I am going through all 20 Rush studio albums in release order and posting my comments about each.
Moving Pictures
OF all the albums in their body of work, I think Rush hit upon the perfect mix of instruments on this album, something they would never repeat. It’s something like the Star Trek Generations of Rush, marking the transition from the guitar trio sound into the synth era
The mix of synth with guitar used on the tracks in this album were just right, and I wish they had stayed with this mix for a few more albums. They got a lot of radio air and their first Grammy nomination with their second released instrumental, YYZ.
The album title itself is a triple entendre, two meanings of which can be seen on the cover illustration, and the third in this additional image.
The Tracks
1. Tom Sawyer 4:33
This is one of the best known songs the band ever recorded. It’s still a staple for classic rock stations. Neil Peart says he never gets tired of playing this song. The lyrics are pretty good, too, falling into that “think for yourself” category Peart enjoys writing in so often. It gets an A+.
2. Red Barchetta 6:09
This is just a fun song, plain and simple. A guy takes his uncle’s preserved red Barchetta and drives through the countryside. It’s an entire story wrapped into 6 minutes of some of Rush’s very best music. The song gets an A+.
3. YYZ 4:24
This is the second recorded instrumental from the band, and is worthy. The tltle comes from the Toronto airport code, and the intro features first cymbal then guitar banging out YYZ in Morse code. The piece is a demonstration of virtuosity all the way around. To me, this is the best mix of instruments all playing off each other that Rush has ever produced. It’s a shame that Behind my Camel by the Police ended up winning the award because while it is a good piece, I think it’s just a notch below YYZ. Definitely an A+, with more plusses owed.
4. Limelight 4:19
My favorite on this album, it’s all about how surreal it feels to be famous. The guitar solo has been called Alex Lifeson’s best, and Lifeson himself ranks it as his best and favorite solo to play. A+
5. The Camera Eye 10:58
Really the last of the multi-segment long pieces and this had only two sections. The song is an eclectic mix of arrangement with great transitions. I also love when a song doesn’t break into lyrics until deep into the song. (Time by Pink Floyd is another great example of this.) I give the song an A.
6. Witch Hunt 4:44
Another great piece showing the flexibility of the ban’s sound. This one is spooky and dark-sounding, which fits the title. I give it an A.
7. Vital Signs 4:46
It’s the perfect song to close out a great album. It’s an uptempo song that has some interesting lyrics that work really well to communicate confusion and perhaps despair. It also simply fades away when it ends which leads very nicely back into Tom Sawyer of the album is being played looped. I give it an A.
Conclusion
Overall, this is probably Rush’s best album artistically, and certainly had the most popular appeal. Many moons ago, I listened to this album on cassette in my car for months and months straight and never got tired of it. The A side is a notch above the B side, but all the songs are good enough to push the entire album to an A+. It’s definitely one of their top five albums. (IMHO – the other four being 2112, Hemispheres, Snakes and Arrows, and Clockwork Angels.)
I gave Permanent Waves an A.
I gave Hemispheres an A+.
I gave A Farewell to Kings and A.
I gave 2112 an A.
I gave Caress of Steel a B+.
I gave Fly by Night an A-.
I gave Rush a C+.