Another Kind of Feedback

While I'm excited about the MSDN Product Feedback Center announcement I mentioned earlier, I've actually been counting down to 6/29 for a different kind of Feedback:

Even the godfathers of prog cut their teeth on heads-down, no-nonsense rock 'n' roll, as they remind us on this eight-song EP, which is something of an homage to their days as a snotty teen garage band. Feedback is entirely given over to covers of songs that date back to the late '60s -- not coincidentally a period that saw the flowering of the power trio and the birth of Rush. The group attack many of the songs with a surprising fervor and an even more surprising lack of finesse -- an approach that works wonders on "Summertime Blues," which borrows more from Blue Cheer's version than any other reading of the oft-covered tune, and a faithful, flailing rendition of Love's "Seven and Seven Is." While Rush aren't particularly known for their succinctness, Feedback is chockablock with songs that fly by in a blur, as Alex Lifeson doles out the beer-fueled raga explorations of "Heart Full of Soul" with punchy glee while Geddy Lee abandons his usual high register for an angst-laden croon. The fondness that imbues their takes on radio staples like the Who's "The Seeker" and the Buffalo Springfield chestnut "For What It's Worth" makes up for the familiarity of those tunes and, combined with the overall brevity of the disc, keeps the listener eagerly awaiting another spin. - David Sprague

And there's also the Toronto Rocks DVD, which comes out today.

But the best part - tickets to see Rush at White River Amphitheatre in Auburn, Washington this Friday.