The Owl reviews every Rush album

[The Owl]

shall we move forward? Into the synth era we venture

 

 

__________________________________________________________________________________

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/thumb/6/63/Rush_Signals.jpg/220px-Rush_Signals.jpg

"Signals"

1982

 

 

 

 

 

- Track #1: Subdivisions

 

Rush kicks off yet another album with a very strong opening track, by venturing into the annals of the synth heavy/synth led music. The best thing to be said about this track is the lyrics, there are many who here who could relate to these lyrics in that time of life when they were in highschool, when this album came out in 82 or otherwise. Musically the song is just as strong, the opening synth melody sticks with you and creates a track you can identify from the opening note, great solos, and great playing all around.... a very solid track, no perfect, but close enough..worthy of its reputation as one of Rush's greatest hits..

 

(9.5/10)

 

- Track #2: The Analog Kid

 

This tracks starts good with a nice riff from Alex, and keeps a nice momentum throughout the run. I really like the layering of guitar and synth here, especially during the choral section. And a great shredding solo from alex in the last 3rd of the song is fantastic. The main riff throughout the track does get a bit wearing once you hit the 3:40 mark, and feels repetitive, not a small qualm, but a bit of one.

 

(9/10)

 

- Track #3: Chemistry

 

A Pretty Epic intro, once again higlighting the emphasis on synth, but still nice in the fact that it's not overtaking the guitar, but more working in conjunction, and there is some great underlying layered Steve Howe-ish guitar playing from Alex. Now the lyric writing over the past few albums has been fun watching Neal get better and better, but here he kind of falters, not a big fan of them here. The music is great but the lyrics take this song down quite a bit.

 

(7.5/10)

 

-Track #4: Digital Man

 

And rush clearly demonstrates this song is an 80s track here, the music is rather good, but unlike the main body of Rush's catalog, this song feels REALLY dated.. They lyrics are good, but it has kind of the inverse problem I had with Chemistry. One strong redeeming factor in for this track, despite the repetitiveness of it, it is very strong bass groves throughout and a very well done extended solo.

 

(7/10)

 

-Track #5: The Weapon

 

And we continue the Fear saga with the middle piece. Once again very strong lyrics. I love the complex main guitar riff at the fadein at the beginning. Even though Rush has moved out of the Progressive phase in their music, the complex rhythm and playing is demonstrated here (Particularly with some of the drum licks)... at times you can almost forget this song is in 4/4. The song does slag a bit, and go on for a bit overlong towards the slow last 3rd before the guitar kicks in and leads to the close of the song, but the solo makes up for the most of it.. overall a great middle effort for the Fear saga

 

(9/10)

 

- Track #6: New World Man

 

Another of the singles that Rush released in Support of signals, its not bad, but unfortunately is not anywhere as strong as "Subdivisons". It's not a bad track, but the downplayed guitar gets to me a bit. There is some great bass stuff going on, and that respect it is nice to see it actually outshine Alex for a bit. It is at a great length, and does what it sets out to do, it's a single, not much more, and not the greatest creative output on the album, but still at least a decent track..

 

(7/10)

 

- Track #7: Losing It

 

When it comes to the list of under-appreciated, and underrated songs in the Rush catalog, this songs is one of the first to pop to my mind... I just adore this song... strikingly beautiful and poignant. The subtlety of guitar contrasted with shining violin, on one of the few instances where Rush uses an outside musician, is just astonishing. I have had my criticisms of Rush ballads on previous albums, mainly in that they usually break the flow of the album; that is not the case here, it is much welcome, and is IMO one of their best ballads.

 

(9.5/10)

 

- Track #8: Countdown

 

THE FINAL COUNTDOWN... DO DO DO-DO, DO.....oh wait wrong song... What Do I feel about this track? It's hard to put in words other than pretty forgettable. As with with a couple of the other tracks with this album it is on the better side of "mediocre". There are some highlights, It does have a bit of a grandiose feel in the main body of the song, and some really good synth work as well (especially a really good synth solo). But the sampling is hard to take, I am not a big fan of sampling in music, and almost in all cases I don't like when artists use samples of other tracks, or news clips...etc. I find it very distracting. "Countdown is no exception, I could have taken it if it were just at the beginning, but having it run throughout the song takes away from this tremendously.... not a bad album closer, but I expect better.

