Rush - Retrospective III
It's Rush, for goodness' sake
Considering that the band place fourth after The Beatles, the Stones and Aerosmith for most consecutive platinum albums, Rush get remarkably little credit for the huge influence they had on the music of the last 30 years, including Iron Maiden, Primus and Smashing Pumpkins. Retrospective III charts the latter era of the band's career, marking the shift back to guitars from '80s synth-heaven. The instrumentalism is predictably flawless and the tunes soaring. Having made their own journey from metal to prog, the genesis of Boston's Cave In is especially easy to spot in the likes of One Little Victory and Presto. Geddy Lee's often lambasted vocals are smooth, righteous and – yes - cheesy as hell, but it's Rush for goodness' sake. On the bright side, the bulk of Neil Peart's lyrics on show are thankfully devoid of his snigger-inducing fixation on science fiction, albeit sadly due to his tragic personal circumstances in the late '90s. [Chris Cusack]