r u s h

I began getting into Rush in the 70's because a friend's brother was heavily into them. Of course at that time, Kiss and Aerosmith were my main fascinations, so it wasn't until "Moving Pictures" that I started getting into them more heavily. Always wondered it Getty Lee had a secret oxygen mask hidden somewhere that would continually feed him helium instead of air. Hmm...

Rush-Rush (Mercury) 1974

1. "Finding My Way" (5:06)
2. "Need Some Love" (2:19)
3. "Take a Friend" (4:24)
4. "Here Again" (7:35)
5. "What You're Doing" (4:22)
6. "In the Mood" (3:34)
7. "Before and After" (5:34)
8. "Working Man" (7:10)

The only Rush album to not feature extraordinary drummer Neil Pert, so it goes without saying that this is more of a straight forward 70's heavy metal album. ìWorking Manî is one of the few that stands the test of time well.

Rush-Fly By Night (Mercury) 1975

1. "Anthem" (4:22)
2. "Best I Can" (3:25)
3. "Beneath, Between & Behind" (3:02)
4. "By-Tor and the Snow Dog" (8:31)
... I. At the Tombs of Hades
... II. Across the Styx
... III. Of the Battle
... IV. Epilogue
5. "Fly by Night" (3:22)
6. "Making Memories" (2:58)
7. "Rivendell" (5:00)
8. "In the End" (6:48)

Still straight forward hard rock but with Pert adding his drumming talents and lyrical skills, this album had a bit more creativity. A great album either way.

Rush-Caress of Steel (Mercury) 1975

1."Bastille Day" (4:37)
2."I Think I'm Going Bald" (3:37)
3."Lakeside Park" (4:08)
4."The Necromancer" (12:30)
....I. Into the Darkness
....II. Under the Shadow
....III. Return of the Prince
5."The Fountain of Lamneth" (19:59)
....I. In the Valley
....II. Didacts and Narpets
....III. No One at the Bridge
....IV. Panancea
....V. Bacchus Plateau
....VI. The Fountain

I was starting to think I would never find a decent priced copy of this disc. I must have bid 20+ times on it on eBay when the bidding was between $3 and $5. Of course some idiot would always bid higher than me and probably ended up paying as much as a new copy cost by the time they pay shipping. I finally found a used copy for $5.99 at a cd store in town. Best of all, it is the new remastered version. I had almost broke down a week before and bought a new copy for $11.99 but changed my mind at the last minute. I'm glad I held out. In anycase "Caress of Steel" is a fabulous album and probably my favorite of the first three discs. The music is more complex than anything they had done thus far. "I Think I'm Going Bald" is a pretty witty and amusing song.

Rush-2112 (Mercury) 1976

1."2112" (20:34)
...I. Overture
...II. The Temples of Syrinx
...III. Discovery
...IV. Presentation
...V. Oracle: The Dream
...VI. Soliloquy
...VII. Grand Finale
2."A Passage to Bangkok" (3:34)
3."The Twilight Zone" (3:17)
4."Lessons" (3:51)
5."Tears" (3:51)
6."Something for Nothing" (3:59)

My mom bought me this "gold disc edition" for my birthday one year. It's been remastered and according to reviews I read sounds superior to the original cd release. OK, since I have nothing to compare it to, I'll give 'em that. In any case, this is a classic in every sense of the word. The title cut is an epic progressive rock masterwork.

Rush-All the World's a Stage (Mercury) 1976

1."Bastille Day" (4:57)
2."Anthem" (4:56)
3."Fly by Night/In the Mood" (5:03)
4."Something for Nothing" (4:02)
5."Lakeside Park" (5:04)
6."2112" (15:45)
...I. Overture
...II. The Temples of Syrinx
...III. Presentation
...IV. Soliloquy
...V. Grand Finale
7."By-Tor and the Snow Dog" (11:57)
8."In the End" (7:13)
9."Working Man/Finding My Way" (14:56)
10."What You're Doing" (5:39)

A nice live offering that proves that Rush are just as proficient on the stage as they were in the studio. I have the "master series" that includes "What You're Doing," a song originally deleted from the cd version for some strange reason.

Rush-A Farewell to Kings (Mercury) 1977

1. "A Farewell to Kings" (5:51)
2. "Xanadu" (11:08)
3. "Closer to the Heart" (2:53)
4. "Cinderella Man" (4:21)
5. "Madrigal" (2:35)
6. "Cygnus X-1" (10:25)

This was the first Rush album I had ever heard. I was just a grade school kid, but I remember I thought the cover was ultra cool at the time. Still think it's a cool cover. The music on this disc is nothing short of fantastic. Rush are really engaging in fantasy themes now. If this were the only album Rush ever released, I still would think they were one of the greatest band's ever.

Rush-Hemispheres (Mercury) 1978

1."Hemispheres - Cygnus X-1 Book II" (18:05)
...I. Prelude
...II. Apollo/Dionysus
...III. Armageddon
...IV. Cygnus
...V. The Sphere
2."Circumstances" (3:41)
3."The Trees" (4:46)
4."La Villa Strangiato"--instrumental (9:35)
...i. Buenos Nochas, Mein Froinds!
...ii. To Sleep, Perchance to Dream...
...iii. Strangiato Theme
...iv. A Lerxst in Wonderland
...v. Monsters!
...vi. The Ghost of the Aragon
...vii. Danforth and Pape
...viii. The Waltz of the Shreves
...ix. Never Turn Your Back on a Monster!
...x. Monsters! [reprise]
...xi. Strangiato Theme [reprise]
...xii. A Farewell to Things

I never got into this one until years after it was released because I was just a kid and did not have access to it. It wasn't until after I bought "Moving Pictures" that I went back and started buying all the older albums. In any case, this is another excellent album. Rush were at their prime here.

