MOVING PICTURES

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

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