FEATURED CD: Rush - Permanent Waves

[Poisoned Youth]

http://www.metal-archives.com/images/3/5/7/9/3579.jpg

Member: Chuck AzEee!


I feel as of times I am repeating myself, in starting off reviews of great bands.

The Canadian act that we know as Rush, consisting of bassist, keyboardist and lead vocalist Geddy Lee and guitar virtuoso Alex Lifeson started their professional careers in the late Sixties, performing cover tunes of hard rock acts like Cream, Led Zeppelin and Jimi Hendrix, which would eventually influence the band's first album eponymously named Rush. Tired of touring, the band's original drummer, John Rustley, called it quits to concentrate on family life, but yet his leaving was a blessing in disguise, as for the band would hire drummer/percussionist/lyricist extraordinaire, Neil Peart, and it is from this personnel move that the band's fortunes and sound would change forever.

Neil Peart, influenced by the likes of Ayn Rand, brought lyricism that depicted science fiction like nihilism, that would come to fruition on the band's opus fourth album, 2112. Asides for his science fiction/mystical lyrical imagery, his love for the burdening English art-rock movement, help shaped the sound by shifting them from Led Zeppelin wannabes to a group that rivaled Genesis, Pink Floyd and Yes at their progressive peak.

Many albums would pass since Neil joined Rush, and with each one the band's sound (a cross between the ambience of Dark Side of the Moon era Pink Floyd, musical interplay of Selling England period Genesis and the power of Who's Next era Who with experimentation of poly-rythyms of mid-period King Crimson) each getting better and better until they come full face with this album.

Permanent Waves, Rush's seventh studio album, is a culmination of the band's influences and hard work to strive for perfection. Unbelievable from the first listen, Permanent Waves is like listening to Yes (sans the overt-keyboarding) on speed. Unlike their English peers, the band's love of the blues, is still a part of the sound and that would show up on a few songs on this album.

The band had released singles from their prior albums, but asides for anthem "Closer To The Heart", they have never had a true hit single. Things did not change as far as charting on the US side, but the album's first track and one of three radio anthems on the album, "The Spirit Of Radio", is a great track that band's highest charting single in UK, peaking at #13 in February of 1980 (but stalling at #51 on the US side).

The second track, and maybe the band's greatest anthem of the time, "Freewill". Most metal fans find this song to their liking with its relentless furious pace that thrusted Geddy, Alex and Neil into an unworldly stratosphere on each perspective instruments.

Third track, and the albums longest, "Jacob's Ladder", is another prog work out, in which the band's love for Pink Floyd rears its head, and creeps up innocently lead to the song's climatic ending.

"Entre Nous", the second single off the album (and last radio anthem), barely missed charting on the US radio charts, is a lovely song that sometimes gets lost amongst the heavyweights on album. It is also on this song, where most passionate drumming fans feel that Neil's heavy-handed drumming ruins the mood of certain songs.

The fifth track, and a song that belies everything else on the album, the heavy blues workout, "Different Strings" slowly builds up momentum, until it fades out abruptly, ruining the whole song.

The last track and the reason Rush is so often revered by many as a great band and it individual members are amongst every prog fans top ten is because of songs like "Natural Science". All the years of the band tensions (creative, not amongst themselves) is all accumulated on this one song. Geddy Lee, singing like a Banshee, his 12 string, then his bass work leads the foundation to some lightning quick fret work by Alex, in which is bottomed out by one of Neil's greatest (if not the best ever) drumming he ever committed to tape.

Permanent Waves is the fourth of six studio albums that most Rush fans would consider their "great" period. Most prefer their next album as Rush's Magnum Opus, but its hard not to see that Permanent Waves might be a better all around album.

Charles

Album Rating: Five Stars

[CaffieneMan]

This is where it all began for me as a Rush fan. Once I heard this, I went back and got all their previous albums, and have bought every album since. Awesome stuff! 5 stars!

[100423]

This is my favorite Rush album. I love every single song on here, and Natural Science, especially, is truly amazing.

[Sturgeon's Lawyer]

Tasty stuff...

[MudShark22]

Of the "magical flying fingers" period; this is the album I reach for the least. I cannot even remember the last time I played this.

