RUSH

Grace Under Pressure is one of the better albums from Rush's synthesiser-oriented period, which was a stylistic departure which wasn't to everyone's tastes. To date, the main official live release from this era was A Show of Hands, which naturally focused on songs new to the era rather with only Closer To the Heart pre-dating it - as a result, it didn't really reflect their actual setlists of the time.

This live document of the Grace Under Pressure tour redresses the balance by offering something a bit closer to actual concert setlists of the time (though it's a bit truncated at just over an hour long, rather than presenting a full-length show). With more guitar-heavy songs in the mix, this results in a more varied sound than the studio album, though there's still a strong focus on recent-ish songs - the only pre-Permanent Waves tune played in full is Closer To the Heart, and there's a few more fragments present as components of the two medleys which bracket Vital Signs towards the end, and that's it.

Still, the sound here is rockier than that presented on A Show of Hands - the material on that was recorded in 1986-1988, when Rush had gone even deeper into synth territory and had heavily layered their studio compositions to the point where to reproduce them onstage they had to resort to a certain amount of preprogrammed synth parts, curtailing the scope to deviate from the studio renditions of songs and lending a somewhat cold and overly-polished air to proceedings. In contrast, it's apparent here that in 1984 the band were still a bit looser and more organic onstage, which is generally helpful, and so it's quite handy for giving a broader picture of what Rush were doing live in this period.

It's not perfect; the overall sound a bit muffled to me, and the audience is overly present in the mix. At the same time, that very lack of perfection makes this the ideal counterpoint to the overly precise Show of Hands.

The 40th Anniversary remaster of Permanent Waves proper is alright but not particularly essential if you already have a fairly recent remaster of it; the really exciting part of this package is the live material, as is the case with many of these bumper 40th Anniversary rereleases of the Rush canon. In this case, rather than provide a particular live show, we get a sort of Frankenstein affair - the cream of the crop from several different performances cherrypicked to simulate a setlist of the era with the band on their best form. There's even a runthrough of the complete Cygnus X-1 saga, albeit with some abridgements to make it weigh in at a touch under 23 minutes as opposed to over 28 minutes.

A Farewell To Kings is already an excellent album which almost all Rush fans will already be highly familiar with, but even Rush listeners of long standing may find something exciting here in the form of a complete live set from the Hammersmith Odeon in 1978. This is the same show which a 1CD abridged version of was put out on Different Stages, but that version is missing the performances of Lakeside Park, Closer To the Heart, and most particularly 2112 that this offers.

There's also a Neal Peart drum solo in between In the Mood and Cinderella Man; usually, I'm not much one for drum solos, but we all know that Neal was far from your usual drummer and his prowess there actually holds my interest to an extent few of his peers manage. In all, the restored material accounts for some 34 minutes of the live set (2112 accounting for a bit over half of that), with the result that this is much more complete than the Different Stages version, and considering the material that was cut I think this is preferable. A few other bonuses are provided, but it's really that live show that adds extra interest here.

Once again I feel a bit sad that I didn't documented my feelings about an album when I was younger because it would be so interesting to see how things change. Excluding Subdivisions which belongs to the top-5 Rush songs of mine and one of my ever-beloved in general, I don't remember I was too excited about this record. I scratched my head in disbelief when I was reading views that for many fans Signals was considered as the last essential Rush album. But it was an album that marked (signaled?) trouble in the fold of Rush. From the get-go it was Terry Brown that didn't like Digital Man whereas they did and it was the first time that they didn't come around to his point of view. Moreover, the band decided to go for a different and more up-to-date and relevant direction where the guitar role would be somewhat diminished and the keyboards would take a more leading role, but as it turned out it was a direction that they weren't quite happy. Still, the album is quite strong for my taste. Aside from the pick of the bunch (Subdivisions, of course) truly remarkable are The Analog Kid, the melodious Chemistry (and I think it is the only song where all three band members contributed to the lyrics), The Weapon (the second part of the Fear which deals with the ways people are kept down and submitted) and New World Man. There is an interesting story about this one, it was called Project 3:57 because they were one song short, but it shouldn't exceed this duration or else there would be mastering problems (perhaps this is why the song just fades out). It was written in one day, unlike all other songs - Subdivisions was eight months old when they entered the studio. The nearly same-titled Digital Man doesn't appeal to me that much. Losing It is quite different. For starters, the leading role is given to someone else outside the group and this guy is Ben Mink, the violinist from the band FM. FM is a Toronto-based band that replaced the long-time support act Max Webster when they disbanded because they couldn't handle their growing success. As a result, perhaps, the role of Alex Lifeson is more diminished than ever. Countdown conveys in music the first launch of the Space Shuttle Columbia and the names of John Young and Robert Crippen that feature on the thanks notes were the astronauts whose voices are heard in the song while communicating with ground control.

