Random album reviews

Jer said:
Blood Star - First Sighting (2023)
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For a second there I thought you were reviewing the new Blood Incantation album and I was kinda excited to see Jer’s take on Pink Floydian death metal lol.
 
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Diesel 11 said:
For a second there I thought you were reviewing the new Blood Incantation album and I was kinda excited to see Jer’s take on Pink Floydian death metal lol.
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Ha. No, just moving my 2023 reviews that were hosted on the Strange Death site back over here, since I shuttered that forum again due to lack of participation.
 
Seems like all of my friends have been diving into Rush lately and so I've decided to join them. Rush is a band I've always liked, one of my favorites when I was listening to classic rock radio and a band my dad loves too. My uncle also had a burnt CD copy of Retrospective I that I used to play. I've started collecting their albums whenever I've been able to find them in stores but I've never gone through the entire discography. Some of these albums I've heard many times, some I only know a couple songs from, and some of them I haven't heard at all. Excited to do this, been meaning to for ages. And since Jer began this thread with Rush reviews, it feels only fitting that I continue it with my own.

Rush.jpg

Rush
Rush (1974)

1. Finding My Way - Rush really began their career with a corker. Love this opening riff, twirling into the speakers as Geddy does a sort of pastiche of Roger Daltry's "Won't Get Fooled Again" scream. It's not as effective as that song, but it's very, very fun. This whole song is fun. Simple verses and a catchy chorus that twists and turns until you get to hear it in full. Rush on this album are playing like a more straight-ahead '70s rock band and they're at their best when they just dig in and make a meal out of it - this song is Exhibit A. 8/10

2. Need Some Love - Track 2 jumps in and gets right down to business. Geddy has been finding his way and now he needs to get laid. The energy is pumping and hard to dislike. The chorus is simple and not as effective as in the previous song, but it's not grating either. The instrumental is straight out of Led Zeppelin's first two albums, and I really dig it. A solid song, and I appreciate it's brevity. 6/10

3. Take a Friend - Inoffensive. The lyrics are really, really weak and the music doesn't balance that weakness out. The intro/outro has gotten stuck in my head, but most of this song just washes by and goes away and is forgotten. Its biggest sin is not knowing when to end. Three chorus repeats is too much. 5/10

4. Here Again - A longer, bluesy track to cap off Side 1. This type of track isn't usually up my alley but I've really been getting into "Here Again". Geddy's vocals go pretty hard and these are easily the best lyrics on the album, a rumination on the band's place in the world that also doubles as a tongue-in-cheek comment on the track's repetitive structure. Alex Lifeson gets a lengthy solo in here that's almost like a prototype "Comfortably Numb". Very, very cool. I quite dig this one. I'll be a little conservative and give it a 7/10, but I could see this one rising to an 8.

5. What You're Doing - Sabbathy guitar riff on this one. Unfortunately nothing else is interesting about it. Has no flow and by the time we get that three part big rock ending it feels unearned. Completely underbaked and boring. Worst song on the album. 4/10

6. In the Mood - Better than the previous song, but not by much. Don't really care about this one, it's your run-of-the-mill rock'n'roll sex song. The chorus tries to be memorable and fails. 5/10

7. Before and After - "Before" is a fantastic, beautiful instrumental opening. Really tugs at the heartstrings and is probably the best example of how good Rush were as songwriters and musicians and how much better their career was going to get. "After" comes in and has some great energy but sadly doesn't really go anywhere interesting. The chorus doesn't really exist and it's clear these guys needed some direction. A mixed bag. 6/10

8. Working Man - The guitar rolling into the speakers is probably the most hype moment on this whole album. Everyone knows "Working Man", it's easily the song that's transcended the album to being a certified Rush classic. I've never been the biggest fan of this song, but I've gotta say I've warmed up to it quite a bit. It's certainly a track for the everyman. Simple lyrics about the 9-5 life - while Peart's would probably have been more interesting, would this song be as popular with more poetic lines? The instrumental section is pretty joyous, basically a nice long jam. The way the guitars play with bass is absolutely Maiden-esque. The treading water riff under the chorus is an earworm. And while the song might not fully know where to end, by and large this one is pretty great. 8/10

OVERALL

Pretty solid first album. It's more straightforward Zep-inspired rock than where Rush would end up going. The actual band is pretty tight. John Rutsey holds his own, lots of tasty drumming going on here, but of course he'll always stand in Peart's shadow. It's clear that the band isn't trying to write filler, but a lot of these songs are missing the ingredients that would make Rush so unique later on. That said, the good songs are very good and help balance out the record's bum moments. Definitely don't hate it. It's a solid album.

Total: 61%
 
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Rush
Fly by Night (1975)

1. Anthem - The needle drops and immediately we are flung into a way busier, more complex piece than anything on the previous album. Neil Peart is absolutely running circles around Rutsey across this whole track, it's insane. A song like "Anthem" would be 1/10th of what it is with a lesser drummer; 90% of what makes it so good is the tasty fucking drumming all throughout it. I love the driving riff Lifeson switches to after the intro. The verses wash by with wavey distortionless electrics. If I have one reservation about this track it's probably the lyrics and Geddy's singing. As much as this is a mission statement for Rush's new identity on their second record, the Randian ode to individuality, while more interesting than most of the lyrics on their debut, and a statement against the conformity of the music industry, does dip a little into the cringe in certain places (Peart would get better at this with time). And maybe it's because they're more complex lines than he had to sing before, but I don't think Geddy quite knows how to work his way around them. Otherwise this is an unbelievable reintroduction for Rush. That outro, playing around with noise and silence, is aggressively stoking the fires inside of my reptilian brain. 9/10

2. Best I Can - Despite being written before Peart joined the band, that motherfucker nonetheless makes this one his own. What would otherwise be a simpler track than "Anthem" feels just as complex with him behind the drumkit. Lee does the lyrics on this one and despite being about wanting to be a rock 'n' roll star I think they're really fun. Love the way Peart plays around with the chorus, speeding up the feel halfway through each line. Great stuff. 8/10

3. Beneath, Between & Behind - You can really tell that the music was written to the lyrics and not the other way 'round for this one. The music is really rhythmic and locked into the lines. The first Rush song that dives into fantasy and it's pretty fun. 7/10

