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Progressive Rock CD Reviews

Geddy Lee

My Favorite Headache

Review by Larry Toering

On his first and only solo album to date, Geddy Lee plays bass, keyboard, guitar, sings and did some lyric writing for the first time in many years, as well. He teamed up with Ben Mink on guitar and Matt Cameron on drums, with an appearance from Jeremy Taggart on drums as well. This outing proved to be a not so bad idea for the reluctant Lee, as he doesn't see himself making a lot of statements as an artist outside of Rush, but it worked very well looking back. I'm still enjoying it after all these years, and it deserves more exposure. Lee's playing is outstanding, as usual, so are those of the rest of the musicians. There are a few obvious peaks but there is no deep valley, as it maintains an overall positive and very high standard which is to be expected from such a seasoned master of rock. Lee's keyboard work is one of the more dominant textures, but he pulls no bass or vocal punches either.

This review is available in book format (hardcover and paperback) in Music Street Journal: 2011  Volume 2 at lulu.com/strangesound.

Track by Track Review
My Favorite Headache

This gets things up and running at a rather frantic pace and is easily opined to be the best track. This is one of the only tracks here that I can see could possibly have worked in the Rush environment. This is simply fantastic!

The Present Tense
This track is another of the best on the disc. It features some interesting lyrics. This is a tad on the mellow side compared to the opener, but still keeps a pace above most of the surrounding tracks. There is obviously a very self explanatory message here about life.
Window to the World
Lee takes a nice vocal approach on this number with some tasty fuzzy guitar. This is one of the cool aspects of the disc, and another one I like very much. This is a lovely tune but doesn't contain much steam.
Working at Perfekt
Things get a little experimental here, but then that is the case for everything on My Favorite Headache. Excellent drumming is featured here.
Runaway Train
This one smells of a certain lack of imagination concerning the title. If I could even count how many songs have been written with this title I'd be busy for some time. I still really like something about this track. It’s a great tune, "you've got to want it."
The Angels' Share
This is not one of my favorites but still has a certain appeal to it, with its spaced out, yet down to earth approach about sharing. There is a lot of interesting change ups in the arrangement but it doesn't exactly save the otherwise insipid track with a “what if” sort of vibe. I do like the lyrics, which are confrontational to say the least.
Moving To Bohemia
Now this is a little more like it and an improvement from the previous track while living in the same tempo. There is a nice blend between the two, for sure, as things move right along. Once again the drums add a nice texture here.
Home On the Strange
This track is one of the best along with the first two. There is simply no mistaking Lee's signature vocals and bass lines. This is an excellent track with one of the more up tempo grooves. If there is a most accessible tune this would probably be it. On this one and only track, Jeremy Taggart is featured on drums.
Slipping
The title kind of describes what the disc is doing at this point. This is not one of the best tracks.
Still
More of the same is featured here. There is not much to carry on about, and this is one of the tracks I can certainly do without.
Grace To Grace
This is more like it, but its too bad things are over when it goes like that, as I can do with a few more of these. I do like the way it takes things out with some tasty guitar lines. This is another one of the more interesting numbers on a vastly ignored release.
 
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