Freewill and Spirit of Radio are on the 'radio' (inc XM) more often than Tom Sawyer which probably contributes to my lack of desire to hear the whole thing. So if I need to hear RUSH at their best; I tend to play the prior two or the following two.

[Jerjo]

These guys were on such a roll by this point. An unbelievable album and it never gets old for me.

[Trane]

This is where it all began for me as a Rush fan. Once I heard this, I went back and got all their previous albums, and have bought every album since. Awesome stuff! 5 stars!

Funnily enough, this was the beginning of the end for me (but I'd followed Rush ever since they played at my high-school in 75)...
Hated Spirit and Free Will >> both were overplayed in Toronto local radios, and none deserved that kind of attention...
I thought of Entre Nous and Different Strings as totally forgettable (even fillers)
Jacob's Ladder is a slow over-repetitive bolero that never materializes or explodes... Only Natural Science had something excitring to offer

[Sean]

I thought of Entre Nous and Different Strings as totally forgettable (even fillers)


Yeah, but boy! Those fillers back then were better songs than some of the strongest cuts on later albums.

[mellotron storm]

I've read that when they recorded this it was a lot of fun for the guys. They went through hell recording Hemispheres and purposely said they would never go down such a complex road ever again. They may have enjoyed doing this but it's such a melancholic album. The Spirit Of Radio is by far my least favourite track but other than that it's perfect for me, my favourite album.

[dropforge]

I thought of Entre Nous and Different Strings as totally forgettable (even fillers)

A blasphemer! Blacksmith...fire up the coals!

[Vic2012]

Great album. When I got into Rush about 13 years ago I found this album and the the previous two in a used shop and went bonkers. I could go a few years without hearing Spirit snd Freewill but I really dig this album. I'd rank it behind 2112, AFTK, Hemispheres, and Moving Pictures. Favorite tracks are Jacob's Ladder and Natural Science.

[Trane]

Yeah, but boy! Those fillers back then were better songs than some of the strongest cuts on later albums.

that brought a sad smirk to me... Agreed, these two tracks would be highlights in mid-80's albums

[CaffieneMan]

I think for me it all began with Permanent Waves mainly because suddenly Rush was being played more often on the radio. At the time I did not have a job, so no income for buying albums. The radio was the source for music for me until 1981. Hearing "Freewill" for the first time was an amazing experience I still remember today, hearing the epic albums like "2112", "Hemispheres", "Farewell to Kings" only confirmed in my mind what I had discovered.

If I had a point where my interest in the band wavered it was when "Signals" came out, followed by "Grace Under Pressure". But still, when a new album was announced, and a new single played on the radio, my interest would jump once again, and I'd go out and buy the next album.

[progman1975]

My favorite Rush rekkid...Jacob's Ladder and Different Strings are just gorgeous!!!!!!!!

[wideopenears]

I grew up with All the World's A Stage, Hemispheres (one of my first vinyl purchases!), 2112, and A Farewell to Kings....when this was released, I felt conflicted. It was obvious they were moving in new directions, and I wasn't sure if I liked it. I grew to like it, but never gave it the same attention I gave the earlier ones...and I recall thinking Moving Pictures was more of a return to form, though I'm not sure why.

I should pick this up on CD, as I only have the vinyl and it's 3,000 miles away in Mom's library.

[Sean]

I hope she plays it often!

[East New York]

It unequivocally doesn't suck.

[Progatron]

The first album released in the 1980s.

And a fantastic one, at that! But then, I love ALL Rush, what can I say. Some years ago, we used to refer to this era as the 'middle period'. Can't call it that anymore after so many more years have passed, but I still love the era. I think "The Spirit Of Radio" is one of the best songs they've ever written, I LOVE Alex's solo in "Freewill", and of course the two longer tracks are classic Rush.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOqB4rmmlXc

[mellotron storm]

^ Hey thanks for that. I like part 2 of that interview where they talk about seeing YES in concert as well as Bill Bruford solo.

[wideopenears]

I hope she plays it often!

Very doubtful. But it does present a funny image to my mind's eye.

[Chuck AzEee!]

Thanks Cozy :)

My favorite Rush album but yet my all time favorite Rush song is not on this gem.