 

(6/10)

 

 

 

 

______________________________________________Overall Thoughs/Final Review___________________________

 

Well we have really reached a paradigm shift in the Annals of Rush. We are fully into the era of synth and key heavy music, is it a bad thing? Not yet, With Signals there is kind of an equal representation of the keys to other instrument ratio... And while some might not mind it as much as I do, I am of the opinion that it really should not go much further than that. As we will see in later albums (PW, and HYF are good examples, but more on that in their own reviews) the synth will become the dominant instrument in the band... and while it is only my opinion, that should not happen. But on Signals, they got the balance right, and I like it here.

 

I have brought it up in my last few reviews, and that is that Neil is growing ever better as a songwriter and other that one particular track "Signals" is one of his best albums lyrically. This album along with the next I consider the apex of Neils songwriting ability.

 

"Signals" overall is a mixed bag of tracks that mostly range in the good-fantastic range, and sprinkled with a few tracks that are just "mediocre". It is a good album, and while I think anyone would agree that it does not hold a candle to the previous 2 releases, it is certainty a worthy followup... I give Signals a score of .....

 

86/100

Edited March 18, 2012 by The Owl

[The Owl]

One thing I could add to my last 3 reviews is that I have been noting that Geddy's voice has also reached it's apex in terms of singing as well... He is at that point as of the early 80s (PEW, MP, and SIG) where his voice sounds mature, much more than in the early days, and yet he still has the ability and range to hit the highernotes when he needs to....

 

You could add this previous paragraph as a P.S to my last 3 reviews.

[Cyclonus X-1]

QUOTE (The Owl @ Mar 18 2012, 05:08 PM)

Track #3: Chemistry [...]Now the lyric writing over the past few albums has been fun watching Neal get better and better, but here he kind of falters, not a big fan of them here.

All three of them contributed to Chemistry's lyrics.

[goose]

I agree with most of your takes on these tracks, especially on Losing It, which is an amazing effort by the band, and Countdown, which foreshadows the future lack of consistency RUSH will show in their attempt to remain relevant. We get great momnets, like Subdivisions and Analog Kid, that really highlight Neil, Geddy and Alez, and then songs like Chemistry and Countdown, that lack the musicianship that the boys are known for.

 

And this where we disagree a bit. Signals does mark, for me, the beginning of a period where the uses of keyboards is overwhelming, and Alex is too often lost in the morass. Signals also suffers from that "wads of cotton" production.

 

Thin as it is, I was thrilled when Presto came along and Alex was once again brought to the foreground as a guitarist.

[Tommy Sawyer]

You were too generous. Signals is nothing special, GUP beats it by 1000 miles.

[treeduck]

Once and for all The Owl is "the" prog guru!

 

[CruisingInPrimetime]

QUOTE (Cyclonus X-1 @ Mar 18 2012, 05:36 PM)

QUOTE (The Owl @ Mar 18 2012, 05:08 PM) Track #3: Chemistry [...]Now the lyric writing over the past few albums has been fun watching Neal get better and better, but here he kind of falters, not a big fan of them here. All three of them contributed to Chemistry's lyrics. Are you sure about that?? I thought they each wrote a different section, not lyrically, but musically. Geddy wrote the verses, Neil wrote the chorus, and Alex wrote that shredding guitar riff and the waltz after the solo. I was under the impression that Neil wrote all the lyrics for this song, but I could be wrong.   Edit: The waltz after the solo is on Losing It, not Chemistry. Don't know what I was thinking.

Edited March 19, 2012 by CruisingInPrimetime

[The Owl]

not gonna churn one out this weekend, im outta town so gonna knock out GUP

 

---------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------------

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/6/66/Rush_Grace_Under_Pressure.jpg

 

Grace Under Pressure

 

1984

 

 

 

- Track #1: Distant Early Warning

 

We delve further into the synth dominance into the first track, and I really like this track, The synth is very catchy, and the main melody led by synth does drive the track nicely, and while this album as a whole (more on this later) does break my golden rule of emphasizing the keys over the guitar. It's not that bad. The lyrics are great, and the music is grandiose, demonstrating this track as one of the best of this era.