4. By-Tor and the Snow Dog - Rush's first true epic and my god is it incredible. They throw you right in without any warning and suddenly you're watching two beings fight for the sake of existence. This is the first song that feels like Rush are doing exactly what they are meant to do. The verses are so exciting, but the real gold lies in the lengthy instrumental odyssey between them. In a way this really feels like a glorified instrumental. As soon as Geddy lets out a shriek, the battle has begun, as the fiery guitar battles against a roaring bass as the drums watch like hungry spectators. The battle itself is short-lived, coming to an end after a blazing, twisting guitar lead and some incredible drum fills. The sound of chimes sparkles as the guitars roll slowly, mournfully across a now silent battlefield - and then become gloriously triumphant in a beautiful Lifeson solo as the Snow Dog stands tall, sending its nemesis back to Hell. For a song that started out as a joke concept, it is living proof of just how incredible Rush were as musicians, even so early in their career. 10/10

5. Fly by Night - The title track is a classic '70s rock single. The music is so happy. I have two critiques about this song - the effect on Geddy's voice in the bridge, and the arrangement of the double chorus finale (two repeats of "my ship isn't coming..." before the last chorus is a bit awkward). I think this one doesn't stay as exciting as the more complex songs on the record but it's also a song that never fails to put me in a good mood. The way Peart runs in and out of the music is so good. 8/10

6. Making Memories - Another very happy song! I think I've come to like it just on that basis. This is an acoustic number about the positives of touring life and I'm kind of swept away by its attitude. 7/10

7. Rivendell - This one is such a curveball. Very simple campfire acoustics layered with ambient electric guitars back Geddy's voice, which is soft, soothing, and completely different from the shriek he usually employs. He sings of friends, of nature, of beauty in a little Middle-Earthen village called Rivendell. The best thing about Rush when they do a concept like this or "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" is how earnest they are. It's a gorgeous little inclusion on this album. 8/10

8. In the End - More acoustic guitar opens up the album's finale. I love the beginning to this song, it's another very pretty passage and Geddy's soft voice is once more beautifully employed on it. Lyrically it's also pretty strong for his work. I love how the riff then comes in again, this time electric and distorted, with Lifeson also layering on top a tiny sparking lead piece for takeoff. You can tell that this song continues the Zeppelin inspiration from the first album. Peart actually takes a laid-back approach to this one. I don't think it builds quite to the places I'm hoping for based on the intro, but it's still a good closer for the album. 7/10

OVERALL

I don't think that Rush's debut was bad per se, and I think they were pretty competent musicians on that album, but this album is like listening to a completely different band. Crazy that a change in drummer could transform them so drastically. There are aspects of the debut that have stuck around, but the music is way more engaging, the lyrics are by-and-large more interesting, and my god the drumming is just incredible. Peart is just next level. Some of these songs feel like they should be filler tracks but I've been won over by them all with repeated listens thanks to the band just being so locked into what they were doing. And then a song like "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" is basically an embarrassment to the rest of the rock genre. What a great album.

Total: 80%
 
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Rush
Caress of Steel (1975)

1. Bastille Day - The opening of this song is Rush really showing off their ability to rock - two great, heavy riffs, the first grabbing your attention and the second sliding in with a wry, grin, setting the stage for this anthem of revolution. Geddy shouts out verses with amateurish melodies, but they are still effective enough. The chorus is probably the most memorable one we've gotten from the band yet. The song slows up and sinks its teeth into that section. This is the pull for getting you to return to this song. What will keep you coming back is the guitar riffing throughout this track, coupled with Peart's oh-so tasty drumming. Rhythmic at times, always playful, while Geddy urges the masses to rise up again. The finale is a slower, melodic rendition of the chorus and such a fun way to go out. What an exciting song. 9/10

2. I Think I'm Going Bald - Kind of a groovier song for Rush, not too dissimilar from the debut's material. Musically I think it's pretty fun, good riffs and that outro solo is pretty cool. The verses don't do much for me though, and Geddy's execution of lines like "I think I'm going bald" and "I'll still be grey my way" are kinda dumb. Overall I think it's a solid song that doesn't really know where it's going. 6/10

3. Lakeside Park - A quieter, more melodic track about an amusement park. Musically I think it's pretty decent, kinda feels like something off of Physcial Graffiti, but the verses and chorus just have no real hook to them. "Lakeside Park, willows in the breeze, Lakeside Park, so many memories." It's too sing-songy for me. This song also doesn't really know where it's going. The whole construction feels way too amateurish for a band that already wrote something like "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" on the previous album. Doesn't do much for me. 5/10

4. The Necromancer - A musical recreation of a D&D campaign. You can definitely tell that they were high when they made this. A rather aimless, wandering 12-and-a-half minute song, but there are some good moments throughout. Part I is dark, ambient, shadowy, with wafting spooky guitar lines gliding past. Geddy gets to use his soft vocals for the first verse which is nice to hear. The solo sounds like it's backed with a reversed solo? Part II is more exciting, with a fun drum fill leading into a rhythmic start-and-stop riff and a more powerful verse. Halfway through we dive into a faster solo section that is less interesting but has some solid moments, especially when the solo and riff splits across the speakers. Part III sees the return of Prince By-Tor, this time a hero. Redemption arc! It's a pretty little melody, with a sing-songy verse that I'm not big on. Definitely feels like they couldn't come up with something more creative here. The story itself is held together by Peart's spoken word sections, something they wouldn't have to rely on with "2112". Solid song overall. A sign of better things to come I think. 6/10

