Is Hemispheres the Best Rush Album?

[taurus]

It's my favorite album but I don't think it's their best

[lifeson90]

who are we kidding here, Waves is the perfect rush album

[The400Boys]

I use that sort of judgement on all albums. If there's filler in an album I'll lower it's grading regardless of how great the good songs are.

1 This and the posts about album sides reminds me of the "less-is-better effect" https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Less-is-better_effect:

Wikipedia gives the example of how a dinner set with two dozen intact pieces is regarded as less valuable than a set with 31 pieces plus some broken pieces. It's pretty illogical; clearly 31 functional pieces have more utility than 24 pieces.

 

Likewise with music, we value it more if it has only high quality songs only than if a dog or two accompany the same songs. (Again, illogical. You can just delete the offending tracks or pretend that they were all bonus tracks.

 

2 Back to the question: No, It's a solid album but (as others have said) Rush has so many good albums that it's hard to say that this one outshines them.

[lifeson90]

Technically no better album, note perfect beautifully written the essence of what this band was, but dated. The best rush albums for me sound as if they could've been laid down today or tomorrow - permanent waves being a prime example

 

That said, la villa is the band at their very best indeed of course

[zepphead]

One of their most progressive albums for sure. It would be in my top 3 Rush albums, although my personal favourite is 'A Farewell To Kings'.

[ST3V]

Kings is the only 70s album that breaks my Top 10 (ranked #2), so for me, not even close, Hemispheres is not the best, Rush album, nor the best 70s Rush album.

[Pound of Obscure]

Yes

[Nova Carmina]

No

[Weatherman]

I believe it's Billy Corgan's favorite.

is it their best? Nah.

It seems to appeal to fans with a dark side to their personalities.

[Rush Didact]

Permanent Waves is a far better album in every way.

[_hi_water._]

no

[Lorraine]

It's a tie between that and Permanent Waves. Those 70s albums are the best! :) :cheers: ;)

[zepphead]

I listened to Hemispheres this afternoon. It sure is a mighty good album!! Edited November 10, 2020 by zepphead

[IbanezJem]

It's a tie between that and Permanent Waves. Those 70s albums are the best! :) :cheers: ;)

You`re goddamned right they are, La Giaconda.

[yyz2112]

Second to Permanent Waves. If Cygnus X-1 Book II was condensed/shortened with another killer track to compensate it would be top. Book II just a bit overlong for me.

[mattroland76]

No. Its a great album for sure, definitely essential Rush. But what the band truly excels at would be demonstrated on Permanent Waves and perfected on Moving Pictures.

[chemistry1973]

God I love it and it was my favorite for a long time. It’s still a sonically groundbreaking album and side 1 is so badass.

 

Perm waves is perfect. Even more perfect than MP, because it’s got the epicness of Rush but with some cool short songs.

 

So best albums:

PW

MP

Signals

Hemispheres

2112

Edited June 28, 2021 by chemistry1973

[Malignant Narcissist]

Brilliant as it is, it's not their best for me.

I do like Circumstances and The Trees but they let the side down a bit compared to other albums in that 70s-80s era.

I know some see The Trees as a monster track but I didn't like it on 1st listen. Like it a lot now.

The kind-of-similar format was done better, imo, on the the title track to AFTK.