From time to time I've read objections about the production, but it isn't a nuisance to my ears. The band later would express doubt about the album, they almost broke up since everyone seemed to be more interested in following solo careers (most of the material was destined for G. Lee solo project), things got worst, but they were Rush and they made through it.

So, I am a level 4 for this one for sure. It is the first Rush album I heard in its entirety. I could probably play the entire album in my head if I chose to. I remember well when Tom Sawyer hit the airwaves. My buddy Eric and I ate it up! (We were around 12 years old.) I believe Eric bought the album before I did, but I got it too (cassette at the time). I was familiar with Spirit of Radio prior to this and loved it, but this made me a true Rush FAN. When the follow up live album Exit?Stage Left came out it turned me onto earlier Rush songs, and I went from there. At this point in my life, I'd say it's my 3rd favorite Rush album just after AFTK and Hemispheres, and followed closely by Permanent Waves?that said, these are very slight preferences, but they are close to each other. (All 4 have made the countdown, but not close to each other.) This is the highest ranked Rush album on the countdown (2112 is also there.) Let's take a deep dive into this fantastic album.

Track 1 - Tom Sawyer

Ahhh yes! That opening synth note, and signature drumbeat is instantly recognizable. This is probably one of the best-known prog songs ever recorded, even to those who have no clue even what prog is. Geddy enters with the opening vocal line then the guitar & bass kick in and we're off & running. The rhythm changes at 47 seconds in for the "chorus" (or as close to one as we get). At around 1:30 we get the synth riff in 7 followed by Alex's guitar solo. Geddy & Neil are absolutely cookin' underneath it all, what a rhythm section they were! Then at around 2:30 are some of the most mind blowing, and famous drum fills ever recorded! Thereafter the vocals return for a partial verse, and another "chorus". There is a simpler drum fill at 3:17 that I always have to tap out when listening to the song. The final vocal section leads to a coda in odd meters. The synth is featured here. What a fantastic track!

Track 2 - Red Barchetta

The song fades in with guitar harmonics from Alex. Neil comes in with hi-hat and Geddy joins on bass. The lyrics tell a dystopian tale of a future when cars are outlawed. However, the narrator's elderly uncle has preserved the "Red Barchetta" car and the narrator enjoys a drive. This song has a nice upbeat rhythm to it. At around 2:30, there is an exciting, accented part. At 3:00 we kick back into a steady groove. Alex takes a guitar over shifting meters at around 3:29. An epic Neil drum fill takes us back to the next verse. Then another verse kicks in around 4:30. At around 5:13, we mellow out and return to the harmonics from the intro.

Track 3 - YYZ

My favorite Rush instrumental. This rhythm is NEVER far from my mind. It is the morse code for the Toronto airport code "YYZ" (no clue why the Toronto airport has that code). At around 35 seconds in, the band plays in unison a very complex tune that transitions into the next main section. This is a tight rock riff that leads to the guitar solo. Once again Geddy & Neil are amazing under the solo. The next part had Geddy & Neil trading fills between a chordal section. Then Alex takes another solo with a middle eastern flair. At 2:51, the rhythm switches to half time and the synth takes over. We then return to the tight rock riff. Of course there are great Peart drum fills throughout. The piece ends on a tight unison lick. Absolutely brilliant.

Track 4 - Limelight

We begin with Alex playing a chord-based riff over which Geddy & Neil join in, leading to the opening verse. The song is about Neil's issues with being recognized by fans and reconciling that with his private side. The chorus begins about 1 minute into the song with a half time feel before returning to the original tempo. This pattern returns throughout the song. I like the lyrical reference to their first live album, "All the World's a Stage." in the second verse. Another chorus follows and then Alex begins his guitar solo. He has often said that this is his favorite solo that he played. It begins in half time and gradually goes to the original tempo. Another chorus follows and leads to the outro. Epic drum fills close out the brilliant song.

