{"id":12533,"date":"2014-02-17T01:00:41","date_gmt":"2014-02-17T06:00:41","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/southeastofheaven.com\/?p=12533"},"modified":"2022-01-06T19:42:18","modified_gmt":"2022-01-07T00:42:18","slug":"the-album-by-album-challenge-rush-part-i","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/?p=12533","title":{"rendered":"The Album by Album Challenge: Rush (Part I)"},"content":{"rendered":"

\"metallica-rush-logo-heavy-metal-63737\"<\/a>Welcome to another \u201cAlbum by Album Challenge.\u201d For those that are new here, the \u201cAlbum by Album Challenge\u201d is where I take a band\u2019s entire discography and listen to every album in order of release from front to back. With my unforgiving and well-aged ear, I call it how I hear it. In some cases, I find that what I once thought was good is actually pretty crappy and sometimes crap manages to age into something pretty kick ass. And in some cases, face melting is still just good ol\u2019 face melting.<\/p>\n

For this challenge I chose to dive into the discography of Rush. Rush is a band with a vast career and a catalog of music that has been thought provoking and melting faces for nearly 40 years. When I first discovered Rush I didn’t quite know what to make of them so sadly their greatness was lost upon me until the release of their 1989 masterpiece Presto. From that point on I was a Rush fan and I grew and progressed through life along with their band. I lost touch with the band for a while only to have my love for them rekindled with the release of their latest album Clockwork Angels. This reconnection prompted me to do this challenge and revisit Rush’s catalog in full, album for album, beginning to end. This challenge without a doubt made me an even bigger fan that I’ve ever been as I discovered some overlooked gems and even some songs that I could live without. I hope all you passionate Rush fans will dig this challenge. Enjoy.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Rush<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> March 1, 1974
\nThe Good<\/strong>: Finding My Way, Need Some Love, Take a Friend, Here Again, What You\u2019re Doing, In the Mood, Working Man
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong> Before & After,<\/p>\n

Listening to this album makes it damn near impossible for me to believe that this is the same band that would eventually give us \u201cTom Sawyer\u201d, \u201cDistant Early Warning\u201d, and even 2112. Ok, so it\u2019s not really the same band as Neil Peart hadn\u2019t joined the band at this point but still, what a different kind of Rush. This album really has the band wearing a lot of their influences on their sleeves. \u201cFinding My Way\u201d (which has to be one of Geddy Lee (and rock\u2019s) greatest moments)and \u201cHere Again just may be two of the greatest Led Zeppelin songs never written while \u201cTake a Friend\u201d actually has this Allman Brothers Band kinda vibe to it. This album is such a solid, classic rock record but as we all know, a huge change is in the wind for these guys. I really did love the hell out of this album and will be revisiting this one without a doubt.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Fly By Night<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> February 15, 1975
\nThe Good: Best I Can, Beneath, Between and Behind, By Tor & The Snow Dog, Fly By Night, Making Memories, Rivendell,
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Night and Day. That\u2019s the best way to describe the difference between the debut album and this one. I mean, one could say that the addition of Neil Peart as drummer and lyricist is the big change but musically these guys totally expanded their horizons. \u201cMaking Memories\u201d totally has this kind of Little Feet\/early Doobie Brothers vibe, \u201cFly By Night\u201d is so melodic and just amazing while \u201cBy Tor & The Snow Dog\u201d seems to be the song that started the shaping of the band that Rush would become. \u201cRivendell\u201d reminds me of something you\u2019d hear on an early Rainbow or even Jethro Tull album. Fly By Night is such a versatile album and much more so that I ever remembered it being. This is a truly fantastic album and song for song is an amazing listening experience.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Caress of Steal<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> September 24, 1975
\nThe Good:<\/strong> Bastille Day, I Think I\u2019m Going Bald, Lakeside Park, The Necromancer, The Fountain of Lamenth
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong><\/p>\n

