MUSIC REVIEW: Yes - Yessongs

"Live majesty."

I didn't think that Yes' supra-complex, textured studio recordings preceding this live set would be translated effectively to the live setting. It's not perfect, but the inadequacies created by the limitations of playing live are part of Yessongs' charm. And while the songs are occasionally missing small ingredients that flesh them out so well on the studio versions, the band's heaving energy more than makes up for it. You can especially hear it in Jon Anderson's singing. His voice is often delicate on studio albums, but here he's surprisingly powerful, singing full-force over his equally lively buddies, who jam with fervor exploding from their instruments. And man, there are lots of jams! Songs are often extended by five minutes or so for soloing, and although many would find it tiring, I think the intensity makes it totally exciting.

The songs cover three of the band's best albums: The Yes Album, Fragile, and the progressive monster Close to the Edge. This is the best lineup the band had (Anderson, Howe, Wakeman, Squire, Bruford/White), all of whom clearly feel the deeply spiritual, stirring nature of their music. Their most recent studio album, Close to the Edge, is especially well-represented, which is a marvel given the complexity of the music. The 19-minute title track is as beautiful and moving as the studio rendition. "Siberian Khatru" has tenfold the zeal. Disappointingly, "And You and I" is notably weaker than the studio version because Howe uses an electric guitar throughout, not the acoustic, which sucks away some of the original's subtle textures and simple charm.

Perhaps the most exciting songs come from The Yes Album. "Perpetual Change" blasts off after a lengthy jam interlude in the middle, returning to the exciting verses and impelling on Squire's rumbling bass lines. Wakeman's solo on "Starship Trooper" is killer, and when Howe came in with his lead, the crowd must have been slain. Fragile too gets covered well. After a stunning excerpt from Wakeman's "The Wives of Henry VIII," the band moves into a high-energy version of their biggest hit to that point, "Roundabout." "Heart of the Sunrise," with exciting drum & bass interplay and emotional vocals, makes for one of the best moments on the album.

Certainly the best live album from this era of progressive rock.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Roll the Bones

"Get busy with the facts."

Although the overall quality of songcraft is a notch or two below Presto, Roll the Bones is similar in style -- very melodic rock, although this one has a tendency to rock a little harder. I suppose this might be attributable to producer Rupert Hine's influence (he worked on Presto, too). If you liked Presto, you should like Roll the Bones, although if Presto wasn't your cup of tea Roll the Bones may still be likable given the harder edge.

In terms of melody, the band still shines. The title track is a positively groovy number with a killer vocal hook in the chorus. There's also...ready for this?...a rap section in this song! It's weird, but it's pretty funny and has its own element of charm, and heck, it fits perfectly. While that melodic sensibility is still here, the more hard-hitting production charges inspiring songs like "Dreamline" and "Face Up" with an absolutely infectious quality. One also has to appreciate the band's first instrumental in 10 years with "Where's My Thing?" It's not the same virtuoso material as "La Villa Strangiato" or "YYZ," but the arrangements are stellar and the solid melodies are present. "Bravado" is one of the few Rush songs with vocal melodies I'd call beautiful, and "The Big Wheel" has an ultra-catchy chorus and fun verses. And, it's been awhile, but Lifeson's guitar solos are suddenly energized like they haven't been in a long time. There's a lot of power in the solos here, especially on the first two songs.

I don't think there's any filler here...the songs are either great or good. No, it's not Hemispheres or Moving Pictures...it's Roll the Bones, and it's different...but still awesome.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - A Show of Hands

"Slick songs with an edge."

It bewilders me that people say the songs here sound identical to their studio versions. I couldn't disagree more. In most cases, I think the performances on A Show of Hands catch fire, injecting considerably more energy than was present on the studio renditions. Though not quite the unadulterated intensity of All the World's a Stage, due to some glossing with overdubs and some added maturity, A Show of Hands is still exciting and emotionally charged. Take, for instance, "Subdivisions," a song whose energy breaches the ceiling with a crunchier presence of Lifeson's guitars, fiery drumming, and Geddy's passionate delivery. Actually, on each song here Lifeson's guitars have a bigger presence than the studio versions. That alone boosts the intensity level. Yes, the incidence of overdubs detracts strongly from the imperative, genuine live feel, but I'd still say there's more than enough energy to compensate. "Marathon," one of my favorite Rush songs, never gave me more goose bumps (that final chorus just soars!). "Closer to the Heart," a requisite concert staple, gets a new jam tagged onto the end, and it's a strong conclusion to a strong live album. Sprinkled throughout are songs that showcase the lighter, melodic side of the band. "Time Stands Still" and "Mystic Rhythms" sound infinitely better here than on the studio versions, thanks to a powerful, emotional performance. Peart's drum solo "The Rhythm Method" is sure to have a few jaws hitting the floor. The man is the master! If you didn't like Rush's "synthesizer era," don't buy this unless you're a completist. But if you do like those albums, definitely get this one.