Track 5 - The Camera Eye.

At nearly 11 minutes, this is, unless I am mistaken, the last 10 minute + song the band would ever record. I believe that this is an underappreciated gem in the catalog. We slowly fade in with city sounds and cascading synth notes. I love the big, fat analog synth sounds on this album. I believe many are on an Oberheim synth, but I'll let those more knowledgeable about keyboards correct me on that. The rhythm section and Ales gradually build us to a moderate tempo. Then at around 2:21 the synth plays an eighth note rhythm, complemented by accents from the band. By around 2:40, they begin a new riff together. Alex jumps up an octave at 3:20, and the first vocals enter at 3:40 or so (the intro is longer than most pop songs in their entirety.) The big riff returns after the verse. At 4:40 they go to half time and the vocals become more gentle. We gradually build to a crescendo at just before 6 minutes in "The focus is sharp in the cit-yyyyy" Then they return to the riff from the intro build up. The eighth note synth returns at around 6:45, followed by the big riff. Another verse begins at around 7:25. Geddy plays some great bass fills throughout. The big riff returns following that, and then another gentle part. Alex takes a guitar solo around 9:15. The song ends with "The focus is sharp in the cit-yyy" again then synth sounds fade out.

Track 6 - Witch Hunt (Part III of Fear)

This one fades in with "creepy sounds." As every good Rush fan knows, "Fear" is a song cycle done in reverse order over this and the following 2 studio albums in reverse sequence?until they threw a part 4 at us 2 decades later on Vapor Trails. An eerie guitar and glockenspiel melody fades in along with the sound of an angry mob. At just after 1 minute in, Alex plays what will become the main riff of the song. Geddy follows with the first vocals, interspersed with rhythm section fills. Then we get (more) cowbell, from Neil as the verse begins to build. A big crescendo hits at about 2:20 with one of my all-time favorite drum fills. The band locks into a slow, menacing groove. I love the lone synth chord at 3:20. Another major drum fill happens at 3:50, with yet another just before the song concludes.

Track 7 - Vital Signs

A very cool synth part fades in with a reggae riff on the guitar. The rhythm section hits some accents to lead us to the first verse. They are so tight at around 1 minute. Then the chorus follows with a reggae groove. Geddy's bass line at 1:40 is brilliant. They change to a more rock feel around 2:20, before going back to reggae. A smooth synth enters at 3:07 with an amazing melody on the bass and the song begins its closing section, which first builds, the fades out with many epic drum fills on board.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Another perfect album from the trio. And it's only about my 3rd favorite Rush album as I explained in the opening paragraph. There is not one second of this album that I would change. This is an easy 5 out of 5 stars for me

Going into 2112, I would rate myself a level 4. I have had the album, in one form or another since the mid-to-late 80s. I was in a band in around 1987 or so that played Overture & Temples of Syrinx. While have always liked the album, I have never considered it my favorite. I do understand the importance of the album as their big breakthrough album. However, in terms of playing and style it really isn't too different from its predecessor Caress of Steel, except that 2112 is a bit more immediately accessible for many listeners. I always thought of the 2112 suite on side one of the album as really being 7 short songs that tell a story, much like the various songs on the Who's Tommy, instead of one cohesive epic, a la Close to the Edge. Let's take a deep dive and see how I rank it in the end.

