{{For|the song|Roll the Bones (song)}} {{Use mdy dates|date=April 2021}} {{Infobox album | name = Roll the Bones | type = studio | artist = [[Rush (band)|Rush]] | cover = Rush roll the bones.jpg | released = {{start date|1991|9|3}}<ref>{{cite magazine |title=New Releases Offer Northern Exposure |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-08-31.pdf |last=LeBlanc |first=Larry |date=1991-08-31 |pages=66 |via=World Radio History}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |title=Guns N' Roses, Garth Brooks Pre-orders Boom As Biz Eyes Star-Studded September |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |url=https://www.worldradiohistory.com/Archive-All-Music/Billboard/90s/1991/BB-1991-09-07.pdf |last=Flick |first=Larry |date=1991-09-07 |pages=73 |via=World Radio History}}</ref> | recorded = February–May 1991 | studio = *[[Le Studio]] ([[Morin-Heights, Quebec]]) *McClear Place ([[Toronto]], Ontario) | genre = {{Hlist|[[Pop rock]]<ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Y5HKCwAAQBAJ&pg=PA104 |title=Rush – Updated Edition: The Unofficial Illustrated History |last=Popoff |first=Martin |date=2016 |publisher=Voyageur Press|isbn=978-0-7603-5122-2 |language=en}}</ref><ref>{{cite book|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YaDDsg0H35gC&pg=PT203 |title=The Encyclopedia of Heavy Metal |last=Bukszpan |first=Daniel |date=2003 |publisher=Barnes & Noble Publishing|isbn=978-0-7607-4218-1 |language=en}}</ref>|[[hard rock]]<ref name=allmusic/>|[[funk rock]]<ref>{{cite news|url=https://www.chicagotribune.com/news/ct-xpm-1991-11-01-9104080214-story.html|title=Rush still feels no special need to hurry |newspaper=[[Chicago Tribune]]|access-date=November 18, 2021}}</ref>}} | length = {{duration|m=48|s=04}} | label = [[Anthem Records|Anthem]] | producer = {{Hlist|[[Rupert Hine]]|Rush}} | prev_title = [[Chronicles (Rush album)|Chronicles]] | prev_year = 1990 | next_title = [[Counterparts (Rush album)|Counterparts]] | next_year = 1993 | misc = {{Singles | name = Roll the Bones | type = studio | single1 = [[Dreamline]] | single1date = September 1991 | single2 = [[Roll the Bones (song)|Roll the Bones]] | single2date = February 1992<ref>{{cite web|url=http://hitparade.ch/showitem.asp?interpret=Rush&titel=Roll+The+Bones&cat=s|title=Rush - Roll The Bones|first=Steffen|last=Hung|website=Hitparade.ch|access-date=November 18, 2021}}</ref> | single3 = [[Ghost of a Chance (Rush song)|Ghost of a Chance]] | single3date = April 1992<ref>{{cite book|url=https://archive.org/details/greatrockdiscogr00stro/page/708/mode/2up|title=The Great Rock Discography|date=1995 |isbn=978-0-86241-541-9 |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |publisher=Canongate Press }}</ref> }} }} '''''Roll the Bones''''' is the fourteenth studio album by the Canadian rock band [[Rush (band)|Rush]], released on September 3, 1991, by [[Anthem Records]] in Canada and [[Atlantic Records]] internationally. Produced by the band and [[Rupert Hine]], the album continued the shift away from the keyboard-heavy arrangements of the 1980s toward a more guitar-oriented sound, a transition that had begun with their previous release, ''[[Presto (album)|Presto]]'' (1989). The sessions, primarily held at [[Le Studio]] in [[Morin-Heights]], Quebec, saw the band embracing funk and jazz influences, most notably in the [[Roll the Bones (song)|title track]]'s inclusion of a rap segment performed by bassist [[Geddy Lee]].