What I love so much about this album is the huge fucking risk that Rush took. At this point Rush was still trying to solidify a fan base so I can totally see how this album threw everyone for a loop. Any fans who may had caught on to Rush because of the accessibility of the first album probably hung on pretty well through \u201cFly By Night\u201d but with Caress of Steel, this is where Rush fans I\u2019m sure were divided. \u201cBastille Day\u201d, \u201cLakeside Park\u201d and even the quirky yet awesome \u201cI Think I\u2019m Going Bald\u201d could totally connect with the more lenient of fans but \u201cThe Necromancer\u201d and \u201cThe Fountain of Lamenth\u201d is where it all just went cray cray. I loved the risky and experimental nature of these songs and they are also very bold statements. This is a band saying, \u201cWe can write and play accessible songs but we also want to reach behind the impossible and make it possible\u201d if that makes sense? Caress of Steel is a great listen and I really dug the hell out of this one. I\u2019d be curious to hear from Rush fans who got into them when the first album came out about how they adjusted or received this mega change in direction and progression.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 2112<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> April 1, 1976
\nThe Good<\/strong>: 2112, The Twilight Zone, Tears, Something for Nothing
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong> A Passage to Bangkok,<\/p>\n

So this album was the one I was the most nervous about diving into as I had never listened to 2112 in it\u2019s entirety front to back. The end result was that I was really pleasantly surprised. In the 2112 suite, I have to say that \u201cDiscovery\u201d was my favorite piece. While this \u201csuite\u201d was pretty cool and totally enjoyable to listen to, I totally failed to hear or really understand just why this album gets so much attention and praise. I mean, again, don\u2019t get me wrong, it\u2019s cool but up to this point I thought that Caress of Steel was actually way more interesting. The second, non-conceptual part of 2112 I thought was remarkably strong. I didn\u2019t care so much for \u201cA Passage to Bangkok\u201d but I really enjoyed the other three songs: \u201cThe Twilight Zone\u201d, \u201cTears\u201d and \u201cSomething for Nothing.\u201d I found \u201cTears\u201d to be a really cool, standout song that showcased some kind of Jethro Tull meets Yes influence which I really enjoyed hearing. All in all this was a strong album but nothing that truly blew my mind and had me feeling like I was hearing something all that amazing. Maybe I\u2019m missing something but what I heard was a good album, really not much more.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 A Farewell to Kings<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> September 1, 1977
\nThe Good<\/strong>: A Farewell to Kings, Closer to the Heart, Cinderella Man, Madrigal, Xanadu, Cygnus X-1
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong><\/p>\n

A Farewell to Kings. What can I say? Another album that I sadly overlooked over the years only to find that I truly enjoyed this one immensely. Geddy really loves to scream \u201cYeahuh!\u201d and I love it. The title track of this album is probably one of my new favorite songs. At this point in the game, this is how we will always think of Rush. The complex, intricate, and massive arrangements have now taken front seat leaving the simple Zeppelin rock influence of their first albums songs in the backseat. While they have put those simpler times behind them, they didn\u2019t leave them behind because you can still hear those influences bleeding through their songs. \u201cXanadu\u201d is the only song on this album that I didn\u2019t love at first listen but after going in for another listen it’s epicness didn’t fall short on me.\u00a0 What a fucking song.\u00a0 \u201cMadrigal\u201d is such a cool song and I love how they always, to this point, seem to work in these kinds of melancholy Yes sounding tunes here and there. \u201cCygnus X-1\u201d is so fucking epic and it\u2019s songs like this that I can hear that totally shaped the future of progressive metal bands like Dream Theater and Symphony X. At this point Rush is creating music that would inspire a whole new genre and movement of music that would influence musicians on nearly every corner of the globe. That\u2019s a pretty heavy thing when you think about it. These 3 unsuspecting dudes from Canada would change the face of music forever.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Hemispheres<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> October 29, 1978
\nThe Good:<\/strong> Cygnus X-1 (Book II), Circumstances, The Trees, La Vilia Strangiato
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Opening an album with the 2nd part of a song that closed out the previous album: mind = blown. I can\u2019t even imagine how fucking insane this would\u2019ve been to hear when it came out. Now this is the kind of shit Phish would do in their live shows so now I\u2019m seeing that kind of thoughtfulness that inspired Phish. \u201cBook II\u201d totally just picks up where \u201cBook I\u201d left off and what an amazing listening experience. I found myself totally engulfed in this track and even went back and played them back to back to get the full experience. \u201cThe Trees\u201d is such a magical fucking song and I can totally see why it continued to be a staple of Rush\u2019s live shows especially over the last few years. It\u2019s actually very current in its subject matter and it sounds every bit as good now as it did 35 years ago. \u201cLa Vilia Strangiato?\u201d Holy prog my fucking eyes out Batman. Fuck \u201cYYZ.\u201d La Vilia Strangiato is the fucking face wrecking masterpiece. I must\u2019ve listened to this song 3 times back to back just wrap my fucking head around it. How did I ever miss the magic of this fucking song? See folks? It\u2019s shit like this that makes these challenges so much fun. I\u2019m so loving this. This just may be in my top tier of favorite Rush albums. This is some epic shit folks! E-P-I-C!<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Permanent Waves<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> January 1, 1980
\nThe Good<\/strong>: Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Jacob\u2019s Ladder, Entre Nous, Different Strings, Natural Science
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong><\/p>\n

