Pick four songs from any band and you can tell a lot about their sound. This summer, I’m featuring #RockBlocks, four picks from bands across various genres. They might be wildly different from each other, but what binds them together is the fact that they’re all a part of my life soundtrack.
While Counterparts represented a return to the guitar-heavy side of Rush, some of the songs contain reminders of the power guitar riff era of “Working Man” and the band’s first album. But one track, in particular, showed a new side to Rush. “Leave That Thing Alone” helped bring up the rear on the album and ushered in an evolved sound as one of their best instrumentals in several years.
“YYZ” and “La Villa Stangiato” still stand the test of time as two of Rush’s best instrumentals, and two of their best songs period. But I don’t think “Leave That Thing Alone” is that far behind them. Like a classic jazz recording, Lee, Peart and Lifeson all take turns in the spotlight. But for the most part, it’s Lifeson’s multiple riffs that assert the most presence, echoing Counterparts’ heavy emphasis on guitars. Hats off to Peart for being one of rock’s most talented lyricists, but tracks like “Leave That Thing Alone” make me wonder why Rush hasn’t composed and recorded more instrumentals.