5. The Fountain of Lamneth
I. In the Valley - Side 2 begins with a beautiful little acoustic melody. Geddy comes into view, his voice quiet but full of feeling. I think his best quality as a singer is his ability to showcase emotion and this is a prime example of that. "I am born... I am me..." Our narrator has just been birthed into a brand-new world. Nameless, innocent, on a path of discovery but with a sense of independence. The music builds into a triumphant heralding of this new person before a regal and massive electric guitar strum floods the speakers. It is the Fountain of Lamneth calling from the Mountain in the East. The heavier verses showcase this young person's ambition, while the softer chorus speaks to the mesmerizing pull that drives that ambition. The way Geddy sings, "The valley floods with light..." is gorgeous, and plays on that yearning feeling we have throughout this first act. The motif riff builds up, toying with your anticipation, before we fade to black.​
II. Didacts and Narpets - We find ourselves in a dark environment. Our eyes, once opened to the bright rays of light in the previous chapter, are now shut. Peart lays down a really cool drum solo that gets progressively more intense. Lifeson's guitar and Geddy's voice sparkle in, trying to force us to open our eyes again. It's the voices of the world, attempting to shove the narrator down a variety of conflicting paths. He cries out for all to "listen" and then we cut to black again.​
III. No One at the Bridge - The sound of waves and a dark, unbalanced melody builds as we "cry back to consciousness". Our narrator is alone to pilot his ship through life, the "didacts and narpets" having deserted him just when he needed them most. I think it speaks to a real feeling of becoming an adult, something that at 24 I'm still dealing with.​
Remembering when first I held the wheel in my own hands​
I took the helm so eagerly, and sailed for distant lands​
But now the sea's too heavy, and I just don't understand​
Why must my crew desert me when I need a guiding hand?​
That's the perfect way to express this feeling. Maybe it speaks to me because of where I am in life right now, but I really like it and I love the uncomfortable, gloomy guitar melody floating throughout this one. The 'chorus' section is a bit too stop-and-start for me, but it still works, and the solo at the end is beautiful.​
IV. Panacea - A campfire acoustic begins the fourth chapter. The narrator must have found an island to dock at. Geddy's voice is again quiet and yearning. This piece represents a love that the narrator has found, even though, wrapped up in his wanderlust, he knows he will eventually leave it behind. A beautiful inclusion in this suite.​
V. Bacchus Plateau - Years have gone by and our narrator is still climbing that mountain. Over a goblet of wine he gazes back across the land and sea that carried him along his adventure. As much as he wishes to feel the excitement of his youth, with every step upward he grows more and more weary. He will go the rest of the way slowly. Great, memorable chorus to this one! "Draw another goblet from the cask of '43..." Also love the fading outro solo. The journey is almost over.​
VI. The Fountain - The majestic riff of the Fountain is calling us again. As the "mist is rising, and the sun is peaking through", our tired old narrator "falls before the Fountain of Lamneth" at last. He thought he "would be singing, but he's tired, out of breath". As to be expected. One can only reach the fountain of death at the close of their lives. But even at the end there are no easy answers. Our narrator seems to think that there's a chance for reincarnation, and like the sun he will be back to journey again come a new dawn. The band forgoes a second chorus here to instead embark on a cool, mournful solo. And in the finale, as the world goes dark again, leaving the narrator's soul to ponder a few seconds on a life lived, that beautiful acoustic melody from the beginning returns and Geddy's voice is once again quiet, reverent, beautiful. "Still... I am..."​
Given the album's reputation, and the previous three songs that proceeded it, I really didn't know what to think about the album ending with a 20-minute suite. So imagine my surprise to find out that "The Fountain of Lamneth" is actually one of the best songs so far, and easily has to be one of the most underrated in their entire catalogue. These are easily Peart's best lyrics so far, a poetic, picturesque detailing of a journey through life, and it's backed with some of the band's most beautiful and engaging music. They're willing to take the time to build each section. Not only that, but in spite of the all the fades between sections, it actually works. The chapters feel well-defined and complement each other as a whole, something not even "2112" is perfect at. I don't know if I would call the entire 20-minutes perfect, but I think that the attempt, execution, and success of this whole concept, plus it being the best composition of the band's so far ("By-Tor" notwithstanding) warrants a 10/10. I love this one. I guess that's an unpopular opinion but it's really, really good.

OVERALL

Starting out strong with "Bastille Day", the album kind of meanders through the rest of side 1 but completely changes the game with side 2. It's such a shame that the band didn't stand behind the lengthy material on here, as I've seen a lot of people love "The Necromancer" and personally "The Fountain of Lamneth" is one of the best things they've made to date. A hit-or-miss album but those hits are so worth the misses.

Total: 72%
Weighted Total: 79%
I would probably go in the middle and say 76%. The good stuff is really good but you do have to wade through an equal amount of weaker material.
 
I once read that Didacts and Narpets was an anagram for something, but I forget what it was and have no idea if it’s true.
 
2112.jpg

Rush
2112 (1976)

1. 2112
I. Overture - A spacey sci-fi synth piece opens this behemoth like wind in stardust. Enigmatic, mystifying - and then the band kicks in. Slowly, at first, toying with you, your attention piqued, before taking off into a sprint with the opening riff, mixing distortion with acoustic in an incredibly energetic movement. I never realized Geddy does a multi-tracked vocal in this section, I always thought it was guitar. "Overture" is easily one of the best, most memorable Rush compositions, a concoction of things we will be hearing later on in this side-long epic, arranged in incredibly tasty fashion. There are hard-rocking moments, there's also a gorgeous solo from Lifeson in here, and a nod to 1812 Overture. Lee utters a quiet line from the Bible and bridges the gap as we enter...​
II. The Temples of Syrinx - ...and are met with a stomping, heavy riff. You would think Peart would have less to work with here but he uses the extra space to his advantage, with all sorts of runs and fills throughout the section. Geddy's vocals are shrieking, the priests of Syrinx looking over their world with cold pride. These two sections back-to-back by themselves would easily be one of the best Rush 'songs'. But there is more to come!​
III. Discovery - Our eyes turn from the halls of the temples to a riverbank, where our nameless narrator has found a stringed musical instrument by accident and begins to toy with it. He starts crafting melodies, simple at first, and then more complex. His wonder and excitement is moving, as is Geddy's voice as he sweeps over lines that get to the simple heart of the beauty of music. Our narrator must show off his new treasure to the priests, as they will clearly embrace this discovery.​
IV. Presentation - Or not. We re-enter a stomping groove similar to "Temples" in a piece that shifts gears depending on who is speaking. When the narrator attempts to win over the priests, clean guitars ripple and Geddy's voice is warm, soothing, full of admiration. When the priests reject him and grind the guitar under their feet (as stated in the explanatory material in the lyrics), Geddy's voice is shrill and the guitar is raging. Peart continues to make a meal of this otherwise more measured section and it's awesome. The section ends with a faster, screaming guitar solo, as our main character runs away in despair. A piece like this feels like it could get old with the way it paces itself, but because it's balanced right after "Discovery" it still excites me every time.​
V. Oracle: The Dream - A quiet fade in as our character falls into a sad sleep, before his dream kicks off a louder, staccato rhythm as he learns of a race of people long ago that held his same sense of wonder in the world. This piece is important, but it also feels a bit short, especially with the hard cut at the end.​
VI. Soliloquy - Another quiet piece, and Geddy's vocals are oozing emotion in a way we heard last on "The Fountain of Lamneth". Again, this is my favorite aspect of his singing and it's incredibly utilized in this passage. The line, "I wish that it might come to pass, not fade like all my dreams..." actually makes me tear up. He then erupts in a suicidal howl, as the narrator cannot stand to live in a world that would destroy the wonder of musical creativity he has just discovered. Lifeson lets out a twisting, tormented solo before his "lifeblood spills over..."​
VII. Grand Finale - In complete juxtaposition with "Soliloquy", "Grand Finale" opens with a pumping riff that actually sounds positive and exciting. It feels like we are reminded of the sci-fi aspect of the story again, and are hurling through space on a galactic flight. This twists around a bit with an almost schizophrenic solo before we learn that the elder race of man have returned to free the world from the cold, one-dimensional hands of the priests, and it's a glorious way to end the song.​
I really love "2112". I don't think it's quite perfect - the constant fade-outs don't work as well as on "The Fountain of Lamneth"; some of the individual sections are great at continuing the piece but aren't as good as other sections ("Discovery" takes its time for a reason but on its own it's not as exciting as other parts; "Oracle" notably feels slightly unfinished/unconnected despite being an otherwise good piece) - but overall the highs are so worth it, from the intricate "Overture" to the exciting, stomping "Temples of Syrinx", to the emotional "Soliloquy" and the epic "Grand Finale". The story itself is pretty good, and certainly better than Ayn Rand's Anthem which inspired it. I think Peart's Randian influence is hit-or-miss, but on a song like this it feels like he's using it in the best possible interpretation, of the self-identity every artist must find to become unique in a world of soulless commercialism. It's almost a reaction to their record label nearly dropping them. That they would double-down on a side-long prog suite and then watch it become a success is insane, but I'm so happy they stuck to their guns and were rewarded for it. 9/10

