SIGNALS

Personally, I think the first few Rush albums, until Hemispheres, are quite weak, although with plenty of promise. Although Moving Pictures is almost universally revered, opinion on the direction they took after that album seems to be divided. Cards on the table, I like Power Windows and Hold Your Fire the best as these represent, the pinnacle of their songwriting and production. Synths? So what?

1. Subdivisions - Boom boom boom, boom boom boom. One of the great album openers and one of Rush's best songs. 10/10

2. The Analog Kid - A more straighforward rocker, but with a fantatsic dreamy chorus. 7/10

3. Chemistry - Almost a reggae feel to this, but only a hint. 7/10

4. Digital Man - This is where Rush try and emulate The Police. I don't like The Police, I don't like this. 1/10

5. The Weapon - Starts with a very straight forward, almost disco beat (gasp!) but that feel soon departs to reveal a great song. 9/10

6. New World Man - This was written at the last moment to fill iut the album, I understand. Shold have been left off. Weak and commercial. 1/10

7. Losing It - This features beautiful and emotive electric violin over a plaintive lyric. It goes downhill a bit when the guitar solo kicks is, getting higher and higher in pitch - really irritating. 7/10

8. Countdown - Has kind of a Jacob's Ladder feel over a space shuttle launch. Cliched but I like it. 7/10

So overall, not without fault & bit patchy, but enough great and good material to make this a worthwhile purchase for most prog and all Rush fans.