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 … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Counterparts (1994)
25 Days of Rush
25 Days of Rush: Roll the Bones (1991)
Welcome to 90s Rush: a shmorgasborg or really, really forgettable songs. As a Rush fan, all I can ask is what happened in the 3 years between Presto and release of 1991’s Roll the Bones. Presto was a great listen, albeit not Rush’s best by any stretch, but an enjoyable, deep listen with some very high points periodically was an enjoyable listen. Presto told Rush fans that … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Roll the Bones (1991)
25 Days of Rush: Presto (1989)
The entrance of Presto marks the beginning of another phase in Rush’s musical maturation: slow inching back to returning to rock. While Hold Your Fire only 2 years prior took the epic synth arrangements of Power Windows and kicked it all the way up to 11 and received lackluster reception upon release. The band seemed to have gone full pop and completely away from their … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Presto (1989)
25 Days of Rush: Hold Your Fire (1987)
As the 1980s begin to come to a close, so does Rush’s synth period in a big way with Hold Your Fire. Following the success of Power Windows, the band took a short break after the Power Windows tour was complete on May 26th, 1986 at the Pacific Amphitheater in California before beginning work on their follow up album, Hold Your Fire. As a complete work, much like how Signals … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Hold Your Fire (1987)
25 Days of Rush: Power Windows (1985)
The spirit of Rush’s musical epic rearranged for 1985. In just under 5 years, Rush underwent another notable transformation. The band completely traded in their rock roots took up a synthy, lushly layered musical mantle instead. Anthems that defined the band through the 70s and early 80s seem to have gone by the wayside for a series of albums that sound more like they could … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Power Windows (1985)
25 Days of Rush: Grace Under Pressure (1984)
In 10 years, Rush turned from a Led Zeppelin cover band into a progressive U2 sounding project. I’ll be perfectly honest. I did not like Grace Under Pressure for a number of years. Back when I was getting into Rush many years ago, this album just lacked...everything to me. None of the songs, with the exception of ‘The Enemy Within’ seemed to have any real punch or grit to … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Grace Under Pressure (1984)
25 Days of Rush: Signals (1982)
Rush goes full 80s with reggae, synths and more for 1982’s Signals. Listen to every Rush album one after another and something very unique and special will happen. You’ll notice that Rush tends to work in 2-4 album long themes and the last album of the era will telegraph the theme of the next collection of albums. The end of Fly By Night signaled the turn to progressive … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Signals (1982)
25 Days of Rush: Moving Pictures (1981)
Rush’s masterwork: the perfect balance of classic rock, classic songwriting and progressive rock at it’s most accessible. This is the album that converted so many people over to the gospel of Rush. As a whole, the album is the band’s most complete sounding and their most accessible. 3 of the songs on this 7 song album, ‘Limelight’, ‘Tom Sawyer’ and ‘YYZ’, have become classic … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Moving Pictures (1981)
25 Days of Rush: Permanent Waves (1980)
The door begins to close on epic multi-part rock opera Rush and the door begins to open for classic-rock-staples-and-1980s Rush. Rush’s 1980 release, Permanent Waves, marked another shift in Rush’s musical direction and would telegraph the band’s musical direction for the next 2 releases. On Permanent Waves, and the two following Moving Pictures and Signals in the coming … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Permanent Waves (1980)
25 Days of Rush: Hemispheres (1978)
Rush goes all in on progressive rock for the band’s last ‘pure’ progressive album with 1978’s Hemispheres. The 3 years of Rush’s progressive rock music, starting with 2112 in 1976 and ending with Hemispheres in 1978 have been a musical journey and arguably the band’s biggest maturation period. From 1974 back, the band seemed to be in an identity crisis, unsure of who they … [Read more...] about 25 Days of Rush: Hemispheres (1978)