Track 1 - 2112

A suite in 7 sections as follows:

I. "Overture" ? 4:31

II. "The Temples of Syrinx" ? 2:16

III. "Discovery" ? 3:25

IV. "Presentation" ? 3:41

V. "Oracle: The Dream" ? 2:00

VI. "Soliloquy" ? 2:19

VII. "Grand Finale" ? 2:16"

Overture: We begin with spacy synth sounds played by album cover artist and longtime band associate Hugh Syme. These last for about 45 seconds before the band comes in with accents that have some of the synth sounds in between initially. The second round of the accents utilize delays and echoes. Then at 1:17 they play some fanfare type tunes. This leads up to a galloping rhythm section that kind of sounds like the cavalry coming to the rescue. (I wonder if Iron Maiden's Steve Harris was inspired by this part?) At 1:45 we can hear Geddy singing ahhs in the background. Just before 2 minutes, Alex begins a chord section with accents from Geddy & Neil and overdubbed rhythm guitar by himself. By 2:45 he is playing a low string melody, again with accents. At around 3:00 we get a half time feel for Alex to solo over. At 3:35, there is a section tailor-made for audience participation. At around 4:05 Alex plays the theme from the 1812 Overture and then the movement comes to a close with 5 big power chords then Alex backs Geddy singing: "...and the meek shall inherit the earth."

The Temples of Syrinx: This fast rocker introduces us to the antagonists of the story: "The Priests of the Temples of Syrinx." They are the overlords of this dystopia, whose "great computers, fill these hallowed halls." Neil's drum fill at 4:40 is legendary. Geddy's bass is really groovin' behind his high shrieky vocals in the chorus. Yeah, Geddy was still in his shriek like a banshee phase, but no one does it better. After 2 verses and choruses the movement comes to a close with a brief classical guitar bit from Alex.

Discovery: Now we meet our nameless hero who discovers a long-lost guitar and figures out how to tune and play it in under 3 and a half minutes! Talk about a natural talent! (I know, "suspension of disbelief" and all that?) It begins with the sound of flowing water (perhaps a gentle waterfall) and our hero tuning the guitar using harmonics then strumming some chords. Geddy begins singing gently around 8:35 ("What can this strange device be? When I touch it, it gives forth a sound?"). The tempo begins increasing around 8:55, with our hero's skills rapidly increasing.

Presentation: I'll say that this section begins around 9:45. Our hero brings the guitar before the Priests to show them what an amazing thing he has found, only to be shot down at his suggestion that he share this magical device with the common people. Heavy guitar kicks in around 10:15 with another epic Peart drum fill. The clean guitar sections accompany the Hero, while the Priests have the heavy guitars and high vocals. ("Forget about your silly whim, it doesn't fit the plan!") On the second round of being rebuked by the Priests there is another amazing drum fill from the master at around 12:30. The Temples of Syrinx theme returns at the end of this section with a faster tempo for a wild Lifeson wah-wah so, lo.

Oracle: The Dream: This part begins at just under 14 minutes. Dreamy effects are added to clean guitar arpeggios. Our hero falls asleep after escaping the wrath of the Priests. He goes into a dream state, then after an ascending sound, The tempo increases with heavier guitars and Geddy sings "I stand atop a spiral stair, an Oracle confronts me there?) I enjoy the chords and rhythm here. The oracle explains how the "elder race" fled the planet long ago, taking all creativity with them.

Soliloquy: The realization spins him into a deep depression, and he takes his own life. As big of a downer as that is, Alex plays a wonderful solo in this part.

Grand Finale: If he could only have held onto hope. This great instrumental section represents the Elder Race defeating the Solar Federation (The Priests) and announcing, "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation?We have assumed control."

Track 2 - A Passage to Bangkok

Onto side 2 of the original LP. This song is famously a travelogue about visiting the great pot producing areas of the world. It begins with a guitar riff from Alex and includes the stereotypical, slightly cringy, "Oriental riff". The vocals begin following that with the rhythm section just behind. This is a good, tight, hard rockin' tune. The instrumental section begins around 1:50 and has interesting rhythms and a fine Lifeson solo, which concludes with a restating of the "Oriental riff." Then we have a couple of rounds of the chorus. A good Rush song but I wish they had left the "Oriental riff" out; it hasn't aged well.

Track 3 - The Twilight Zone

A good track, based on the classic TV show of the same name. The series was an anthology of various mind-f*ck, creepy stories, created and hosted by Rod Serling that initially ran from 1959-1964. This one begins with a high guitar riff supported by the rhythm section. Geddy plays some nice bass double-stops (2-note chords) in the intro, creating a very full sound. After a jaunty opening verse, there is a nice twisting riff, and we go into a more floaty chorus. There are nice panning effects on the vocals adding to the eerie vibe. The opening riff repeats and connects us to a second verse-chorus cycle. At around 2:30, Alex begins a brief outro solo with several "pinch harmonics",

Track - 4 Lessons

This one begins with an upbeat acoustic strumming riff with the rhythm section fading in. Geddy joins with vocals. At 1:08 the electric guitar kicks in and Geddy goes back into the vocal Stratosphere. Another verse chorus pattern follows. Alex plays a solo at just before the 3-minute mark and the song begins a slow fade. A good, but not great Rush song.

