Dazed #7: "Utopia" by Heart of Cygnus - some thoughts on the difference of paying tribute and mimicing others

Fandom to tribute to mimicry to plagiarism - where do we draw the lines?

I could not help but ask myself that question when listening to Utopia, the 2007 debut album by Heart of Cygnus. I have backtracked the band's catalogue, starting from 2012's The Voyage of Jonas, and I've noted that even though they still have recognizable Rush influences, the outright copying of certain Rush signatures is giving way to their own voice and sound. Which is very good for H.o.C., because their first offering practically mimics the early Rush sound and themes (ca. 1975-78) and, let's be honest, even the 2112 story, to such detail that I can only image what G., A. and N. would think if they heard this...

Now, there are no instances of outright copying on Utopia, except for the storyline and concept so obviously mirrored from 2112. Instead, the band seems to have decided to summon up and integrate the essence of vintage Rush into themselves, producing music that comes from an alternate universe where Rush decided to stick with the style they had in 1978 instead of moving on to explore other musical areas.

The result is almost spooky. The album begins with a Broon's Bane avatar and proceeds to guitar sounds and riffing straight from Caress... and 2112; likewise the drumming. The bass is less busy than Geddy's but the synths were probably stolen from his basement. The songs themselves overflow with familiar-sounding hooks and turns and we end up with a "ghost of a Rush", so to say. I have to admit I did enjoy the experience: these guys are obviously HUGE Rush fans and what they have done here has been commited in the spirit of fandom, I have no doubt about it.

But it can't be shrugged off that they have put on another band's clothes and gone for a walk in the city streets, probably hoping to be noticed. And that's where the questions begin. Why could they not just drop hints and references and give nods to their heroes in the songs, instead of creating this parallel reality? Couldn't they satisfy their addiction by playing Rush tribute gigs and then concentrated on honing their own material? And can adopting an entire style be called plagiarism even if no one particular song has been ripped off? I have no answers, neither will I ponder on this for hours - there are lawyers paid to do that. But I'm just wondering...

Also, it must be noted that on Utopia there are a couple of fantastic brianmay doppelgängers and amazingly pinkfloyd acoustic moments, so it's not just Rush whose DNA they can extract ;)

But finally: I do sympathize with these guys. They are fans themselves, they are skilled and respectable musicians, I have enjoyed their albums and wish them all the best... and hope they continue on their good journey to evolve into their very own selves before some lawyer comes knocking on their door.