Anything I really need to hear? Personalized song & album reviews!👇🏼 ko-fi.com/musickingdom/commissions Apologies for mispronouncing Peart. I’m putting myself in timeout. Agree or disagree? What’s the best Rush song ever made? Share your thoughts!
Rick Beato says it's Xanadu but they have so many great tunes I find my personal favorite depends on how I feel on a given day but more Rush is better Rush so for today I'll give it to Cygnus X-1 books 1 and 2 played in sequence, together they're 28:32 long. 😊
I would say 2112, and then Xanadu live in Montreal (Stickhits HD remaster, 1981). If you're not watching Rush live, you're missing 75% of what makes them Rush.
Great to see you r😂3eviewing the true masters of their craft.Try the sinister magnificent The Necromancer the beautiful blues groove of Here Again with a stunning solo from Alex or the truly epic Zanadu(the performance of this from 1981 has to be seen to be believed)or preferably all 3 in a Rush fest night?
I mispronounced Neil's last name in the same way, for many years. It's odd though. 95+ % of mispronunciation is the same way: "pert". And yet, what english word with an "e-a-r" combo is pronounced "urr"? Fear, hear, near: "ear" Wear, bear, pear: "air" But, "urr"?? That had to bug him something awful.
After watching the in-depth breakdown, I can't wait for 2112. It was epic in Rush's discography. They were faced with being released by their label. Instead of making radio hits, they dropped a 20 minute song. It captivated me from the start.
Rush's influences not only Led Zeppelin but also Yes and Genesis. 2112 is a must but there are other shorter songs from the 70's. The Trees and Circumstances are two that are excellent. Cheers
@@debbieplato5107 I'll add to your RUSH songs short list. Closer To The Heart, Fly By Night, In The Mood, Anthem, Lakeside Park, I Think I'm Going Bald, Different Strings, etc... +++Peace & Rock n' Roll 4 Your Souls+++
Love your in depth reactions. As a long time rush fan I’d say your rating/evaluation is spot on. I think the spirit of radio would be a follow up. Thanks and cheers!
This is radio friendly for RUSH. After their 3rd album didn't sell well their record company said you'd better produce some radio hits or youre done. In response they made the album 2112 ( Twenty one Twelve) the first song and title track was a 20 minute concept piece that was f u we'll play what we want. They never looked back. Great reaction and nice format.
Thanks for this :) 2112 might be a little much if you're not used to Rush. Tom Sawyer is one of their more straightforward songs. You should try Red Barchetta, also from Moving Pictures. Spirit of Radio from Permanent waves is also a really popular song of theirs. Subdivisions, from Signals is more radio friendy, but also excellent. For the 70s, The Trees from Hemispheres is pretty interesting. And yeah, Neil Peart is pretty much considered a god by most drummers.
Stick with Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and Signals before moving into their older stuff. Once you get the basic feel down, A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres are my favorite albums after Moving Pictures. I mean, Moving Pictures is just .. Clockwork Angels is an excellent album, too. For a song recommendation, Xanadu off of Kings ;) And if you do ever do that song, yes there are many layers going on in the studio version, but they also pull it off live with Geddy and Alex filling multiple musical roles. The Professor of course handles all the percussion alone. Review the studio version here, but watch the live version for you. And yes Expert, we all know exactly what part you are talking about LOL
I really like your unique approach to reacting/reviewing videos. I'm hoping more people get exposed to your channel so you (and the resident expert) can continue providing such wonderful content.
Rush has a huge and diverse discography, so I have some recommendations for you. If you want to listen to a more complex and epic 70's prog song, I recommend listening to Xanadu off of their A Farewell to Kings album. Xanadu is one of Rush's most complex songs they have ever written and according to the band, they recorded the song in one take. However, if you want to listen to something with a more lyrical and vocal direction, I highly recommend checking out either Limelight or Subdivisions. Both songs have incredible lyrics and vocals.
This could be a college class. Nice 😊By the way, if you're willing to react to a 20-min Rush song, I recommend starting with Hemispheres first. It's likely the most complex piece they've ever composed.
Hemispheres is definately the most complex album they ever produced but I'd say he's better off to stick with Moving Pictures or Permanent Waves as an introduction to the band.
Excellent reaction... But I must inform you of other things that you don't know and that's why I have always recommended that Rush songs should be analyzed in studio and live. He explained why, when you hear a Rush song, you feel the musical quality and you think it's a very good mix, but when you see that they play almost the same live, the admiration for 3 musical masters who sound like a band of 5 begins. You always have to remember that in the '80s there weren't great effects and even less digital ones. Another very important point is that Rush never used guest musicians or tracks. For other reactions it should be an order like this: The Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Working Man and Working Man live in Cleveland there's a big difference and you going to feel the energy , Xanadú and 2112 is like a "Cantata" ( 7 movement song) . Rush are: Geddy Lee plays bass bass pedal, synth, pedal synth, guitars and vocals. Alex Lifeson plays all guitars and Mandolina. Neil Peart plays drums and percusion also wrote the lyrics of the songs (considered one of the top 3 drummers of the rock history by all drums magazine). With Rush expect the unexpected. But becarefull don't listen Mush Rush you will turn a fan.
Also, for an instrumental, YYZ in RIO is a MUST! I've never seen a crowd so hype over an instrumental...and they manage to sing to it like a futbol anthem!!!
I really appreciate the time and quality of your review. As one of those Rush fans I thought I might suggest a few that might fit your style and worth a listen to. I added technically hard and/oremotionally touching. La Villa Strangiato, The Camera Eye, Losing it, The Pass..
Great reaction! And no worries on the Peart mispronunciation - everybody does it! What you have with Moving Pictures is the culmination and perfection of the 'progressive' side of Rush, but compressed into an easily digestible length (which improved the radio play immensely) What you will find from this era of Rush is the musical complexity (their hallmark!), and a little more synth heavy (for better or for worse). Rush always pushed the limits on their own abilities and the tech at the time. What has ALWAYS been a constant is Neil's lyrics. He always had something to say, and had a very eloquent way of saying it! If you're easing your way into Rush, I'd check the following: Subdivisions (absolute masterclass in meaningful lyrics - the pressures of conformity), Limelight, Red Barchetta (the last two from the same album Moving Pictures - the former on the difficulties of fame, the latter a futuristic tale where motor cars are outlawed), The Spirit Of Radio (on the beauty & freedom of radio AND it's pitfalls), Afterimage, Red Sector A. After those, THEN I'd take on their epic masterpiece (it's a must and we WILL sit through a 40 minute dissection of it!) - 2112! (there is a lyric video done as a graphic novel, endorsed by the band as an 'official' video which gives the whole story it's due!) Cheers!
Tell the expert that he missed in the 7/8 parts that it reverses. It counts 12 12 123 123 12 12. So he plays rhe riff forward and backward hitting that off beat bass drum with the hi-hat choke right in the middle
In my opinion you graded it perfectly! I’ve been a Rush fan since 1976 and that song definitely is a seven out of 10 compared to a lot of their other work. Looking forward to when you review more of their songs. By the way there’s a lot of short songs you can review just take a look at their discography and pick any songs from the mid to late 70s and you will not be disappointed!
Great review! This was likely Rush’s biggest radio hit. Heavier than Genesis or Yes prog contemporaries. More rock, less hobbit middle earth😅. I’d say the next logical choice is, “Spirit of Radio “
Nice reaction from a long time Rush fan (Since 1976). Your score was fair for this song especially for a first time listener. I highly recommend for your next review to be either Limelight from Moving Pictures or Spirit of Radio from Permanent Waves. Hopefully, you will eventually review some their really complex songs like 2112, Cygnus X1 book 1 or II, Xanadu (Live version from "Exit stage left" is my favorite Rush song) or even Natural Science. Thanks for the reaction.
Very well done for your spare time. I thought your score is pretty good maybe better than mine, with that said I think your scoring system is an interesting way to better the viewers experience. We the Rush fanatics will always hope you continue with more Rush.