Lyrically, the album explores themes of chance, fate, and the weight of circumstances, inspired by drummer [[Neil Peart]]'s interest in the role of fortune in human life. The title is a slang term for rolling dice, a motif reflected in the [[Juno Award]]-winning cover art designed by [[Hugh Syme]]. Musical highlights include the hard-rocking opener "[[Dreamline]]" the atmospheric ballad "Bravado", and the [[Grammy Award|Grammy]]-nominated instrumental "[[List of Rush instrumentals#Where's My Thing?|Where's My Thing?]]", which marked the band's first instrumental track since 1981.
''Roll the Bones'' was a commercial success, reaching No. 3 on the [[Billboard 200|''Billboard'' 200]]—the band's highest US chart position since ''[[Signals (Rush album)|Signals]]'' (1982)—and achieving platinum certification from the [[Recording Industry Association of America]]. Critical reception was generally positive, with reviewers praising the group's renewed musical energy and melodic focus, though some contemporary critics were polarised by the title track's rap section. It has been remastered several times, most recently in 2015 by Sean McGee at [[Abbey Road Studios]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.abbeyroad.com/engineer/sean-magee |title=Abbey Road - Engineers - Sean Magee |website=[[Abbey Road Studios]] |access-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-date=December 14, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20201214135425/https://www.abbeyroad.com/engineer/sean-magee |url-status=live}}</ref> The album remains a significant entry in [[Rush discography|Rush's discography]], bridging their synth-rock era with the leaner, heavier sound of their 1990s work.
==Background and writing== In June 1990, Rush finished touring their previous album, ''[[Presto (album)|Presto]]'' (1989). They purposely kept the tour short, which Lee said was due to the group feeling overcautious about touring the album. However, it became an enjoyable and positive experience for them, and by the time it finished, "we were so charged up we wanted to keep on playing."<ref name=WNEW91/><ref name=ME91/> This renewed energy in the band carried through to the writing and recording sessions for ''Roll the Bones''.<ref name=WNEW91>{{cite interview |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19910829wnew.htm |title=Roll the Bones CD Launch – Geddy Lee and Alex Lifeson Interview |first=Dan |last=Neer |publisher=[[WNEW-FM]] |location=New York City |date=August 29, 1991 |access-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126231920/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19910829wnew.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> They then took a break, but decided to cut it short in order to start work on new material for a follow-up record.<ref name=RTBTOUR/>
As with ''Presto'', Rush started work by retreating to Chalet Studios, a remote studio in [[Claremont, Ontario]].<ref name=GW1991>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911200guitarworld.htm |title=Alex Lifeson & Geddy Lee: Flesh and Bones |first=Mike |last=Mettler |magazine=[[Guitar World]] |date=December 1991 |access-date=November 15, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116001159/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911200guitarworld.htm |url-status=live}}</ref><ref>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19931022billboard.htm |title=Rushing Back to the Limelight With 'Counterparts' |first=Larry |last=Leblanc |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |date=October 22, 1993 |access-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-date=November 19, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181119051616/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19931022billboard.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> They stayed for {{frac|2|1|2}} months, with Lee and Lifeson working on the music while Peart wrote lyrics. The three would reconvene in the evenings, when Peart would hear what the other two had come up with during the day.<ref name=GP91/> Lee had developed an interest in bird watching, and ensured some broken bird feeders by the studio window were repaired and filled with feed, which he enjoyed observing while writing. The album's liner notes include a thanks to birds.<ref name=GFTPM91>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911200guitarpracticingmusician.htm |title=Geddy Lee: It's A Groove Thing |first=John |last=Stix |magazine=[[Guitar for the Practicing Musician]] |date=December 1991 |access-date=November 15, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116085349/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911200guitarpracticingmusician.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
