SNAKES & ARROWS

Well after the disappointing "Vapor Trails", especially talking about its bad mixing, being too much loud (above all the distorted guitar by Lifeson), the authors of a couple of masterpieces within a couple of years (1977-1978) - such as "A Farewell to Kings" and "Hemisphere" - return with the present "S.& A.", after 5 years. It's a good album, not particularly inspired if you regard of the composition, except on the intelligent insert of a few strange instruments like a mandolin for instance, the Greek bouzouki and the Mellotrons (giving their album a 70's sound...) or considering also their effort to make the tunes more varied in comparison to their previous album.

Therefore their short citation concerning "YYZ" from Moving Pictures inside "The Main Monkey Business" (this latter not properly equal, especially if you think of another exceptional instrumental number entitled "La Villa Strangiato"- from "Hemisphere" for example) or their attempt to make a surprising dejavous in "A Far Cry", with its typical chord like within the above mentioned "Hemisphere", let me think of an old band which tries to comeback to the origin, even though failing sometimes...nevertheles you can find some interesting breaks-through inside, often reminding me of "Counteparts"; and moreover their technical skill as well as the odd time signatures (like in their instrumental) let me stay and listen carefully to it!! Their attempt to make a renewal is quite intelligent, as They maintain the sound and in a certain sense the old 70's- 80's structures of the old songs as well, (just a little bit at least, as a stereotype...).

At the end their new strategy consists of two goals, in my opinion naturally:

1) Increasing their popularity

2) Let the old fans captured by a few citations of their glorious past in order to bring them into the arenas!!

Then consider their remarkable lyrics or once again the metaphor used by means of the snake and an arrow, symbolizing the fear an the violence (or the tremendous aggression if you prefer), which is well transmitted by their music.

All these features, along with a good tune like "Armor And Sword or the opener mentioned above, make the present album an interesting work, even though not a must-have probably...make your own choice!!

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