SNAKES & ARROWS

2007 saw the release of Rush's next album, Snakes & Arrows. "Far Cary" opens the album strong. It features a heavy, slightly weird riff in the verses, and the chorus is some of the catchiest music the band had written in a long time. "Spindrift" is another highlight, having an idiosyncratic main riff.

Snakes & Arrows features a trio of instrumentals, which are some of the strongest tracks on the album. "The Main Monkey Business" shows Rush returning to their prog rock heyday. It's full of complex rhythms, just the right amount of instrumental flashiness, and Mellotron is deployed to great effect. "Hope" is a lovely little acoustic piece, and "Malignant Narcissism" is a funky, aggressive two-minute showoff session for Geddy and Neil.

There are weak points on Sankes & Arrows, though. "Armor and Sword" is one of the least-interesting songs on the album, which only serves to reinforce my bias against slow Rush songs. "Workin' Them Angels" shows continued alt rock influence, particularly in Alex's guitarwork in the chorus. The verses are weirdly folky, and folky wasn't really a sound that suited the band too well. "The Larger Bowl" reminds me of Test for Echo or Vapor Trails in how bland it is. Despite these shortcomings, Snakes & Arrows is considerably stronger than their previous couple albums, due in no small part to the tonal and textural variation deployed.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2020/04/27/deep-dive-rush/