Radio Friendly is somewhat relative when it comes to Rush. When they made 2112 they were told by the record company that they needed to start producing more radio friendly songs, shorter, etc... They decided that either they'd make the music they wanted or nothing, so they released 2112.
Oh, boy. I'm definitely looking forward to this deep dive 😅 I suggest The Spirit of Radio next from Permanent Waves, my all-time favorite album of Rush. You will get lots of recommendations, but these virtuoso musicians are known for complex, not simple 😉 Additionally, they have changed styles through many genres of music during their 40+ years together, while remaining true to their sound. Neil Peart (pernounced P-ear-t) is the percussionist and predominant lyricist, dubbed the Professor by many because of his incredible skills. I feel you will truly enjoy and appreciate this ride if you give it the chance that it requires.
I think it is a pretty accurate representation, it splits the eras of very proggy (earlier stuff) and then later more song focused. You should check out YYZ from the same album so you get the full prog-instrumental side of them.
Interesting rating system. Tom Sawyer and Moving Pictures was my introduction to Rush. When I first heard Tom Sawyer it had a sound that was so alien to me. It was a fresh, unique sound and in some ways cutting edge for the time. In regards to influences, Rush's first album (more hard rock with drummer John Rutsey) is very Zeppelin-esque. Neil Peart joined the band on the second album and it's here where Rush's sound and style starts moving towards prog. Yes and Genesis would definitely be an influence on 70's Rush.
Nice review. And you're right in that their big hits tend to skirt the pop line yet "Tom Sawyer" has its own unique style and can still draw many varied listeners.
Huge Rush fan, took my daughter to meet Ged at his Bass book tour, I think this is a fair reaction. Even they didn't love it when they made it. The best is yet to come. Thanks for the reaction.
Great video. Liked and subscribed. Just off the top of my head, here are my RUSH recommendations: For complexity: La Villa Strangiato or YYZ. For lyrics: The Pass, The Trees or Limelight. Also, I would LOVE to hear your analysis of The Spirit of Radio.
RUSH is THE PERFECT EXAMPLE of the fluidity of MASTERING TIME SIGNATURES! I play drums and there are a few things that you need to know about Neil Peart’s ( pronounced PEER-T) character: First he writes the lyrics so he knows in advance what TYPE of song it’s meant to be ie ballad, driver, etc. Second he COMPOSES on the drums… like a carpenter who looks at a set of blueprints before building the object. Neil lays out a SKETCH in his mind of the VOICES of the drumset and builds the song from there. He is also a great LISTENER knowing when NOT to step over Geddy’s singing or Alex’s solos! Finally, he had perfect timing and fluidity of time changes. He said himself that it’s not about COUNTING the time signatures as much as fluid motion to change the tempo without counting: in other words it should FLOW! He hates repeating the same drum patterns in the same song meaning if he plays a fill one way the first time around he will play it differently the second time around. IE. Rolls down the toms the first time around and triplets or quads (all four limbs) the second time around. In short there will NEVER be another like him on planet earth 🌍 🌏 🌎! REST IN PEACE PROFESSOR! With heart felt admiration and sincerity! Gary
This was a great video, and review! The thing about Rush, is there is no 1 song that could define them, as they never stayed on a single path for too long. 2 albums prior to this, and 2 albums after, are so completely different! I would say to do Freewill from 1980’s Permanent Waves album, beneath between and behind from 1976’s Fly By Night Album, or Xanadu from 1977’s a Farewell to Kings album are all pretty different from each other. Honestly, you could have fun critiquing lyrics from any of their decades of material as they are so well crafted. Looking forward to more!
By 1981 Rush had developed their own sound and this and the previous album are quintessential Rush for the new age and embracing all he music genres at that time (not Zeppelin)
2112 should be heard, but not right away. Just FYI, Rush was a live band. Up until the early 80's, they prided themselves on being able to reproduce the studio version, live with just three guys. Also just FYI, Rush's eponymous, 1974 debut was pilloried by mainstream critics as just being derivative of Zeppelin. And, to be sure, the three members of the band at that time did love Zeppelin. Indeed, the drummer on that first album (John Rutsey), loved rockin' blues so much that he was fired by Geddy and Alex, who wanted to explore progressive rock instead. So it was that, just after having been picked up by a US label for the international sales (they started their own label for Canada) - and less than two months before their first US tour (starting in Pittsburg, opening for Manfred Mann - they auditioned and hired Neal Peart, who was already a monster on the drums, pounding them as hard as one of his favourite drummers, John Bonham. Luckily for all of us, Peart was also looking to go into prog. He was also a rigorous autodidact who always had a book in his hand, which is why Geddy and Alex deemed him the band's lyricist. So, any Zeppelin you heard by their eighth album would likely be Jimmy Page, Alex's favourite guitarist. Geddy's favourite bassists were the Who's John Entwistle and (especially) and Yes's Chris Squire. By the time this 8th album was issued, Neil Peart was only two years from being inducted into Modern Drummer Magazine's Hall of Fame (perhaps needless to say the youngest drummer ever so honoured). He'd wind up on the cover a record ten times. I mention this because, by this point, his technique was already sui generis. You were on-spot, however, when you mentioned Genesis. Along with Yes and King Crimson, Genesis was certainly one of the bands that inspired Rush the most. They were also fans of another trio, the Police, whose influence would be felt most notably on their 7th to 10th albums. Peart and Summers became close friends around that time. That being said, Moving Pictures arguably marked a turning point for Rush, as their increasing use of synths and the onset of the Mew Wave movement combined to move Rush into a less-guitar-focused sound. They wouldn't really return to a truly hard rock (verging on straight up Metal until 2002's Vapour Trails (their 17th studio release), although there were noticeable hints in that direction on the 15th and 16th albums. They leaned into this style (although whilst also maintaining their characteristic complexity) in the last three albums, with the final one, Clockwork Angels, coming out in 2012. They also had a half dozen tremendous live concert DVDs in the 2000', all of which went gold or platinum in the US, Canada, and UK. PS - While Pie Dubois certainly deserved credit for writing a song that inspired Peart to write Tom Sawyer, the end product was all Neil. Alex and Geddy always wrote the music, while Neil wrote the lyrics.
Excellent review and tons of substance! I think you will end up being a big Rush fan, as you go along! Please consider listening to "Subdivisions" next! Great song!
Very nice format as far as rating goes. As mentioned in other sections the music "expert" seems to struggle in the rock/heavy metal genres with some puzzling ratings (the Master of Puppets rating was mind numbingly low for one of the best composed metal songs in history) but maybe as you guys get more familiar with this type of music ratings will reflect more appropriately. Also not sure I buy a music lover never hearing Tom Sawyer before but I get why reactors say this. Channel has a lot of promise and has potential to be one of the better ones out there. Keep up the good work!
He doesn’t “struggle”, he’s extremely educated. Compositions that are adored by many aren’t automatically deserving of the highest ratings. Regarding Master of Puppets, that’s back when he’d weigh more than just the composition. Regarding Tom Sawyer, no - I’ve never given it a listen. Thanks for the compliments otherwise. 👍🏼
‘Fresh ears’ is interesting. One of the things I like most about reactions is hearing a familiar song with fresh ears. What a current reactor can’t know is how a song sounded in its time. RUSH seems to be more easily accepted now, than it was in the 1970’s.
DEFINITELY do more if you haven’t! They are all masters in their craft..id suggest listening to their first single that did well in the states called “Working Man” and then watching the live version in Cleveland to see how versatile and talented they are, even decades later!
Welcome my friend to the rabbit hole I've been into since 76. Jump in with both feet the waters are deep and warm. Try The Trees it's one of my favorite songs.
I agree with your assessment. It is probably their most popular song but it is by no means my favorite. I can't wait for you to get to some deeper tracks, but first you have to do all of their more popular ones.