The demos were recorded using an eight-track [[TASCAM]] 388 recorder and an integrated mixer hooked up to a sequencer running [[Emagic|C-Lab Notator]] software. Lee set up simple drum patterns on the computer for Lifeson and himself to work from.<ref name=GP91/> It took between nine and ten weeks to write and rehearse for the album, and eight weeks to record it.<ref name=WNEW91/><ref name=CM91>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911000cm.htm |title=Straight From the Heart |magazine=[[Canadian Musician]] |date=October 1991 |access-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113210604/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911000cm.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
The album displays the continued change in the group's sound which started on ''Presto'', with a reduction in keyboards and a return to guitar-driven songs. Lee said the change was "a backlash against the more computer-style of writing" which had dominated their sound through the 1980s, and the band now chose to use synthesizers and sequencers as an "orchestration device", rather than a key component in the songwriting.<ref name=NMS91/> The writing sessions for ''Presto'' had involved just bass, guitar, and vocals, which contributed to the style shift, and the group continued with this approach for ''Roll the Bones''.<ref name=NMS91/><ref name=GP91>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911100guitarplayer.htm |title=Rush Redefined |date=November 1991 |magazine=[[Guitar Player]] |first=Andy |last=Widders-Ellis |access-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181111052439/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911100guitarplayer.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Another aspect that carried over from ''Presto'' was Lee's intention to come up with strong vocal melodies at the beginning and base the rest of the tune around it.<ref name=NMS91/> Lifeson had wanted to try playing funk rhythms and, after having attempted it on ''Presto'', wished to explore it further on ''Roll the Bones''.<ref name=GP91/> The majority of the arrangements worked out at the writing stage remained unchanged, which allowed the group to use the demos as a guide for recording, done by transferring the completed demos to 24-track and re-recording the parts.<ref name=GP91/>
The album contains a running lyrical theme concerning the element of chance in different aspects of life, which Peart had devised while experimenting with lyrics.<ref name=MH91>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911000metalhammer.htm |title=Rush & Roulette |first=Howard |last=Johnson |magazine=[[Metal Hammer]] |issue=14 |volume=6 |date=October 1991 |access-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-date=November 13, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181113210943/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911000metalhammer.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> The first lyric that he wrote for the album was used on "Face Up", specifically: "Turn it up – or turn that wild card down."<ref name=RTBTOUR/> He recalled sitting on his cottage floor "with a pile of papers around me" of notes from the previous two years, mostly consisting of phrases written on tour or during "that dreamlike moment before sleep."<ref name=RTBTOUR/> He started to experiment with the phrases "turn it up" and "turn it down", which led to the idea of turning a card down and a wild card, and applied them to events that a person may face.<ref name=RTBTOUR/>
==Recording== ''Roll the Bones'' was recorded at [[Le Studio]] in [[Morin-Heights, Quebec]], and McClear Place in Toronto, between February and May 1991. The band resumed working with co-producer [[Rupert Hine]] and engineer Stephen Tayler, both of whom had worked on ''Presto''.<ref name=CM91/> The vocals were recorded in England.<ref name=ROCKLINE/> Rush wanted to continue to work with Hine due to his accomplished songwriting, the feedback he gave their songs and his ability to allow the group to achieve a looser sound than previous albums.<ref name=NMS91/><ref name=GP91/> Lee said that various production tricks they had learned from working with [[Peter Collins (record producer)|Peter Collins]] in the 1980s were used on ''Presto'' and ''Roll the Bones''.<ref name=NMS91/>