[Boceephus]

Permanent Waves is my favorite Rush album. I place Natural Science as the best representation of the power & skill of Rush overall. I play this album regularly.

[Sputnik]

Love this album, as I do all the albums from 2112 through Signals. This one is a gem, though. It strikes a really good balance of elements and I think finds the band establishing their own sound, apart from the British Prog that influenced their previous albums, but still heavily influenced by it. I'd put this in the trio of the best stuff they ever did, including Hemispheres and Moving Pictures.


we used to refer to this era as the 'middle period'. Can't call it that anymore after so many more years have passed
Now we just call it the "good" period. :D

Bill

[notallwhowander]

These guys were on such a roll by this point. QFT. They were at the height of their powers, IMO. But then, they had been for a while at that point.

[Paulrus]

Amazing fucking album. If Rush had never released anything before or after people would still be raving about it. Plus I think it's one of the best examples of a band pivoting from the 70s into the 80s without sacrificing one iota of musical scruples or respectability. It helped that they were a hard rock band at their core so they could just push that part up and pull back the prog until they hit the right balance. But songs like "Natural Science" and "Jacob's Ladder" (why oh why will they not play this live?) are all time prog rock classics in my book. And the two "filler" songs are both tasty and provide some relief from the fury on display in the other tracks. Neil overplaying on "Entre Nous"? Pfui!!!

EDIT: Oh, and mad props to Hugh Syme for the sleeve artwork. He really helped to raise the standard of graphic design in rock band album sleeves back then (and continues to do so today). And that girl... ooo, la la! I remember a friend in high school walking into class the day after seeing the show wearing the album cover on his t-shirt and it certainly turned some heads. :)

[ca1ore]

Sorely in need of a 5.1 release.

[Bill Ferny]

A Masterpiece.
My first encounter with Rush was Moving Pictures but quickly bought PW after listening.
As a teenager I soon come to thinking, wow, how could this music be bettered?
Enter exploration Prog.............................

[Polska]

Can't say it any better than everyone already has above. I love everything about this album. Simply amazing.

[Man In The Mountain]

I bought this album the day it was released, and it's just as amazing today as it was then. I never tire of it, it's simply one of the best albums of all time. Certainly the best one by RUSH.

The Hugh Syme album cover artwork is also one of my all-time favorites, and a major influence on how I approach my work. Probably made me want to be a cover artist myself.

[N_Singh]

The first album released in the 1980s.

And a fantastic one, at that! But then, I love ALL Rush, what can I say. Some years ago, we used to refer to this era as the 'middle period'. Can't call it that anymore after so many more years have passed, but I still love the era. I think "The Spirit Of Radio" is one of the best songs they've ever written, I LOVE Alex's solo in "Freewill", and of course the two longer tracks are classic Rush.


http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=JOqB4rmmlXc

Great interview, what cool guys. Geddy's glasses are somehow back in vogue, these days.:D Also, the man is clearly not in the closet, per a couple of his references. Neil is probably the most down-to-earth, unpretentious intellectual I have heard in music. I should really read some of his books, one day. And Alex? Perhaps he was stoned on that day. Barely a peep. :)

Quite funny how they revered Yes and coupled that group with the words "no compromise" and "integrity".

[gregory]

Funnily enough, this was the beginning of the end for me (but I'd followed Rush ever since they played at my high-school in 75)...
Hated Spirit and Free Will >> both were overplayed in Toronto local radios, and none deserved that kind of attention...
I thought of Entre Nous and Different Strings as totally forgettable (even fillers)
Jacob's Ladder is a slow over-repetitive bolero that never materializes or explodes... Only Natural Science had something excitring to offer
Always wonder, why are you in the West so concerned about songs on radio. Why it is so important? Really matters what, memory training? How on earth radio translation of one song and not another, could be considered as some serious criteria?WHO CARES for jockey's choice?:roll
As for me, - and I'm not a big fan of Rush - this is their best, or one of the best, surely on the top of the list of their catalogue.
Entre Nous I percieve as brave attempt for groove, I like it very much, here they tried not to repeat themselves in fabulous cliches. Jacob's Ladder is magnificient. And the whole album is varied, in contrast with prior Hemispheres, one of their most pompous creation.