 

(9/10)

 

- Track #2: Afterimage

 

Hard to reconcile how I feel about this song, it keeps the momentum of the previous track, and the guitar is a tad more prominent than in the previous track, but the synth riffs and melodies do get a tad repetitive, and if you are gonna go full hog with the keys, it needs to have the power and fell as it did in DEW...not a bad track, not even mediocre, decent but nothing special..

 

(7.5/10)

 

- Track# 3: Red Sector A

 

HELLO? Is that a guitar riff leading the track here? Huzzah! I enjoy this song very much. The lyrics right off the bat are very powerful and carry a heavy weight, very well done there Mr. Peart. The music while nothing too special drive the song on and allows the focus on the words of this song. And is it just me but I love Alex's guitar tone here? Anyhoo, great track

 

(8.5/10)

 

- Track #4: The Enemy Within

 

We finish out the Fear Trilogy with the first..... yes that is correct, the first part in the saga that has worked backwards in the preceding two albums. The song starts off very strong, with a nice Police-ish driving riff.... The tempo of the tracks works very well, to what I think is one of Rush's quickest tempo songs... hell the guitar is in great prominence here as well... one thing I do not like is the effect the synth is tuned to here, the dropping sound effect with that was so popular in the 80s, during the quieter parts of this track, and a guitar solo would have been welcome at some point in the track as well.... lyrics aside this passes as another "decent" track, but not the best way to end (or begin,however you look at it) the Fear saga

 

(7/10)

 

 

- Track #5: The Body Electric.

 

Alright Neal take it away, I like the bit of rhythmic complexity and the layering of keys and guitar against the driving drums at the start. And not trying to offend a certain Administrator here, but these are not Neal's strongest lyrics on this album, where he's been driving it out of the ball parks on almost every track. But a nice plus to this track for actually having the first guitar solo I've noticed on the album..(too bad its a bit shorter than I would have liked) The song does get a bit repetitive eventually, and could be taken as a bit overlong, but who's counting.

 

(7/10)

 

- Track #6: Kid Gloves

 

Another nice up-tempo, riff driven song. Alex pretty much drives the song along throughout it's run, his solo is longer and better than in the previous track. It is pretty straightforward, but it rocks pretty hard... nothing much more to say than I like this track..

 

(8/10)

 

- Track #7: Red Lenses

 

A very awkward track, the vocal structure and the odd (not particularly bad) lyrics kind of throw me off a bit. Don't really like this track much at all, the electronic (or edrum sounding) drums I don't like. The eastern guitar sounding part is not good. The only nice thing I have to say here is that there is some good bass at the end, but not near enough to make up for what I can consider as Rush's first real stinker..

 

(3.5/10)

 

- Track #8: Between The Wheels

 

And we go right back into the driving synth with some epic quarter note chords staring it off epically. Between The Wheels is another very good song, the layering of sound (enen though you have Alex under the synth for most of the song) is very well done, a great point for production quality on this one. Great lyrics, and great musical structure. Where the guitar is noticeable Alex knocks it out of the park, and with another very good solo. And a great opposite book end for the album that DEW started out..

 

(9/10)

 

 

------------------------------------------Overall Thoughts/ Final Review-------------------------------------

 

What a mixed album, most of it was good, only 2 really excellent songs, a few at the "right above mediocre" level, and one outright bad track... where to begin?

 

Let's start what I really like, and that is (other than 2 of the tracks) the lyrics.. I have always stated that I feel Neal peaked with his abilities as a songwriter on Grace Under Pressure, and it is self evident... the words on this album are some of his best to date... Saying all that is not implying that Neal drops as a songwriter or his songwriting abilities drop off after this album, but GUP is the Apex of his career IMO.

