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RUSH Remasters Atlantic (2004)
Four of Rush’s later day releases given the remaster treatment but sadly
no bonus tracks. Many Rush fans were not so keen on their post mid-80’s
output although I was a fan of most of the albums (sadly my least favourate
Rush album is one of these remasters). Strange choice for remastering, as
Rush were never known to skimp on production duties!
‘Presto’ (***) came out in 1989 and featured synth driven delights such
as ‘Show Don’t Tell’ and ‘Scars’, plus ‘Superconductor’ possibly the best
song on the album. Alex Lifeson’s guitars can still be heard although the
whole album has a very keyboard led sound.
Ah, 1991’s ‘Roll The Bones’ (**1/2) - even listening to this many years later I still don’t like it. No
matter how many times I listen to the songs, bar the excellent opener
‘Dreamline’ and the title track ever stay in my head after playing the
album. Possibly too much keyboards on this one and not enough Lifeson solos.
‘Counterparts’ (****), released back in 1993, is possibly the best album
the band have released since ‘Grace Under Pressure’. Plenty to enjoy on here
including the bass runs on ‘Animate’ - a radio hit that never was; the
wonderfully mving ballad ‘Nobody’s Hero’ and ‘Cut To The Chase’, which finds
Geddy Lee in fine vocal form. Plus the album has the guitar further up in
the mix whilst still keeping the keyboards as a prime instrument.
The one album that has grown in my estimation is ‘Test For Echo’ (***1/2), released
in 1996. Listening again to ‘Driven’, ‘Time And Motion’ and ‘Test For Echo’
I was amazed how I hadn’t played this album more in the intervening years. I
strongly urge you to listen to this one again and ‘Counterparts’, a ‘must
have’. Shame there are no bonus live/rare tracks which would have been a
real plus for Rush fans.
Review by Jason Ritchie
£12.99
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