POWER WINDOWS

Hmm, Ann Dudley guest stars on a RUSH album...Trevor Horn has already infiltrated YES...the next step would be J.J. Jeczalik joining PINK FLOYD, and the ART OF NOISE crew will have successfully brought down the prog genre! Just kidding, of course, but by 1985 the great prog bands have seen the writing on the wall; digital synthesizers, trendy haircuts and streamlined pop-music structures are the style of the day. RUSH seems to fare much better than the others, having gradually incorporated such elements into their sound for half a decade already. Of course, they are almost a second-generation prog band, having started later and following a different path than the original prog masters, so it's no wonder that "Power Windows" is a lot more likeable than "Big Generator" or (shudder) "Invisible Touch". Nevertheless, it would be the last new RUSH album that I am excited about, except for a slight interest in "Vapor Trails" almost two decades later. The production is too slick and the songs too similar in feel, apart from the designed-for- release "Big Money". The homogenous and yet unique sound of "Signals" and "Grace Under Pressure" has been smoothed out even more, and the result is that the good songs on this album (the majority of tracks) could all be mistaken for each other. RUSH still rocks, and will probably continue to rock until they die, but "Power Windows" is conclusive evidence that they are now focused on making good solid songs rather than exploring any new musical territory.