[yogibear]

jacobs ladder and entre nous are great tunes. this has tunes which became standards within their repetoire . wonderful stuff in retrospect but maybe not at the time it came out.

[gingernut]

Well 38 minutes is a bit short for a start. Spirit Of Radio is not that great. Different Strings and Entres Nous, skippers for me. Freewill, Jacob's Ladder ands the first half of Natural Science are brilliant through, but only 16 minutes or so of good stuff is not enough. The albums either side blow PW out of the water. Tin hat on!

[enpdllp]

My favorite Rush album but yet my all time favorite Rush song is not on this gem.

Same here. Bought the album on its release and still enjoy it to this day.

I wonder how many people noticed that on the video above Peart is wearing a T-shirt from FM's Black Noise album.

[Vic2012]

Great interview,
".

I've only seen a bit of that interview (until now). A bit of it appears on the documentary "Beyond The Lighted Stage." Two things: Geddy looks kinda drunk, and I don't understand Alex's hair. What is going on with Alex's hair? :lol

[Yves]

I grew up with All the World's A Stage, Hemispheres (one of my first vinyl purchases!), 2112, and A Farewell to Kings....when this was released, I felt conflicted. It was obvious they were moving in new directions, and I wasn't sure if I liked it. I grew to like it, but never gave it the same attention I gave the earlier ones...and I recall thinking Moving Pictures was more of a return to form, though I'm not sure why.



Wow! I could have posted this myself. I used to spend my summers on the Ontario/New York border in my youth. I was a huge Rush fan, growing up in Toronto. My American friends did not know Rush until this album came out. All of a sudden, The Spirit Of Radio was being played everyday on the Buffalo radio station we used to tune into. This kind of turned me off this album for a while. I later returned to it and it's one of my top 5 Rush albums.

[Garden Dreamer]

Always wonder, why are you in the West so concerned about songs on radio. Why it is so important? Really matters what, memory training? How on earth radio translation of one song and not another, could be considered as some serious criteria?WHO CARES for jockey's choice?
.

Some of us are annoyed by the presence of "classic rock" radio because it has ruined many a classic album by overplaying "hits" to the point that you don't want to hear them when you play the album for yourself. It's not a matter of turning off the radio - you're often forced to hear it in the workplace. It's insane that some people have been made to not want to hear the first two songs off this great album because they've already heard them hundreds of times on the radio.

As for the album - fantastic. I was already entrenched in early Rush when this came out so it was a bit of a change in sound and direction but I still loved it. One issue with the review - "Different Strings" is a "heavy blues" number??:huh

[XanaFloyd]

A masterpiece but to me not at the level of Moving Pictures... but i tend to consider masterpiece all the records from 2112 to Hold Your Fire...

[ItalProgRules]

It's funny, back when it came out, I thought it was a big letdown (for the same reasons as wideopenears gave). Nowadays I love it as much as the albums on either side of it in the discography.

First Rush album that I owned only on cassette back in the day.

[ItalProgRules]

Wow! I could have posted this myself. I used to spend my summers on the Ontario/New York border in my youth. I was a huge Rush fan, growing up in Toronto. My American friends did not know Rush until this album came out. All of a sudden, The Spirit Of Radio was being played everyday on the Buffalo radio station we used to tune into. This kind of turned me off this album for a while. I later returned to it and it's one of my top 5 Rush albums.

Your American friends were a bit slow on the uptake. Here in the WNY area, RUSH had been big since 2112. All my friends were into them from at least 2112-All the Worlds-A Farewell to Kings if not earlier.

[Nearfest2]

Love Neil's FM shirt in that interview!

[Wisdomview]

Can't say it any better than everyone already has above. I love everything about this album. Simply amazing.

WORD!

[dregsfan]

Very cool to hear them talk about the tune that didn't make the cut. I know they used some of it for Natural Science, but I wonder if any of the unused bits ever surfaced?

[malterb]

This was the first Rush tour I got to see and it was fantastic. PW is still one of the all time great albums, not just Rush but by any band.

