Review Summary: The album Presto should have been.
Chapter XIV: New Decade, New Concepts, New Inspirations
If
Presto showed Rush at their worst, then its follow-up
Roll the Bones showed them at their most inspired and enjoyable in years. Whereas
Permanent Waves began their 80s era with a reinvention of sorts with the new wave elements and more accessible songs, Rush simply decided to expand off their already-established sound for their first 90s album. But while
Roll the Bones may just seem like an extension of its predecessor, the songwriting and overall vibe suggest that much more creativity and passion was involved this time around. This even comes down the wonderful concept that drummer/lyricist Neil Peart conceived for the album, one revolving around the consequences and rewards of taking chances and thus betting your life. As he explains in his
Roll the Bones tourbook:
"A random universe doesn't have to be futile; we can change the odds, load the dice, and roll again…. For anyone who hasn't seen Groucho Marx's game show You Bet Your Life, I mean that no one but Groucho knows the secret word, and one guess is as good as another... Anything can happen. That is called fate."
This concept is also a great angle to hear the album from, as it lends itself to some of Rush's darkest material... certainly their darkest since
Grace Under Pressure, at least. To reflect this, Geddy's vocals have become even more laid back and reflective than in the band's 80s period, completely devoid of the high-pitched Robert Plant-esque vocals that initially defined his style. And it works perfectly in the band's favor; the 70s-era vocals just wouldn't have worked in the context of the alternative rock influences this album draws from. Right from the simple melodic guitar line Alex Lifeson employs in the intro of "Dreamline," it's clear that
Roll the Bones is a more straightforward and less progressive offering than the usual Rush fare; in fact, a song like "Bravado" is
ridiculously simple for anyone who's familiar with the band's earlier work.
But if there's anything Rush has always been good at, it's the ability to adapt with the times and experiment with new sounds and vibes. Being straightforward is no real flaw regarding this album, because whatever the album lacks in technicality, it certainly delivers in emotional weight and genuinely solid songwriting. Of course, some of the experiments on this album are a little odd, such as the rap section in the middle of the title track (which is actually Geddy's voice but vastly lowered in pitch), or the colder synth sounds of songs like "The Big Wheel." However, these experiments definitely showcase a willingness to try new things and expand the band's range of styles; it helps that they also don't sound half-assed or forced, but rather natural extensions of the band's style. However, the only downside is there isn't quite enough experimentation on the album to mask the slight homogeneity that starts to creep in about halfway through the record. It may take a minimum of a few plays to fully absorb everything since there isn't much variation in tempo and dynamics, especially in later songs like "Ghost of a Chance" or "You Bet Your Life."
However, there are some really nice nods to the 70s Rush fanbase that are worth a look. For instance, we FINALLY witness the band's triumphant return to instrumentals with the song "Where's My Thing," a catchy little number with some well-placed synthesizer chords and a multitude of impressive bass lines from Geddy. Also, there's another thing to note: remember when Alex Lifeson said
Presto would be the band's big guitar-driven return to form? The return to traditional Rush songwriting and power trio aesthetics? Well, it turns out that people would just have to wait one more album. THIS is that return to the band's traditional instrumentation and their knack for less-intrusive synthesizer use, something that was sorely missed in the time between
Power Windows and
Presto. In other words, this album is essentially the best of all worlds. You get the synthesizers of the Rush's 80s era, the harder-rocking arrangements and some complexities of the 70s era, and now a taste of the sound they would go for in the 90s.
The gap in quality between
Roll the Bones and
Presto is pretty immense, but it's definitely inspiring to know that Rush could pull off a return to form in just two years. Many acts stay in a rut for years before churning out worthwhile material once more, but these guys always seem to bounce back at all the right times. This isn't really a 100% return to their glory days, especially with a less complex and more melodic approach to songwriting, but it's an extremely unique and underrated work in their post-70s canon. If anyone wanted to hear the
Presto formula executed with more gusto and tighter songwriting, as well as tighter musicianship, this is for you.
