FLY BY NIGHT

After the Cream/Led Zeppelin inspired eponymous debut LP drummer John Rutsey decided to leave Rush because he was not pleased with the wish from Lifeson and Lee to sound more progressive. Soon auditions for a new drummer took place and Neil Peart became the new drummer from Rush. Halfway 1974 the band started their North-American tour as a support act for Uriah Heep and Manfred Mann's Earth Band, they played for 10.000- 12.000 people. During the tour Neil Peart turned out to be a huge reinforcement. Rush kept on touring (with Nazareth, Hawkwind, Kiss and PFM) and the chemistry between the three members started to work.

On this second Rush album (released February 1975) you can hear the difference with their previous record, it sounds far more powerful and original. OK, most of the songs are no more or less than pleasant rock songs like "Anthem", "Best I can", "Beneath, between and behind" and "Fly by night" featuring splendid soli from Alex Lifeson (fiery and biting, wah-wah drenched). But some compositions showscase progressive tendencies like "By-Tor and the Snowdog" (several shifting moods and halfway a break with sound effects and a distorted guitar solo), "Making memories" (catchy rhythm with acoustic - and slide guitar) and "In the end" (first and final acoustic part and halfway propulsive electric guitar riffs, including a fiery solo). Side two delivers more acoustic pieces like the romantic "Rivendell" featuring beautiful classical guitar and warm vocals from Geddy who sound in general a bit screamy and too high pitched for me! From this second album gradually Rush integrated more and more progressive ideas and Neil Peart started to write, his lyrics were almost beyond the usual R&R subjects like love, sex, drugs and other primal needs!

This is a pleasant rock album with progressive tendencies, no less or more.