[dgtlman]

This tour had the greatest setlist of all time from this band. If you were lucky enough to see it like I was... simply amazing, 2112 (minus Discovery and Oracle)
Freewill
By-Tor and the Snow Dog (1st half)
Xanadu
The Spirit of Radio
Natural Science
A Passage to Bangkok
The Trees
Cygnus X-1
Hemispheres
Closer To The Heart
Beneath, Between and Behind (abbreviated)
Jacob's Ladder
Working Man (reggae intro)
Finding My Way
Anthem
Bastille Day
In The Mood
Drum Solo
Encore: La Villa Strangiato (electric guitar intro)

[Joe F.]

This was the first Rush tour I got to see and it was fantastic. PW is still one of the all time great albums, not just Rush but by any band.

Mine too. It was a great show.

[Scrotum Scissor]

My fave by them, and definitely the most consistent of the 10-12 Rush albums that I've heard. "Natural Science" is arguably their best stab at a "true" progressive rock piece (unlike the somewhat blatant incoherencies of "Xanadu" and the likes), whilst "Free Will" remains the finest song of theirs overall - IMHO, of course.

[JIF]

My fave by them, and definitely the most consistent of the 10-12 Rush albums that I've heard. "Natural Science" is arguably their best stab at a "true" progressive rock piece (unlike the somewhat blatant incoherencies of "Xanadu" and the likes), whilst "Free Will" remains the finest song of theirs overall - IMHO, of course.Are you calling Natural Science "true" prog, because it was divided into three subsections?

[Supersonic Scientist]

Boceephus said:

...I place Natural Science as the best representation of the power & skill of Rush overall.

I do the same thing too. If I need to play ONE SONG to demonstrate RUSH's playing and composing skills, this is the tune I use. Brilliant in every way.

[Scrotum Scissor]

Are you calling Natural Science "true" prog, because it was divided into three subsections?
By no means whatsoever. Whatever gave you that idea?

I was calling it '"true" prog' (note internal paragraph quotation marks, implying that there's actually nothing such as any "prog" truer than others) due to this song's ability to conjure up more of a coherent structure than the band's usual mosaics of 5-6 consecutive repetitions of seemingly randomly assorted themes or riffs (which sometimes work, as in "Cygnus X-1", and sometimes don't, as with "2112" or "Hemispheres"). I specifically mentioned "Xanadu"as negation because it renders an impression of 3-4 separate intros followed by what amounts to little compositional substance.

[Chuck AzEee!]

Thanks Cozy :)

My favorite Rush album but yet my all time favorite Rush song is not on this gem.

It would help if I told everyone what my favorite Rush song is. :oops

It's "Cygnus X-1" and favorite single "Subdivisions".

[BravadoNJ]

new decade, new direction for Rush, leaving prog towards hard rock. 6 great songs. they could have added another song. probably their shortest album. they need to perform this one live too.

[Man In The Mountain]

This tour had the greatest set list of all time from this band. If you were lucky enough to see it
I saw it!! My favorite concert of my youth. The band was never the same since.

[Soc Prof]

Love the album. Still, it was painful to hear in the interview about an abandoned epic that was supposedly too Renaissance (the era, not the band) sounding for the album. I'd love to hear a bootleg of that.

[Nearfest2]

new decade, new direction for Rush, leaving prog towards hard rock. 6 great songs. they could have added another song. probably their shortest album. they need to perform this one live too.

They're performed 4 of 6 songs from it over the last several tours. I don't think they need to play the album as a whole at this point. Though they should bring back "Jacob's Ladder." "Different Strings" isn't necessary to hear live, IMO.

[JIF]

Sorely in need of a 5.1 release.Didn't that happen with the Sectors boxsets?

[JIF]

Funnily enough, this was the beginning of the end for me (but I'd followed Rush ever since they played at my high-school in 75)...
Hated Spirit and Free Will >> both were overplayed in Toronto local radios, and none deserved that kind of attention...
I thought of Entre Nous and Different Strings as totally forgettable (even fillers)
Jacob's Ladder is a slow over-repetitive bolero that never materializes or explodes... Only Natural Science had something excitring to offerEntre Nous is a great song. Billy Corgan even thinks so, according to his interview in Beyond The Lighted Stage.