Tack 5 - Tears

A slow ballad that begins with a clean guitar part and Geddy's vocals. The bass joins at around 25 seconds the drops back out before returning. Hugh Syme returns with a nice mellotron part, the first one on a Rush track. Neil joins at 2:15. The mellotron plays alone in the last few seconds of the song.

Track 6 - Something For Nothing

Along with the 2112 suite, this track is inspired by the writings of Ayn Rand. While I am no expert on Rand's works, I know she is a conservative icon these days. I don't tend to focus too much on the implications of her influence here. To me, this song is simply saying that if you want to succeed in life, you have to work for it. Even as liberal as I am, I don't disagree with that concept. I believe that Neal was a voracious reader, and he had recently read some of her books and it inspired a few ideas. I don't think it was a life-long obsession with her ideas. That being said, this is probably my second favorite track on the album after the title epic. The band is really cooking on this one, and I believe, if I am not mistaken (a distinct possibility) this and Passage to Bangkok are the only "side 2" tracks that got regular play in live sets. Cue epic Peart fill at 3:28. Alex has great solos on this one as well.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

This is definitely a very strong album that set the stage for what was to come. It, along with the subsequent live album, All the World's a Stage, closed out what is known by Rush fand as Chapter 1. The Chapter 2 albums, however?A Farewell to Kings through Moving Pictures, and capped off by the live Exit?Stage Left? are a quantum leap beyond 2112 in my book. This is probably about in the middle third of my Rush album rankings. Again, it's significance in the Rush canon cannot be downplayed, and I do like it quite a bit, but AFTK absolutely blows me away. I'll give this on a 4.25 out of 5.

Clicking 4, but really 4.25!

Level 4 all the way on this one. I usually consider this to be my "2nd favorite" Rush album. But honestly, AFTK gets the top spot because it contains my favorite Rush track ever - Xanadu. But I pretty much consider the two albums to be part one and part two of the same vibe. I mean Hemispheres literally picks up where A Farewell to Kings leaves off, continuing the saga of Cygnus X-1. One of the biggest curiosities of this list is how A Farewell to Kings is at #53, while this one is at #23, ranking a full 30 albums higher. [Prog Magazine's 100 Greatest Prog Albums of All Time] I believe they are cut from the same cloth. But anyway, let's get started.

Track 1 - Cygnus X-1, Book II: Hemispheres

This is an 18 minute long, 6-part side-long epic with the following subsections:

I. "Prelude"

II. "Apollo (Bringer of Wisdom)"

III. "Dionysus (Bringer of Love)"

IV. "Armageddon (The Battle of Heart and Mind)"

V. "Cygnus (Bringer of Balance)"

VI. "The Sphere (A Kind of Dream)"

(Above copied from Wikipedia)

The song opens with sounds fading in and landing on as Dream Theater's John Petrucci describes it:

"It's the opening chord from Hemispheres by Rush," Petrucci replies. "It's the F sharp major with the added 4th and the flat 7. That should really be named 'the Alex Lifeson Chord,' because he invented that." (From an interview in Guitar Player Magazine)

