It's been two years since Sunny Day Real Estate's last studio disc. What has the Seattle band been doing in that period? Apparently listening to a whole lot of Rush. So much so that either someone was squeezing lead singer's Jeremy Enigk's balls during the recording of The Rising Tide or he's learned to emulate Geddy Lee's squealing vocals through listening to 2112.

The disc opens with "Killed by an Angel," which kicks off with a rising drumbeat and guitar line reminiscent of Rush's "Working Man." Whether it be on the more intricate progressions of "Fool in the Photograph" or the lilting acoustic strains of "Rain Song," Sunny Day Real Estate keeps the homage to Rush fairly consistent. They break out of it a bit on the lush melodic ballad "The Ocean."

Sunny Day Real Estate's resurrection of Rush's '70s vibe gives the disc undertones of art-rock (or prog rock) bands of the era, including King Crimson and Emerson, Lake & Palmer. Depending on your taste, The Rising Tide could either be a welcome rehash of a long bygone era or a reminder of why prog rock has gone the way of the dinosaurs.