2. A Passage to Bangkok - Side 2 begins with one of Rush's most memorable riffs, indulging in a little bit of eastern influence as a treat. The lyrics are all about taking a journey across the world, trying all the finest drugs on offer. It's way more fun than the similarly "silly in a serious way" "I Think I'm Going Bald" from the last album. It's got a stomp not unlike "Temples" and "Presentation" but it's still a jolly good time. Not a big fan of the double chorus at the end, and my score could probably waver between a 7 and an 8 depending on the day, but I'm feeling positive tonight so I'll go with an 8/10.

3. The Twilight Zone - This one opens with a cool layered guitar intro... and then becomes a complete mess. You can tell they wrote it to fill space on the record because it doesn't feel like they fully thought it through. The verse melody is meh; the lyrics are one-dimensional; the hazy, sleepy chorus doesn't arise anything in me; and the ending limps along like it doesn't know where it's going. It feels unfinished and half-baked, an interesting idea on paper but not in practice. I guess the one thing in its favor is that it's about as uncanny as an episode of The Twilight Zone, but not nearly as smart or interesting. 5/10

4. Lessons - For some reason I remember hating this song a couple years ago, and I can't remember why. It's a pleasant enough track, written entirely by Lifeson, with a breezy acoustic groove that gets heavier in the less-than-anthemic chorus. This one also feels underbaked, but its individual parts are pretty nice. I will say that Lifeson's guitar solos on this album sound really squeaky and I'm not a fan of that sound. Thankfully this will be improved upon in future. Anyway, solid song. 6/10

5. Tears - A solid little acoustic ballad awash with Mellotron, written entirely by Geddy. He uses his voice to pretty, emotional effect. The verses are haunting, and the chorus feels like a precursor of the '80s pop ballad. I don't think it rises to the heights of the band's best work, but I like that it exists. 6/10

6. Something for Nothing - Finally a more focused track to finish out the album. "Something for Nothing" is like a short, spiritual addendum to "2112", another Objectivist ode that's pretty fun, with a great acoustic intro before it jumps into heavier territory. I've always liked it. I probably could go higher depending on the day, but tonight this one is settling at a strong 7/10 for me.

OVERALL

2112 was the first Rush album I ever heard (aside from Retrospective I). My dad took me hunting one evening and I decided to go back to the car and listen to music. This album was in the glove compartment and I gave it a spin. I enjoyed the side-long suite a lot; side 2 was good as well.

Years later I would come back to this record and still love side 1, although side 2's flaws are a lot more noticeable as time goes on. Nothing on it touches the title track, and that feeling is pretty stark, especially when at some points it feels like the band is scraping the bottom of the barrel. But that title track is truly something to behold, so while this record is far from perfect and definitely a tale of two halves, I'm still glad that it exists and that it helped the band finally achieve the recognition they deserved. Things will only keep going up from here.

Total: 68%
Weighted Total: 78%
Would probably go in the middle with a 73%; side 2 can be pretty disappointing to end on sometimes.
 
All the World's a Stage.jpg

Rush
All the World's a Stage (1976)

Rush collect material from each of their first four albums and pop out their first live record. It's a good first showcase of their power as a live act. The performances are pretty tight and the setlist is mostly made up of classics. "Bastille Day" and "Anthem" are a killer opening one-two punch. The middle of the album sees the epics "2112" and "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" performed to great effect; the former is sadly shortened but still exciting, while the latter actually gets an extended middle piece that goes off in a different direction than on the studio album and it's fun. "In the End" sounds just as good as in studio, and the medley of "Working Man" and "Finding My Way" is a cool reinterpretation of both songs (and also features a solid Peart drum solo).

On the lower end of things, I think I like "Lakeside Park" better here than on Caress of Steel, there's a nice atmosphere it holds in a live setting. Meanwhile "Something for Nothing" is far less exciting than in studio; "Fly by Night" unfortunately morphs into "In the Mood", which, while it feels like a track made for being played live, is still less enticing than just finishing "Fly by Night"; and while the three-part big rock crashout is a nice ending for the album, "What You're Doing" is nonetheless a dull closer.

I think it's a good live album, but doesn't quite have the same quality as I like in a live album. The performances are all there, the setlist is mostly there, but I wouldn't listen to any of these songs over their studio counterparts, and it doesn't really transport me to the moment in time like a great live album should. Still a fun listen though.

Total: 72%
 
A Farewell to Kings.jpg

Rush
A Farewell to Kings (1977)

1. A Farewell to Kings - A renaissant acoustic intro transports us away from futuristic Canada, instead bringing to mind an England of yore. A very subdued, nostalgic opening for this album. The band delightfully adds in a wispy synth and pretty little bells before the track really erupts after about a minute, with a heavy, sparkling, stompy riff that continues some of the energy we heard on "The Temples of Syrinx", "Presentation", and "A Passage to Bangkok" from 2112. This slides away as the verse comes in, heralded by a moving, churning riff. The chorus uses a staccato rhythm as Geddy is vocally locked-in with the music.

Speaking of Geddy, his bassline is the beating heart of this track. It's kind of a groovier number for the band, and his playing is a huge part of this, even though he's also running about into nooks and crannies instead of staying in one place. His bass moves the track into a really cool instrumental. Alex's guitar solo is less squeaky than on 2112, which allows him to really go all out in the two solos he gets, one of them wild, the other regal. The final chorus asks if we can't "find the minds to lead us closer to the heart?" which opens the door on the rest of the album, where that question may be considered in full.

