Working Men (2009)
1. Limelight
2. The Spirit of Radio
3. 2112
4. Free Will
5. Dreamline
6. Far Cry
7. Subdivisions
8. One Little Victory
9. Closer to the Heart
10.Tom Sawyer
11.Working Man
12.YYZ
Working Men is, by all accounts, a curious creature. Marketed as a "best of" culled from the band’s three most recent live CD/DVD sets, one might instinctively dismiss it as little more than a contract filler—a stitched-together sampler that serves no real purpose beyond promotional convenience. And yet, in Rush’s case, the outcome is more agreeable than expected.
To begin with, we must remember that live performance has long been the band’s strongest suit. While many of their contemporaries saw touring as a chore or a cash grab, Rush treated the stage as an altar—and their fans as pilgrims. Consequently, the decision to compile highlights from Rush in Rio, the R30 DVD, and Snakes & Arrows Live makes more sense than it otherwise might. These were not perfunctory concerts—they were meticulously staged, sonically rich affairs that showed the trio at their most vital and muscular.
Of note, the R30 performance had the distinction (or misfortune) of not being released in full on standard DVD format—only the Blu-ray edition contained the complete set. As a result, the inclusion here of One Little Victory marks the first time that particular performance of the track appears on CD, despite the fact that it was readily available elsewhere. It’s a small detail, yes, but one that collectors and completists will no doubt appreciate.
Perhaps most surprising of all is the way the sequence actually flows. Often, these kinds of compilations suffer from tonal whiplash or uneven pacing, but Working Men manages to avoid such pitfalls. It plays not like a slapdash recap, but like a well-thought-out live record in its own right. The energy builds, the transitions are smooth, and even longtime fans may find themselves swept up in the momentum.
Ultimately, Working Men is unlikely to convert any skeptics or replace the full-length releases from which it draws. But as a standalone listening experience—particularly for those not wishing to sit through three entire concert performances—it offers a surprisingly coherent, and at times thrilling, snapshot of a band who still took the stage with the same fervor they had decades before.
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