Former Rush guitarist Alex Lifeson‘s art-rock group Envy of None has released a video for their latest track. “Under the Stars” offers good news for those who were worried about his recent reluctance to play solos.
This is the second advance single from Envy of None’s upcoming second album, though no release details have been released. Lifeson and bassist and lead songwriter Andy Curren are joined by guitarist-keyboardist, producer Alf Annibalini and vocalist Maiah Wynne, with drums supplied by guest artist Joe Vitale.
Besides guitar, Lifeson also adds mandola and oud to “Under the Stars,” which Curren said features a Rush-style solo partway through.
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“Alf and I toiled over this one for months and really felt, even at its rough demo stage, that we had something special,” Curren reported in an official statement. “We left a ton of space for Maiah in the verses and there’s such a cool mood shift when the chorus hits. Joe Vitale’s drum track and percussion added an almost trance-like vibe – and the icing on the cake is an unmistakable Alex guitar solo.”
Why Alex Lifeson Cut Back on Playing Solos
Curren said he’s “a romantic at heart and the message here is universal. Soul mates – two against the world!”
Envy of None released their self-titled debut album in 2022. After the launch, Lifeson suggested that he might have played his last solo. Only one song on the LP, “Spy House,” featuring one of his trademark leads.
“That was the first song I wrote at the end of the Rush tour,” he said. “It has a solo because it was [still] a natural thing for me to go into. … I feel like I’ve fully explored the whole area of soloing.”
“Under the Stars” follows Envy of None’s previous single “Not Dead Yet,” which arrived in November.
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