One of their great songs, from an album that doesn't get anywhere near the respect it deserves, is "The Necromancer" from the album "Caress of Steel." Without "CoS," their landmark "2112" album never would have been made. "CoS" laid a lot of the groundwork, both musically and lyrically, for their next albums, not just "2112," but also "A Farewell to Kings" (that was my very first rock concert I attended in 77,) and "Hemispheres." Those last two albums are what I consider to be Rush at their collective finest, though I love their later work as well.
Rush's debut album, released in 1974, sounds a whole lot like Zeppelin (although they still made it their own). In 1975, Geddy and Alex wanted to branch out musically, being influenced by bands like Genesis (good call on that one). Drummer at the time John Rutsey was more influenced by straight ahead rock like Bad Company, so that coupled with health problems, made him leave the band. When Neil Peart joined in 1975 it was like a match made in Heaven since he too was influenced by Prog Rock like Genesis. The Rush journey is so exciting, I envy you being able to experience their songs for the first time. And HELL YES we want you to react to 2112! Bring on the 40+ min videos!!! :P
Yes to 2112! I love 2112 for many reasons, but mainly for the reason why they made it. The music industry and record label demanded an album with more "accessible" tracks to churn out singles (of course). So they made 2112 and that makes me smile.
You must do Red Barchetta - same album. Absolute poetry and vivid musical imagery, and my favourite of theirs. And I don't disagree with your grade. It's great, and one of their most popular songs, but not one of their best.
After thinking about the more cerebral components of Rush (the abstract lyrics, interesting time signatures, clever instrumentation etc.) I sometimes forget their great strength in this era: their groove. They put down a solid line with such drive and movement which really pulls you along and propels the song.
You hit Genesis spot on. I believe the synths in this song are influenced by Genesis. I hear Foxtrot time period influences. Yes, they were influenced by Zeppelin but also Yes and the Who. Rush is possibly the best at their transitions. Always very smooth for transitions that are very complex. Geddy is awesome and plays bass, synths and does the vocals. I do think his vocals are weaker than the bass. Rush has always been good at being complex but also somewhat radio friendly. Or as another person put it taking complex time signatures and allowing people to still tap their feet to their songs. Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater said Rush did what DT could not. That is make complex songs that were shorter and able to be listened to by many people. I like to say that Rush can make complex songs but is still able to keep the groove. DT losses it for the sake of complexity. Thus I like and appreciate DT but love Rush.
As for production, his name was Terry Brown and he produced albums 2 to 9. As for lyrics, please keep your 9's and 10's at hand. If you plan to listen to Rush, you're going to need them. PS - 7.8 is perfect. They have so much more to appreciate more.
what you need to watch is the introduction of Rush to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... a standing ovation from all the artists in the room that lasted forever before their name was actually said. Rush is beloved and respected by the greatest musicians we have had. They are true icons and masters of their instruments. You will learn this as you go. Tom Sawyer is definitely a GREAT song and maybe you will get it more as you age a little and gain more context.
As an interesting bit of info, Neil had stated that Tom Sawyer was THE hardest song for him to play perfectly. He was a perfectionist, so getting it right must have been so satisfying for him. As always, RIP to The Professor. And now, as you mentioned, time to listen to the amazing prog-rock opera, "2112".
There are plenty of shorter radio friendly songs from 70s Rush albums to choose from if you want to take a look back. May I suggest “Closer to the Heart”, The Trees or even “Lakeside Park” Rush has a very deep catalog. 1980 “The Spirit of Radio” is probably their greatest short radio song. Top 3 in almost everyones list.
Listen to *Red Sector A* and pay attention to the lyrics. Also, have you listened to Pink Floyd’s The Wall? It’s a concept album so some songs are meant to be listened to as if they were one, so keep that in mind. *DO NOT* under any circumstance listen to *Another Brick In The Wall part 2 official video,* it’s constantly interrupted by movie bits, instead listen to: Another Brick In The Wall part 1 + The Happiest Days Of Our Lives + Another Brick In The Wall part 2 (studio versions), they’re basically one song in three parts.
Check out Neil Peart's live drum solo from Frankfurt... well worth the watch. Oh, and in 2017, Rush's Geddy Lee played bass for Yes at their induction ceremony into the HOF. You might enjoy watching Geddy rip the bass on the tune "Roundabout" with Jon Anderson singing lead and Rick Wakeman, keyboard Wizard on the keyboards..
Everybody has to deviate from the norm. Remember- Rush was huge 93-96. Counterparts & Test for Echo had high school kids going to Rush concerts again. Then Neil lost his family…..
Best Live Performance RUSH - Xanadu - Live In Montreal 1981 (2021 HD Remaster 60fps) Alex Lifeson - 6 string guitar, 12 string guitar, pedal synthesizer, volume pedal; Geddy Lee - Vocals, bass guitar, 6 string guitar, foot pedal synthesizer, electric piano/synthesizer; Neil Peart - Lyrics, Drums, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, crotales, timbales, timpani, gong, temple blocks, bell tree, triangle, and melodic cowbells. Based on Kubla Khan (Xanadu) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge Coleridge composed his poem, ‘Kubla Khan’, in a state of semi-conscious trance either in the autumn of 1797 or the spring of 1798 and published in 1816. The whole poem is pervaded by an atmosphere of dream and remains in the form of a vision. The vision embodied in Kubla Khan was inspired by the perusal of the travel book, Purchas His Pilgrimage. Coleridge had taken a dose of opium as an anodyne, and his eyes closed upon the line in the book, “At Zanadu Kubla Khan built a pleasure palace.” But this opened his creative vision, and the poem of about 200 lines was composed in this state of waking dream. On being fully awake, he wrote the poem down. The theme of the poem is unimportant. It describes the palace built by Kubla Khan, the grandson of Chengis Khan, the great rule of central Asia. ruclips.net/video/2byjJkN_nVY/видео.html
Rush's more radio friendly songs came from the albums "Signals" and "Permenant Waves" both of which came after "Moving Pictures". the song Spirit of Radio was actually written for CFNY a radio station in Toronto, ON, Canada
@@TB-jt5dpYes, he's obviously not a Rush fan just someone copying info (incorrectly) that he read on-line. Real Rush fans know which albums came before & after MP.
The Zeppelin influence is actually only noticeable on the first two albums, but yes they liked Zep, Genisis, Yes and Pink Floyd. They never tried to pretend that they lived in a bubble uninfluenced by other artists. Instead they took what they liked from their influences and made them their own.
Being a sucker for 7/8 reminds me of one of my favorite jabs from school. How do first year band students count 7? One, two, three, four, five, six, se, ven. 😄
I really enjoyed your reaction! You hit the nail on the head by stating some of their earlier was absolutely mind blowing. To showcase that, I think you’d really enjoy the official music video to La Villa Strangiato, the official music video from their page. It was a live performance but not in front of an audience. It’s one of the best rock instrumentals ever performed in my opinion!
Whlllare the extraordinary things about moving pictures the album that this track comes from, it said it managed to sneak its way into the hearts and minds of pop culture and became recognized as a Mainstay in Classic Rock Radio. Accepted this music is so far from what was going on in 198 to that in terms of mainstream accessibility basically Rush ended up with a hit on their hands. The entire side one is played on a regular basis to this day on radio but it is riddled with weird time signatures, strained chordal modulations and basically very intricate playing that has very little to do with what you would consider a mainstream success. The middle section of Tom Sawyer alone is a 7/8 time signature Masterwork that's genius is in the execution... Very unassuming and I think the average listener never really notices that it's doing some crazy stuff. I would say that your rating was very fair actually. So if you are in fact an Aficionado of the 1970s and specifically the prog rock from that you're at, I would an emu towards 1977 farewell to Kings album which is a high-water mark in the production aspect as it was a few albums after they had managed to secure their creative freedom from their record label with the success of 2112, and were able to record a more leisurely pace. The results being quite an extraordinary sounding album. And that. The track is Xanadu is the shining star from that record. It embodies everything that Rush was ever great at in terms of pure Progressive music While still maintaining a Sleek songwriting and compositional skill they kept it from being overtly self-indulgent all the time. It's more of a thematic piece I suppose... But they played it into takes and take to was the one recorded for the album it is masterful and I think you would really dig it.