The bass and drum parts were recorded in four days, and the guitars in eight. Lee was amazed at how Peart had learned his parts for an entire song prior to recording it, and that "Nine times out of 10 it took only one pass for him to nail it."<ref name=GP91/> The band had originally planned to release the album in January 1992, but they finished it two months early.<ref name=WNEW91/><ref name=MEAT92>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19920300meat.htm |title=Canada's #1 Rock Act! Rush |magazine=M.E.A.T |issue=30 |date=March 1992 |first=Drew |last=Masters |access-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164623/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19920300meat.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> They thanked the news channel [[CNN]] in the liner notes, as they had the channel on while writing, and Lee recalled it was sometimes difficult to stop watching it while numerous events were taking place.<ref name=WNEW91/>
Lee used two different [[Wal (bass)|Wal]] basses on the album. He liked its mid-range and "rich" bottom end sound, and the fact that he did not have to add much equalisation. He first learned of the instrument when the band were recording in England, and knew that bassist [[Percy Jones (musician)|Percy Jones]] used one on [[Brand X]] albums, of which he was a big fan. Lee had played one at the suggestion of Peter Collins during the recording of ''[[Power Windows (album)|Power Windows]]'' (1985).<ref name=NMS91/> Lee's bass was mixed closer to Peart's bass drum range, which freed up space in the music for guitar parts.<ref name=GP91/> Peart also changed his sound, and while he did not make a conscious decision to avoid electronics altogether, he found that most of the songs did not benefit from him playing an electronic kit and instead mostly used acoustic drums.<ref name=ROCKLINE>{{cite web |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911202rockline.htm |title=Neil Peart on Rockline for Roll the Bones |first=Bob |last=Coburn |work=[[Rockline]] |date=December 2, 1991 |access-date=November 17, 2018 |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164751/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911202rockline.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Peart realized that he had a tendency to make his drum parts "too organized, too architectural" on an album, so for ''Roll the Bones'', he deliberately left portions of songs unrehearsed and recorded them on the day of recording with the intention of capturing more spontaneous playing.<ref>{{cite news |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911212albanytimesunion.htm |title=Thinking Man's Rock Still Pushing, Hard-Rocking Rush Admits to Ambition, Not Pretension |first=Greg |last=Haymes |newspaper=[[Times Union (Albany)|Albany Times Union]] |date=December 12, 1991 |access-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164753/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911212albanytimesunion.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
Peart wrote that the group found each stage of the recording process particularly enjoyable and satisfying, which sparked a "new conviction, a sense of rebirth" within the group.<ref name=RTBTOUR>{{cite web |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/rollthebones.html#tourbook |title=Roll the Bones Tour 1991–1992 – Row the Boats |first=Neil |last=Peart |date=1991 |publisher=[[Anthem Records]] |access-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-date=November 12, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181112101235/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/rollthebones.html#tourbook |url-status=live}}</ref> Lee described the writing sessions for the album as "very positive" and "optimistic".<ref name=NMS91/>
==Artwork== The cover was designed by longtime Rush associate [[Hugh Syme]]. The liner notes contain the cryptic phrase "Now it's dark." Peart later revealed that the phrase occurs in the 1986 film ''[[Blue Velvet (film)|Blue Velvet]]''.<ref>{{cite web |url=http://2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19940100backstageclub.htm |title=Rush Backstage Club Newsletter: Rush – Counterparts |last=Peart |first=Neil |date=January 1994 |website=2112.net |access-date=September 29, 2017 |archive-date=April 18, 2012 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20120418082625/http://2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19940100backstageclub.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> The credits include a running joke that began on ''Power Windows'', when the group noticed several song titles began with the letter "M". For "various reasons", they continued the gag on ''Roll the Bones'', with "Brought to you by the letter B."<ref name=ROCKLINE/>
