ZZ Top's guitaring in Gimme all your Lovin' ". Animate, Alien Shore, Speed of Love and Cold Fire all have potential and start out well, but each one drags into mediocrity because the guitar chords have no nuances and are repetitious. Also, the lead guitar solos are short and sanitized, rather than moving. The riffs need sharper edges that evoke emotion. Instead, you feel like they are just going through the motions. The lyrics are great, as usual. This album is at least upbeat, but it definitely is not their best work.