 

As much as It goes against my golden rule, and while I feel that this album has passed that tipping point where the synth for the majority of the album outweighs the guitar, Geddys work on the keys here is pretty phenomenal. Hell if you are gonna outshine the guitar you better had at least be good in doing it, and It wasn't as bad of an overshine as I thought it would be, there are still quite a bit of great moments from Alex on this album.

 

Actually I don't have that many criticisms of this album on an overall level, and none outside I gave in the individual song reviews, some of which were bad, and some not as much. I like Grace Under Pressure, and feel that it OVERALL is just as strong as Signals in some places. And the areas I mentioned where this album does shine, it shines pretty damn good....

 

My overall score is..

 

 

85/100

[savagegrace26]

QUOTE

But a nice plus to this track for actually having the first guitar solo I've noticed on the album..

 

Both Afterimage and Red Sector A have terrific solos. How can you miss them?

[The Owl]

QUOTE (savagegrace26 @ Mar 23 2012, 12:30 AM)

QUOTE But a nice plus to this track for actually having the first guitar solo I've noticed on the album..   Both Afterimage and Red Sector A have terrific solos. How can you miss them? lateness of the OP I guess, and the fact that I've been up since 5am I guess...

[Tommy Sawyer]

Your review is very disjointed. Just reading the song description, you seem to love the album. Reading the final review, I would think this is a very bad album. But you ended up 85/100.

 

 

As for the review... well... let's just say GUP is my #5 album and Red Lenses is the best song IMO. GUP is an astounding, consistent album, the best (besides Presto) since 1981. The Body Electric is the only flaw on this album, so I'm with you there... but you still gave it a 7/10? Your review for Red Lenses was just as negative, but it got below a 4!

[savagegrace26]

QUOTE (Tommy Sawyer @ Mar 23 2012, 03:36 PM)

Your review is very disjointed. Just reading the song description, you seem to love the album. Reading the final review, I would think this is a very bad album. But you ended up 85/100. As for the review... well... let's just say GUP is my #5 album and Red Lenses is the best song IMO. GUP is an astounding, consistent album, the best (besides Presto) since 1981. The Body Electric is the only flaw on this album, so I'm with you there... but you still gave it a 7/10? Your review for Red Lenses was just as negative, but it got below a 4!

Pretty much agree with this assessment. And Red Lenses is funktastic.

 

My ratings:

 

Distant Early Warning - 9.0 (overall great driving and foreboding song)

Afterimage - 9.0 (one of Alex's best solos, the whole middle section is fantastic, great energy to the song)

Red Sector A - 9.0

The Enemy Within - 8.5 (love those sinister sounding keys and the upbeat reggae feel)

The Body Electric - 7.0

Kid Gloves - 8.0

Red Lenses - 8.0 (love the unique drumming patterns and sounds, interesting song compositionally, lyrically not very strong)

Between the Wheels - 9.5 (haunting, love the discordant vibe)

 

Overall: 85/100

 

P/G contains some of Alex's greatest guitar playing. Period. This may not be immediately apparent, but his riffs are textured and a great counterpoint to the keys (which complement him), not to mention some pretty amazing solos (Afterimage, Red Sector A, Kid Gloves, Between the Wheels).

Edited March 23, 2012 by savagegrace26

[HowItIs]

Just going to jump in and say that I love Red Lenses, too. Lyrically, it's offbeat and fun. Musically, it's simply fun, especially the drums: I don't mind that they are electronic - that completely fits the song, IMO. And that last bit, with the crazy drums under Geddy's vocal is... wow!

 

Overall, I agree with the rest of your review. I give Kid Gloves a higher mark, maybe - that riff is SO catchy! I also love Alex's guitar work on GUP, very under-appreciated. The final score of 85/100 is valid, though. Nice work, Owl!

[DistantEarlyRushFan]

I'm going to post in support of Countdown. The lyrics grow on you and the energy is sustained very well throughout by all band members in my opinion

[Cyclonus X-1]

QUOTE (DistantEarlyRushFan @ Mar 23 2012, 06:22 PM)

I'm going to post in support of Countdown. The lyrics grow on you and the energy is sustained very well throughout by all band members in my opinion

I'm going to post in support of your post in support of Countdown. The synth leads are awesome, as is the riff that Alex follows them up with.