In my opinion, by the way you arrive at a score, I would say that the one Rush song you should give a really good listen to, is Everyday Glory from the album, Counterparts. It will score very high. Trust me.
Their first few albums were more inspired by Zepplin than their later work. Their stuff in all the decades are great although the 70’s and early 80’s are rocking. Songs like 2112, Hemispheres, Xanadu, Farewell to Kings, Natural Science are all rockers. Far Cry, Headlong Flight, Peaceable Kingdom are great in their later albums. Middle stuff is The Pass, Big Money, Analog Kid, Subdivisions, Red Sector A are some great stuff but definitely sound 80’s.
Although you can't go wrong with 95% of Rush's catalog, if I could suggest just one song, it would be Natural Science. Progressive. Complex. Deep, timeless lyrics.
I've been a fan of Rush since I first started playing bass in high school. You mentioned their Zeppelin influence, but they were also heavily influenced by Yes. Definitely check out The Spirit of Radio and Limelight. Also, if you're interested in instrumentals check out La Villa Strangiato and YYZ. I really enjoyed your analysis, and I'm looking forward to watching more!
Some Rush 70s proggy favorites to listen to would be Xanadu and Natural Science...love those. Natural Science gives you a lesson on how to make 9/8 (time signature) sound awesome.
This album in particular is such a strange beast in terms of Russia's complete discography it was a perfect storm regarding the attention span of the radio listener at the time still holding over to longer songs, Advanced production techniques that made this record very crisp and very listenable while still retaining an edge, all the hard work and Touring that Russia put in over the years finally culminating in proper promotion for the album Etc... Moving pictures became their biggest landmark overnight sensation if you consider overnight meeting the previous you're nine years this lineup had put in already. Unlike yes or Genesis, whom Rush did look up to dr. Rush was a working Barb and that aspired to be better and work very hard at it. As a result they are considered the bridge between Hard Rock, Progressive music and Metal. I would say the single strongest defining Factor when it comes to rush and in particular on this album, is Russia's innate ability to serve Complicated music the manner that is still here friendly and doesn't chase people away outright. Pretty much every song on side one of this album is considered a classic rock staple to this day, and in reality those four songs have so little to do with Boston, or Fleetwood Mac or whatever else would be considered their contemporaries on the radio during this... But it is absolutely crazy to think of the weird time signatures, and bizarre hybrids of stylization that Rush managed to make very consumer-friendly without dumbing it down something similar to Genesis Easy Lover or abacab. Don't get me wrong those are cool songs but are they on par with Selling England by the pound? Not as progressive rock definitely not. Whereas d songs with pulled up and have against brushes much more Dynamic Progressive compositions from the earlier work.
I appreciate the approach but I think to truly understand the song and all of it's nuances to be able to 'grade' it, it takes much more than one listening.....For example, having kids in the 90's, I watched many Disney movies umpteen billion times (as this is what the toddlers wanted at the time).....and it's funny how both my wife and I, after having seen Toy Story so many times, both of us came to a realization as to how brilliant and well put together this movie was! Only after multiple screenings could we make such a distinction though. In other words, I think you are best equipped to critique songs after you have been immersed in them in order to fully understand all aspects. Still, great job for only your first listening!
@@TheMusicKingdom curious to see some of your other critiques to see how other all-time classics stack-up which may have less pizzazz than a Tom Sawyer?....I'd be VERY impressed if you were to rate a well-known classic highly that may take time to grow on you? It seems some songs capture a certain magic but it only gets realized years later.
Recommendations depends on what you want. For seeing the per skill of the instrumentation I recommend: Working Man Live in Cleveland, YYZ live in Rio, La Villa Strangiato or Xandu among others. For the epic that it is a some point 2112 but build up to that. For radio popular songs: The Spirit of Radio, Roll the Bones, Subdivisions, or Time Stand Still. For my personal favorite deeper cuts: Red Barchetta, Trees, Nobody's Hero, Something for Nothing, Manhattan Project. With 40 years of music I could list out so many great songs.
In my opinion, the Xanadu studio version would be interesting to do. From 1977, it was recorded in one take (after a shortened run through, for a sound check), which means it's effectively a 'live version', even though it's done in a studio. As such, it shows what these three guys can pull off, without backing tracks or over-dubbing etc
168 songs in their catalog around half of them as good or better than Tom Sawyer musically and lyrically, these guys are the real deal, the best power trio ever and best band to see live.
@@TheMusicKingdom try Natural Science if you like a lot of time changes and I would suggest you watch a live performance, these guys were the kings of multitasking especially the lead singer who often will be doing vocals playing bass and synth pedals all at the same time.
Very concise and correct in my opinion, I think you will love 2112 and I think you should take a listen to "spirit of the radio" and my favorite is called "closer to the heart" Not bad for 2 Drs in music (Alex and Geddy) and a Dr in literature, ( Neal) happy listening
Rush is my favorite band, pretty much so since 1978. But this is definitely not my favorite Rush song. Rush themselves would tell you it's a weird little song and they never expected it to become so popular. As a lifelong Rush freak I think Xanadu is one of their best "CONCISE" songs at around 12 minutes; and it's one that they enjoyed playing live throughout their whole career. One of MY all-time favorites is "Entre Nous" from 1980. If you really want a shorter deep cut try "Available Light." 2112 is epic and I would watch every moment of a reaction video. 2112 was the first Rush I ever heard, and I was SO lucky...but their 1978 side-long masterpiece "Hemispheres" is my favorite, with a jaw-dropping B-side too! *Wait 'til this guy figures out there's only three of them....
"Hemispheres" will blow your mind. (pun intended) but, it is 18 minutes long so maybe something for later. (studio version is excellent, La Villa Strangiato is an excellent 10 min track from the album) Lyrically, Hemipheres is off the charts.
Anything I really need to hear? Personalized song & album reviews!👇🏼
ko-fi.com/musickingdom/commissions
Apologies for mispronouncing Peart. I’m putting myself in timeout.
Agree or disagree? What’s the best Rush song ever made? Share your thoughts!
2112
Rick Beato says it's Xanadu but they have so many great tunes I find my personal favorite depends on how I feel on a given day but more Rush is better Rush so for today I'll give it to Cygnus X-1 books 1 and 2 played in sequence, together they're 28:32 long. 😊
I would say 2112, and then Xanadu live in Montreal (Stickhits HD remaster, 1981). If you're not watching Rush live, you're missing 75% of what makes them Rush.
Great to see you r😂3eviewing the true masters of their craft.Try the sinister magnificent The Necromancer the beautiful blues groove of Here Again with a stunning solo from Alex or the truly epic Zanadu(the performance of this from 1981 has to be seen to be believed)or preferably all 3 in a Rush fest night?
I mispronounced Neil's last name in the same way, for many years. It's odd though. 95+ % of mispronunciation is the same way: "pert". And yet, what english word with an "e-a-r" combo is pronounced "urr"?
Fear, hear, near: "ear"
Wear, bear, pear: "air"
But, "urr"??
That had to bug him something awful.
After watching the in-depth breakdown, I can't wait for 2112. It was epic in Rush's discography. They were faced with being released by their label. Instead of making radio hits, they dropped a 20 minute song. It captivated me from the start.
la villa strangiato or cygnus x1 from hemispheres, la villa is a masterpiece
Rush's influences not only Led Zeppelin but also Yes and Genesis. 2112 is a must but there are other shorter songs from the 70's.
The Trees and Circumstances are two that are excellent.
Cheers
Don’t forget The Who.
@@nostromo526 Right 😀
@@debbieplato5107 I'll add to your RUSH songs short list. Closer To The Heart, Fly By Night, In The Mood, Anthem, Lakeside Park, I Think I'm Going Bald, Different Strings, etc... +++Peace & Rock n' Roll 4 Your Souls+++
Love your in depth reactions. As a long time rush fan I’d say your rating/evaluation is spot on. I think the spirit of radio would be a follow up. Thanks and cheers!
