Wow, really? O.K., I went back and listened to this song and there is SO much going on with it (and it is actually five minutes). Let's unpack this.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5Tq-UsaRchI
Starts with typical Rush noodling combined with math-rocky drum licks. Grade: C-
O.K., the riff at 00:17 does rock, and resulted in much head bobbing in my youth. Grade: A (but it only last 10 seconds!)
The song then transitions into sort nondescript Rushy power prog rock. Kind of filler for the song. Grade: B-
Around 1:30 into the song, we get that noodling arpeggio riff from the beginning with some weird pizzicato guitar in the background to create dramatic effect. And then back to the generic prog rock section. Grade: B-
The weird pizzicato starts again at 2:30, then the noodling. Invisible airways crackling with life? Not feeling that. Then an instrumental break ending with the noodling arpeggio as another transition section. Grade B (it's a little better with less singing).
3:39 in, and the riff is back! But it only lasts ten seconds before transitioning abruptly into this weird reggae break? What? Reggae break? Then the riff returns with the dramatic pronouncement "Concert halls!" (with accompanying background audience cheering!). Then more weird reggae and something about salesmen. "Aw, salesmen!!!!" Too confused to give this section a grade.
O.K., I'll give props to the screaming guitar solo at 4:19, which transitions back to the riff again (I notice the riff is slower than it was at the beginning, with gives the desired dramatic effect), with repeated piano chords bringing the song to a strong climax. Oh wait, no, they couldn't just end it with the power chord, they had to bring back that fucking noodling arpeggio for one last masturbatory flourish before a few more power chord stomps to finally finish this thing off. They would have gotten a straight A for the finish if they had just showed the restraint necessary to end the song four seconds before they did. Grade: A-
Whew, that was an exhausting trip back to my youth.
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