The band sees Lifeson joined by Coney Hatch founder/bassist Andy Curran, producer and engineer Alfio Annibalini, and singer-songwriter Maiah Wynne for the record, which will be released on April 8.
It was Wynne’s introduction to the project that made a notable impression on the other members of the lineup.
“I sent over an early version of the song Shadow,” explains Curran about the work donme remotely from different locations. “When I played what she’d done back to the others they were like, ‘Who is this crazy talented person?!’”
“Maiah became my muse,” says Lifeson. “She was able to bring this whole new ethereal thing through her sense of melody on tracks like ‘Liar’ and ‘Look Inside’. After hearing her vocals on ‘Never Said I Love You’, I felt so excited. I’ve never had that kind of inspiration working with another musician. When we say she’s special, it’s because she’s really f**king special!”
Last June, Lifeson debuted "Kabul Blues" and “Spy House” under his own name as his first new music in a decade, with both set to be featured on the Envy Of None debut.
“One of my favorite things about these songs is the intimacy of them,” Wynne reveals. “It makes them feel different and more honest. There are some heavier songs too, like ‘Enemy’, and then tracks like ‘Kabul Blues’, that sound completely different to anything else.”
Lifeson wrote the album closer, “Western Sunset”, in tribute to his dear friend Neil Peart.
“I visited Neil when he was ill,” recalls Lifeson. “I was on his balcony watching the sunset and found inspiration. There’s a finality about a sunset that kinda stayed with me throughout the whole process. It had meaning. It was the perfect mood to decompress after all these different textures… a nice way to close the book.”
Lifeson and Rush performed their final concert in Los Angeles in 2015; Peart passed away in January of 2020 at the age of 67 after a three-and-a-half year battle with an aggressive form of brain cancer named Glioblastoma.
Envy Of None
"Envy Of None"
Release date: April 8
01. Never Said I Love You
02. Shadow
03. Look Inside
04. Liar
05. Spy House
06. Dog's Life
07. Kabul Blues
08. Old Strings
09. Dumb
10. Enemy
11. Western Sunset
See also:
Rock News Artist Of The Year No. 10: RUSH
Rush: Neil Peart honored with Percussive Arts Society Lifetime Achievement Award
Modern Drummer announces Neil Peart Spirit Of Drumming Scholarship
Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson streams new song Cherry Lopez Lullaby
Search Rush at hennemusic