Thanks Eric!
FREEWILL should capture his interest
I was going to suggest Spirit of Radio also! Freewill is also an amazing choice
no.. jump into Xanadu live next... everything after that will make total sense to him..
Neil Peart...the GOAT
YES
RIP! To the Professor on the Drum kit
This is radio friendly for RUSH. After their 3rd album didn't sell well their record company said you'd better produce some radio hits or youre done. In response they made the album 2112 ( Twenty one Twelve) the first song and title track was a 20 minute concept piece that was f u we'll play what we want. They never looked back. Great reaction and nice format.
Thanks for this :) 2112 might be a little much if you're not used to Rush. Tom Sawyer is one of their more straightforward songs. You should try Red Barchetta, also from Moving Pictures. Spirit of Radio from Permanent waves is also a really popular song of theirs. Subdivisions, from Signals is more radio friendy, but also excellent. For the 70s, The Trees from Hemispheres is pretty interesting. And yeah, Neil Peart is pretty much considered a god by most drummers.
+1 on Red Barchetta. It's a story song, and one of the best.
He's a Genesis fan, so he can absolutely handle 2112 by Rush :)
Stick with Permanent Waves, Moving Pictures, and Signals before moving into their older stuff. Once you get the basic feel down, A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres are my favorite albums after Moving Pictures. I mean, Moving Pictures is just .. Clockwork Angels is an excellent album, too. For a song recommendation, Xanadu off of Kings ;) And if you do ever do that song, yes there are many layers going on in the studio version, but they also pull it off live with Geddy and Alex filling multiple musical roles. The Professor of course handles all the percussion alone. Review the studio version here, but watch the live version for you.
And yes Expert, we all know exactly what part you are talking about LOL
There are no similar artists and bands when it comes to RUSH. Best band EVER!
I really like your unique approach to reacting/reviewing videos. I'm hoping more people get exposed to your channel so you (and the resident expert) can continue providing such wonderful content.
Much appreciated Michael! We do too.
Rush has a huge and diverse discography, so I have some recommendations for you. If you want to listen to a more complex and epic 70's prog song, I recommend listening to Xanadu off of their A Farewell to Kings album. Xanadu is one of Rush's most complex songs they have ever written and according to the band, they recorded the song in one take. However, if you want to listen to something with a more lyrical and vocal direction, I highly recommend checking out either Limelight or Subdivisions. Both songs have incredible lyrics and vocals.
This could be a college class. Nice 😊By the way, if you're willing to react to a 20-min Rush song, I recommend starting with Hemispheres first. It's likely the most complex piece they've ever composed.
Hemispheres is definately the most complex album they ever produced but I'd say he's better off to stick with Moving Pictures or Permanent Waves as an introduction to the band.
Then he's got to do book 1 first.
Excellent reaction... But I must inform you of other things that you don't know and that's why I have always recommended that Rush songs should be analyzed in studio and live. He explained why, when you hear a Rush song, you feel the musical quality and you think it's a very good mix, but when you see that they play almost the same live, the admiration for 3 musical masters who sound like a band of 5 begins. You always have to remember that in the '80s there weren't great effects and even less digital ones. Another very important point is that Rush never used guest musicians or tracks. For other reactions it should be an order like this: The Spirit of Radio, Freewill, Working Man and Working Man live in Cleveland there's a big difference and you going to feel the energy , Xanadú and 2112 is like a "Cantata" ( 7 movement song) .
Rush are:
Geddy Lee plays bass bass pedal, synth, pedal synth, guitars and vocals.
Alex Lifeson plays all guitars and Mandolina.
Neil Peart plays drums and percusion also wrote the lyrics of the songs (considered one of the top 3 drummers of the rock history by all drums magazine).
With Rush expect the unexpected.
But becarefull don't listen Mush Rush you will turn a fan.
Also, for an instrumental, YYZ in RIO is a MUST! I've never seen a crowd so hype over an instrumental...and they manage to sing to it like a futbol anthem!!!
Geddy Lee has an unique voice. It is what makes Rush, Rush that and the trio themselves
I really appreciate the time and quality of your review. As one of those Rush fans I thought I might suggest a few that might fit your style and worth a listen to. I added technically hard and/oremotionally touching. La Villa Strangiato, The Camera Eye, Losing it, The Pass..
Thanks Badger!
Great reaction! And no worries on the Peart mispronunciation - everybody does it!
What you have with Moving Pictures is the culmination and perfection of the 'progressive' side of Rush, but compressed into an easily digestible length (which improved the radio play immensely) What you will find from this era of Rush is the musical complexity (their hallmark!), and a little more synth heavy (for better or for worse). Rush always pushed the limits on their own abilities and the tech at the time.
What has ALWAYS been a constant is Neil's lyrics. He always had something to say, and had a very eloquent way of saying it!
If you're easing your way into Rush, I'd check the following: Subdivisions (absolute masterclass in meaningful lyrics - the pressures of conformity), Limelight, Red Barchetta (the last two from the same album Moving Pictures - the former on the difficulties of fame, the latter a futuristic tale where motor cars are outlawed), The Spirit Of Radio (on the beauty & freedom of radio AND it's pitfalls), Afterimage, Red Sector A.
After those, THEN I'd take on their epic masterpiece (it's a must and we WILL sit through a 40 minute dissection of it!) - 2112! (there is a lyric video done as a graphic novel, endorsed by the band as an 'official' video which gives the whole story it's due!) Cheers!
Thanks Darren!
Tell the expert that he missed in the 7/8 parts that it reverses. It counts 12 12 123 123 12 12. So he plays rhe riff forward and backward hitting that off beat bass drum with the hi-hat choke right in the middle
In my opinion you graded it perfectly! I’ve been a Rush fan since 1976 and that song definitely is a seven out of 10 compared to a lot of their other work. Looking forward to when you review more of their songs. By the way there’s a lot of short songs you can review just take a look at their discography and pick any songs from the mid to late 70s and you will not be disappointed!
Thanks Marc!
I agree . It gets a lot of popularity but it’s not even a top 10 song in my Rush list
Great review! This was likely Rush’s biggest radio hit. Heavier than Genesis or Yes prog contemporaries. More rock, less hobbit middle earth😅. I’d say the next logical choice is, “Spirit of Radio “
Hobbit middle earth 🤣
Nice reaction from a long time Rush fan (Since 1976). Your score was fair for this song especially for a first time listener. I highly recommend for your next review to be either Limelight from Moving Pictures or Spirit of Radio from Permanent Waves. Hopefully, you will eventually review some their really complex songs like 2112, Cygnus X1 book 1 or II, Xanadu (Live version from "Exit stage left" is my favorite Rush song) or even Natural Science. Thanks for the reaction.
Very well done for your spare time. I thought your score is pretty good maybe better than mine, with that said I think your scoring system is an interesting way to better the viewers experience. We the Rush fanatics will always hope you continue with more Rush.
Much appreciated!
Radio Friendly is somewhat relative when it comes to Rush. When they made 2112 they were told by the record company that they needed to start producing more radio friendly songs, shorter, etc... They decided that either they'd make the music they wanted or nothing, so they released 2112.
Oh, boy. I'm definitely looking forward to this deep dive 😅 I suggest The Spirit of Radio next from Permanent Waves, my all-time favorite album of Rush. You will get lots of recommendations, but these virtuoso musicians are known for complex, not simple 😉 Additionally, they have changed styles through many genres of music during their 40+ years together, while remaining true to their sound. Neil Peart (pernounced P-ear-t) is the percussionist and predominant lyricist, dubbed the Professor by many because of his incredible skills. I feel you will truly enjoy and appreciate this ride if you give it the chance that it requires.
Dammit, I knew it was either “p-ear-t, p-ur-t, or peart (heart). This is why I don’t gamble.
I think it is a pretty accurate representation, it splits the eras of very proggy (earlier stuff) and then later more song focused. You should check out YYZ from the same album so you get the full prog-instrumental side of them.
