Snakes & Arrows (Limited Edition MVI DVD)

I gave up on Rush several albums ago, in the early 90s. I do not blame Rush, however, I blame myself. But after several years and several albums passed by, I rediscovered a long lost friend while playing a video game. A song on the game soundtrack just happened to be a Rush song I had not heard before!

A little research and a trip to the used CD store later, I filled in the few albums I had missed since I stopped paying attention in the early 90s.

Rush was once-upon-a-time one of my all time favorite bands. But, and true Rush fans will attest to this, they have a habit of almost completely reinventing themselves every four albums or so. I get it. I'm a musician, too, and I understand the need and desire for new and fresh and challenge. I just found it difficult to keep up with their musical meanderings.

The late 90s Rush was like an old friend you haven't seen in awhile. Although the passion was always there, back was the ferocity and aggression I missed from the EARLY days. Neil Peart's strenuous liner notes noted new and harder influences and it was apparent in the music.

Over the next few years, I became reacquainted with my old friend. So I got a little excited when I heard they were (finally!) releasing a new full length CD. And then I got VERY excited when I realized they were releasing the same, but in a feature-packed deluxe DVD- audio version. I waited and waited while my pre-order from Amazon was repeatedly delayed and eventually arrived.

After all that, was it worth?

Yes. I'm not overwhelmed, but I haven't been by a new Rush album since the mid-80s. They take time to get used to, like dipping your tootsies in the pool or sipping your soup. What has always impressed me most about the group is how much sound is being created by only three guys. Rush is a smorgasbord of sound and rhythm, and sometimes a little much to take in all at once. The music can be hard, and not like a rock, but more like a trigonometry test. They ain't your daddy's pop band.

But a few things are obvious. The sound quality is killer. The PCM 96k 24 bit stereo channel is clean, clear, brilliant, and amazing. The disc also includes the ubiquitous 5.1 mix for that more contemporary sound. Whether or not you are a Rush fan, if you appreciate good music, there's no denying that an evening with this disc on a quality sound system is time well spent.

The video portion is fine - nothing great, no surprises. It offers a nice and LONG glimpse at the behind-the-scenes thing. Rush fanatics will revel in it's inclusion, those not so fanatical will likely not find it worth bothering with. The members of Rush, virtuoso percussionist and lyricist Neil Peart especially, apparently have no problems with discussing their work, and do so unabashedly.

One of the nicest surprises is the inclusion of high quality MP3 versions of all the songs. This is great not only for the convenience, but I can imagine the guys in the band saying, "These guys buying the DVD version are going to have trouble ripping the songs, not like a CD. Hey! Let's GIVE 'EM some MP3s!" Gotta love that.

I'm not the type of person to discuss every song on the album and I won't do so now. I will sum up by saying that SNAKES & ARROWS isn't that much of a departure from the modern Rush. It does have some of the best songs I've heard from them in awhile, and it's very quickly growing on me. It's a meld of old and new Rush, same great taste, less calories.

Living Colour: On Stage at World Cafe Live

I’ve been a Living Colour fan for a long time, well before they hit anything near mainstream and then shortly disappeared from the pop culture radar. I’ve even managed to see them live, which if you knew anything about me personally, is a testament to how much I like them.

So I was pretty hyped to hear that one of my more favorite bands was FINALLY coming out with a live concert DVD. Hyped, but hesitant. After all, it’s been twenty-something years or so since I first discovered Living Colour. I’ve watched with increasing trepidation over the years as my musical icons age not-so-well. Oh, Jimmy Paige… what did you do to yourself!

I should not have been concerned. These.guys.ROCK. Vocalist and showman extraordinaire Corey Glover is amazing. I would seriously consider giving up a not-too-unimportant portion of my anatomy to be able to sing like him. Guitarist guru Vernon Reid shreds like he was born to it, with a surrealistic mix of finesse and raunch that few can match. Drummer Wil Calhoun is as solid as ever; laying a flawless foundation that simultaneously supports and enhances the other musicians’ brilliant performances. And of course, bassist Doug Wimbush is up to his usual wizardry.

As great as it is to finally see these guys in the comfort of my own home on a quality DVD, all is not well. First and most importantly, the show is too short. Clocking in at just under an hour, my craving was barely sated before it was all over. Predictably, the crowd is lame. It was just a little bit disconcerting to watch the guys’ faces as they rocked their hearts out before a less-than-enthusiastic crowd. As much as I was enjoying the performance, I achingly longed for a more appropriate crowd. (Being a performing musician myself, I know full well how the crowd’s reaction can make or break a show.) Admittedly, the crowd finally comes alive for the encore performance of Cult of Personality. Imagine that. And perhaps this is more of a nit than an actual complaint, but Doug Wimbush sings one song! Mr. Wimbush does a fine job, and in any other setting my reaction would have been significantly less subdued. But… DUDE! You have freakin’ COREY GLOVER in the band! ‘nuff said.

The song choice is adequate if not totally exciting. The usual crowd pleasers are there, but considering this ground breaking group has five full length albums and an EP or two floating around out there, do we really need to hear Glamour Boys again?

All in all, and especially considering the lack of concert footage available, this disc has easily garnered a place among my favorites. If you call yourself a fan, there’s no question you need this disc. If you’re among the curious, I encourage you to check it out. If you like what you see and hear, do yourself a favor and pick up a copy of Time’s Up, the band’s seminal musical creation, IMHO.