It's feels like a short track, but it has the swagger and arrangement of an epic. I could see this one being a 9, but I'll lean a little conservative and give it an 8/10 today. Great opener.

2. Xanadu - Where do I even begin with this fucking song? "Xanadu" is 11 of the greatest musical minutes you will ever experience. For years I've been saying this is probably my favorite Rush song, and coming back to it as part of this listen is only further cemented my belief in that statement. When I was younger I was always nervous about that runtime and then amazed that it felt so much shorter than it actually is. They accomplish that feeling in some really cool ways:
  • First, there's the intro. Shit, the first five minutes of this song is basically all intro.
    • You've got a really cool ambient build up. There are windy synths, sparkling chimes, swaying guitar, bird noise, some light engine noise, all playing to give this illusion of us stumbling in on a secret land behind a waterfall or something like that. Mystical and mysterious. The tolling of bells herald our entrance on a journey unparalleled.
    • In one of the coolest moments I've ever heard in a song, a quiet prickly guitar line fades in, slowly getting louder as the drums build our anticipation - finally exploding into a flashing, epic, awesome piece that picks up speed, Neil's drumming getting more and more complex with every passing moment. Oh my god it's so good.
    • Things quiet down and then we are plunged into a moving, awesome riff that sees the Geddy's bass gettin' funky with it. I LOVE Neil's drumming here, with his effortlessly tight hi-hat usage and all the extra Neil Peart frills and staples that you expect him to do - he does them. The guitar itself is so moving, like you're feeling time sweep by you as you embark upon your epic quest.
    • That riff rolls into the next, which is just as tight and a little bit heavier, backed up by wanderlusting synth.
    • Things quiet down and we enter the verse intro, which is led by a shining guitar melody that I swear alternative rock has been trying to outdo for decades now. Incredible.
  • At this point we get to the meat and potatoes portion of the song, the verse and chorus. Even here the doesn't take the easy way out. What is verse and what is chorus is really up to interpretation, and both narrative pieces are used to create a cinematic story feel married with the driving, ambitious music.
    • The first verse is almost a prologue. Five minutes in and we're still in the intro. So cool. Geddy's voice is calm, looking forward on a path that has led our narrator to this place. "To seek the sacred River Alph, to walk the caves of ice..." It is so picturesque, the lines of "break my fast on honeydew, and drink the milk of paradise..." call to mind a simpler time that was left over long ago from gods of old.
    • Things get heavier as we sprint into what is essentially the chorus. The narrator sings of how he came to hear of the lost city of Xanadu, which holds the key to immortality. There is no steady beat here, it's twisting and complex.
    • Things simmer down as a really cool synth line comes in and fiddles with our eardrums. The verse returns, but in its lengthened form feels more like a post-chorus than a verse. It continues the narrator's eagerness in his search for immortality.
  • Time passes us by...
    • Suddenly we are back at the moving, driving riff from before. It has returned to denote the passage of millennia.
    • When we return to the chorus, we find our narrator is not so excited as he once was. "A thousand years have come and gone, but time has passed me by..." What should have been triumphant is not so. He is trapped in the city of Xanadu, victim of his eagerness to become a god, and the chorus only underscores this. He has become a "mad immortal man".
  • Which brings us to the outro. You can feel the music move like a movie camera, leaving behind our antihero and instead sweeping back across the magical land that he cared nothing for except what it could give him.
    • The shining verse melody returns, backing an incredible solo from Alex. Gorgeous.
    • Which sweeps us back into the flashy guitar intro we heard early, shorter this time, bringing things full circle.
    • And finally, the song begins to wind up with happy sounding chimes, almost like the band is doing a Rush take on Christmas music. The land has fully forgotten about narrator. He thought he was the star of the film, when really we have been falling in love with the gorgeousness of Xanadu itself.
    • The land moment in the song is an ecstatic rock climax that finishes with a triumphant take on Holst's "Mars, Bringer of War". Goddamn.
I guess what I'm trying to say is that this song is fucking phenomenal. That they recorded it in one take, too? Legends. Going by Old Diesel Scoring, this would basically be the easiest 11/10 in my life - one star for every one of its glorious minutes.

3. Closer to the Heart - Following up such a massive epic with a really short number is not an enviable task, but "Closer to the Heart" is a true Rush classic for a reason. With its sparkly, lush guitar work and easy to grasp verses, it's an easy anthem for the band. I also think the lyrics are worth deeper inspection. Co-written with Peter Talbot, this song sees Neil take a small step outside of his Randian leanings. Every person plays a part in working 'closer to the heart'. I love the final verse:
"You can be the captain, and I will draw the chart,​
Sailing into destiny closer to the heart."​
Both captain and cartographer are equally important roles to play, but the captain of a ship is the more noticeable, esteemed duty. For a band whose lyrics often talk about self-identity, this one stanza showcases a maturing towards a realization that sometimes one must put his fellow man first. I love it. Oh, and Alex puts down his best guitar solo to date in here, too. 10/10

4. Cinderella Man - The music in this one is pretty cool, with the band really gelling together in this track. Geddy's lyrics aren't as good narratively as "Xanadu", nor as poetic as "Closer to the Heart". I know they're based on a film, and having done a little reading I don't think they're supposed to sound as Randian as they do at first glance, but that line "He held up his riches to challenge the hungry" is a bit questionable to me. Anyway, it's overall a good song. 7/10

5. Madrigal - Lovely little ballad with some of the best lines Neil has written yet. It's an ode to love, done in the mindful, nerdy way that only he could write. 8/10

6. Cygnus X-1 Book I: The Voyage - A second epic has hit the album. This track has some of the coolest pieces of music the band has come up with yet, all sorts of proggy rhythms that shift and transform as you barrel headlong into a black hole with the narrator. The main drawback of this song is that it doesn't feel fully cohesive as an actual song. Some pieces, like the exciting verse in which the narrator sings of his ship the Rocinante, are too short, while others, like the quaking riff before the vocals come in, are too long. I've heard that some people dislike Geddy's shrieking vocals at the end, but I really dig it. That swirling finale is so cool, it really feels like you're being sucked into a black hole.

