PERMANENT WAVES

I've never really been fond of this album, buts actually a very well composed and produced album. This is long considered to be one of Rush's breakthrough album, others are 2112, and Moving Pictures. One thing I really don't like about this album is that Geddy dosen't screech on this one, which I have become acostum to on the old 1970s Rush albums, which is lost on this album. The album has many tracks that have made it onto the radio, being radio friendly, as many musicians call it, but this really takes it to the limit to prog-pop-rock. I for one think they went to far with the pop element, but its a good album, non-the-less. I will rate each song on a scale from 1-10, 10 being the best, and 1 being the worst.

Spirit of the Radio- One of the tracks that was very radio friendly, and it received a little too much air- play, in my opinion, but its one of the strongest tracks on the album. The lyrics pretty much mean that you can listen to what kind of music they want. Some people took this into a different way other than what Neil meant. Some people thought they had the freedom to not to listen to this, and others think that they are now open to listening to more Rush. But, other than the less than appealing lyrics, the catchy riffs and music is amazing. 9/10

Freewill- This is definatly one of my favorites from the album for a few reasons. One is that Geddy uses much higher vocals, more interesting basslines, and one of the most interesting, but sticking to the roots, bass solos that he has played. Many people thought that this song was about religion, I, for one, do not know the exact knowing of the lyrics, but they are more amusing than Spirit of the Radios. The guitar solo in this, I may mention, is so amazing. Alex rips it into peices, in a good way. Definatly the best from the album, one track that really saves the album from being bad. 10/10

Jacob's Ladder- I, for one, don't really care for this portion of the album, along with another song, that I might not mention now. I think it would be great if it wasn't aimed towards the kind of instrumental, but with some lyrics. I personally think they should have just made it an instrumental track, because the music is much more amusing than the boring lyrics. The new use of heavy keyboards is also a prominate instrument in this song, with the bridge section of the song using it. Something that only people how have known Rush ever since they have came out would like. 5.5/10

Entre Nous- The second strongest track on the album. The song is in French. The English name is Between us, and it really shows in the chors. This is one of the poppy, but very hard rock tracks that I really like in the album. This also got some air-play back when it was released as a single. The lyrics symbolize the name, that there is something going on between 2 forms of life, hence the name. Really a great little short rocker. 9.5/10

Different Strings- The, in a sense, ending to Entre Nous, but much less popular. This is the only track from the album that the band had never actually played live, and there is a reason. This is somewhat of a ballad song, but it has a guitar solo (which acoustic ballads usually don't have) so I really don't know what to think. One thought is that its a little to polished for many peoples taste, but it serves as a very dark ending to Entre Nous, which, really isn't all that bad. 8/10

Natrual Science- This one, I really think shouldn't be on the album, actually. Its a bit to long, and a littl boring for my taste, so it has similarities with Jacob's Ladder. The lyrics, I really don't know what they mean. I really couldn't tell you what they symbolize with Neil, or anyone else in the band. The only really interesting part of the song is that its got really great guitar solos, but the music itself is a little bit too boring to be listenable. As I have said before, something the album would do without greatly. 4.5/10

The album has really strong parts, and it has many weak parts, but definatly not a bad album.