Rush-Permanent Waves (Mercury) 1979

1."The Spirit of Radio" (4:57)
2."Freewill" (5:23)
3."Jacob's Ladder" (7:28)
4."Entre Nous" (4:37)
5."Different Strings" (3:49)
6."Natural Science" (9:16)
...I. Tide Pools
...II. Hyperspace
...III. Permanent Waves

Still in top form here, Rush begins to feel the effects of radio air play for the first time with "The Spirit of the Radio." (Hey, is that a coincidence or what?) Unfortunately, like most bands as they tend to get more popular, selling records becomes the objective rather than writing creative music. But that is still to come. "Permanent Waves" is still a great album but is beginning to touch more on the AOR.

Rush-Moving Pictures (Mercury) 1981

1. "Tom Sawyer" (4:33)
2. "Red Barchetta" (6:06)
3. "YYZ"-instrumental (4:24)
4. "Limelight" (4:19)
5. "The Camera Eye" (10:56)
6. "Witch Hunt (part III of Fear)" (4:44)
7. "Vital Signs" (4:45)

My favorite of all Rush's albums. An absolute masterpiece! "Tom Sawyer" was the song that had me hooked. From that point on I started collecting all the old Rush albums as well. Every song on this album is essential!

Rush-Exit...Stage Left (Mercury) 1981

1. "The Spirit of Radio" (5:11)
2. "Red Barchetta" (6:46)
3. "YYZ"-instrumental (7:43)
4. "A Passage to Bangkok" (3:45)
5. "Closer to the Heart" (3:08)
6. "Beneath, Between & Behind" (2:34)
7. "Jacob's Ladder" (8:46)
8. "Broon's Bane"-instrumental (1:37)
9. "The Trees" (4:50)
10. "Xanadu" (12:09)
11. "Freewill" (5:31)
12. "Tom Sawyer" (4:59)
13. "La Villa Strangiato" (9:37)

I have the original cd pressing of this live album that omits "Passage to Bangkok." Luckily it is included on "Chronicles" so I am not missing anything, especially since I only paid $5.99 for this "recycled" disc.

Rush-Signals (Mercury) 1982

1. "Subdivisions" (5:33)
2. "The Analog Kid" (4:46)
3. "Chemistry" (4:56)
4. "Digital Man" (6:20)
5. "The Weapon (part II of Fear)" (6:22)
6. "New World Man" (3:41)
7. "Losing It" (4:51)
8. "Countdown" (5:49)

Hmmm, totally lost interest with Rush for these 80s pop-rock, keyboard infested, AOR albums. All the albums from here one, with the exception of the wonderful "Test for Echos," I bought cheap and used. Like many of the great 70's bands, the 80's totally ruined them with the overly glossy productions and pop oriented music. Still, I look back on this album a bit more fondly now and occasionally pull it out and give it a listen. "Subdivisions" was a big hit for the band.

Rush-Grace Under Pressure (Mercury) 1984

1. "Distant Early Warning" (4:59)
2. "Afterimage" (5:04)
3. "Red Sector A" (5:10)
4. "The Enemy Within (part I of Fear)" (4:34)
5. "The Body Electric" (5:00)
6. "Kid Gloves" (4:18)
7. "Red Lenses" (4:42)
8. "Between the Wheels" (5:44)

Nice cover art, but that is about all I remember about it. I hardly ever play it, so I guess I won't comment on it.

Rush-Power Windows (Mercury) 1985

1. "The Big Money" (5:36)
2. "Grand Designs" (5:05)
3. "Manhattan Project" (5:05)
4. "Marathon" (6:09)
5. "Territories" (6:19)
6. "Middletown Dreams" (5:15)
7. "Emotion Detector" (5:10)
8. "Mystic Rhythms" (5:54)

Rush were hugely popular at this time, but I had all but given up on them ever putting out another masterwork like "Moving Pictures" or "2112." Once again, I pull out this one occasionally and give it a spin but it's far from a favorite.

Rush-Counterparts (Mercury) 1993

1. "Animate" (6:05)
2. "Stick it Out" (4:30)
3. "Cut to the Chase" (4:49)
4. "Nobody's Hero" (4:54)
5. "Between Sun & Moon" (4:37)
6. "Alien Shore" (5:45)
7. "The Speed of Love" (5:03)
8. "Double Agent" (4:51)
9. "Leave That Thing Alone"--instrumental (4:06)
10. "Cold Fire" (4:27)
11. "Everyday Glory" (5:10)

$3.99! I figured how bad could it be for $3.99. Pretty bad. This is hardly Rush as I know them. A few shining moments but nothing worth mentioning.

Rush-Chronicles (Mercury)

A nice compilation of all of Rush's releases up until this time. What I like about it is that it includes the missing live song off "Exit Stage Left" and it has some of the better songs from the mid to late 80's releases that I do not own. Found it in perfect shape at a pawn shop for $5.

Rush-Test for Echo (Mercury) 1998

1. "Test for Echo" (5:55)
2. "Driven" (4:27)
3. "Half the World" (3:42)
4. "The Color of Right" (4:48)
5. "Time and Motion" (5:01)
6. "Totem" (4:58)
7. "Dog Years" (4:55)
8. "Virtuality" (5:43)
9. "Resist" (4:23)
10. "Limbo"-instrumental (5:28)
11. "Carve Away the Stone" (4:05)

Well now here is a Rush album that was worth buying new. Musically more solid that anything they have done recently. A return to their harder sound with less keyboard pop crap mixed in. Alex Lifeson must have remembered that he is a great guitar player because his signature sound is back in place. Took a chance and bought it through the BMG record club. Geddy Lee sings a hair lower on this record, or maybe it's just not as high as I remember.

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