CARAVAN / BU2B

Working them Clockwork Angels!

10 minutes from the new rush album "Clockwork Angels" is irresistible for a Rush addict like me so here I am reviewing a Rush single, a first as I am so used to getting the albums or DVDs of this incredible trio of power. I have to say I have grown to love the single 'Caravan' with its progressive feel and time sig, killer riffs and hooks, and a dynamic chorus; "I can't stop thinking big, I can't stop thinking big..." Once this locks in to your head you might not be able to get it out and that is typical of Rush, a melody that grips the listener and easy to sing along to. The good news is this song is better than anything on "Snakes and Arrows". The lead break is great too, they sound fantastic and this is a positive sign for the album to come in 2011.

The B side, 'BU2B (brought up to believe)' is another great track. It has a heavy grungy guitar sound, one of the heavier rush riffs and I love it. The lyrics are intriguing too; "we are only human, it's not ours to understand, the universe has a plan... subtlety rewarded...." Lee sings with as much conviction as the 70s.

Lee's bass is crisp and his vocals are clear and he is definitely in full voice. Lifeson is innovative on lead guitar with lavish picking, up sweeps and string bends. The drums of Peart are pounding blissfully and the time sig changes are intricately executed. Rush are certainly in force and this is a tantalising glimpse of their new sound; heavier, progressively creative and with new thematic content. All I can say is roll on "Clockwork Angels"!

'Caravan / BU2B' - Rush (Single)

Suffice to say, this has rejuvenated my love and excitement of Rush; the band that got me into rock and prog in the first place. I always figured Rush would be making an album after the previous 'Snakes & Arrows' but I also figured it would have the same modern rock sound they have been pursuing for the past few years. This is something different though; the modern sound is still there but it's cranked up to make it heavier and more progressive.

After a sequence of ambience, the title track's proggy main riff kicks off and leads into a pretty standard Rush song structure. It's easy to notice that this is quite a bit heavier than the Rush we came to know on 'Snakes & Arrows' and there's quite a bit more ambition in terms of the time signatures. This is very guitar based until the chorus where the 'I can't stop thinking big' hook takes over, backed by some ethereal playing at the hands of Lifeson.

The second song here (titled an abbreviation of 'Brought Up To Believe') is probably the heaviest Rush has ever gotten. The main riff sounds akin to djinty math metal, which really blew me away. Unlike a band like Meshuggah however, Rush carries this technicality and makes a real song with it. This really ends up being Geddy Lee's song; his vocal melodies shine here as does his bass, which really gets a chance to be heard throughout all of the heaviness.

Despite this is only a two song sneak preview of 'Clockwork Angels,' Rush has amazed me with this. Most bands of their age and seniority generally take a dive downwards and end up only recording mediocre material to cater to their dwindling, aging fanbase. 'Caravan' and 'BU2B' have proven to me that this band is certainly not out of the picture, and are only continuing to explore different aspects of their music together.

Heavy and calculated

Rush have long been known for their instrumental prowess and precision, as well as their heavier outlook on the progressive rock sound. Over 40 years, the band developed into a massive force in the genre, attracting millions of fans and millions of record sales. Today, the band is still able to flesh out killer tracks. Three years after the band's 18th studio record "Snakes & Arrows", the first single for their 19th album "Clockwork Angels" was released, Caravan, with the B-Side BU2B. The tracks have a crisp production and a precise execution. The song have a harder edge as well, with a more hard rock feel than anything else. Both tracks are superb, and set up the forthcoming album with great suspense.

Caravan opens with a quiet atmosphere and back tracks of the main riff, before exploding into an amazing display of progressive hard rock. The main riff of the song is infectious, with a slight avant quality that is Rush's and Rush's alone. Lee's soaring vocals really fit the growling music of this track, especially with the fantastic contrasts between the depth of Lifeson's guitar lines and Lee's vocal height. Each member works effortlessly together, as has been seen on countless other occasions, which is pretty incredible seeing as they have been making so much music for so long. Overall, the track is pretty incredible, combining all the classic elements of Rush with some fantastic new ones.

BU2B (acronym for Brought Up to Believe) is even harder than the previous track, with near metal riffs and harmonies. One of my favorite aspects of this track is the lyrics, with poignant messages of beliefs and philosophical problems of understanding. Away from Peart's genius at both rhythmic prowess and literary genius, the song truly fleshes out the amazing essence of Rush. Again, I can't wait for this album!

ALBUM OVERALL: Two magnificent tracks make up this single. That's really the only flaw, that there are only two tracks. The music is near flawless, albeit a little popularly leaning. The band really still has it in them to dish out more near-perfect music, making it truly understandable why this band will go down in music history as one of the greatest progressive bands in history. Although I usually auto-rate singles 3 stars because, well, they're only singles, I will make an exception for this superb single. 4 stars.

These compositions do not bode well for me as a Rush fan. They have good aspects, but Rush cannot be about good pieces only- the magic of this Triforce is that all three triangles must work together. On this release, they sludge through it gracelessly. Instrumentally, the individuals of the band are as they should be, but together they fail to shine. The compositions are just dumpy. "Caravan" left a poor impression on me- this is nothing near what "Vapor Trails" or "Far Cry" did for me even though the modern Rush feel was there. It has a sneaky film noir flavor to it that doesn't work as a rock song. The melody is rough, and "I can't stop thinking" this might be the worst Rush release in the past two decades. "BU2B" has the same muddy sound but is far more coherent. That said, it falls into the same trap as before- adopting a modern sound whilst sacrificing that something that makes them Rush. The composition is flatfooted and like Blue Oyster Cult in their transitional moments- one can only hope something better is on the horizon.