Track Listing

Disc 1:

1. Far Cry
2. Armor And Sword
3. Workin' Them Angels
4. Larger Bowl
5. Spindrift
6. Main Monkey Business
7. Way The Wind Blows
8. Hope
9. Faithless
10. Bravest Face
11. Good News First
12. Malignant Narcissism
13. We Hold On

Disc 2:

1. Far Cry
2. Armor And Sword
3. Workin' Them Angels
4. Larger Bowl
5. Spindrift
6. Main Monkey Business
7. Way The Wind Blows
8. Hope
9. Faithless
10. Bravest Face
11. Good News First
12. Malignant Narcissism
13. We Hold On
14. Far Cry
15. Armor And Sword
16. Workin' Them Angels
17. Larger Bowl
18. Spindrift
19. Main Monkey Business
20. Way The Wind Blows
21. Hope
22. Faithless
23. Bravest Face
24. Good News First
25. Malignant Narcissism
26. We Hold On
27. Game Of Snakes And Arrows
28. Digital Bonus Content

Product Details

• Amazon Sales Rank: #69150 in Music
• Released on: 2007-09-03
• Number of discs: 1
• Dimensions: .28 pounds

CD Description
'Snakes And Arrows', the legendary and prolific Canadian rock band Rush's eighteenth album since forming in 1968, is anepic reflection on faith and religion. Though they are renowned for influencing many metal and grunge acts of recent years, this release has a distinctly more acoustic and organicfeel. It was produced by Nick Raskulinecz, an admirer of the band who has worked with Foo Fighters and Marilyn Manson among others. The enclosed DVD contains a making-of documentary and a surround sound version of the album.

Customer Reviews

Rush re-discover their youth
Rush have been through many different stages. Each has its own fans and critics, they are not a band for the feint hearted nor do they do things the easy way. Many felt that they reached their peak with Moving Pictures before gradually getting buried under layers of keyboards and over dubbed vocals.

However, recent albums have seen a more cut back approach with an increasingly raw edge. Snakes and Arrows sees the band re-vitalised with an exciting young producer and cutting edge lyrics from Neil Peart.

Highlights for me have to be the two instrumentals obviously with the gloriously named Malignant Narcissism only at fault by being too short. Live the songs came over as powerful and amazingly relevant, contemporary pieces. Lee's voice which isn't too everyone's taste has few peers when it comes to portraying emotion and in pieces like "Working Them Angels" he hits a peak few could match.

This is a fine addition to the Rush catalog and many fans put off by the excesses of some of the late eighties / early nineties albums would find much to marvel at here. There is plenty of the musical eloquence that has always been associated with Rush but this is also something fresh vibrant, after all these years.

Stop reading the reviews, just buy it.

Interesting documentary but musically on a plateau.
Rush are certainly one of the most talented bands ever, spanning as they now do two generations of rock. The docmentary is very interesting in showing Neil coming out of his "shell" and the addition of a young, fresh producer has clearly been a boon. Still feel, however, that musically they are a bit stuck in a groove which for me has lasted since Counterparts.

Maybe other reviewers will check in to add their comments as to why I still almost never listen to Counterparts, Test for Echo or Vapor Trails. But I will happily listen to the rest regularly.

So I subtract one star as it is still Rush. But something is missing somewhere with this release. Maybe a little more soaring guitar, perhaps even a little synth. After all, one can hardly say Alex was under-employed on Power Windows or Hold Your Fire, both of which I love (particularly for their lyrical content)and which some Rush-heads just don't seem to rate.

What could have been
When Rush released their Feedback CD a few years back I hoped that on the back of good reviews they would somehow reconnect with a more simple approach to rock. Ditch the multi-layerd post-production nonsense and get back to where they belong. I'm not strictly hankering after the late 70s early 80s sound. But to hear what Rush might have been, check out Leeds based The Music's 'Welcome To The North'. These chaps even throw in an instrumental track at the end. They've probably never even heard of Rush, but to these aged ears they are where I wish Rush would be. And 'Snakes' though it has it's moments, is miles away from stripped back rock and roll.