Rush Retrospective: Album 18- Snakes & Arrows

 

Album:  Snakes & Arrows

Year Released:    2007

Lineup:  

• Neil Peart – drums, electronic percussion, tambourine
• Geddy Lee – bass guitar, keyboards, Mellotron, vocals
• Alex Lifeson – 6 and 12-string acoustic and electronic guitars, mandola, mandolin, bouzouki

Overall Thoughts:

After Vapor Trails, Rush released a Live Album (Rush in Rio), and EP album of covers (Feedback), a DVD celebrating their 30 year anniversay (R30), and a repackage of their Retrospective albums (Gold) before going back for their 18th Studio album, Snakes & Arrows.

The group wanted to perform more simple and direct songs, similar to the covers they performed on Feedback.  At the same time, Neil Peart was writing lyrics talking about faith and religion ("Armor & Sword") and fate ("The Larger Bowl").  It's very difficult to come up with an original point about questioning faith & religion in 2007.  There are some lyrics that stand out, like the chorus from "Faithless":

I don't have faith in faith

I don't believe in belief

You can call me faithless

But I still cling to hope

And I believe in love

And that's faith enough for me

The highlight among the song with lyrics is "Bravest Face", which is a song about trying to keep optimism when there is so much darkness around us:

In the sweetest child there's a vicious streak

In the strongest man there's a child so weak

In the whole wide world there's no magic place

So you might as well rise, put on your bravest face

As Snakes & Arrows progresses, the songs get more optimistic, or at least more resolved, ending with "We Hold On".  

There are three instrumentals on the album ("The Main Monkey Business", "Hope", "Malignant Narcissism"), and they are fantastic.  Musically, Snakes & Arrows is outstanding.  

This is a good album that lacks a centerpiece song to turn it into a great album.  

Ranking of Rush Albums (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. Presto
2. Moving Pictures
3. Roll the Bones
4. 2112
5. Permanent Waves
6. Fly By Night
7. Rush
8. A Farewell to Kings
9. Hemispheres
10. Snakes & Arrows
11. Hold Your Fire
12. Power Windows
13. Counterparts
14. Signals
15. Test for Echo
16. Caress of Steel
17. Vapor Trails
18. Grace Under Pressure

Top 10 Rush Songs (adding as more albums are reviewed):

1. "The Pass", Presto
2. "Tom Sawyer", Moving Pictures
3. "Working Man", Rush
4. "Closer to the Heart", A Farewell to Kings
5. "La Villa Strangiato", Hemispheres
6. "Freewill", Permanent Waves
7. "Bravado", Roll the Bones
8. "2112", 2112
9. "Fly By Night", Fly By Night
10. "Show Don't Tell", Presto