Interesting rating system. Tom Sawyer and Moving Pictures was my introduction to Rush. When I first heard Tom Sawyer it had a sound that was so alien to me. It was a fresh, unique sound and in some ways cutting edge for the time.
In regards to influences, Rush's first album (more hard rock with drummer John Rutsey) is very Zeppelin-esque. Neil Peart joined the band on the second album and it's here where Rush's sound and style starts moving towards prog. Yes and Genesis would definitely be an influence on 70's Rush.
Nice review. And you're right in that their big hits tend to skirt the pop line yet "Tom Sawyer" has its own unique style and can still draw many varied listeners.
Huge Rush fan, took my daughter to meet Ged at his Bass book tour, I think this is a fair reaction. Even they didn't love it when they made it. The best is yet to come. Thanks for the reaction.
The "don't do live review first" rule does NOT apply to the song "Xanadu".
You MUST do that one from the live video from "Exit...Stage Left"!
Great video. Liked and subscribed.
Just off the top of my head, here are my RUSH recommendations:
For complexity: La Villa Strangiato or YYZ.
For lyrics: The Pass, The Trees or Limelight.
Also, I would LOVE to hear your analysis of The Spirit of Radio.
We(Rush fans) will happily watch a 40+min video for 2112, Hemispheres, or any of their longer songs. Just hope you can you handle it.
Born for it.
RUSH is THE PERFECT EXAMPLE of the fluidity of MASTERING TIME SIGNATURES! I play drums and there are a few things that you need to know about Neil Peart’s ( pronounced PEER-T) character: First he writes the lyrics so he knows in advance what TYPE of song it’s meant to be ie ballad, driver, etc. Second he COMPOSES on the drums… like a carpenter who looks at a set of blueprints before building the object. Neil lays out a SKETCH in his mind of the VOICES of the drumset and builds the song from there. He is also a great LISTENER knowing when NOT to step over Geddy’s singing or Alex’s solos! Finally, he had perfect timing and fluidity of time changes. He said himself that it’s not about COUNTING the time signatures as much as fluid motion to change the tempo without counting: in other words it should FLOW! He hates repeating the same drum patterns in the same song meaning if he plays a fill one way the first time around he will play it differently the second time around. IE. Rolls down the toms the first time around and triplets or quads (all four limbs) the second time around. In short there will NEVER be another like him on planet earth 🌍 🌏 🌎! REST IN PEACE PROFESSOR!
With heart felt admiration and sincerity!
Gary
This was a great video, and review! The thing about Rush, is there is no 1 song that could define them, as they never stayed on a single path for too long. 2 albums prior to this, and 2 albums after, are so completely different! I would say to do Freewill from 1980’s Permanent Waves album, beneath between and behind from 1976’s Fly By Night Album, or Xanadu from 1977’s a Farewell to Kings album are all pretty different from each other. Honestly, you could have fun critiquing lyrics from any of their decades of material as they are so well crafted. Looking forward to more!
Well said, Eric!
You find Rush is one of the most musically complex bands you will find outside Yes and Kansas.....with lyrics that are far deeper than all others.
RUSH Army is present and prepared for duty.
By 1981 Rush had developed their own sound and this and the previous album are quintessential Rush for the new age and embracing all he music genres at that time (not Zeppelin)
More Rush! Endless catalog of depth and quality!
2112 should be heard, but not right away.
Just FYI, Rush was a live band. Up until the early 80's, they prided themselves on being able to reproduce the studio version, live with just three guys.
Also just FYI, Rush's eponymous, 1974 debut was pilloried by mainstream critics as just being derivative of Zeppelin. And, to be sure, the three members of the band at that time did love Zeppelin. Indeed, the drummer on that first album (John Rutsey), loved rockin' blues so much that he was fired by Geddy and Alex, who wanted to explore progressive rock instead.
So it was that, just after having been picked up by a US label for the international sales (they started their own label for Canada) - and less than two months before their first US tour (starting in Pittsburg, opening for Manfred Mann - they auditioned and hired Neal Peart, who was already a monster on the drums, pounding them as hard as one of his favourite drummers, John Bonham.
Luckily for all of us, Peart was also looking to go into prog. He was also a rigorous autodidact who always had a book in his hand, which is why Geddy and Alex deemed him the band's lyricist.
So, any Zeppelin you heard by their eighth album would likely be Jimmy Page, Alex's favourite guitarist. Geddy's favourite bassists were the Who's John Entwistle and (especially) and Yes's Chris Squire.
By the time this 8th album was issued, Neil Peart was only two years from being inducted into Modern Drummer Magazine's Hall of Fame (perhaps needless to say the youngest drummer ever so honoured). He'd wind up on the cover a record ten times. I mention this because, by this point, his technique was already sui generis.
You were on-spot, however, when you mentioned Genesis. Along with Yes and King Crimson, Genesis was certainly one of the bands that inspired Rush the most. They were also fans of another trio, the Police, whose influence would be felt most notably on their 7th to 10th albums. Peart and Summers became close friends around that time.
That being said, Moving Pictures arguably marked a turning point for Rush, as their increasing use of synths and the onset of the Mew Wave movement combined to move Rush into a less-guitar-focused sound. They wouldn't really return to a truly hard rock (verging on straight up Metal until 2002's Vapour Trails (their 17th studio release), although there were noticeable hints in that direction on the 15th and 16th albums.
They leaned into this style (although whilst also maintaining their characteristic complexity) in the last three albums, with the final one, Clockwork Angels, coming out in 2012. They also had a half dozen tremendous live concert DVDs in the 2000', all of which went gold or platinum in the US, Canada, and UK.
PS - While Pie Dubois certainly deserved credit for writing a song that inspired Peart to write Tom Sawyer, the end product was all Neil. Alex and Geddy always wrote the music, while Neil wrote the lyrics.
Excellent review and tons of substance! I think you will end up being a big Rush fan, as you go along! Please consider listening to "Subdivisions" next! Great song!
Very nice format as far as rating goes. As mentioned in other sections the music "expert" seems to struggle in the rock/heavy metal genres with some puzzling ratings (the Master of Puppets rating was mind numbingly low for one of the best composed metal songs in history) but maybe as you guys get more familiar with this type of music ratings will reflect more appropriately.
Also not sure I buy a music lover never hearing Tom Sawyer before but I get why reactors say this.
Channel has a lot of promise and has potential to be one of the better ones out there. Keep up the good work!
He doesn’t “struggle”, he’s extremely educated. Compositions that are adored by many aren’t automatically deserving of the highest ratings.
Regarding Master of Puppets, that’s back when he’d weigh more than just the composition.
Regarding Tom Sawyer, no - I’ve never given it a listen.
Thanks for the compliments otherwise. 👍🏼
‘Fresh ears’ is interesting.
One of the things I like most about reactions is hearing a familiar song with fresh ears.
What a current reactor can’t know is how a song sounded in its time. RUSH seems to be more easily accepted now, than it was in the 1970’s.
Love the context!
@@TheMusicKingdom Thanks. Not sure you are going to cover artists I like, but I’m subbed and we’ll see. I appreciated hearing your analysis.
DEFINITELY do more if you haven’t! They are all masters in their craft..id suggest listening to their first single that did well in the states called “Working Man” and then watching the live version in Cleveland to see how versatile and talented they are, even decades later!
Welcome my friend to the rabbit hole I've been into since 76. Jump in with both feet the waters are deep and warm. Try The Trees it's one of my favorite songs.
I agree with your assessment. It is probably their most popular song but it is by no means my favorite. I can't wait for you to get to some deeper tracks, but first you have to do all of their more popular ones.
One of their great songs, from an album that doesn't get anywhere near the respect it deserves, is "The Necromancer" from the album "Caress of Steel." Without "CoS," their landmark "2112" album never would have been made. "CoS" laid a lot of the groundwork, both musically and lyrically, for their next albums, not just "2112," but also "A Farewell to Kings" (that was my very first rock concert I attended in 77,) and "Hemispheres." Those last two albums are what I consider to be Rush at their collective finest, though I love their later work as well.
