As a longtime Rush geek, I always look forward to new album releases, new songs, new tours, etc. So I was delighted to stop by their home page and see that the first single from their upcoming Snakes & Arrows album, “Far Cry,” was released today. A streaming .mp3 sample is currently available on rush.com.

After just a few listens, I like it. The arrangement is in keeping with the songs on Vapor Trails and Test for Echo, but with some old-school flourishes thrown in (the Hemispheres-era chord changes are so sweet). Even though it’s a slightly muddled .mp3, I can already tell that new producer Nick Raskulinecz has done a good job keeping the sound clean but aggressive. Vapor Trails lost points with a lot of Rush fans for being way too “hot” in the mix.

One thing that I hope isn’t a trend – no Alex Lifeson guitar solo!?!?!$#@# Look, I know that the days of the guitar god are over, and I guess a lot of people see guitar solos as relics of the past, but dammit I miss them! It doesn’t have to be a 3-minute wankfest, but I need something. Hopefully the new album isn’t solo-less, a la Vapor Trails.

Snap judgment – Not as good as the best material on Vapor Trails, but better than the filler on that album. In any case, the album and tour cannot come quickly enough!