Geddy & Neil start a steady rhythm at 20 seconds, before proceeding through several themes. The band establishes a dreamy vibe. Then Alex plays a melody using harmonics. Geddy and Neil join him, then Alex goes to heavy chords. Geddy begins singing at 3 minutes in, in his signature 70s vocal style. There is a false ending at 4:25 then they kick back in at 4:30 for the second verse in a more relaxed vocal range. The rhythm changes again around 5:45 and rocks a bit harder. Alex takes a guitar solo around 6:25. Geddy returns on vocals thereafter in another more relaxed section. There is a nice odd-metered riff about halfway through then Alex plays another solo on the lower strings of the guitar. Geddy goes up into the stratosphere around the 10-minute mark. Geddy's bass has been somewhat subdued on this, at least by his standards. A simple synth part is briefly featured around 11:35. Then there is an ascending riff leading to a quieter section. The volume swells are reminiscent of the middle section of By-Tor & the Snow Dog on Fly by Night. Geddy has a calm vocal part with an effect on his voice. The sound gets as clean as a bell at around 14:45 and Geddy sings a high melody while Alex plays an arpeggiated riff behind. Following that, the three of them lock into a tight groove while Geddy sings another verse. Next up is another Lifeson solo, which is brief and to the point. Geddy's voice seems doubled on the line "We shall call you Cygnus, the god of balance you shall be!" That leads us to a triumphant sounding major key section after a brief redux of the opening chords. At 6:42 we get another false ending, this time to be followed by a quiet acoustic and vocal duet that closes out the song. There are also subtle synth lines adding a bit of color to the song. For an 18-minute epic, Geddy and Neil are somewhat subdued in their playing - at least by Rush standards. I do believe there will be a "self-indulgent" remedy for that later.

Track 2 - Circumstances

Probably the most underrated song on the album. It's a great short burst of prog, but it's overshadowed by its more famous neighbors. Alex starts with a heavy riff supported by Geddy & Neil. I love the riff at 49 seconds. At 2:10, there is a middle instrumental section with synths and glockenspiels supported by arpeggiated guitar. Then there is a bit of heavy riffage, and some great Peart drum fills before returning to the main riff and a final chorus to close things out. I love that a song that is only 3:40 gets a full minute for a proggy instrumental break. It's like an epic in miniature. I think it could be considered a prototype for what they would do on the succeeding albums.

Track 3 - The Trees

Another relatively short one, but an all-time Rush classic. Alex begins with classical guitar then Geddy begins singing. The song is a metaphor for the haves vs. the have-nots. Geddy plays a nice countermelody to Alex's guitar as the opening segment comes to a close at 38 seconds. Then the guys get to business and have a build up into the second verse. I love the triplet feel at around a minute and a half. Then there is an awesome proggy middle section featuring synth and tuned woodblocks. Alex plays arpeggios as Geddy & Neil accent. Then they lock into a groove before Alex takes a solo. They come back together for an instrumental bridge. Geddy starts singing the final verse at just before the 4-minute mark. Then the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, ax & sword.

Track 4 - LaVilla Strangiato

(An Exercise in Self-Indulgence)

Here we go?remember what I said earlier? This is a 9:37 instrumental in 12 sections as follows:

I. "Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!"

II. "To Sleep, Perchance to Dream..."

III. "Strangiato Theme"

IV. "A Lerxst in Wonderland"

V. "Monsters!"

VI. "The Ghost of the Aragon"

VII. "Danforth and Pape"

VIII. "The Waltz of the Shreves"

IX. "Never Turn Your Back on a Monster!"

X. "Monsters! (Reprise)"

XI. "Strangiato Theme (Reprise)"

XII. "A Farewell to Things"

Alex says the idea for it comes from nightmares he was having. So, it begins with a classical guitar part, very quietly. He plays a fast run on the nylon strings then clean, dreamy guitar arpeggios begin. Synths and glockenspiel begin embellishing things, before Neil begins playing a steady, quick rhythm underneath, Geddy joins and there is a crescendo as Alex starts playing power chords to lead to the main theme. Geddy & Neil are swinging on the rhythm section as Alex plays melodic lines between the rhythmic power chord sections. Things quiet down while Geddy keeps a subtle yet complex pattern with Taurus bass pedals going along. Then Alex plays one of his finest solos in a slow burn kind of way. At 5:15 he goes into an odd meter staccato pattern with Peart cookin' below the surface. Then the band opens up and they play a tight riff together. At around 6:08 is one of the greatest bass features of only a few seconds you'll ever hear. Geddy packs in several, well-placed notes in only 4 seconds. It's seriously mind blowing. After some descending chords Neil's incredible drumming gets featured with accents from Geddy & Alex. It concludes with a barnburner of a fill at around 6:45. Then Alex gets another solo over a quirky rhythm. Then the band plays some in sync staccato notes before going into a shuffle on the Monsters theme, before returning to the main theme. They close things out with some precision playing and a bass fill from Geddy before a final accented note. If by some freak of nature and you are reading this but never heard it, please know that my description does not do it justice. It must be heard to be appreciated. This is a candidate for the greatest prog instrumental of all time in my opinion.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

A masterpiece. Tied with A farewell to Kings in its greatness. As I said before, I only give its predecessor the edge because Xanadu is my favorite Rush song. They were at the peak of their powers in this period. An easy 5 out of 5.