Permanent Waves is literally a step in a bold new direction. It was the turn of a new decade and Rush was determined and willing to stay on the cusp of where technology in music was heading. They weren\u2019t doing so to be \u201ccool\u201d or to keep up with trends but to keep themselves relevant as musicians and a creative entity. The minute \u201cSpirit of Radio\u201d kicked in a huge ass smile took over my gigantic head and there I was just air drumming and singing along with this piece of classic Rush. \u201cAll this machinery making modern music can still be open hearted\u2026\u201d In my opinion, this line right here pretty much sets the tone as to where Rush was heading as a creative entity. At this point Rush was embracing modern music technology just as it was making a huge change in the world. You can hear it in the use of the synthesizers throughout the album on a song like \u201cJacob\u2019s Ladder\u201d but at the same time, Rush didn\u2019t completely put their classic influences aside as could be heard on \u201cFreewill\u201d and even \u201cNatural Science.\u201d This song right here is a song that I never paid much attention to but man, what a great way to close an album. It\u2019s such an epic song and, once again, there are those YES\/Jethro Tull influences peeking their little heads out from behind the curtain. Permanent Waves is just a hint at the shape of things to come. It\u2019s an insanely solid record from front to back and I will totally be revisiting this one again.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Moving Pictures<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> February 12, 1981
\nThe Good:<\/strong> Tom Sawyer, Red Barchetta, YYZ, Limelight, The Camera Eye, Witch Hunt, Vital Signs
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong><\/p>\n

\u201cAll the world\u2019s indeed a stage and we\u2019re all merely players, performers and portrayers.\u201d It\u2019s so surreally foretelling that Rush\u2019s song \u201cLimelight\u201d would appear on what would be the very album that would pretty much define Rush as a band from here on out. Up to this point Rush was a band dipping in and out of the progressive natures and obscure conceptual themes only to get to this album which would be very much an album focused on individual songs. Each song is as strong and mind blowing as the other. It\u2019s almost like they took the concept of working on concepts (funny) and put that same level of focus into one song. The only thing is that they did this for every one of the 7 songs on this album. \u201cYYZ\u201d is the instrumental that would forever be Rush\u2019s call to arms and it\u2019s one of those songs that I never get tired of hearing. Rush has a way of making an instrumental song sound every bit as exciting and dynamic as any of their songs with vocals. \u201cYYZ\u201d carries a really powerful melody and it\u2019s infectious. \u201cWitch Hunt\u201d was the only song that I really didn\u2019t remember but after hearing it on this challenge, holy doom\/black metal Rush Batman. Seriously. This song is so fucking dark and bad ass. I could totally hear some black metal band like Behemoth or even Watain covering this. Once again, it\u2019s Rush showing just how influential and genre bending they can be. There are so many albums that get overpraised by other bands that I don\u2019t always agree with. In the case of Moving Pictures, it is a truly great album that I feel is more than worth of all the praise it gets.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Signals<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> September 9, 1982
\nThe Good:<\/strong> Subdivisions, The Analog Kid, New World Man, Digital Man, The Weapon
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent<\/strong>: Losing It, Countdown<\/p>\n

