MOVING PICTURES

This album has a good and sad mood to it. It is good in that this is the best music that Rush has ever created. It's sad in that after this album, Rush's quality of music would begin to fade into mediocrity. Before Rush (and The Who), I never really looked to listen to the drums. In this album, I needed not even try to listen to the drums, they were at the forefront of the music. I remember watching one of their concerts and being very impressed with the fact that they only use the three of them to perform their songs. When Lee isn't playing bass, he's usually on the synthesizer. I recall in one case, he had to play the bass and the synthesizer, so he sat on the keyboard to get both at once. Not many bands can, or are willing to do that. Rush is simply filled with talent and passion, one of the reasons I love them so.

Tom Sawyer is a radio song, It's nice in that everyone in their right mind knows this song when it comes on at a party or something. Seeing this song live was hilarious. When the synth riff came, I looked down the aisle, and there were 200 people playing the air keyboards. Special moment there. Again, there are excellent lyrics in Tom Sawyer. Pseudo political, and 100% kick ass. YYZ is Rush's second best instrumental (behind La Villa). In true Rush fashion, this song is complex in every area. Limelight has good drums, and for the first time in Rush history, I remember thinking "Wow, Lee's voice is actually soothing on this track." No shrieking, on falsetto, when he takes it down a notch, Lee actually has a pleasant voice. The Camera Eye took me a little while to appreciate. I'd actually go so far to call it one of their weaker mini epics (compared to Xanadu, Jacob's Ladder, Natural Science, La Villa... ect.). It is still good, definitely not a skipper. The two tracks some label as weaker, I do not see it this way. I truly enjoy the final parts.

This album almost unfairly started out the 80s so well that nobody could hope to top it (which Marillion eventually did, twice). Easily a top 25 album. 5 stars, Rush's final progressive masterpiece.