COUNTERPARTS

RUSH is a band that has been around now for over 30 years, and has gone though many musical phases. I consider the bands 1990 releases as their "Contemporary period". Albums included are Presto (1989), Roll the Bones (1991), Counterparts (1993), Test for Echo (1996), and Different Stages "Live" (1998).

Counterparts is my favorite modern Rush album. It tends to be over-shadowed by other fan favorites such as Roll the Bones and Signals, but is definitely one of the best post-Moving Picture albums. Counterparts is not very "progressive" by any stretch of the imagination, so why do I like it so much? It really rocks pretty hard in places, with the band ditching the keyboards and getting back to a more basic guitar/bass/drum style of music. Basically, it reminded me of the old days.

There are definitely two (maybe three) camps of Rush fans. You've got the ones who grew up on 2112 and knew A Farewell to Kings when it was NEW, like me. Then there are the rock radio fans that were brought in by Moving Pictures and don't really know much about the early, much more progressive Rush. And then you have kids that are only familiar with "contemporary Rush" from the 90's and beyond.

I saw the Counterparts tour with Candlebox opening the show. It was great. I was a little disappointed with the crowd that night, because none of them seem to know the Counterparts material? I had the cd for weeks before the show. Anyway, I also had a laugh when the guy from work that I went with was bored during Xanadu because he had never heard the song! (NOT a true Rush Fan)

If your favorite Rush albums tend to come from the Mid-Era Progressive Phase of the late 70's to early 80's, you will probably like this. It sits well with people whose favorite Rush albums are Farewell to Kings, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves or Moving Pictures, instead of the synth-driven albums of the late 80's.

Best Tracks: Leave that Thing Alone (instrumental) and Cold Fire