I am a full-on level 4 on this album. It is my all-time favorite Rush album and one of my favorite albums of all time. How it ranks at only # 53 is beyond me.

Track 1 - A Farewell to Kings

From Alex's beautiful classical guitar intro, augmented by Geddy's synths and Neil's glockenspiel, it is apparent that Rush has already grown by leaps and bounds over the breakthrough that was 2112. When they kick in with the rock sound, it is still heavy but has a fresher sound. Alex's signature guitar chord voicings are more apparent than ever, And Geddy & Neil seem tighter than ever. The melody and tempo change for the first verse. Neil's drum fills are absolutely pristine. Then that guitar solo break is pure Rush-prog ecstasy. The crazy meter changes that are constantly shifting. It's the kind of complex playing the Rush (and the other great prog bands) make sound so natural and easy. And holy crap! Geddy's bass tone! Geddy is still singing in his upper ranges, but it doesn't sound like the "shriek" he was accused of on earlier albums. There is a nice marching tempo coda section closed out with a quick return of the classical guitar from the beginning to close us out. Brilliant song, but we ain't even warmed up yet!

Track 2 - Xanadu

My all-time favorite Rush song. 10 minutes of sublime brilliance. From the slow fade in intro with the nature sounds, synth, guitar swells, and tubular bells, to THAT GUITAR RIFF! Then they come together with absolute precision. Geddy's bass line is awesome. The transition to the main vocal part of the song is just perfect. Gotta love that electric 12 string. Then the rockin' part. Leading to the mellow keyboard fill and more tubular bells! This album has such a warm tone. Uriah Heep might have made fun of the "I have dined on honey-dew line" in the Beyond the Lighted Stage Documentary, but Rush have unleashed a masterpiece here. (I like UH ok, but they are no Rush!) Then we get the slow guitar solo section near the end. One of Alex's best. Then the return of the RIFF, and the beautiful glockenspiel part before the big finish. This song never fails to impress me.

Track 3 - Closer to the Heart

Alex's 12-String acoustic with, yep, even more glockenspiel start out a, wait, what??... 3-minute hit single?!? Everything that makes Rush great in just under 3 minutes. Brilliant! And a shout-out to Alex's harmonized guitar solo. And Geddy's vocals are magnificent here.

Track 4 - Cinderella Man

Lyrics by Geddy here?Kind of a rarity after Neil joined. But they are quite nice. Another relatively short one at under 4:30. But there are great riffs throughout, airtight Bass & Drum fills, nice acoustic strumming (it reminds me of Making Memories from earlier days), etc. And eve in a short song we still get a great Alex wah-wah solo, with precision rhythm section playing underneath. Maybe not as strong as some of the headliners on the album, but a great track, nonetheless.

Track 5 - Madrigal

So, the late 70s was a time of naked man-butts on album covers and songs called Madrigal on albums by Yes & Rush. Rush's song by that name may be one of the shortest tunes in the catalog at only 2:35, but it is a nice little piece. One of the more gentle tunes in Rush's repertoire, it has a great melody, excellent singing from Geddy who also provides wonderful synth and bass. Alex plays clean arpeggiated guitars, and Neil joins in by the end with a subtle drumbeat. It sets us up for another magnum opus on the album.