My mom used to collect Mosaik compilations of the Digedags comics from East Germany. I used to love reading the arc in which the three end up as space explorers, and this song takes me right back there. Probably the best thing I can say about "Cygnus X-1 Book I" is that it really feels like a space comic. A little more cohesiveness and this could have been one of their best tracks. And while the ending is a bit of a cliffhanger, in hindsight the best way to appreciate it is by playing this album back-to-back with Hemispheres. 8/10

OVERALL

A Farewell to Kings is a great album. The band's decision to record in England really revitalized them creatively and sonically. Unlike 2112, the epics stand well alongside the shorter tracks. There's a mystic vibe throughout this record that's pretty cool, and it balances soft passages with heavier ones to craft the most delightful record the band has made to date. I think its short runtime helps with that. As much as it doesn't have the full album experience that I usually like from a record (especially because of the cliffhanger ending), its breeziness keeps drawing me in to spin again and again.

Oh. It's also the album that features "Xanadu". So there's that.

Total: 85%
Weighted Total: 86%
 
Hemispheres.jpg

Rush
Hemispheres (1978)

1. Cygnus X-1 Book II: Hemispheres - We fall from out of the skies into a world not too different from our own. Bright, sparkling, swirling guitars begin this more grounded sequel to the space oddity we heard on the previous album. The first chapter, "Prelude", is an engaging blueprint of everything we will hear throughout the rest of the song, similar to the "2112 Overture". The opening verse opens us to a story of mythic history, of a world where heart and mind collided in ancient man and god.

The song comes to an awkward pause before a tumbling drum line introduces us to our first deity - Apollo, Bringer of Wisdom. He brought man knowledge to build cities and craft philosophies, but this ultimately left them cold. Dionysus, Bringer of Love, offers a different path, one of pure feeling and emotions. As fun as it was for mankind, their lack of planning left them vulnerable in an angry winter. These two sections are basically the same, with a verse that holds back, dips into quieter melodies, before the longer, bouncier, more exciting chorus; separated by a really cool solo from Alex.

The end result is Armageddon, The Battle of Heart and Mind. This piece is stomping, rumbling, very much brings to mind classical war motifs (see: Holst). Geddy's voice is pretty shrill here and used to strong effect. It's at this point that our narrator from "Book I" re-enters the story, having passed through the black hole into Mount Olympus. His body and the Rocinante have been torn apart and only his soul remains. I love the ambience in this section, with small snippets from "Book I" floating past. One of the coolest ideas in their catalogue.

The narrator takes in all the chaos of Armageddon and it causes him to cry out in a silence that is heard by all. The verse from "Prelude" returns here as gods and men cease their fighting to listen to the narrator. Finally a new path is opened, one where love and wisdom can coexist, and they hail the narrator as Cygnus, Bringer of Balance. The finale of the song, "The Sphere A Kind of Dream", is an acoustic ballad that is tonally different from the rest of the track, and it's such an awesome note to end on. It brings to mind "Soon" from Yes's "The Gates of Delirium", which was released separately as a single.

I find it hard to describe the music within this song, because unlike their other side-long tracks it reuses the same pieces quite a lot, which makes it feel like one proper connected song unlike "The Fountain of Lamneth" and "2112", which are more like suites. Not only did they make a satisfying sequel to "Cygnus X-1", but it's even better than "Book I". I can kinda see why they would move away from the side-long epics after this, because it is kind of stretched to the maximum, but it's really, really good nonetheless. Probably the only straight-up issue I have with the song is the full-stop after "Prelude". My score could probably fluctuate depending on the day, but right now I'm feeling a 9/10.

2. Circumstances - A much shorter track to bring up the energy after the previous behemoth. I really dig this song, especially the chorus and the rhythms. I think it's a bit too stop-and-go in sections, and I wish the interlude was expanded on, but overall the whole thing is great. 8/10

3. The Trees - We turn our attention away from gods to a simple* matter of trees. Geddy sings over an classic acoustic melody that feels like it's story time on the road to Canterbury. This tale is one of maples seeking justice against tall oak trees blotting out the sunlight. The whole band comes in for an awesome, bouncing verse that expounds on this issue. The real golden heart of the song is the instrumental passage. It feels like they wrote an epic out of a simple tune. Things slowly build up, layer upon layer flowing in piece by piece. Alex's solo is fantastic; there's a super fun bit where Neil gets to do fills with the more fanciful parts of his drum kit. It's incredible.

*Okay, so it's not so simple. Neil stated once that the story was a silly one that just came to him, but given his Ayn Rand influence I very much doubt it's as simple as that. If you look at this sound through that lens, it's probably an anti-union song, making a false equivalency between trees that grow differently with people who struggle against wealth hoarders in our capitalist society. But there's an alternate way of looking at this depending on how you interpret the last line, "And the trees are all kept equal by hatchet, axe, and saw." Maybe what he's saying is that the elites use issues like sex and race to divide the working class, similar to how humans in the song will profit regardless of what squabbles the trees go in. Is Rush actually woke? Who fucking knows. Anyway, regardless of the complex readings of "The Trees", it's a perfect song. 10/10

4. La Villa Strangiato (An Exercise in Self-Indulgence) - It's honestly wild that it took Rush six albums before they made an instrumental. For a group of musicians of their caliber, especially ones who often have lengthy instrumental passages within their songs, you'd expect they would've been doin' this shit since day 1. What a great first instrumental, though. It's truly an exercise in self-indulgence, one that completely pays off. Just about anything they could've done within this song, they do. Spanish-influenced acoustic intro; slow build towards the main riff (Neil layers up the drumming so well, first hi-hat, then bass, then snare); the main riff itself sounds like you're at an auto race; a long, emotional middle section with a beautiful Spanish-inspired guitar solo (I especially love how at the end it flips into a subdued riff, it feels like we've plunged under water); a great monster sections filled with jazzy bass, jazzy drums, and four thousand drum fills (Neil is killing it, as always); another, off-beat solo that's so unexpectedly cool; and more auto racing and monsters 'cuz why not! You can kind of see a framework for "YYZ" within here, done more concisely; but I love how extravagant they go with this one. It's got so many different shades and colors within it. Awesome. 10/10

OVERALL

Hemispheres is definitely the strongest, most consistent of Rush's first six albums. Only four songs on it, and they make the most of that. The side-long epic is great, but it's the musical extravaganza finale of "The Trees" and "La Villa Stragiato" that really make this is a record to write home about. The album's flow is a little odd in the 21st century, but the quality within more than makes up for it. I don't think I can listen to this one back-to-back-to-back like A Farewell to Kings, but on its own it's the stronger of the two records.

There's an alternate world where Farewell and Hemispheres are one double album. I feel like the best way to enjoy them is playing one right after the other, but the quality of Rush at this point in their career is such that even as two separate hemispheres (pun skillfully inserted), they are both great albums in their own right.