==Songs== ===Side one=== The opening verse of "Dreamline" has references to astronomy, which Peart was inspired by after bicycling a hundred miles from Cincinnati to Columbus between two gigs on the [[Presto tour]]. Upon arrival, he watched the [[popular science]] series ''[[Nova (American TV series)|Nova]]'' on [[Public Broadcasting Service|PBS]], and a program on satellite imaging captured his imagination.<ref name=ROCKLINE/>
"Bravado" deals with how one should not give up after failing, as opposed to ending life by suicide, which Peart had addressed in "The Pass" on ''Presto''.<ref name=ROCKLINE/> The song was particularly emotional for Lee, who rated it as one of the band's best ever songs, partly due to its different texture than the rest of the album.<ref name=WNEW91/> The band was optimistic about its musical form but faced the problem of overworking its arrangement because all the parts sounded good to them. In the end, they learned that stripping the song back resulted in a stronger track.<ref name=TMP91/>
"Roll the Bones" was named after a science fiction story by [[Fritz Leiber]] that Peart had read some 15 years prior, titled "[[Gonna Roll the Bones]]". Though the story had no influence on the music or its message, Peart took a liking to the particular phrase and had kept it in his notebook.<ref name=TBG91/> The phrase is also a [[Glossary_of_craps_terms#B|slang term for rolling dice]]. When the band was recording "Roll the Bones", Lee said they decided to "have some fun" with it and include a rap section.<ref name=NMS91>{{cite web |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19910819franklancaster.htm |title=Crossing the Dreamline |first=Frank |last=Lancaster |date=August 19, 1991 |work=National Midnight Star |access-date=November 11, 2018 |archive-date=January 26, 2020 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20200126232200/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19910819franklancaster.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> Peart recalled some skepticism from his bandmates at first and they tried different ways to present it, including a female voice, but "the transition was too harsh." They instead opted to use Lee's voice with low-frequency effects applied to it.<ref name=HS91>{{cite news |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911025hamiltonspectator.htm |title=Tonight at Copps, it's...RUSH HOUR |first=Nick |last=Krewen |newspaper=[[The Hamilton Spectator]] |date=October 25, 1991 |access-date=November 15, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116001145/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911025hamiltonspectator.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
"Where's My Thing?" was the band's first instrumental since "[[YYZ (instrumental)|YYZ]]" from ''[[Moving Pictures (Rush album)|Moving Pictures]]'' (1981).<ref name=GW1991/> It has the humorous subtitle of "Part IV, 'Gangster of Boats' Trilogy", referring to an inside joke where Lee and Lifeson threatened to name a Rush album ''Gangster of Boats'' if Peart ever had difficulty coming up with a title, as well as the joke that it's the fourth part of a trilogy.<ref name=ROCKLINE/> Peart wrote that the group had wanted to record an instrumental for a while at this point and that the group had "a lot of fun" recording it.<ref name=RTBTOUR/> They had wanted to include one on ''Presto'', but every time Lee and Lifeson had a piece of music, Peart provided a lyric that fit well with it. For this album, Peart let the two write an instrumental track and deliberately avoided providing them lyrics until they had put one together.<ref name=WNEW91/> Rather than making the track a showcase for the group's playing ability, Lee and Lifeson wanted to give it a verse and chorus section to make it sound like a "genuine song".<ref name=GW1991/>
===Side two=== "Heresy" is a more straightforward rock song with a rhythm that Lee described as a "heart beat pulse" that reflected some of Peart's lyrical ideas for it.<ref name=NMS91/> Peart was inspired by the events surrounding the [[revolutions of 1989|fall of Communism]] in eastern Europe in the early 1990s and people regaining their freedoms.<ref name=WNEW91/><ref name=TBG91>{{cite news |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911206bostonglobe.htm |title=Rush: Three Smart Rockers Loosen Up and Have Some Fun |first=Steve |last=Morse |newspaper=[[Boston Globe]] |date=December 6, 1991 |access-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-date=June 4, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20180604073515/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911206bostonglobe.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
