So, three things are happening in the world of Rush right now:
1. Two new tracks have premiered online (“Caravan” and “BU2B”)
2. They are going on tour this summer, and apparently, they’re going to play the entire Moving Pictures album live
3. A documentary of Rush will be hitting movie theaters across the U.S. and A. and Canada (Rush’s home turf)
Those who know me best know that I absolutely LOVE Rush. They’re definitely in my Top 3 of favorite bands ever, and whenever I hear something in the news that relate to Rush, I’m like a little kid in a candy store (by the NERDS section – hahahaha!!!!). I also love documentaries, especially those pertaining to music. I watched Behind the Music episodes of artists I hate because I dig the archival footage and learning about an artist’s rise and fall, but I enjoy even more documentaries about bands that are/were awesome. I’m glad that Rush is finally coming out with one. It should be awesome. They are also touring this summer on a tour they’re calling the Time Machine Tour, where they will dust off old classics, play some new songs, and of course, play Moving Pictures in its entirety. I kind of wish that they would play Permanent Waves in its entirety, since that is my favorite album by them, but I’m not complaining about Moving Pictures. After all, it is their definitive album and their best selling one. It contains “Tom Sawyer,” “Limelight,” and “Red Barchetta,” which are still classic rock radio mainstays. And it’s definitely one of their best albums, and one of the most underrated albums in history.
Their two new tracks, from the upcoming Clockwork Angels LP, are actually pretty fuckin’ good!!!!! Rush has been on a creative resurgence since their triumphant return in 2002. A decade ago, Rush’s future was in question because drummer/lyricist Neil Peart lost both his wife and daughter a year apart from each other, and the band took an indefinite hiatus in light of Peart’s enormous tragedy. After a few years, Peart finally reconvened with bassists/vocalist/keyboardist Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson, and made a new album, Vapor Trails (Peart also remarried and recently his wife gave birth to a baby girl). It was definitely one of their best albums in a long time, since most Rush albums between 1984 and 2002 were hit-and-miss in a lot of areas; Albums, like Presto (1989) and Power Windows (1985) had maybe 2 or 3 good songs on them and the rest was just ordinary and dated. However, any band that has been around as long as Rush without stopping (except for that 5 year stretch) is going to release a dud or two. It’s just how it is. Since 2002, they’ve out out only one more studio album, 2007′s Snakes and Arrows, and a covers EP, 2004′s Feedback, which continued Rush’s creative renaissance. Peart’s lyrics are definitely more inspired than they ever have been (Hate to say it, but sometimes personal tragedy makes for great art), and the band’s playing has been at full throttle. I saw them on their first ever comeback show in June 2002, my 17th birthday actually. They were extraordinary. They sounded like they had taken no time off, and it was easily one of the most powerful shows I’ve ever been to, not only because they tore ass on stage for a good 2.5 hours, but because of the significance of the show. For fans of the band, it marked a triumphant comeback to the much-adored trio; Perseverance through unspeakable personal setbacks. Many people, including the band themselves, thought that this event would never happen. “Caravan” and “BU2B” are hard-hitting tracks that make most rockers half their age sound like wimps. Lifeson’s aggressive guitar, along with Lee’s crunching bass and Peart’s multifaceted drumming, shows the band getting heavier as they get older.I hope the rest of their new album is going to be this good. We won’t find out until next year, when Clockwork Angels sees release; They’re not even done with it yet. But if this is an indication of what the new album is gonna sound like, I would like to reserve my copy!
If I do miss the Rush documentary, entitled Beyond the Lighted Stage, the DVD is out in North America on June 28…. my birthday. I’m pretty stoked!
Here are the new songs, brought to you by YouTube!
“Caravan”
“BU2B”
Also: Kudos to Rush for stopping Rand Paul for using a Rush song during his campaign. The last thing Rush needs is a right-wing nutjob using their music to help spread his ludicrous beliefs. I’m guessing Rand Paul never got the message of “The Trees.”