Total: 93%
 
Permanent Waves.jpg

Rush
Permanent Waves (1980)

1. The Spirit of Radio - Permanent Waves hits the ground fucking sprinting with Rush’s second most iconic song. Alex twists around a mind-melding guitar intro before Neil and Geddy jump in to join in the fun. This song is a celebration of music and the radio stations that carry it, and a warning against the artform as a sterile, commercial enterprise. To make that case, Neil pens basically an essay that Geddy is able to turn anthemic as he sings it. To supplement that, Geddy and Lifeson create a balls-out rock ‘n’ roll number that sacrifices none of Rush’s iconic prog sound, only adding an extra level of OOMPH to it. Everything about this song feels uniquely awesome. There’s no chorus, the one refrain we do get has a ton of layers in it (guitar noodling, bass drum steadiness, synth atmospherics, chimes, and Geddy singing atop it all); in its second reprise, it completely switches into an epic rock riff that has you jumping out of your seat. A lot has been said of the reggae break, and it’s great, but my favorite bit about the ending is the grand piano inclusion hitting that one note over and over, taking you back to the Jerry Lee Lewis sound of the ‘50s or Elton John of the ‘70s (“Crocodile Rock” comes to mind).

This was the first Rush song I ever heard and I loved it as a kid. I love it even more now. My appreciation of it has evolved as I’ve gotten older and I hope it keeps evolving. A song that marries intricate, anthemic music with complex lyrics and makes you think different things every time you hear it. This is without a doubt a perfect song. 10/10

2. Freewill - What a double punch opening for an album. “Freewill” is a song I never fully appreciated till I got older. This one is more straight-forward in structure than “The Spirit of Radio”, with verses, pre-choruses, and an anthemic chorus making this one a proper sing-along. But the lyrics are no less complex - Neil discusses the ways that people chalk up life and decisions to luck or religion and declares his desire to instead make those decisions of his own free will. It’s certainly in line with his Randian inspiration, but I agree with the sentiment. We need to make this planet a better one for people, we need to make the choice to make it better ourselves, and we cannot simply let it run because a god has an ulterior plan we cannot see. Musically it’s also no less intricate. The bass is utterly grooving, the guitar is shimmering, the drumming constantly changing. Neil’s hi-hat usage is so fucking tight, and I love the double cymbal crash he lines part of the chorus with. And there’s also a groovy bass breakdown that leads to an epic guitar solo. Goddamn. 10/10

3. Jacob’s Ladder - Rush basically craft another instrumental here, with lyrics only as supplements to direct the music. It almost feels like their take on a classical piece; there’s even a Holst nod. The music is meant to represent a storm and the subsquent rays of sunlight shining through the once angry clouds. I don’t know if it fully gets there. To me it’s pretty dark through the whole song. I love the brooding, bombastic melodic lead Alex plays in the first stormy instrumental section. So good. The slow guitar build-up in the second instrumental is also lit. Some of the song runs on a little long, especially in the more rhythmic, less melodic sections, and I’m not sold on the second verse, but the ending is strong and I think overall it’s always fun to listen to and its strengths balance out the weakness to make it a great song. 8/10

4. Entre Nous - To me, the opening to “Entre Nous” is the moment the rays finally come through after the storm. What a beautiful opening. The whole song is beautiful. The verse is pumping, the chorus is quieter with gorgeous sparkling guitar. The lyrics are probably the best on this album. “Leave room for you and I to grow” is such a powerful line, especially in the current political climate we’re in. The only thing that holds this song back for me is its sticking too close to the verse/chorus frame. I kinda wish they went into some more interesting dimensions during the instrumental. Kinda tough to rate, but all things considered this is probably a 9/10 for me. Some of the most beautiful ideas in any Rush song.

5. Different Strings - A bit of a companion piece to “Entre Nous”, and the first verse hearkens back to “Madrigal” too. I think the #1 critique of this song I’ve seen - one that I agree with - is that fading out during the solo is a bone-headed move. It makes the song feel unfinished. But I’ll be damned if the rest of this track isn’t gorgeous. The acoustics, the addition of Hugh Syme’s piano, and the best lyrics Geddy Lee has contributed to Rush thus far. A moving track. 9/10

6. Natural Science - The rippling of water. Echoey acoustic guitars. Geddy’s voice wisping slowly through the mist. A folksy opening that feels wonderfully ghostly. It feels like a cloudy morning on the beach. The tide has retreated and creatures build complex societies within the pools it has left behind.

A fast-paced melody runs in and plunges us into industrialized life. “Wheels within wheels in a spiral array, a pattern so grand and complex. Time after time, we lose sight of the way - our causes can’t see their effects.” We are so small in the grand scheme of things and yet we let ourselves fall away in only tangentially important issues, often hurting other fellow creatures in the tide pools. Geddy uses vocal effects in the “Hyperspace” verses to represent the scientific hurtling towards the future we are on and the computerized takeover that 1980 had barely a glimpse of. There’s no chorus here; instead a synth melody takes its place. I love how fast this section whizzes by. The shifting time signatures are a motherfucker to wrap your head around. Alex’s soaring, mechanical but buttery solo in here is amazing, one of his best yet.

The switch into “Permanent Waves” is slight awkward just down to how the pacing of the song has changed. This one is more focused and stomping. Neil’s lyrics in this section are a summation of the song and themes we’ve heard previously on the album, from the comments on art in “The Spirit of Radio”, to the themes of honesty and connection in “Free Will” and “Entre Nous”, and the song ends where it began, this time with the tide rushing in and covering up the tide pools, a reminder that we are still finite in the grand scheme of things.

Not quite a perfect song, but it’s so complex and interesting throughout, and again, Neil’s lyrics are top notch. A great proggy epic to finish the album with. 9/10

OVERALL

I gotta be honest, I almost wrote this album off as overrated when I first heard it a few years ago and on my first listen when I returned to it this week. Only six songs and I hadn't yet been bitten by any aside from the first two. But the more I've listened to it, the more I've enjoyed it and the more I've wanted to listen to it again. Like A Farewell to Kings, that shorter runtime makes it really enticing to turn on. The songwriting has continued to get better and better. This is easily the best set of lyrics on a Rush album yet. Also the best album cover, for what it's worth.

The opening 1-2 of "The Spirit of Radio" and "Freewill" is a tough act to follow, but the rest of the album gets pretty damn close. Some of the songwriting has been streamlined since Hemispheres, but none of the progginess or excitement has been removed. It might not have the flat-out consistency of Hemispheres, but this is probably an album I can come back to more.