[Silas Lang]

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Mar 11 2012, 07:00 PM)

Hey, you're back with the reviews! I thought you were dead in a ditch somewhere. Great review of PeW! The only place I'd really disagree is that I'd give Jacob's Ladder an easy 10/10. You said "Love the heaviness of the first half, albiet it does get a bit repetitive and could be shortened a bit, but a very small detraction." I don't get that at all, but it's a minor quibble. Also, while I would also rate Natural Science a 10/10, I don't think it's their best track, and certainly not better than the mighty Xanadu, but again a minor quibble - it's an awesome, epic track.

I wholeheartedly agree about Jacob's Ladder - for me it's easily as good as Xanadu if not better.

 

I gotta concur with Owl's praise for Neil's lyrics on PeW - they really went up a level here and that quality was maintained through Power Windows at least.

[Silas Lang]

QUOTE (Rick N. Backer @ Mar 12 2012, 08:01 AM)

I agree with your review.  In my view, this album and MP are the apex of Rush's career.  The albums that come after and before them have lots of great material, but none are as solid from start to finish.

Yea I really fail to see how any track from either (with the possible exception of Different Strings) doesn't merit a 10/10.

[Silas Lang]

QUOTE (savagegrace26 @ Mar 17 2012, 03:04 PM)

QUOTE (The Owl @ Mar 17 2012, 12:55 AM) Thanks for all the feedback on the last 2 reviews....  Regarding Vital Signs, I don't dislike the track, I just don't find it as a strong song.... my opinion and mine own... maybe a 7.5 was a bit harsh...it could go closer to an 8, but not much more in my book..... possibly an 8.5 if not the last track on the album... though QUOTE Put Vital Signs on a weak album like say Presto and it's by FAR the best track.   is really a valid argument..     oh well     gonna try and crank these out a bit quicker, and try to do Signals by Sunday. It's an outstanding closer. That long fade-out is one case where it works and perfectly closes out the album with a dark and foreboding feel while foreshadowing the direction they will go next. The "Signals get crossed" line pretty much is a lead in to their next album. I'd say it closes the album brilliantly. In the top five album closers easily. In complete agreement with this

[goose]

QUOTE (Silas Lang @ Mar 24 2012, 03:40 PM)

QUOTE (rushgoober @ Mar 11 2012, 07:00 PM) Hey, you're back with the reviews!  I thought you were dead in a ditch somewhere. Great review of PeW!  The only place I'd really disagree is that I'd give Jacob's Ladder an easy 10/10.  You said "Love the heaviness of the first half, albiet it does get a bit repetitive and could be shortened a bit, but a very small detraction."  I don't get that at all, but it's a minor quibble. Also, while I would also rate Natural Science a 10/10, I don't think it's their best track, and certainly not better than the mighty Xanadu, but again a minor quibble - it's an awesome, epic track. I wholeheartedly agree about Jacob's Ladder - for me it's easily as good as Xanadu if not better.   I gotta concur with Owl's praise for Neil's lyrics on PeW - they really went up a level here and that quality was maintained through Power Windows at least. An amazing run for Neil, for sure. PeW and MP especially.

[The Owl]

gonna do the power windows review tomorrow, then the Hold Your Fire, and Presto on Friday...

 

 

..... I really wish they would just announce a CWA release date already, so I can pace these appropriately.

[goose]

QUOTE (The Owl @ Mar 27 2012, 06:01 PM)

gonna do the power windows review tomorrow, then the Hold Your Fire, and Presto on Friday... ..... I really wish they would just announce a CWA release date already, so I can pace these appropriately.

Timing is everything!

 

Looking forward to your take on Presto.

 

[The Owl]

A bit of an update before I post the PW review in about an hour....I still plan on doing at least HYF review on Friday, but I might be getting ahead of myself if I do two... If the amazon page can be trusted and we are gonna have a late May release for Clockwork Angels, It should all work out about right If I go to a 1 review a week from there on in.....

 

 

I do want to adress a couple of things however.

