I’ll admit to being an early Rush fan, especially 2112, but over time I have come to think that this album was the pinnacle of Rush. I know people will disagree with that as there was a lot of music that came after this release. It’s amazing how many times I have walked in front of that building and thought how immortal it has become in Rush folklore. You will see people trying to capture that exact shot any day you visit.
I think it’s fair to say that there is not one second that I do not like about this record. It has definitely been an inspiration for tons of bands – just listen to Dream Theater for example. Opening with Tom Sawyer, which surprisingly was a huge hit everywhere, the album just explodes. Red Barchetta is a killer track and the instrumental sections are just superb. YYZ, which is the reporting tag for Pearson Airport, follows and how much more Toronto does this have to be. One of the best instrumental tracks ever put to wax. All of the band have their spots and it’s not just a guitar sausage fest. Limelight closes out Side 1 and was the second single released. It’s the little things to me that make this song like the picking of chords with the chorus peddle – I just love. A pretty awesome side 1!
The Camera Eye opens up Side 2 and is the one song on this album that points to the future for the band. Keyboards are quite prominent, but the groove and instrumental pieces in this track are just awesome. Witch Hunt, which I think is the most forgotten track on the album, is next and I think it’s one of the heaviest sounding pieces that the band ever did. The album closes out with Vital Signs where keyboards meet reggae.
They were never afraid to experiment mixing all styles, which is what I loved about Rush. If you were to only own one Rush album, this would be it.
10/10 from The Grooveman.