Total: 92%
 
Moving Pictures.jpg

Rush
Moving Pictures (1981)

1. Tom Sawyer - Drum and bioluminescent synth plunge you into the cold waters of the modern-day Mississippi, where rafts are in short supply but factories line the river. Geddy's opening lines echo through the emptiness of a cold world of conformity. Tom Sawyer is the caricature of a person who is unable to be pinned down, shoved into boxes, striding through life with his own internal purpose, whether society understands him or not. Kind of like your Howard Roarks or John Galts, if you were to look at this through a Randian lens; but the original Tom Sawyer character is a common boy from a working-class family. His reincarnation transforms his streak of rebellion into an ideal of individuality to aspire to.

What can you say about this song that hasn't been said before? It's Rush's most iconic song for a reason. The entire band is gelling together to create an utterly cool piece of art. It's got hard rocking passages, a famous synth riff (that doesn't even appear 'til the second half of the song), and probably the most celebrated drum fill in history (after Phil Collins's "In the Air Tonight"). What people don't often mention is that after Neil bangs out that incredible four-part fill, his drumming becomes even more excited than before. He starts complicating the pattern, adding frills here and there, without ever once losing track of the beat. It's so cool to hear him have so much fun on the kit. And all of those descending synth runs tickle the eardrums like a glowing siphonophore drifting down into the deep dark ocean. "Tom Sawyer" absolutely deserves all the acclaim it has ever gotten over the years. It is a perfect song. 10/10

2. Red Barchetta - Where "Tom Sawyer" struts in with immediate attitude, "Red Barchetta" slowly rises up with a sense of beauty. In our shitty economy with ever rising fuel prices, it's easy to forget just how incredible it feels to glide down the road, twisting and turning through the countryside, soaking in the wind and the sun. This song takes the wonder and thrill of the automobile and translates it into music. These six minutes are breathtaking, exciting, and so damn gorgeous. Of course with Neil Peart the lyrics have to be a little more complicated, based on a story in which the old cars are banned, with a climactic third act that sees the narrator get chased by the police. But even then it only adds to the awesomeness of this song. And that guitar solo - does it not sound like you're winding through a country lane, through a redwood forest, across wide plains, wherever the road may take you? Amazing song. 10/10

3. YYZ - Rush's second instrumental track takes a "La Villa Strangiato" approach, but throws out the "Exercise in Self-Indulgence" to craft a tasty, four-and-a-half minute banger. The intro sticks close to a Morse code rhythm before the main song takes off with a pep in its step. This thing is bouncy! Hard to not jump right along with it. The bass and drums get three miniature solos apiece before the guitar solo rolls in and it's awesome. "Strangiato" did something similar but this one executes it even better. Also love the synth-based bit later in the song! It's a moment to take a breather and adds another dimension to an already awesome track. The band is firing on all cylinders here. 10/10

4. Limelight - A stadium rock riff opens up Side 1's closing track. "Limelight" has a more straightforward structure than the previous three songs, which Rush use to talk to the audience through the bars of their "gilded cage". Neil Peart poetically discusses his complicated feelings on fame here. I'm not famous at all, but I still find these lyrics to be incredibly relatable because they get to a certain feeling of alienation we all have gone through sometimes. That fourth verse, with Geddy's voice rising up, never fails to make me sing along. The chorus is melodic, switching from quiet, swaying guitar to a louder distorted stomp. And of course there's probably the most famous Alex Lifeson guitar solo, a beautiful, soaring piece that grabs your very soul - while Neil in the background gets more and more excited on the drumkit, finally breaking free from all care as he lets his heart guide him. It eventually takes him to the very ending of the song, which is probably the single greatest big rock ending of all time. This song is nothing short of phenomenal. 10/10

5. The Camera Eye - From the bustle of the city streets, a rising keyboard rolls in, reminding me of the Thames Television ident. The keyboard is the main instrument on this, Rush's last big epic. We hear it (and the rest of the band) meander about, like a camera eye searching for an image to home in on. The keys clang out an intense staccato line as the camera finally zooms in on its subjects. The structure of the verses is really cool. The determined, faster-paced first verse gives you the impression of walking through the city streets, and then as the beat slows and the vocals get echoey, the second one feels like you're staring up at the sky and all the architecture lining it. The song is made of two parts that are nearly identical; the first is a little longer, and the second has a guitar solo. Whether it's New York or London, the song transports you there. You feel the breadth of the city, easy to take for granted. I love the final call, the concluding statement, of "The focus is sharp in the city!" This beast keeps the energy of Side 1 alive and while I doubt it's a fully perfect song, it gets so close that giving it anything less than a 10/10 would feel like splitting hairs. Maybe I'll come down on this later, but for right now I feel like it's deserving of that score.

6. Witch Hunt - From the angry cries of a roaring mob comes a spooky, mocking synth, the sound of individuals distorting into a sinister mass. This song has no hook; instead, it's a deadly serious rumination on mob justice that feels even more pertinent now than it ever has. "They say there are strangers who threaten us - our immigrants and infidels." Shit. Nothing ever changes, does it? I used to think this song felt incomplete, but I've come to appreciate its earnest snapshot at what misplaced fear can lead people to become. Not quite as good as the previous songs, but then they were all tough acts to follow anyway. 9/10

7. Vital Signs - The reggae that was first toyed with on "The Spirit of Radio" now inspires the entirety of this album's closing track. "Vital Signs" has a sway that doesn't seem too different from The Police, but the band makes it all their own, especially with Neil Peart penning some of his most inscrutable lyrics yet. He writes about human experience as though we're machines, and somehow it really works. If you really dig into these lines you can make out an argument for embracing the instability in life and going after your impulses, with any mistakes being ironed out in time. I'm far from the first person to say this, but the closing line of "Everybody got to deviate/elevate from the norm" is literally Rush's mission statement spelled out in words. This song has been a big grower on me and I've come to appreciate its place on the album. It's a thesis and a conclusion that opens the door to the future. 9/10

OVERALL

Moving Pictures is Really That Good. Purchasing it on CD was the literal moment Rush crossed from "band I used to like on classic rock radio as a kid" to "band I still love". I've said this umpteen times by now, but the whole first side of the record is my pick for the single best side of any album. These guys were so locked in and they ended up writing four of the best rock songs of all time and stacked the first half of the fucking album with them. It's amazing.

What's even more amazing is that side 2 doesn't even fall off after it. The three tracks on it might not all reach the heights of side 1, but they come close. It's the most satisfying album experience from Rush thus far and probably overall. Of course I'm always hoping I'll stumble upon something insane later on in the discovery (like I did with Sabbath's Headless Cross earlier this year), but Moving Pictures is such a fucking package, and an album I have listened to a LOT in the past, that I would be surprised to see something else overtake it.

Their most acclaimed record for a reason. It's phenomenal.

Total: 97%
 
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