Victor

by Victor, Alex Lifeson

Overview

Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson's 1996 solo project Victor, his first, released a self-titled album in 1996. Victor is an odd blend of modern hard rock and swirling, programming-heavy songs. Lifeson's trademark Rush guitar style -- ringing chords and sharp, brief solos -- is utilized in some places, but not throughout. Guest musicians on Victor include I Mother Earth vocalist Edwin, Primus bassist Les Claypool and Lifeson's son, Adrian Zivojinovich, who contributes programming. Musically, the songs with a traditional, straightforward structure are the least interesting, with the exception of "Promise." It's the odd material that stands out on Victor. Two instrumentals -- the slow, quirky "Mr. X" and the atmospheric "Strip and Go Naked" -- are noteworthy. "Shut Up Shuttin' Up" -- a title almost certainly lifted from one of Yosemite Sam's many orders to Bugs Bunny -- is practically a novelty song; two women carry on a man-bashing conversation before instructing Lifeson to "shut up and play the guitar," which he does before interjecting his own yells telling them to shut up. Due to its complex music and lyrics, Rush is often incorrectly viewed as being comprised of humorless members, but die-hard fans know that Lifeson is the joker in the trio and this song proves it. The two best songs on Victor, "At the End" and "Victor," are unorthodox in musical construction and lyrical tone. Lifeson himself doesn't sing the lyrics, he recites them, often in a whisper. "At the End" is an intense, brooding song about an elderly widower whose soul-crushing loneliness after her death drives him to commit suicide. "Victor" uses a musical bed of programming and warm horns underneath the disturbingly vivid lyrics, taken directly from English poet W.H. Auden, about a cuckold who murders his cheating wife. ~ Bret Adams

Product Details

Release Date:	08/09/2024
Label:	Atlantic
UPC:	0603497823666
Rank:	1816

Album Credits

Performance Credits

Victor   Primary Artist
Alex Lifeson   Primary Artist,Bass,Yells,Guitar,Vocals,Mandola,Mandolin,Keyboards,Guitar (Bass)
Dalbello   Guest Artist,Vocals
Les Claypool   Guest Artist,Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Bill Bell   Vocals (Background),Slide Guitar,Guitar
Colleen Allen   Horn
Peter Cardinali   Bass,Guitar (Bass)
Blake Manning   Drums,Darbouka
Edwin   Vocals

Technical Credits

Alex Lifeson   Mixing,Arranger,Composer,Engineer,Lyricist,Producer,Programming
Denis Tougas   Engineer,Assistant
Andrew MacNaughtan   Photography,Art Direction
Wystan Hugh Auden   Composer,Lyricist
Megan Oldfield   Design
Adrian Zivojinovich   Composer,Programming
Charlene Zivojinovich   Composer
Esther Mocan   Composer
Bill Bell   Composer
Charlene & Esther   Lyricist
Bob Ludwig   Mastering