MUSIC REVIEW: Symphony X - The Damnation Game

"Wimpy production blights intense, powerful music."

With a more powerful production, you know, a bit more "OOMPH", The Damnation Game could have been so much better than it is. It's sad that guitars buzz instead of crunch, drums click instead of slam, and the overall power just isn't there.

The Damnation Game, SyX's second album, brings god-like metal vocalist Russell Allen into the ranks. Although his ability never really shines through in this production, one can immediately see the promise in this man's pipes. Sounding like a younger, more vicious Ronnie James Dio, Allen fits SyX's aggressive music direction much better than the hopelessly bad Rod Tyler (from the debut).

In the song department, the band has their frantic songwriting more under control, with tighter arrangements and more intensity. The neoclassical element is still strongly evident, although the band is now exploring more interesting avenues. "The Edge of Forever" is a beautiful song with fast and slow passages, lamenting poetry, and inventive melodic progressions. It really sets the tone for the band's later brand of progressive/neoclassical metal found on Twilight In Olympus and V. Michael Romeo, one of the reigning champs of metal soloing, has his neoclassical leads coming fast and furious, with technique that might cause our good friend Yngwie to take notice. Romeo's partner in devastating soloing is the lightning-fast Michael Pinnella, whose blistering keyboard leads smoke through the song and arrest one's attention as much as any guitar solo. Songs feature trademark SyX features... majestic harmonies, symphonic textures, and killer leads, but the band has yet to explode. On the next several albums, they certainly erupt with all the ambition and quality hinted at here.

You've probably discovered SyX with either The Divine Wings of Tragedy or V. [Ed.: Or maybe one of their newest albums. This review was originally published a long time ago.] If that's the case, be sure to add The Damnation Game to your collection. It is flawed, but it's great moments give it the "must-have" status. And if you're new to Symphony X, start with one of the aforementioned albums.

MUSIC REVIEW: Rush - Exit...Stage Left

"Killer songs and performances."

Suitably enough, Rush recorded a live album to top off the most successful period in their careers. Permanent Waves and especially Moving Pictures had secured reams of popularity for the power-prog trio, so a high-energy live compilation was the perfect coda to this hallowed chapter in the band's history.

The tracks here cover a fairly broad range of Rush's catalogue up to this point, but skip over the debut and Caress of Steel. Although this collection largely covers the band's shorter, more commercial songs, they never forget the progressive rock wings on which they once soared. I'd say the song selection is perfect. Alongside hits like "Freewill," "Tom Sawyer," and "The Spirit of Radio" are progressive epics like "Xanadu" and "Jacob's Ladder." One of my favorite moments on the album comes with "La Villa Strangiato," an astounding instrumental tour-de-force that concretizes the band's standing as musicians' musicians. Live, this song SMOKES. Lifeson's first solo in this song is infused with tenfold the passion of the original, and I can't help but get chills up and down my spine listening to it. Still, while the energy is there and the songs are great, there is major overdubbing that renders the album a wee bit too polished, and the band's blazing live ebullience is diluted somewhat.

Still, this album many wonderful moments. The precise, stunning drum solo during "YYZ," "Closer to the Heart" with the entire crowd joining in with Geddy on vocals, the ultra-high energy performance of "Red Barchetta," the serene melodies of "Broon's Bane" as a seque into the hard-rocking "The Trees"...the list is endless.

I was kind of disappointed by the album's dubious representation of the concert experience. At the end of most tracks, the sound fades out and then comes back in for the next song. It's like it's taking snippets from several concerts instead of capturing the seamless performance. Most live albums cut superfluous crowd noise and chitchat, but blend crowd noise together so that it flows smoothly from song to song anyway. This works better in preserving the feel of the actual show. Annoyingly, here you'll often hear silence between the tracks and it creates a frustrating disjointed "concert" experience.

But it's not so bad. As a high-energy live "greatest hits" type package, Exit Stage Left can't be beat. Rush rules the world, and this captures them at their best.

(Oh, and make sure you get the Remastered edition, which has "A Passage to Bangkok," a rockin' song that was not included on some of the earlier pressings.)