Working Man

As far as tribute albums go, this homage to seminal Canadian rockers Rush is hard to beat. For one thing, Magna Carta has made an inspired decision to have each song recorded by an all-star lineup rather than letting one band handle all the chores (with one exception -- Fates Warning get sole credit for "Closer to the Heart"). Often projects of this magnitude are doomed to failure from the start as a result of inadequate rehearsing, a shoestring budget, and sometimes a lack of talent capable of handling the songs with the respect they deserve. Working Man is a rare instance of everything going right. Terry Brown has done an incredible mixing job considering nearly all of the songs were recorded in different studios. The musicianship rivals the original versions -- occasionally besting them, particularly where the vocals are concerned. That, combined with the fact that many of these songs will be unfamiliar to casual Rush fans (hint: there's no "Tom Sawyer"), would lead one to believe that the musicians involved were already quite familiar with the material. Complaints are few (singers such as Jack Russell of Great White and Mark Slaughter don't really belong here), but commendations are nearly overwhelming: instrumental tour de force "La Villa Strangiato" is given an amazing rendition by Steve Morse and James Murphy; Sebastian Bach and James LaBrie turn in the most inspired singing of their careers; and mention should be made of Jake E. Lee's amazing leads as well as the solid drumming skills of Mike Portnoy and Deen Castronovo. Arguably the best tribute album ever made, Working Man will make a Rush fan out of many who may have written the band off based on their spotty '80s output. ~ Jeremy Ulrey|