If any of your friends happen to ask what the band Rush is all about and what they actually sound like, I would imagine that handing them a copy of this release would be a good idea once you shook the numbing disbelief out of your head after being posed such a question. That being said, the compilation they are calling "Icon" is a fair example of what Rush is capable of as a band and offers a newer level listener some key highlights from across their thirty plus year history. Glancing over the contributions I had to say that some of the selections surprised me while others had my nod of approval. Clearly songs like "Freewill" and "Closer To The Heart" belong here but does "Circumstances" take precedent over "Sprit Of Radio"? I hardly think so. That makes this a release that is iconic in only five or so songs in terms of the impact of those numbers and the rest being nice additions to the mix. "Marathon" always held a special place in my musical heart and I heard it so much on the radio of the time that it became a favorite. I even used to taunt a Rush tribute band I was fond of to play it for me each and every time I saw them until they finally relented and realized how well it was going over. The ardent fans of the group might like this as a differently flavored "Best Of", but if you already own the seminal collection of "Chronicles" or the "Gold" edition then you don't really need this one. It's nice to see songs like "The Necromancer", "The Twilight Zone" and "Circumstances" getting some attention but these numbers are more for the schooled purists in the bands offerings and will not kill the appreciation in someone who is only now getting their feet wet on what they can do. I did find it funny to realize how a release called "Icon" has omitted one of the bands most iconic numbers ever. Even the newest fan must know that I am speaking about "Tom Sawyer", the song that put the band into almost every household.
Much like the offered up KISS "Icon" edition, this release offers no liner notes or photos of the band but while these would have been nice, they are not as much a requirement as for a band like KISS. Rush has always been more about the music than the appearance. Overall a solid effort but one that is more for collectors as opposed to the fans who might own all of the bands recordings already.
Track Listing:
1. Working Man
2. Fly By Night
3. The Necromancer
4. The Twilight Zone
5. Closer To The Heart
6. Circumstances
7. Freewill
8. Limelight
9. The Analog Kid
10. Red Sector A
11. Marathon
12. Force Ten
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