\u201cSubdivisions.\u201d Man, what a song. \u201cBe cool or be cast out\u2026 conform or be cast out\u2026\u201d This is the song that seeded my deep connection with Rush after first hearing it in 1990 and even all these years later that song is as impactful as it was then. Signals is an album that I remembered not liking too much but time has been really good to this one. The variety of styles and influences really create a deep and dynamic listening experience. \u201cNew World Man\u201d possesses this Police kind of quality to it. This isn\u2019t a bad thing because instead of trying to immolate the Police, they merely borrowed from their styling and turned it into something all their own. \u201cThe Analog Kid\u201d is pretty much one of my new favorite songs and \u201cDigital Man\u201d is another one of those \u201cwhy didn\u2019t I ever listen to this song?\u201d songs. All in all, Signals is a good album but I didn\u2019t find myself enjoying this one nearly as much as Moving Pictures. This album just seemed to be a bit less dynamic and seemed to have a pretty steady flow to it. Again, that\u2019s not to say that it was bad but I just didn\u2019t find this one much of an exciting listen.<\/p>\n

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\"\"Rush \u2013 Grace Under Pressure<\/strong>
\n Release Date:<\/strong> April 12, 1984
\nThe Good: <\/strong>Distant Early Warning, Red Sector A, The Enemy Within, The Body Electric, Kid Gloves, Red Lenses, Between the Wheels
\nThe Bad:<\/strong>
\n The Indifferent:<\/strong> Afterimage<\/p>\n

\u201cDistant Early Warning\u201d was the first Rush song I ever heard. It was on one of those K-Tel Masters of Metal compilations (White Hot) back in 1985 and I feel in love with that song right away. I ran out and bought this album and I just totally didn\u2019t get it. Nearly 30 years later I\u2019m listening to this album and the connection has been made. Even after becoming a full on Rush fan in 1989\/90 I never really dipped into this album. I\u2019ve heard this album referred to by many as one of Rush\u2019s darkest album and I have to say that to this point, they\u2019re about right. This is a really dark album and even as much as I love this album I can see how that connection was totally missed by my younger self. This is not a casual album by any means but it\u2019s an album that those who are well versed in Rush can totally connect with and attest to its coolness. \u201cDistant Early Warning\u201d is still every bit as awesome as it ever was but songs like \u201cRed Sector A\u201d, \u201cThe Body Electric\u201d, and \u201cRed Lenses\u201d are all songs that have now solidified their places in the top tier of some of my all-time favorite Rush songs. This is such a great album and thanks to doing this challenge I am discovering its greatness for the first time. I\u2019d love to hear them resurrect some of these great songs in their live sets. Now I\u2019m going to go seeking out some live bootlegs to hear some of these awesome tracks done live.<\/p>\n

Click HERE FOR PART II<\/a>
\n<\/strong><\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

Welcome to another \u201cAlbum by Album Challenge.\u201d For those that are new here, the \u201cAlbum by Album Challenge\u201d is where I take a band\u2019s entire discography and listen to every album in order of release from front to back. With my unforgiving and well-aged ear, I call it how I hear it. In some cases, I find that what I once thought was good is actually pretty crappy and sometimes crap manages to age into something pretty kick ass. And […]<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":14,"featured_media":0,"comment_status":"open","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_jetpack_memberships_contains_paid_content":false,"footnotes":""},"categories":[711,277],"tags":[769],"class_list":["post-12533","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","hentry","category-album-by-album-challenge","category-music-news","tag-rush"],"aioseo_notices":[],"jetpack_featured_media_url":"","jetpack_sharing_enabled":true,"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12533","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/users\/14"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcomments&post=12533"}],"version-history":[{"count":1,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12533\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":19540,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=\/wp\/v2\/posts\/12533\/revisions\/19540"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fmedia&parent=12533"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Fcategories&post=12533"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/www.southeastofheaven.com\/index.php?rest_route=%2Fwp%2Fv2%2Ftags&post=12533"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}