Geddy Lee said that 1994’s Counterparts was significant in two ways. First, he was putting down the Wal and picking up the old Fender Jazz Bass again. Second, it was going to be the return to the band’s rock roots. No keyboards – all guitar, bass and drums. Both points are absolutely true, but with a handful of stitches.
Unlike Roll the Bones, this is certainly Rush at their most rocking. This album, as a whole, has some really heavy stuff here. The first few songs off this album, ‘Animate’, ‘Stick it Out’ and ‘Cut to the Chase’ and all sound and feel like bonafide metal songs. The minor chords from Alex’s guitar, the gritty, fat bass lines from Geddy and Neil’s larger-than-life sounding drums combined with the minor keys that many of these songs are based in create a rich collection of songs that actually feels like the return to rock that Geddy was talking about 3 years prior. Even the album’s more delicate songs, lyrically and musically, like ‘Nobody’s Hero’ and ‘Everyday Glory’ start lightly before delivering a punishing musical onslaught of fuzz and drums to the listener.
Geddy’s bass has finally returned to it’s former rocking self as well for Counterparts. The bass lines on this album full, loud and very raw sounding. His playing just seems to shine through more on this instrument. While the Wal and the Steinberger were needed musical experiments that provided valuable insights into the playing depth and sonic depth of Geddy’s playing and an overall richer understanding of how much Rush’s bass sound can affect the band’s overall sound, the quintessential ‘Rush bass sound’ belongs to the his Rickenbacker 4001 and the 1972 Jazz bass.
Like Presto, Counterparts is another lyrically dark album, exploring topics that the band hasn’t explored before. Topics of depression, homosexuality and AIDS, identity and the self lace this album’s gritty, in-your-face sound.
The downsides of Counterparts are, surprisingly, the lyrics themselves. Counterpart’s big hallmark in the Rush pantheon is how uncharacteristically heavy it sounds compared to past Rush albums. Big, dark lumbering songs like these typically feel better when the lyrics are more primal and visceral. Like the words are only there to break up the sound of raw instruments for 4 minutes. They’re not there to convey deep ideas – just something to get fired up with and compliment the bigger, darker musical bubble. Rush being Rush lyrically, wordy, deep and profound (and a little over the top at times, too), hurt themselves by trying to inject deep thought into songs that seem like they would do better with some simpler lyrical themes and delivery. I want to rock out to these songs – but my brain won’t let me at the end of the day.
Overall, Counterparts was a refreshing change up from the debacle that was Roll the Bones. It’s uncharacteristically heavy in the best way possible with some seriously great tunes that I wish would seem more daylight in future tours (hopefully many more to come). Unfortunately the album’s Achilles Heel is the very thing that makes Rush so unique: the lyrics. The band tries hard, unintentionally surely, to inject deep messages into a style of music and sound that is not at all known for deep thinking in the way Rush makes you think.
Counterparts is as refreshing as it is a solid compilation of songs. Is it an album that can sit alongside the band’s more noteworthy albums? Probably not. But that isn’t to say that this album isn’t special in it’s own right. Counterparts is another musical experiment by Rush – albeit a brief one. The band tackles heavier sounding music and while their own conceptual and lyrical depth seems to be this album’s undoing when paired with such heavy music, it’s still a fantastic effort worth a listen or two.
Surely whatever goodness that came from this album will roll over to the band’s next release.
…right?
- Animate – 6:04
- Stick It Out – 4:30
- Cut to the Chase – 4:47
- Nobody’s Hero – 4:59
- Between Sun & Moon – 4:37
- Alien Shore – 5:46
- The Speed of Love – 5:01
- Double Agent – 4:51
- Leave That Thing Alone – 4:06
- Cold Fire – 4:29
- Everyday Glory – 5:11
Credits on Counterparts (1994)
Adam Ayan | Remastering |
Liam Birt | Executive Producer |
Pegi Cecconi | Executive Producer |
Peter Collins | Arranger, Producer |
Pye Dubois | Composer |
Bill Hermans | Assistant |
Michael Kamen | Conductor, Orchestral Arrangements |
Geddy Lee | Composer, Guitar (Bass), Synthesizer, Vocals |
Michael Letho | Mixing |
Alex Lifeson | Composer, Guitar (Acoustic), Guitar (Electric) |
Bob Ludwig | Mastering |
Andrew MacNaughtan | Photography |
Neil Peart | Composer, Cymbals, Drums, Electronic Percussion |
Simon Pressey | Assistant |
Everett Ravestein | Pre-Production Assistant |
Rush | Primary Artist, Producer |
Kevin Shirley | Engineer |
Hugh Syme | Art Direction, Design |
John Webster | Keyboards |
Brett Zilahi | Assistant |
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