The Necromancer is a hell of a song but oddly relatively few reactions to it.
Rush's debut album, released in 1974, sounds a whole lot like Zeppelin (although they still made it their own). In 1975, Geddy and Alex wanted to branch out musically, being influenced by bands like Genesis (good call on that one). Drummer at the time John Rutsey was more influenced by straight ahead rock like Bad Company, so that coupled with health problems, made him leave the band. When Neil Peart joined in 1975 it was like a match made in Heaven since he too was influenced by Prog Rock like Genesis. The Rush journey is so exciting, I envy you being able to experience their songs for the first time. And HELL YES we want you to react to 2112! Bring on the 40+ min videos!!! :P
Yes to 2112! I love 2112 for many reasons, but mainly for the reason why they made it. The music industry and record label demanded an album with more "accessible" tracks to churn out singles (of course). So they made 2112 and that makes me smile.
Spirit of Radio will blow your mind.
You must do Red Barchetta - same album. Absolute poetry and vivid musical imagery, and my favourite of theirs.
And I don't disagree with your grade. It's great, and one of their most popular songs, but not one of their best.
After thinking about the more cerebral components of Rush (the abstract lyrics, interesting time signatures, clever instrumentation etc.) I sometimes forget their great strength in this era: their groove. They put down a solid line with such drive and movement which really pulls you along and propels the song.
You hit Genesis spot on. I believe the synths in this song are influenced by Genesis. I hear Foxtrot time period influences. Yes, they were influenced by Zeppelin but also Yes and the Who. Rush is possibly the best at their transitions. Always very smooth for transitions that are very complex. Geddy is awesome and plays bass, synths and does the vocals. I do think his vocals are weaker than the bass.
Rush has always been good at being complex but also somewhat radio friendly. Or as another person put it taking complex time signatures and allowing people to still tap their feet to their songs. Mike Portnoy formerly of Dream Theater said Rush did what DT could not. That is make complex songs that were shorter and able to be listened to by many people. I like to say that Rush can make complex songs but is still able to keep the groove. DT losses it for the sake of complexity. Thus I like and appreciate DT but love Rush.
Holy shit, this is how you do a music reaction, insta sub, this is amazing.
Much appreciated!
Need to hit "Spirit of Radio" for sure! Multiple switching time signatures
RIP Neil... we miss you.
As for production, his name was Terry Brown and he produced albums 2 to 9.
As for lyrics, please keep your 9's and 10's at hand. If you plan to listen to Rush, you're going to need them.
PS - 7.8 is perfect. They have so much more to appreciate more.
You're gonna need to watch Xanadu- Exit Stage Left tour.
Xanadu, from the 1977 album Farewell to Kings
what you need to watch is the introduction of Rush to the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame... a standing ovation from all the artists in the room that lasted forever before their name was actually said. Rush is beloved and respected by the greatest musicians we have had. They are true icons and masters of their instruments. You will learn this as you go. Tom Sawyer is definitely a GREAT song and maybe you will get it more as you age a little and gain more context.
As an interesting bit of info, Neil had stated that Tom Sawyer was THE hardest song for him to play perfectly. He was a perfectionist, so getting it right must have been so satisfying for him. As always, RIP to The Professor. And now, as you mentioned, time to listen to the amazing prog-rock opera, "2112".
There are plenty of shorter radio friendly songs from 70s Rush albums to choose from if you want to take a look back. May I suggest “Closer to the Heart”, The Trees or even “Lakeside Park” Rush has a very deep catalog.
1980 “The Spirit of Radio” is probably their greatest short radio song. Top 3 in almost everyones list.
Two quick and easy '70s cuts to check out: Closer to the Heart and The Trees. Both are absolute classics in Rush's catalogue.
Listen to *Red Sector A* and pay attention to the lyrics.
Also, have you listened to Pink Floyd’s The Wall? It’s a concept album so some songs are meant to be listened to as if they were one, so keep that in mind.
*DO NOT* under any circumstance listen to *Another Brick In The Wall part 2 official video,* it’s constantly interrupted by movie bits, instead listen to: Another Brick In The Wall part 1 + The Happiest Days Of Our Lives + Another Brick In The Wall part 2 (studio versions), they’re basically one song in three parts.
Without a doubt, "Natural Science"!! 🏆🏆🏆🏆
Ya gotta check out Spirit of Radio. Then Free Will and Limelight.
Rush was the master of odd meter pop songs
Went to many Rush concerts, 8 in total. Moving Pictures being my first. Rush sound live is just like the studio version. Enjoy the rabbit hole
Check out Neil Peart's live drum solo from Frankfurt... well worth the watch. Oh, and in 2017, Rush's Geddy Lee played bass for Yes at their induction ceremony into the HOF. You might enjoy watching Geddy rip the bass on the tune "Roundabout" with Jon Anderson singing lead and Rick Wakeman, keyboard Wizard on the keyboards..
Everybody has to deviate from the norm. Remember- Rush was huge 93-96. Counterparts & Test for Echo had high school kids going to Rush concerts again. Then Neil lost his family…..
YES!!! 2112 is an epic journey!!! La Villa Strangiato, Spirit of Radio, Trees are good songs to start with.
Best Live Performance
RUSH - Xanadu - Live In Montreal 1981 (2021 HD Remaster 60fps)
Alex Lifeson - 6 string guitar, 12 string guitar, pedal synthesizer, volume pedal; Geddy Lee - Vocals, bass guitar, 6 string guitar, foot pedal synthesizer, electric piano/synthesizer; Neil Peart - Lyrics, Drums, orchestra bells, tubular bells, wind chimes, crotales, timbales, timpani, gong, temple blocks, bell tree, triangle, and melodic cowbells.
Based on Kubla Khan (Xanadu) by Samuel Taylor Coleridge
Coleridge composed his poem, ‘Kubla Khan’, in a state of semi-conscious trance either in the autumn of 1797 or the spring of 1798 and published in 1816. The whole poem is pervaded by an atmosphere of dream and remains in the form of a vision. The vision embodied in Kubla Khan was inspired by the perusal of the travel book, Purchas His Pilgrimage. Coleridge had taken a dose of opium as an anodyne, and his eyes closed upon the line in the book, “At Zanadu Kubla Khan built a pleasure palace.” But this opened his creative vision, and the poem of about 200 lines was composed in this state of waking dream. On being fully awake, he wrote the poem down. The theme of the poem is unimportant. It describes the palace built by Kubla Khan, the grandson of Chengis Khan, the great rule of central Asia.
ruclips.net/video/2byjJkN_nVY/видео.html
Rush's more radio friendly songs came from the albums "Signals" and "Permenant Waves" both of which came after "Moving Pictures". the song Spirit of Radio was actually written for CFNY a radio station in Toronto, ON, Canada
Permanent Waves was the album BEFORE moving pictures.
@@TB-jt5dpYes, he's obviously not a Rush fan just someone copying info (incorrectly) that he read on-line. Real Rush fans know which albums came before & after MP.
Working Man live in Cleveland - Time Machine tour is a must - I caught 2 concerts on that tour, you'll see why.
The Zeppelin influence is actually only noticeable on the first two albums, but yes they liked Zep, Genisis, Yes and Pink Floyd. They never tried to pretend that they lived in a bubble uninfluenced by other artists. Instead they took what they liked from their influences and made them their own.
Zepplin was an early influence on the boys. By the time of Moving Pictures RUSH was becoming the influencers.
Being a sucker for 7/8 reminds me of one of my favorite jabs from school. How do first year band students count 7? One, two, three, four, five, six, se, ven. 😄
I really enjoyed your reaction! You hit the nail on the head by stating some of their earlier was absolutely mind blowing. To showcase that, I think you’d really enjoy the official music video to La Villa Strangiato, the official music video from their page. It was a live performance but not in front of an audience. It’s one of the best rock instrumentals ever performed in my opinion!
