'Exit . . . ' album a great Rush

Deseret News (Salt Lake City), Jul 9, 2004 by Scott Iwasaki Deseret Morning News

Rush was at the USANA Amphitheatre on June 30. It was one of the best shows I've had the privilege of reviewing in my career.

The last show to really blow my mind on the same level was U2 at the Delta Center, Nov. 9, 2001. I even have that date memorized.

But I digress.

Rush is spending its 30th anniversary on the road, playing to sold- out outdoor amphitheaters and arenas throughout the world.

When the three-man progressive band hit West Valley City's USANA venue, I wrote that it was "nothing short of excellent."

A couple of days later, right on the heels of my enthusiasm for that concert, a colleague and fellow Rush fan, Pat Reavy, dropped by my desk to show me a Rush tribute album: "Exit . . . Stage Right: the String Quartet Tribute to Rush."

A few years ago, there was another Rush tribute album, "Working Man," featuring drummer Mike Portnoy and guitarist John Petrucci from Dream Theater, bassist Billy Sheehan from Mr. Big and Talas, and former Dokken guitarist George Lynch, just to name a few. And it was pretty good.

But nothing prepared me for this chamber music-style tribute.

Cellist/bassist Todd Rubenstein dissected such classic Rush songs as "The Spirit of the Radio," "Broon's Bane," "Red Barchetta," "YYZ" and "Tom Sawyer," and rebuilt them for a string quartet.

Considering Rush's music has always relied on the cerebral and complex, this album is a joy to hear. The layers and signature time changes sound natural, as the violins and violas and basses and cellos play their parts.

Rubenstein meticulously arranged all the songs and used the lower- toned instruments to lay the percussive foundations.

One of the stand-out tracks is "The Trees," a metaphorical work about labor-union strikes. While Neil Peart's original lyrics are absent, the beauty of the original classical guitar-inspired work is there. But instead of sonic nylon strings, the melody and the harmony come from violins and violas.

The work on "Closer to the Heart" had me singing the lyrics as I listened to the pristine score. And I had to smile when the cello and bass began the guttural intro to "Passage to Bangkok."

If you're a Rush fan, this album is definitely for you. If you appreciate classical music, you might want to take this album for a spin. It may change your mind about rock music.

If you've memorized Rush's lyrics, you will find yourself adding your voice to the mix of the songs . . . with the exception of "Broon's Bane" and "YYZ," which were originally recorded as instrumentals.

I'd like to see the Utah Symphony play some of these works.

Hmmm. I'd better return this album to Pat before I conveniently forget I have it.

E-mail: scott@desnews.com