 

1. I am gonna stop giving the songs individual scores, I will still do the reviews as I have been doing and doing a writeup on each individual song, but Wont attach a score to it, anymore... While I feel good about my song scores from Rush- Permanent Waves; around my Moving Pictures review I feel the individual song scores (not the reviews) or at least some of them are a bit arbitrary. In reality there is not much difference between a 9 and a 9.5, or a 9.5 and a 10. And with us moving into the last 3rd of Rush's catalog, there are gonna alot of songs (well not alot, but some) that will be low scoring... and really, If I give anything below a 5, I feel I will be picking numbers at random.... as was with my last review..

 

2. I like the feedback but I have have not left criticisms of the reviews unnoticed, most notably the score under which I score some of the albums and/or songs does not seem to jive in what I said about in the reviews they correspond with.. First with the songs... Yes with alot of the criticisms I have had with individual tracks are there, and I do respond that way with the songs, I dosen't mean I dislike the song... There hasn't been any Rush song I have not had any enjoyment out of thus far, save for the one in my last review. Alot of people criticized my impressions of "Vital Signs" in my MP review, and while I still stand by what I said in the review (still feel that it is weak compared to the rest of the album, and not the best track to close an album), I still like Vital Signs very much, and get enjoyment out of the track.... I saw one comment on my last review noticed with all of the criticism I gave half the individual tracks on GUP, I still gave it a favorable rating of 85.... While I have my criticisms they are marginal into my overall enjoyment of the album as a whole, and I gave the album bouns points for that...

 

One bad thing about these reviews is that when you normally listen to the album for enjoyment you gloss over the nicky picky stuff that can be commented about some songs, some are greater than others and some are less... but they don't really display themselves as such when you listen that way..

 

When you listen to try and write a commentary or review on them, you force yourself to think analytically of a track, and the criticisms that can be noted come to the forefront.... And in in my Overall Review Scores, and less so in the song reviews, I have been trying to at least reflect my overall enjoyment of the album/song, and give it some extra points because so... I stated in the outset that the final review scores are not a mere average of the song scores, or the song reviews, but on what I think on the album as whole... and in doing so like to look past some of the things that can be picked apart and see how much I enjoy the album on a subjective level...

 

 

 

that's what I wanted to get out of the way, will have the Power Windows review out shortly...

[savagegrace26]

I like when you give the songs numbers....don't stop that now. Keep it consistent with earlier reviews.

 

Or I'll boycott this thread...

Edited March 28, 2012 by savagegrace26

[The Owl]

....and we continure the the forrest of the synth era with...

 

 

http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/e/e2/Rush_Power_Windows.jpg

 

"Power Windows"

1985

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

 

-Track #1: Big Money

 

If Rush has one thing down, it is album openers, they can kick off an album well. The Big Money is no exception, not the best of the openers, but a good 'un nonetheless. I like Geddy's bass work in the track, and is a nice driving force in the album. As much as I like diversity amongst the instruments, the tone on Neils drums in the solo section at times sound almost edrum-ish, not a big fan of that, but a very small gripe, but is made up by an excellent solo. Very good opening track..

 

 

- Track #2: Grand Designs

 

A strong start, and another very nice bass groove, not a bad start, and defiantly has that 80's anthemic feel. However the vocal sections to get a bit repetitive and too poppy for my taste, but overall a fairly decent track, albiet not as strong as the previous.

 

- Track #3: Manhattan Project

 

Ughhh.... very mixed on this.... first of all, the guitar is as downplayed as any track as we've seen in the synth area, almost completely unnoticeable at the beginning, not a good thing, I almost hate the first 3rd of the track, feels too dated, alot of the 80s sci-fi sounding synth is detestable, and the soft mellow vocal sections are not at all to my taste, but once the guitar does come in and the song gets moving it is pretty good. The lyrics are pretty good IMO as well, and I like the snare work at the very start and ending, but the beginning of this song is bad.

