Album of the Day

Snakes and Arrows, by Rush (2007): Working through the Rush discs this week, I've focused on era-defining discs. So what does it mean that 25 years passed between the last entry and this one? Well, it doesn't really mean that the intervening quarter century was a wasteland in terms of Rush's output. But it is indicative that, really, after about Grace Under Pressure or Power Windows the band plateaued through a series of good but unremarkable albums. Don't get me wrong - I own them all and listen to them, but will admit that there's a fair bit of chaff present. Snakes and Arrows, however, is genuinely fantastic. The band sounds revitalized. And apparently the stuff comes off even better live. So maybe this is the start of another era - one of late career excellence?