"Ghost of a Chance" features Lifeson playing a [[PRS Guitars|PRS]] guitar, and he rated his solo on the track as one of his best.<ref name=GP91/> Lyrically the song is based on the compromises that one makes in a relationship to make it work. Peart was particularly proud of his words for it, as he had written a love song that avoided the clichés of more typical, sentimental love song lyrics.<ref name=OS92>{{cite news |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19920306orlandosentinel.htm |title=Rush Discovers It Has a Future in Music Trade |newspaper=[[Orlando Sentinel]] |date=March 6, 1992 |first=Jim |last=Abbot |access-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164717/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19920306orlandosentinel.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
Lee said that, despite the fun involved in writing "You Bet Your Life", it was the most difficult to record, partly due to getting a balance in the chorus between the vocals and the vocal melody. It was also hard to mix, and Lee "never felt confident that we actually nailed [it]."<ref name=TMP91>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911200musicpaper.htm |title=Three is Never a Crowd |first=Lisa |last=Fantino |magazine=The Music Paper |date=December 1991 |access-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-date=November 18, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181118164612/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911200musicpaper.htm |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Release and promotion== ''Roll the Bones'' was released on September 3, 1991.<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-roll-the-bones/ |title=HOW A RENEWED FOCUS ON GUITAR GAVE RUSH A NEW START ON 'ROLL THE BONES' |date=September 3, 2016 |publisher=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=June 25, 2019 |archive-date=December 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206202530/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-roll-the-bones/ |url-status=live}}</ref> It marked a return to commercial success for the band, reaching No. 3 in the US, their highest charting album since ''[[Moving Pictures (Rush album)|Moving Pictures]]'' (1981).<ref name=ME91>{{cite magazine |url=http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911100musicexpress.htm |title=Twist of Fate |first=Keith |last=Sharp |magazine=[[Music Express]] |volume=16 |issue=165 |date=November 1991 |access-date=November 15, 2018 |archive-date=November 16, 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181116001242/http://www.2112.net/powerwindows/transcripts/19911100musicexpress.htm |url-status=live}}</ref> It also reached No. 10 in the UK and No. 11 in Canada. "Dreamline" reached No. 1 on the US [[Mainstream Rock (chart)|''Billboard'' Album Rock Tracks]] chart.<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.billboard.com/charts/hot-mainstream-rock-tracks/1991-09-21/ |title=Mainstream Rock Airplay - Week of September 21, 1991 |magazine=[[Billboard (magazine)|Billboard]] |access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> In 1992, "Where's My Thing? (Part IV, "Gangster of Boats" Trilogy)" became Rush's second song to be nominated for a [[Grammy Award]] for [[Grammy Award for Best Rock Instrumental Performance|Best Rock Instrumental Performance]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.grammy.com/awards/34th-annual-grammy-awards |title=34th Annual GRAMMY Awards |website=[[Grammy Awards]] |access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref> The song lost to "[[Cliffs of Dover (song)|Cliffs of Dover]]" by [[Eric Johnson (guitarist, born 1954)|Eric Johnson]], who opened for Rush on the 1991 leg of the [[Roll the Bones Tour]].<ref>{{cite web |url=https://www.musicradar.com/news/guitars/eric-johnson-answers-your-questions-334958 |title=Eric Johnson answers your questions |last=Bosso |first=Joe |date=December 16, 2010 |website=[[Future plc|MusicRadar]] |access-date=December 19, 2023}}</ref>
Rush toured the album between October 1991 and July 1992, covering Canada, the United States, mainland Europe and the UK. As they had a productive and positive experience making the album, they were keen to go on the road and tour the album and toured longer than they had for ''Presto''.<ref name=MEAT92/>
