2112

A prog classic, I won't beat this review to death, but I had to get around to it! After all, how could I not? This is 2112 by Rush. I was actually surprised when I heard this album, at the time the only "true" prog rock band I really knew was King Crimson, and I suppose Pink Floyd as well. So the heaviness, and overall hard rock feel on "2112" threw me a curveball. Well, I loved it!

This is a pretty good album. Prog rock, (as opposed to metal, tech metal, etc) is not my forte but I really thought of this as more of a hard rock album, but with definite prog rock tendencies. The opening song seems like a 20 minute epic but it feels more like a bunch of songs grouped into one. I'm used to gaps in music but too many maybe? I don't know, doesn't flow well. Maybe a book with chapters? However, bunch of songs or prog epic aside, it is a great song and the intro had me thinking I was about to listen to space rock!

Tears is the only song on the album I don't really like. No doubt it is mellow and melodic, but it does not hold me very well. Not a terrible song, but I really don't want to go out of my way at all to listen to it. The rest are all good, and it does not drag often. Lots of good hard rock riffs, with some space rock, melodicism, and prog rock feel thrown in. The musicianship on this album is really superb. Lifeson lays down a lot of great riffs, solos (and varies their style throughout) and holds the album together well. Peart's drumming is really good, and Lee's bass playing is as well. His vocals took some time to get used to. Talk about prog being influenced by the hard rock/psychadellic bands of the 60's! Besides the music, listening to Lee's vocals you'd think it was Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin!

Good album, don't know if it's for all proggers. I am really torn between three and four here. When this happens I take my gut instinct and here I want to bump it up to four. However, my true rating for this album is

Three and a Half stars