HEMISPHERES

Rush were one of the few bands who could write a prog-rock epic and get away with it in 1978 amidst the the onslaught of th evil forces of punk rock and disco, forging ahead as if neither even ever occurred. Applying their unique formula of superior musical prowess in combination with well read, thoughtful lyrics, Hemispheres is arguably the Canadian power trio's finest hour of their illustrious career. Thematically they began to veer away from Hawkwind-like sci-fi dabblings towards more mythical/philosophical regions. Lyricist/drummer Neil Peart also began to become more spiritual in his writing, displaying more human attributes which forshadowed future Rush projects. Not only did his compelling lyrics contain more depth, the band's musical lskills were also steadily coming to a focal point, becoming more diverse and refined than previous forays into the realms of prog-rock. This was achieved in part by the band's masterful employment of advances in recording and musical gear technology which was advancing at an exponential rate towards the end of the '70s which would usher in the digital age.

Right from the opening chords of the grandiose prelude to the main suite Cygnus X-1 Book II ( a continuation of sorts from Cygnus X-1 from the previous A Farewell To Kings album ) the listener becomes acutely aware that something collossal is about to transpire. Based loosely on Frederick Nietzsche's Book Of Tragedy, Cygnus X-1 Book II explores the complexities and differences between the right and left hemispheres of the human brain which is exemplified by the alluring cover art. Lricist Peart uses the abstract metaphor of two greek Gods, Dyonisus and Appollo, symbolizing the right and left brain hemispheres respectively, dueling for the fate of man. Various musical devices, such as insane chord and time signature changes, arpeggiated guitar runs and modal shifts suggest various moods and atmospheres which occur as the battle rages. A moderator appears in the form of Cygnus who materializes as the not-so-subliminal Cygnus X-1 main theme from A Farewell To Kings is re-visited . The mystical Cygnus rationalizes the two opposing factions and balance is achieved with the world being divided equally into two equal philosophical modus operandis and a new chapter in creation is written. Or something like that. I sometimes think that this would have made a great Star Trek episode with Captain Kirk taking the place of Cygnus. Live performances of this piece back in the seventies were simply mesmerizing.

The second side of the LP offers some respite from the intensity of side one ( although some effect of this is lost in the CD format ) and is introduced by a harder rocking reflective, soul searching autobiographical piece penned by Neil Peart. Circumstances contrasts somewhat with the rest of the work and is more representative of earlier Rush compositions heard on earlier albums such as Caress Of Steel or Fly By Night and this is perhaps why it is appropriately inserted in the middle of the album. Geddy Lee's vocals become somewhat annoying at times which shouldn't bother hard core fans of the band. Barely played in concert for a number of years , for some reason it resurfaced on the first set of the recent Snakes And Arrows tour so it must hold some special signifigance for the band. It also appears as a B side on the 1980 Spirit Of Radio single.

The album concludes with two of the band's undisputed favourites which also offer contrast. The Trees, which lyricist Peart claims is nothing more than a poetic vignette of a bunch of trees fighting like children in a comic strip he once saw, it has been most commonly metaphorically interpreted by fans as a microcosm of oppression and inequality among human beings. A very dynamic piece it features a classically inspired nylon string guitar intro with a sublime middle section building into a sharp crescendo for the grand finale. The closing blowout, La Villa Strangiato, a firebreathing 12 part instrumental monster, incorporates some of it's musical ideas from jazz composer and electronic music pioneer Raymond Scott's standard " Powerhouse " used in Warner Bros. cartoons in the 40s and 50s and was the subject of a lawsuit which went in favour of the band. The title itself takes it's name from a real castle in Italy which was once the home of an Italian aristocrat. Certainly one of the most bizarre rock instrumentals since Focus' off the wall Hocus Pocus from 1971.

A Prog-rock magus opus that appeared in the most dangerous of times when most "dinosaur" bands had gone along with the trends of the day or just faded into oblivion, Hemispheres made it into the North American top 100 charts peaking at #47. It also marked a pivotal point in ther career as Rush's music became more streamined and their lyrics increasingly more concerned with human issues. Although it suffers from minor flaws such as Geddy Lee's vocal hysterics these can be overlooked when it's moments of sheer brilliance are considered. Even at the short running time of 38 minutes much is to be gleaned from subsequent listens from this 1978 jewel from Rush. So put the cat out and play this baby LOUD!