==Reception== {{Music ratings |rev1 = [[AllMusic]] |rev1score = {{Rating|3|5}}<ref name=allmusic>{{AllMusic|class=album|id=r17152|first=Eduardo|last=Rivadavia|label=Roll the Bones – Rush|access-date=30 May 2012}}</ref> | rev2 = ''[[The Encyclopedia of Popular Music]]'' | rev2Score = {{Rating|2|5}}<ref>{{cite book|last=Larkin|first=Colin|author-link=Colin Larkin|title=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music|year=2007|publisher=[[Oxford University Press]]|edition=4th|isbn=978-0195313734|title-link=The Encyclopedia of Popular Music}}</ref> |rev3 = ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' |rev3score = B<ref name=EW>{{cite magazine |last=Eddy |first=Chuck |title=Roll the Bones Review |url=http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,315589,00.html |magazine=[[Entertainment Weekly]] |access-date=May 30, 2012 |date=September 20, 1991 |archive-date=December 17, 2014 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20141217160944/http://www.ew.com/ew/article/0,,315589,00.html |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev4 = ''[[Martin C. Strong|The Essential Rock Discography]]'' | rev4Score = 5/10<ref name="Strong">{{cite book |last1=Strong |first1=Martin Charles |title=The Essential Rock Discography |edition=8th |year=2006 |publisher=Open City Books |isbn=1-84195-860-3 |pages=938–939 |chapter=Rush }}</ref> | rev5 = ''[[MusicHound Rock]]'' | rev5Score = {{rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite book|editor1-last=Graff|editor1-first=Gary|editor2-last=Durchholz|editor2-first=Daniel|title=MusicHound Rock: The Essential Album Guide|publisher=Visible Ink Press|location=Farmington Hills, MI|year=1999|section=Rush|isbn=1-57859-061-2|page=965}}</ref> | rev6 = ''[[The Rolling Stone Album Guide]]'' | rev6Score = {{Rating|2.5|5}}<ref>{{cite magazine |url=https://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/rush/albumguide |title=Rush: Album Guide |magazine=[[Rolling Stone]] |access-date=February 17, 2025 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20130704223108/http://www.rollingstone.com/music/artists/rush/albumguide |archive-date=July 4, 2013 |url-status=dead}}</ref> | rev7 = ''[[Colin Larkin|The Virgin Encyclopedia of 80s Music]]'' | rev7Score = {{rating|2|5}}<ref>{{Cite book|author=[[Colin Larkin|Larkin, Colin]]|year=2003|title=The Virgin Encyclopedia of 80s Music|isbn=1852279699|publisher=[[Virgin Publishing]]|section=Rush|pages=414–415}}</ref> }}
Chuck Eddy of ''[[Entertainment Weekly]]'' felt the album treaded new ground, noting its "usual melodic nods toward [[MTV]] metal and 19th-century concert halls" now had "rhythmic nods toward [[Nintendo]] games and West Africa." Eddy also noted the rap in the title track, concluding, "For once, these guys seem to be acting silly on purpose."<ref name=EW/>
In retrospective reviews, Eduardo Rivadavia of [[AllMusic]] called ''Roll the Bones'' "quite possibly Rush's darkest album" lyrically, citing "Dreamline" as one of the band's best songs of the '90s. He added that, "though their negative subject matter can feel stifling at times, fine tracks like 'Bravado,' 'The Big Wheel,' and 'Heresy' feature wonderful melodies and arrangements."<ref name=allmusic/> ''[[Ultimate Classic Rock]]'' included ''Roll the Bones'' on their list of "Top 100 90's Rock Albums".<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/90s-rock-albums/ |title=Top 100 '90s Rock Albums |date=March 25, 2015 |access-date=October 7, 2019 |archive-date=October 7, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191007205227/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/90s-rock-albums/ |url-status=live}}</ref> They also ranked it the 9th (out of 19) best Rush album, with Dave Swanson writing, "even though synths still clang about and a few of the experiments go too far (um, yes, that's Geddy Lee rapping on the title track), the songwriting is stupendous."<ref>{{cite web |url=https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-roll-the-bones/ |title=How a Renewed Focus on Guitar Gave Rush a New Start on 'Roll the Bones' |last=Swanson |first=Dave |date=September 3, 2016 |website=Ultimate Classic Rock |access-date=June 25, 2019 |archive-date=December 6, 2019 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20191206202530/https://ultimateclassicrock.com/rush-roll-the-bones/ |url-status=live}}</ref>
