SNAKES & ARROWS

I've listened to this album enough times that I can safely say it is my favorite Rush album (I bought it a year ago - I think that's long enough). Here, I have found my perfect blend of emotion, musicianship, and storytelling. Older Rush albums, such as 2112, Roll the Bones, etc. provide red-line levels of virtuosity and complex composition, while later ones such as Counterparts and Vapor trails are much better at moving me emotionally and telling a comprehensible story. I have found, to my immense delight, that Snakes and Arrows does all three of these things so well, I enjoy it more than other albums from either Rush era.

There... I have said my piece. The key word to describe this album is: balance. I technically am giving this album a 4.7, but that rounds up to five.