RUSH - A Return

I don’t remember if I’ve made it clear in my previous blogs (if so, it was likely during my Lamb of God review) but I really, really dislike Rush. I find them to be a group of talented players who write music to flagrantly display their talent rather than put together something cohesive. I believe the only thing holding most of Rush’s music together is the truly awful vocals of Geddy Lee, a piece I regularly cannot abide.

What’s more, Rush isn’t the most talented band in the world, so where do they get off? Sure, their major competitors in the field either do exactly what Rush does in an effort to show off (read: most prog, after Rush) or have broken up as of long ago (Led Zeppelin, The Who, Derek & The Dominos,) but that does not give them permission to play the full-band equivalent of Yngwie Malmsteen.

And yes, there are a few Rush songs I like. “YYZ,” “Tom Sawyer,” and “The Spirit of Radio” all have their own merits, and “Limelight” is actually just a really excellent song. And their role in the Jason Segel comedy I Love You, Man is indelible and hilarious. But most of the rest of what I’ve heard through the radio is either mindless drivel or (at least partially) unlistenable.

This summer, I intend to give them the old college try. Why? Because people adore them, and after three years of maintaining that Rush is my least favorite band, it’s time to challenge the beast once again. My musical tastes have drastically changed since I held that opinion, so, who knows? Maybe I’ll come out of all this liking them.

As a result, you can expect three Rush reviews by the end of August. No, they will not necessarily all be in sequence, and yes, they will be chronologically out of order. I’ve been recommended to go listen to Moving Pictures (an album I own and once liked,) then Fly By Night (whose title track I at least somewhat revile at the time of this writing,) and then, lastly, 2112 (whose title track I most certainly found unlistenable last time I gave it a shot.)

I’m moving the files for Moving Pictures onto my computer with better speakers now. Wish me luck.