==Track listing== {{track listing |all_lyrics = [[Neil Peart]] |all_music = [[Alex Lifeson]] and [[Geddy Lee]] |headline = ''Roll the Bones'' track listing |title1 = [[Dreamline]] |length1 = 4:37 |title2 = Bravado |length2 = 4:35 |title3 = [[Roll the Bones (song)|Roll the Bones]] |length3 = 5:30 |title4 = Face Up |length4 = 3:54 |title5 = [[List of Rush instrumentals#Where's My Thing?|Where's My Thing? (Part IV, "Gangster of Boats" Trilogy)]] |note5 = instrumental |length5 = 3:49 |title6 = The Big Wheel |length6 = 5:13 |title7 = [[Heresy (Rush song)|Heresy]] |length7 = 5:27 |title8 = [[Ghost of a Chance (Rush song)|Ghost of a Chance]] |length8 = 5:18 |title9 = Neurotica |length9 = 4:39 |title10 = You Bet Your Life |length10 = 5:01 }}
==Personnel== '''Rush''' *[[Alex Lifeson]] – electric and acoustic guitars, backing vocals *[[Neil Peart]] – drums, cymbals *[[Geddy Lee]] – bass guitar, vocals, synthesizers
'''Additional personnel''' *[[Rupert Hine]] – additional keyboards, background vocals
'''Technical''' *Rush – producers, arrangements *Rupert Hine – producer, arrangements *Stephen W. Tayler – engineer *Simon Pressey – assistant engineer at Le Studio *Paul Seeley – assistant engineer at McClear Place *Ben Darlow – mixing assistant *Everett Ravestein – pre-production assistant at Lerxst Sound *[[Bob Ludwig]] – mastering *[[Hugh Syme]] – art direction, design *[[Andrew MacNaughtan]] – portraits *[[John Scarpati]] – photography *Joe Berndt – digitals
==Charts== {{col-start}} {{col-2}}
===Weekly charts=== {| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" ! Chart (1991) ! Peak<br />position |- {{Album chart|Canada|11|chartid=1641|artist=Rush|album=Roll the Bones|access-date=November 20, 2018|rowheader=true}} |- {{Album chart|Netherlands|38|artist=Rush|album=Roll the Bones|access-date=November 20, 2018|rowheader=true}} |- !scope="row"|Finnish Albums ([[Suomen virallinen lista]])<ref>{{cite book |url=https://musiikkiarkisto.fi/oa/_tiedostot/julkaisut/sisaltaa-hitin.pdf#page=221|first=Timo |last=Pennanen |year=2021 |title=Sisältää hitin - 2. laitos Levyt ja esittäjät Suomen musiikkilistoilla 1.1.1960–30.6.2021 |section=Rush|page=221|publisher=Kustannusosakeyhtiö Otava |location=Helsinki|access-date=May 17, 2022}}</ref> |align="center"|6 |- {{Album chart|Germany|35|id=31854|artist=Rush|album=Roll the Bones|access-date=November 20, 2018|rowheader=true}} |- {{Album chart|Sweden|31|artist=Rush|album=Roll the Bones|access-date=November 20, 2018|rowheader=true}} |- {{Album chart|UK|10|artist=Rush|album=Roll the Bones|refname=UK albums|access-date=November 20, 2018|rowheader=true}} |- {{Album chart|Billboard200|3|artist=Rush|refname=Billboard 200|access-date=November 20, 2018|rowheader=true}} |}
{| class="wikitable sortable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" ! Chart (2025) ! Peak<br />position |- ! scope="row"| Hungarian Physical Albums ([[Association of Hungarian Record Companies|MAHASZ]])<ref>{{cite web |title=Album Top 40 slágerlista (fizikai hanghordozók) – 2025. 10. hét |url=https://slagerlistak.hu/album-top-40-slagerlista-fizikai-hanghordozok/2025/10 |publisher=[[Association of Hungarian Record Companies|MAHASZ]] |access-date=13 March 2025}}</ref> | 27 |} {{col-2}}
===Year-end charts=== {| class="wikitable plainrowheaders" style="text-align:center" ! scope="col"| Chart (1991) ! scope="col"| Position |- !scope="row"|Canadian Albums (''[[RPM (magazine)|RPM]]'')<ref>{{cite web |url=http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.1702&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |title=RPM 100 Albums (CDs & Cassettes) of 1991 |publisher=RPM |date=December 21, 1991 |access-date=May 3, 2022 |url-status=dead |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140408213817/http://www.collectionscanada.gc.ca/rpm/028020-119.01-e.php?brws_s=1&file_num=nlc008388.1702&type=1&interval=24&PHPSESSID=mhe12pta2k83e08udtq66ot062 |archive-date=April 8, 2014 }}</ref> |55 |} {{col-end}}
==Certifications== {{Certification Table Top}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=Canada|title=Roll the Bones|artist=Rush|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1991}} {{Certification Table Entry|region=United States|title=Roll the Bones|artist=Rush|type=album|award=Platinum|relyear=1991|refname=RIAA certification}} {{Certification Table Bottom | nosales=true}}
==References== {{Reflist}}
==External links== * {{Discogs master|type=album|7695|name=Roll the Bones}}
{{Rush}} {{Authority control}}
[[Category:1991 albums]] [[Category:Rush (band) albums]] [[Category:Anthem Records albums]] [[Category:Atlantic Records albums]] [[Category:Albums produced by Rupert Hine]] [[Category:Albums recorded at Le Studio]] [[Category:Juno Award for Rock Album of the Year albums]]