For Rush fans, 2013 will go down as a massive year, mainly because, after far too long, Alex Lifeson, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart were finally inducted into the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame. As a Canadian, I’m proud. As a progressive fan, I might be even prouder. So how do you make the holiday even better for the Rush fan in your life? Universal Music is making it super easy, with three big time Rush items you can put under the tree this year.
First and foremost is the brand new Blu-ray, Rush: The Clockwork Angels tour. 2012 and 2013 found the band on the road promoting their nineteenth studio album, Clockwork Angels. In this fan’s humble opinion, this concept album is Rush’s strongest album since the glory days of the late 70s/early 80s, which is high praise, since I thought the previous album, Snakes & Arrows was simply outstanding as well. The Blu-ray captures the band in fine form on the road, playing most of the new album, along with some rarely performed classics from the 80s. During the second set, the band is joined onstage by the Clockwork Angels String Ensemble for the new material; the strings blend right in with our favourite power trio – it’s a great melding. You can get this on Blu-ray, DVD and on CD here. And if you haven’t been Clockwork Angel’d out yet, be sure to pick up Kevin J. Anderson and Neil Peart’s novel based on the novel, which tells the story in a deeper way than the album.
Along with celebrating their present, this year also saw Rush celebrate their past with two very cool releases. The first is The Complete Atlantic Studio Albums, a box set compiling the seven studio albums the band released between 1989 and 2007 – Presto, Roll The Bones, Counterparts, Test For Echo, Vapor Trails Remixed, Feedback, and Snakes & Arrows. The albums are packaged in vinyl replicas and have been remastered, sounding better than ever. The set also contains a lyric book. The price is absolutely right for this set, which you can pick up here.
As mentioned, included in the Complete Atlantic Studio Albums is Vapor Trails Remixed. The band originally released this able after their five year hiatus in 2002, and at the time it suffered from the loudness wares – essentially , it wasn’t mixed as well as it should have been and the sound of the album suffered. Vapor Trails has now been remixed and seriously sounds like a brand new album. While not the best in the band’s catalogue, it does feature some classics in opening track One Little Victory and Ghost Rider. You can order it here, or enter to win your own copy!
Just be sure to like our Facebook page, follow us on Twitter and tells us what your favourite Rush song is, using #BBPRush. Contest closes Tuesday December 3 at 11:59 pm; we’ll pick one winner on December 4 and notify them that day.