Track 6 - Cygnus X-1

We start with several spacy and distorted sound and narration with effects on the voice from producer Terry Brown. Bell sounds hive way to gloriously groovy Fuzz-Bass from Mr. Lee, to be joined by Neil and later Alex, in some tight power-trio playing. Then we open up to big chords and massive drum fills. Then an awesome instrumental sections with complex changes. We even get a not-quite-blues shuffle section. Then Geddy takes over only accompanied by his bass at first then the whole band crashes in. Then we have a short rockin' section. This is the one place on the album where Geddy's "shriek" returns. Alex enjoys using his wah-wah pedal again then things drop down to a quieter rhythmic section. Geddy & Neil join in with morse code rhythms. After a dramatic high pitched vocal workout, we end with some clean, quiet, guitar strums.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Again, I can't understand how this album is in the bottom half of the rankings [On Prog Magazine's 100 Greatest Prog Albums of All Time list]. In my mind it should definitely be in at least the top 20, if not the top 10. I like almost everything that this band has put out, and while I consider it my favorite, the other "chapter 2" Rush albums are very close behind. An easy 5 out of 5 stars for me.

This is in my Top 5 Rush albums, and possibly in my top 50 albums of all time. This is part of the Chapter 2 phase of Rush, where they are making their most proggy albums. Of course, the first two albums of that era are more overtly prog than the second 2, but all great prog, nonetheless.

Let's hit it!

Track 1 ? The Spirit of Radio

This is my gateway Rush song. Always one of my favorites. The pull-off pattern that Alex plays to start off the track always reminds me of radio waves coming off of a giant transmitter tower. Geddy & Neil are so tight on their accents, that I don't think an atom could squeeze in between. Then we get the big rockin' riff followed by the chord progression for the verses with signature Lifeson chord voicings. Return to the pull-offs with Geddy's amazing high vocals. Another verse with the same progression but played heavier. Then an instrumental bridge in 5-4 time. The "turnaround" that leads to the reggae section is nearly impossible to play for anyone but those 3 guys. The juxtaposition of the reggae vs the heavy riff is just mind-blowing. Alex then graces us with a fantastic wah-wah solo. This song will always be quintessential RUSH to me.

Track 2 - Freewill

With a rhythm that alternates between 6-4 and 7-4, how could it be anything BUT prog. Yet these guys make those complex rhythms radio friendly. Amazing. Neil's existential lyrics are, of course, incredible. The sound of this track is very consistent with Spirit of Radio. Constantly shifting time signatures remain the name of the game throughout this song. Then we hit the guitar solo. The rhythm bed that Geddy & Neal lay down provides an amazing palette for Alex to paint his guitar solo upon. The solo section just GROOVES! Dear Lord! The vocals following the solo! Geddy said the first time he sang them live he had a headache for a week! Too high, even for Geddy!

Track 3 - Jacob's Ladder

This track is pure sublime prog. With Neil's marching band style snare and the (once again) shifting meter signatures it is deceptively complex. When it opens up to Alex's signature chord voicings, it's just a great tension release. I love the way that the instrumental section builds, and Geddy's synth gradually builds its way in. The synth takes over in the following quiet segment. To be joined by Geddy's vocals with effects on it. The guitar part that follows is so cool. It begins muted and then becomes more intense as we go on. Then the big morse code style power chords lead us to the big finish! This is a top-notch prog song and seems to be under-appreciated in the Rush catalog. One of my favorites.

Track 4 - Entre Nous

This one got lots of radio airplay in the Tampa area as I was growing up. I love the grand intro, and the rhythmic verses mixed with the smooth melodic choruses. While it's probably the most "basic" song on the album, I've always loved it. Once again Lifeson's signature chord voicings are very prominent.

Track 5 - Different Strings

This one is a mellow ballad. I'd say it's the most low-key song on the album. It reminds me a bit of the songs on side 2 of 2112, but a bit more evolved. Nice Lifeson solo at the end.

Track 6 - Natural Science

The closing epic. We begin with gentle water sounds and a distant sounding guitar and vocals. Then we eventually come to a great speedy guitar riff, before opening up into big chords and great bass & drums. The bridge is exciting with the return of the riff. We have a high-powered guitar solo from Alex. At about 5:10 we get a steady marching beat, interspersed with vocal sections with a different rhythm. Then we get a second Lifeson solo. Great drum fills from the professor as we reach the conclusion of the song which fades out with sound effects.

OVERALL IMPRESSIONS:

Great album! Highly recommended. No bad songs at all. But still not quite a perfect score. 4.75 out of 5. (But I'm clocking 5-stars, because PA doesn't allow partial points and it's much closer to a 5 than a 4).

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