Continued from page 16 helmed by Hine . The title track includes the progressively minded band ’ s first and only foray into rap ; with its restrained verse and a crashing chorus that thunders like the Who , “ Dreamline ” became a frequently performed crowd favorite during Rush ’ s remaining tours . The stirring “ Bravado ” reflects the earlier sentiment of “ The Pass ” but promotes a message of perseverance in difficult times . “ We will pay the price , but we will not count the cost ,” says Lee , as Peart wrote . Peart ’ s themes throughout the album touch on chance and navigating random experiences in life . “ Turn it up , or turn that wild card down ,” sings Lee against the twanging surf-rock bends of Lifeson ’ s guitar during “ Face Up .” The trio stretches their considerable chops on the instrumental track “ Where ’ s My Thing .” “ Ghost of a Chance ” features sinewy guitar lines . Lifeson ’ s standout guitar solo on the song leaps from the groove with a bit more color and clarity than it did in a 2015 pressing used for comparison . The song addresses the down-toearth topic of searching for the rare gem of true love and the compromises necessary to keep it . The prize of the box set is 1993 ’ s Counterparts , which has been the most expensive to acquire in recent years . Album tracks like “ Stick it Out ” and the hard-charging “ Cut to the Chase ” found the band responding to the influence of recent grunge favorites from Seattle , including Pearl Jam and Soundgarden , while focusing closely on the organic interplay between guitar , bass , and drums . Peart ’ s masterful drumming is evident from the opening notes of the gripping “ Animate ,” paving the way for Lifeson ’ s slashing guitar , a guitar solo that echoes David Gilmour ’ s evocative work , and Lee ’ s muscular bass . Peart ’ s heady lyrics again serve relatable topics while examining the power dynamics and unbalanced expectations in a relationship during “ Cold Fire .” The song also boasts an urgent guitar riff and Lee ’ s melodic vocal . The melancholy and orchestral “ Nobody ’ s Hero ” examines the loss of personal friends and acquaintances that register as personal tragedies but go overlooked by the world at large . “ Between Sun & Moon ” revisits the partnership that produced signature song “ Tom Sawyer ” from 1981 ’ s Moving Pictures and later single “ Force Ten ,” with a lyric co-written by Max Webster lyricist Pye Dubois . The song also features Lifeson ’ s hat tip to Rolling Stones and AC / DC-styled riff-rock and a surging bridge that musically quotes mutual Rush heroes The Who . Lee ’ s fondness for bassist Les Claypool ’ s band Primus can be heard in the arresting verse groove of “ Alien Shore ,” and the tutelage of John Entwistle is again evident in the bridge . “ Double Agent ” finds the trio going for broke , with rhythm breaks recalling the explosive energy of the “ Overture ” from 2112 . Counterparts include 11 songs running 54 minutes . Apologists for Rush ’ s later albums can credibly argue that pared to its hottest 40 minutes , the powerful album measures well against the band ’ s acknowledged classics like Permanent Waves . The album reached # 2 in the US and earned a Grammy nomination for the spacefaring instrumental track “ Leave That Thing Alone .” The album is the best sounding of the set , benefiting from the division into three vinyl sides . The 2xLP set ’ s fourth side includes an etching of one of cover artist Hugh Syme ’ s designs . Any band with the best album is likely to have the worst album , and for many Rush diehards , Nadir is represented by 1996 ’ s Test for Echo . It ’ s true that songs including the interneteschewing “ Virtuality ” and the punky “ Dog Years ” haven ’ t aged as well as the band ’ s finest fare , but the album does include excellent playing and essential cuts like Lee ’ s bass showcase “ Driven ,” the thundering and intricate title cut with its still-relevant critique of violence-obsessed reality TV , and the earnest and shimmering “ Resist .” The jangling “ Half the World ” is a folk song rendered at maximum volume with intertwining layers of Lifeson ' s guitar and an acoustic mandola solo . The guitarist ’ s parts elevate “ The Color of Right ,” hinting at Lindsey Buckingham ’ s work on Fleetwood Mac ’ s classic ‘ 70s albums . Peart prods at systems of belief in “ Totem .” The album ’ s admirable sound quality is also divided across three vinyl sides .
The Albums 1989-1996 is presented in a sturdy box with new artwork from Syme . Oddly , the 2xLP albums Counterparts and Test for Echo include poly sleeves to protect their vinyl platters better , while the singledisc Presto and Roll the Bones include only the paper lyric sleeves . The individual LPs are presented with original sleeve artwork . Each album also includes a new print of reimagined cover artwork by Syme , who created all of Rush ’ s artwork , beginning with the 1975 sophomore album Fly By Night . ( rhino . com )
– Jeff Elbel
Presto Roll the Bones Counterparts Test for Echo
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