For me, it is really quite fitting that my first post here be a review of a Rush album. And not just any Rush album, but what is likely to be the final Rush album. It's been known for a couple years that Rush as a touring band are done. And it's even just as likely that Neil Peart as a drummer is done. All of that combined to somehow make this album a bit more special. Especially when you consider the amount of artistic beauty that went into the crafting of this latter day Rush masterpiece. And when you consider that it was the twentieth release from this Canadian prog rock trio, released 38 years after their debut, you can't help but feel a bit amazed at their ability to write such an amazing collection of songs. Add to that the fact that it is their first true "concept album", and you've got the recipe for one incredible album.
The album kicks off with a couple songs that the band released ahead of their "Time Machine" tour. When "Caravan", and "BU2B" were released, fans got their first taste of where the band were headed this time around. The music was just as aggressive as anything from their previous couple of releases, but continued on in the more melodic vein. Sort of like a combination of "Vapor Trails", and "Presto" in nature. "Caravan" features a sprawling instrumental interlude that reminds me a bit of "Freewill", while "BU2B" is more straightforward Rush. At least the Rush that we've come to love since 2002.
After that two song teaster, fans had to wait quite a bit longer to hear the finished album. Still, it was a nice surprise from the band, and a cool little teaser and precursor, both of which were played on the aforementioned "Time Machine" tour.
The next "taste" came in the form of "Headlong Flight", and with that song, all hell broke loose. Suddenly fans were hit with one of the heaviest tunes from the band in a long time. It was an all out sensory overload on the ears. With hints of "Bastille Day" thrown in as a treat, this song really recalls earlier Rush, while still focusing on the sound they had been building towards. The drums were powerful, the guitar work was blistering, and the bass work was spot-on. Vocally, it is further proof that Geddy Lee has still "got it". Everything about this track just had fans more pumped up to hear the entire album.
When the album was finally released in June of 2012, I don't think anyone could have known that it was likely to be the final Rush studio album. It certainly didn't sound like a band on the cuff of retirement. It sounded like a new, energized band, that were ready to take the music world by storm. All three musicians are at the top of their game on the album, and the songwriting just proves that this band are masters at writing a good tune!
There are a lot of different vibes on the album, and musically it's not much of a concept album, as there are really no recurring themes like on many typical prog concept albums (aside from both parts of "BU2B"). Not that that is a bad thing. It's like the band were throwing in a little bit of everything that they had learned up to that point in their careers.
There are just so many styles here. From the heavy hitting tunes like "The Anarchist" (with a definite "Signals" era vibe, from Alex's guitar work), "Seven Cities of Gold", and Carnies" (a song that Geddy described jokingly as a "delicate little number"), to the melodic sounds of the 7+ minute title track, "The Wreckers" (with one of Geddy's greatest chorus melodies ever!), to "The Garden" (which may be one of the most beautiful songs the band has ever written), there is something here for all Rush fans.
The band would go on to tour in support of the album, bringing along a string ensemble to fill in the beautiful orchestration parts from the album. The musicians played most of the album on the tour, leaving out only "BU2B", and the very brief "BU2B2", which tells me that even they were immensely proud of their work. As they should be! The album that they wrote and recorded, as potentially their final, was one hell of a swan song. And if we never hear a new song from Rush, 2012's "Clockwork Angels" was one hell of a way to go out on top!
-Rob
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