Attention all Rush fans of the Solar Federation
Attention all Rush fans of the Solar Federation
Attention all Rush fans of the Solar Federation…
Alex Lifeson’s new band sounds nowhere close to his former band. In fact, Envy of None isn’t really his band as the 40 year Rush guitarist takes more of a back seat on Envy of None’s self-titled debut album to singer Maiah Wynne.
With elements of industrial rock and electronic rock woven though out, Wynn’s delicate but slightly hardened vocals harken the darkness of Evanescence singer Amy Lee but the genial pop of Dolores O’Riordan from the Cranberries. Andy Curran of Canadian hard rock band Coney Hatch joins on bass along with a second guitarist in Alfio Annibalini. David Quinton Steinberg and Tim Oxford help out on drums.
Lifeson and Curran founded Envy of None and the album represents the first new music from a surviving member of Rush which last released an album 10 years ago in Clockwork Angels and last performed in 2015 as part of their 40th anniversary R40 Tour. Drummer Neil Peart died in 2020 officially bringing to a close the long-running and much beloved rock band from Toronto. Wynne, who resides in Oregon, previously toured with the Portland Cello Project and collaborated with Lifeson on her song “Fearless Girl.”
Envy of None travels its own musical road on the 11 track record losing the familiar Lifeson tone that helped define the music of Rush and the driving Curran bass lines that propelled Coney Hatch. Outside the delightfully melodic pop “Never Said I Love You” to open the album and Lifeson’s sublime tribute to Peart in his instrumental “Western Sunset” which closes the album, expect a bevy of brakes-on alternative modern rock cuts that draws from 80s electronic like “Shadow,” Nine Inch Nails influenced industrial rock for “Liar,” “Dog’s Life” and “Enemy” while others come across more dreamy and ambiguous like “Look Inside” and “Old Strings.”
A subtle a taste of Rush, at least in a few bars, on “Dumb” but a full dose of Lifeson on the guitar-fueled “Spy House.” “Kabul Blues” stars as one of the best tracks even if it takes a few listens to master with Wynne’s lush vocal work accompanied by Lifeson doing some eccentric fretboard work making for an ethereal listening experience.
Lifeson and Curran stepped out of their comfort zone for Envy of None so fans of the two’s respective bands need to step out of their own comfort zone both in terms of embracing a new music style and recognizing life moves on.
Grade: B
Envy of None Debut Album Track List:
- Never Said I Love You
- Shadow
- Look Inside
- Liar
- Spy House
- Dog’s Life
- Kabul Blues
- Old Strings
- Dumb
- Enemy
- Western Sunset
Drew's Reviews 
That is a great opening line for this review…Attention! Love it lol. Great writeup Andrew. A total different vibe and great call about Andy and Alex stepping out of the comfort zones.
thanks for the read buddy.
This is such a departure from what you think these players would do but so so good.
glad you like it. you have some listening to do based on the number of releases you put in blue! lol
I barely got to any of them as I have a podcast to record this morning on Ratt so I have been studying my Ratt. I’ll get to them eventually I hope.
nice! on spotify? what’s the name?
We are taping it, not sure when it will air. It will be on YouTube. Tim’s Vinyl Confessions.
Couldn’t be more disappointed than I am with envy of none I’m sorry this is just garbage I’d rather stick ice picks in my ears there’s no substance to this music just sonic noise!! and what’s up with the pills?? Both videos show pills 2 Huge pills in liar and bunches of pills in look inside WTF? hahahaha there isn’t enough pills to get you high enough to think this is good music I’m embarrassed for Alex he could do much better as my departed mother would say ..you have led your ducks to bad water with this group of losers!!
I’ll have to check out the videos…or maybe I don’t want to. lol. thanks for reading and commenting. interesting to get various points of view on this album!