Rush - Progressive Rock?

Is Rush progressive rock?

First off they are progressive rock in the sense that they have the necessary albums to merit their inclusion (Caress of Steel through to Moving Pictures). This is not what this article hopes to discuss. I am more concerned about the later years (Signals to Vapor Trails). It has been said that these albums are not progressive albums but have progressive songs (meaning that the band has a certain element to them that can be considered progressive but the band is not, in fact, progressive rock). I disagree. The 1980's Rush output is just as prog as the '70's output.

For example, these albums may not have long songs with extended pieces in them but they do have a  theme about them. It is not a concept album but rather an album that has one singular theme in all the songs (sort of lie Dark Side Of The Moon by Pink Floyd). Grace Under Pressure is as the album title suggests is about despair and troubled times. Signals is about signals sent out in society and life. Signals being about life and societies views of what is popular and makes you "cool", Chemistry about the signals sent in the body (science stuff). Power Windows is about how power can be and is corrupted.

Now we come to what seems to be a weaker point in Rush's discography, Hold Your Fire. If you take a quick glance you cannot see anything behind the songs of this album. But once you look into the lyrics and keep the songs in context with one another, it is clearly seen that its theme is about life and aspects that come with that, Lock and Key being about the anger that dwells within us all and that we try to stifle that part of us behind lock and key.

At this point in time Rush decided to move on and progress away from the synthesizer period. Most people consider the synthesizer period as a pop side of Rush but pop means what was popular at that time and does not have connotations that it is not progressive rock music, it is just progressive rock that happens to be popular (like Pink Floyd) . If Rush was concerned about popularity they would have done what the public would want from them, more synthesizer music. But, being a progressive rock band, they decided to once again go in a different direction. It marks another section of Rush. The music changed but the theme based albums did not. Roll the Bones is about chances and Counterparts is about, well, counterparts to life. Rush may have returned to their roots, but this is not regressing. They decided to make music that was more guitar oriented that included mainstream style (a bit). But it was not mostly mainstream style. They took what was popular at that time and made it their own. They even strayed away a bit (with the instrumental tracks on Roll the Bones and Counterparts).

Clearly Rush is a progressive rock band by the way they changed musical style (a few times) and by their album content. If they stayed in the same style this would not be progressive rock since they would not be moving their music in different directions. And the fact that they have made many albums with theme based lyrics suggests that this is the work of a progressive rock band.

Thanks to Easy Livin' for helping me edit this a bit. What do you guys think?

Thanks micky. I'll be sure to post reviews of Rush albums in the future(that are probably going to go into a little more depth than the ones on PA). As well as on my blog.  

progismylife wrote: Thanks micky. I'll be sure to post reviews of Rush albums in the future(that are probably going to go into a little more depth than the ones on PA). As well as on my blog.

my two cents...  disect a theme.. not meerly a rehash of  reviews. .pick a theme... like what I suggested.. the evolution in their sound.. and let that be the theme that runs through each album's 'review'  Unlike a standard review.. no one is going to care what you personally think of the album... is it good..bad.. prog?.. yadda yadda...    take a theme.. make it interesting. 

back off of the soapbox hahahha.

progismylife wrote: micky wrote: progismylife wrote: Thanks micky. I'll be sure to post reviews of Rush albums in the future(that are probably going to go into a little more depth than the ones on PA). As well as on my blog.   my two cents...  disect a theme.. not meerly a rehash of  reviews. .pick a theme... like what I suggested.. the evolution in their sound.. and let that be the theme that runs through each album's 'review'  Unlike a standard review.. no one is going to care what you personally think of the album... is it good..bad.. prog?.. yadda yadda...    take a theme.. make it interesting.  back off of the soapbox hahahha. I'll probably do what you suggest. Starting with the debut all the way up to their newest album (but I don't have Vapor Trails )

you're not missing anything hahhahaha (3 posts is my limit without saying something about Rush )  Talk with Tony and Raff as well.... they might have some good ideas as well.  That is a topic I find interesting.. but remember.. you should as well or you'll lose interest.  Personal experience speaking there from real life.

progismylife wrote: micky wrote: progismylife wrote: micky wrote: progismylife wrote: Thanks micky. I'll be sure to post reviews of Rush albums in the future(that are probably going to go into a little more depth than the ones on PA). As well as on my blog.   my two cents...  disect a theme.. not meerly a rehash of  reviews. .pick a theme... like what I suggested.. the evolution in their sound.. and let that be the theme that runs through each album's 'review'  Unlike a standard review.. no one is going to care what you personally think of the album... is it good..bad.. prog?.. yadda yadda...    take a theme.. make it interesting.  back off of the soapbox hahahha. I'll probably do what you suggest. Starting with the debut all the way up to their newest album (but I don't have Vapor Trails ) you're not missing anything hahhahaha (3 posts is my limit without saying something about Rush )  Talk with Tony and Raff as well.... they might have some good ideas as well.  That is a topic I find interesting.. but remember.. you should as well or you'll lose interest.  Personal experience speaking there from real life. Lose interest? Me and lose interest in Rush? But some good suggestions here and I'm working on one right now but I'll wait a while before I post it to make sure it works.

hahah.. not the subject.. the topic you knucklehead

Nice work Ben !

Well Progismylife, Rush is one of my favorite bands (since I bought the just released A Farewell To Kings in 1977) but from the album Presto I stopped buying Rush records because their music failed to keep my attention, in my opinion they turned from heavy progressive and symphonic prog to an innovative rock band, always trying to sound really progressive but not really my cup of tea. I have done my best to appreciate their work after Presto but unfortunately I am still waiting for an album on the level of Farewell To Kings or Moving Pictures, perhaps the new Rush album will delight me?

While I wouldn't mind something as Prog as AFTK or Hemi, I am not holding my breath. I know enough about the band that if they do any reverting, it is in thier sound, not their writing style. They have in the past tried to move forward into new areas, but never leave their abilities in the shadows. In this way, they are innovative to themselves, finding new ideas within. They progress in this fashion. I will start a new thread tomorrow based on something that occured to me today while listening to Vapor Trails.

A good summary, yes, well done. I must admit though, their late 80s and early 90s period is a problematic one for me- I'll offer my two cents.... I personally don't feel they 'sold out'- the music was perhaps more streamlined in some respects but lyrically, if anything, the band improved and didn't go down the bland ballad route- I think 'In Too Deep'(which is a guilty pleasure for me- it's soppy and AOR but I don't turn it off) and 'Invisible Touch' (which isn't...) by Genesis when I think of a prog band getting commercial- accessibility at all costs, little depth (imho of course). I don't even feel Yes went down the swanee marked 'commercial' in the same manner. 

One thing to mention, it is my understanding that Rush, once writing Prog, continued to create "theme" albums, that is until Test For Echo. I remember this point being made about the band at the time of Counterparts, whose theme is obvious. So while the individual songs on an album may have different flavors, most noticeably on P/G, there was a common denominator. In this fashion, it is AOR with a Prog element.