 

- Track #4: Marathon

 

First thing that comes to mind in this song is once again is some really great bass work by Geddy. This song like a couple of the others on the album is the really powerful chords and long notes that give this track like others a very anthemic feel, I like that. And here is a good time to note on it, and I will elaborate more on the final album review, is while I do like the synth work on this album, I don't care for the particular synth sounds used on this album half the time.. The epic carrying synth notes are great, but the particular sound used make it feel really dated. Other than that a pretty great track, and a great solo.

 

- Track #5: Territories

 

This song is another song I dig very much, it has a very nice groovy feel, good lyrics, and is nicely driven by Neal on drums. The guitar is subtle and effecive.... There are some of those synth sounds in there I don't care for again, but overall a fairly good song, if a bit overlong round the middle.

 

- Track #6: Middletown Dreams

 

A bit of a strange beginning, but some really good of layering of sound between the synth, and guitar. But that's about it, the main body of the song feels very mundane and forgettable, not particularly bad, but forgettable. There is a decent but short guitar solo in there that I like, but overall not the strongest of tracks.

 

- Track #7: Emotion Detector:

 

Another very dated sounding song, and another track where the guitar is too downplayed for my taste, in favor of the synth. And let's face it, these are not Neil's best lyrics either, more of that 80s fantasy synth... Other than the choral section (musically speaking) and the solo (actually one of the better on this album) a very mediocre song like the previous. Not totally unenjoyable, but also very skipable.

 

- Track #8: Mystic Rhythms

 

A good, not the best but a good album closer. There is some really great layering of sound here, and good playing going on... props to the production here. The lyrics are very decent. And I know this might sound ironic, but I like the complexity going on rhythmically, it does stretch on quite a bit longer than I like, but a decent song nonetheless..

 

 

 

 

-----------------Overall Thoughts/ Final Review---------------

 

 

Ohh, where to start, well, first lets get the elephant out of the room, and that is the synth on this album, and my problems is not what I've had with the last couple of albums, where the synth pushes the guitar into the background (although that issue is present). But my problem is the synth tones and sounds they used, the playing is great, don't get me wrong, Geddy is doing a great job, and the synth is incorporated into the music well, but I cannot stand half the synth on this album... It is too remneciant of 80s sci-fi and fantacy, something of which you can find in "The Neverending Story" or "Labyrinth" , and is way too abundant, and makes the album feel really dated, which was not an issue with Grace Under Pressure.

 

But Geddy does more than make up for it in some of the bass work on this album, there is some phenomenal work on his part on this album.

 

"Power Windows" is not a bad album, not by a long shot, and far from the worst Rush album, but I would be amiss if I did not state that I came in with the notion that Power Windows is (personally in my category) one of my least favorite Rush albums, in my bottom 5 if not 3.... I honestly have to question myself, Why is that? Power Windows does have some really great moments, and some good and solid songs, my issues with the synth on this album does come into effect, but it is not the biggest reason why this album has never really connected with me... and that's just it... I have never connected with this album as I have with others, the songs on this album may be overall of good, more good than bad at least... But even on albums that I would rate worse than Power Windows (and deservedly so) have a couple of tracks that I adore and love, that is really not the case with "Power Windows"... I can get enjoyment, and do out of this album, but this album leaves me feeling it as something forgettable.

 

So how do I score this? I can give it some points for where there is clear quality, but detract quite from where I just personally don't connect with this record... I guess I can settle on a medium, try to be as objective as possible, while my clearly subjective feelings on this album will shine out as well...

 

 

 

74/100

[goose]

QUOTE (The Owl @ Mar 28 2012, 06:16 PM)

1. I am gonna stop giving the songs individual scores, I will still do the reviews as I have been doing and doing a writeup on each individual song, but Wont attach a score to it, anymore... While I feel good about my song scores from Rush- Permanent Waves; around my Moving Pictures review I feel the individual song scores (not the reviews) or at least some of them are a bit arbitrary. In reality there is not much difference between a 9 and a 9.5, or a 9.5 and a 10. And with us moving into the last 3rd of Rush's catalog, there are gonna alot of songs (well not alot, but some) that will be low scoring... and really, If I give anything below a 5, I feel I will be picking numbers at random.... as was with my last review..

I like this idea. You are a strong writer and your thoughts are clear. No need to assign number. Stick with the album rating.