I saw rush in 1985 when my cousin bought me a ticket feom there i fell deep in the hole. Last saw them about 5 years ago. Rip neil peart
subscribed!
Whlllare the extraordinary things about moving pictures the album that this track comes from, it said it managed to sneak its way into the hearts and minds of pop culture and became recognized as a Mainstay in Classic Rock Radio. Accepted this music is so far from what was going on in 198 to that in terms of mainstream accessibility basically Rush ended up with a hit on their hands. The entire side one is played on a regular basis to this day on radio but it is riddled with weird time signatures, strained chordal modulations and basically very intricate playing that has very little to do with what you would consider a mainstream success. The middle section of Tom Sawyer alone is a 7/8 time signature Masterwork that's genius is in the execution... Very unassuming and I think the average listener never really notices that it's doing some crazy stuff. I would say that your rating was very fair actually. So if you are in fact an Aficionado of the 1970s and specifically the prog rock from that you're at, I would an emu towards 1977 farewell to Kings album which is a high-water mark in the production aspect as it was a few albums after they had managed to secure their creative freedom from their record label with the success of 2112, and were able to record a more leisurely pace. The results being quite an extraordinary sounding album. And that. The track is Xanadu is the shining star from that record. It embodies everything that Rush was ever great at in terms of pure Progressive music While still maintaining a Sleek songwriting and compositional skill they kept it from being overtly self-indulgent all the time. It's more of a thematic piece I suppose... But they played it into takes and take to was the one recorded for the album it is masterful and I think you would really dig it.
In my opinion, by the way you arrive at a score, I would say that the one Rush song you should give a really good listen to, is Everyday Glory from the album, Counterparts. It will score very high. Trust me.
"The instrumentation is amazing!" That's Rush. Peerless
7:36 rush are kings of transitions, the best one imo is on freewill right after the 3 man solo, Natural Science is full of awesome transitions too
2112, hell yeah! Absolutely needed.
Their first few albums were more inspired by Zepplin than their later work. Their stuff in all the decades are great although the 70’s and early 80’s are rocking.
Songs like 2112, Hemispheres, Xanadu, Farewell to Kings, Natural Science are all rockers. Far Cry, Headlong Flight, Peaceable Kingdom are great in their later albums.
Middle stuff is The Pass, Big Money, Analog Kid, Subdivisions, Red Sector A are some great stuff but definitely sound 80’s.
Although you can't go wrong with 95% of Rush's catalog, if I could suggest just one song, it would be Natural Science. Progressive. Complex. Deep, timeless lyrics.
I've been a fan of Rush since I first started playing bass in high school. You mentioned their Zeppelin influence, but they were also heavily influenced by Yes. Definitely check out The Spirit of Radio and Limelight. Also, if you're interested in instrumentals check out La Villa Strangiato and YYZ. I really enjoyed your analysis, and I'm looking forward to watching more!
Freewill, Spirit of Radio, YYZ live in Brazil, Xanadu Live and Red Barchetta are top notch
Some Rush 70s proggy favorites to listen to would be Xanadu and Natural Science...love those. Natural Science gives you a lesson on how to make 9/8 (time signature) sound awesome.
🌴👏welcome to the deeep rabbit hole that is RUSH🌴
This album in particular is such a strange beast in terms of Russia's complete discography it was a perfect storm regarding the attention span of the radio listener at the time still holding over to longer songs, Advanced production techniques that made this record very crisp and very listenable while still retaining an edge, all the hard work and Touring that Russia put in over the years finally culminating in proper promotion for the album Etc... Moving pictures became their biggest landmark overnight sensation if you consider overnight meeting the previous you're nine years this lineup had put in already. Unlike yes or Genesis, whom Rush did look up to dr. Rush was a working Barb and that aspired to be better and work very hard at it. As a result they are considered the bridge between Hard Rock, Progressive music and Metal. I would say the single strongest defining Factor when it comes to rush and in particular on this album, is Russia's innate ability to serve Complicated music the manner that is still here friendly and doesn't chase people away outright. Pretty much every song on side one of this album is considered a classic rock staple to this day, and in reality those four songs have so little to do with Boston, or Fleetwood Mac or whatever else would be considered their contemporaries on the radio during this... But it is absolutely crazy to think of the weird time signatures, and bizarre hybrids of stylization that Rush managed to make very consumer-friendly without dumbing it down something similar to Genesis Easy Lover or abacab. Don't get me wrong those are cool songs but are they on par with Selling England by the pound? Not as progressive rock definitely not. Whereas d songs with pulled up and have against brushes much more Dynamic Progressive compositions from the earlier work.
I appreciate the approach but I think to truly understand the song and all of it's nuances to be able to 'grade' it, it takes much more than one listening.....For example, having kids in the 90's, I watched many Disney movies umpteen billion times (as this is what the toddlers wanted at the time).....and it's funny how both my wife and I, after having seen Toy Story so many times, both of us came to a realization as to how brilliant and well put together this movie was! Only after multiple screenings could we make such a distinction though. In other words, I think you are best equipped to critique songs after you have been immersed in them in order to fully understand all aspects. Still, great job for only your first listening!
I completely agree actually! But that’s what makes it fun - attempting a blind review immediately after listening.
@@TheMusicKingdom curious to see some of your other critiques to see how other all-time classics stack-up which may have less pizzazz than a Tom Sawyer?....I'd be VERY impressed if you were to rate a well-known classic highly that may take time to grow on you? It seems some songs capture a certain magic but it only gets realized years later.
Recommendations depends on what you want. For seeing the per skill of the instrumentation I recommend: Working Man Live in Cleveland, YYZ live in Rio, La Villa Strangiato or Xandu among others. For the epic that it is a some point 2112 but build up to that. For radio popular songs: The Spirit of Radio, Roll the Bones, Subdivisions, or Time Stand Still. For my personal favorite deeper cuts: Red Barchetta, Trees, Nobody's Hero, Something for Nothing, Manhattan Project. With 40 years of music I could list out so many great songs.
In my opinion, the Xanadu studio version would be interesting to do. From 1977, it was recorded in one take (after a shortened run through, for a sound check), which means it's effectively a 'live version', even though it's done in a studio. As such, it shows what these three guys can pull off, without backing tracks or over-dubbing etc
168 songs in their catalog around half of them as good or better than Tom Sawyer musically and lyrically, these guys are the real deal, the best power trio ever and best band to see live.
That’s what I assumed. Never measure an artist/band by their popular hits. 👍🏼
@@TheMusicKingdom try Natural Science if you like a lot of time changes and I would suggest you watch a live performance, these guys were the kings of multitasking especially the lead singer who often will be doing vocals playing bass and synth pedals all at the same time.
Very concise and correct in my opinion, I think you will love 2112 and I think you should take a listen to "spirit of the radio" and my favorite is called "closer to the heart"
Not bad for 2 Drs in music (Alex and Geddy) and a Dr in literature, ( Neal) happy listening
Rush is my favorite band, pretty much so since 1978. But this is definitely not my favorite Rush song. Rush themselves would tell you it's a weird little song and they never expected it to become so popular. As a lifelong Rush freak I think Xanadu is one of their best "CONCISE" songs at around 12 minutes; and it's one that they enjoyed playing live throughout their whole career. One of MY all-time favorites is "Entre Nous" from 1980. If you really want a shorter deep cut try "Available Light." 2112 is epic and I would watch every moment of a reaction video. 2112 was the first Rush I ever heard, and I was SO lucky...but their 1978 side-long masterpiece "Hemispheres" is my favorite, with a jaw-dropping B-side too!
*Wait 'til this guy figures out there's only three of them....
Deep dive into EVERYTHING starting with album #1
"Hemispheres" will blow your mind. (pun intended) but, it is 18 minutes long so maybe something for later. (studio version is excellent, La Villa Strangiato is an excellent 10 min track from the album) Lyrically, Hemipheres is off the charts.
Nice. Do Red Barchetta or Freewill next.