Album of the Day

“It's big, it's bold, and I think it's some of the best work we've done in years. I'm really pleased with the quality of the songs, and there's lots of playing on it,” noted Rush vocalist/bassist Geddy Lee of his group's SNAKES & ARROWS on its 2007 release. The Canadian progressive trio's final album for Atlantic Records was shaped to a degree by the Internet; producer Nick Raskulinecz volunteered his services after seeing online posts about Rush's recording plans, and the 'net allowed California-based lyricist Neil Peart to collaborate more easily with his bandmates in Toronto. If this set benefits from forward-looking technology - it's among the most well-recorded of the band's career - it also recalls the richly layered textures of Rush's '70s classics. While songs like “Far Cry,” “Spindrift” and “The Larger Bowl (A Pantoum)” are darker thematically than their early work, the three instrumentals here show the group's playing to be as brilliant as ever. Geddy Lee celebrates a birthday today, and we'll cue up SNAKES & ARROWS in his honor.