Alex Lifeson: Victor

 

Alex Lifeson: Victor

When this was first released back in 1996, the album was called only "Victor". I guess Alex or the label wanted to draw more attention to this release. Nobody knows who Victor is, but Alex Lifeson used to play the guitar for this three piece band from Canada, called Rush. In case you are one of those that did not know that.

This is a remix, and not just a remaster, and there are some very good changes here, with some things removed to let the music breathe a bit better. There are some vocals that have been removed (especially one of the more cringe-inducing lines in "Don't Care"). I also enjoy that you can really hear Les Claypool on "The Big Dance", and that some edits were made to the title track, making the programming seem a little less awkward in a couple spots. 

The four bonus tracks (all instrumental) are really cool to have as well (especially "Serbs"). These were all released on his website a little while back, but it's nice to be able to have them on CD. Three were written during the "Victor" sessions, with the fourth being written during Rush's "Clockwork Angels" sessions. 

Overall, if you were a fan of this album, you'll like this version. If you didn't like this album initially, this won't change your mind. I've always been a huge fan of the album. It's got some Rush-like moments, but overall this is a completely different album, and one that I'm happy to have a new mix of.