SIGNALS

With titles like The Analog Kid, Chemistry, Digital Man, New World Man and Countdown, the gentlemen of Rush created a technological world on the album "Signals" in 1982. Here, the keyboards reign. Geddy Lee plays warm, all- encompassing sounds, mostly chords and occasional solo lines. This is influenced by the wave of synth-pop bands that were flooding the music world at the time, although Rush, of course, has much more depth than any band from that movement. As a result of this shift, the powerful guitar sound had to step aside. The vertical layering heard on earlier albums is replaced here with a dreamy horizontal approach. However, Alex Lifeson's effects-laden guitar playing remains just as captivating. Just listen to his tasty solo in Chemistry. It shows the band's progressive daring to have changed course and not stuck with the successful sound of the 1970s. It makes "Signals" a trivial album with material that is also accessible. However, Rush's material, laden with so much atmosphere, bursting out of the speakers and fueling the imagination, can do little wrong in my eyes.

At the core of "Signals" is the perspective of a somewhat dreamy boy observing the world against the backdrop of the suburb he lives in. And because he is nearly an adult, this is the last time the protagonist is depicted as a boy in the lyrics. While one door closes, another one opens wide.

Due to the aforementioned depth and warmth, I find this album to be quite timeless. Despite the fact that all eight tracks clock in around five minutes and possess a verse-chorus structure, they in no way offer the simple pop fluff that characterizes the 1980s. Once again, the professor of drums and his two colleagues outshine the world by infusing seemingly straightforward music with sophistication, inventiveness and refinement on all fronts. The opening tracks Subdivisions and The Analog Kid speak volumes in this regard. Rarely have I been captivated within just ten minutes. The drums in Subdivisions, with their accents, breaks, rolls and counter-rhythms, contribute to the compositional ingenuity and give the song its distinct cadence, as do the flowing keyboard solos that can be debated whether they are solos or themes. My attention is consistently drawn to that amazing bass line between the verse and chorus. The Analog Kid is blessed with two completely different tempos, a brisk 2/4 with synchronous bass and guitar riffs and a calm 4/4 that gives the song its poignancy. Geddy Lee sings, You move me, you move me. And he surely does!

Like its predecessor, "Moving Pictures", "Signals" also incorporates influences from other genres, such as reggae from The Police. This is evident in Digital Man and the up-tempo New World Man, although it should be noted that this integration only goes so far. One song that seems to veer too much towards pop territory is The Weapon. The pulsating bass and synth in the intro clearly bring to mind Visage's Fade To Grey, the side project of several Ultravox members, but soon the typical Rush characteristics make their entrance and what follows is a rather dark track. The instrumental section, culminating in a repetition of the pulsating intro, can be considered highly successful, especially thanks to Neil Peart's impeccably tight rolls.

Losing It can easily be regarded as the album's highlight, that is? if you enjoy ballads. Personally, I find it phenomenal. It is filled with odd time signatures and features a searing electric violin solo that sends chills down your spine. This song is utterly unique and incomparable within Rush's catalog and it has never been surpassed by the band. Sound effects permeate the impressive Countdown, in which a rocket is launched into space. The voices of NASA surrounding the launch give the song a euphoric atmosphere, ending "Signals" on a positive note. Meanwhile, the band continues to play with angular guitar, driven bass, drums and triumphant keyboard riffs.

"Signals" is the work of a band that still possesses the spirit. In my opinion, "Grace Under Pressure" and "Power Windows" are good follow-ups, but they lack the warmth. I miss the glow that makes "Signals" ? or at least some of its songs ? truly magnificent in my eyes. The addition of in my eyes is not without reason because if there is one album that divides opinions, it's "Signals".

Orginally posted on www.progenrock.com