SIGNALS

On their 1982 album Signals, Rush increased the prominence of Geddy's synthesizers even more. The album opens with the classic "Subdivisions", and those striking synth chords set the tone for the rest of the album. Lifeson's guitar is relegated primarily to a supporting role and is mixed lower, with keys acting both as rhythm and lead instruments. "The Weapon" is another highlight that demonstrates the pervasiveness of Geddy's synthesizers.

That's not to say there are no guitar-centric tracks here. "The Analog Kid" is an upbeat, energetic cut with a new wave-inspired guitar backbone in the verses. The chorus is quite synth-heavy, but this is one of the most guitar-forward tracks on the album.

Rush also continued to integrate reggae and ska influences. Songs such as "Chemistry" and "Digital Man" have Caribbean fingerprints on their rhythms, and especially on the guitar. The latter song even includes explicit mentions of Zion and Babylon, common lyrical tropes in reggae. "New World Man", in addition to featuring reggae flavors and being among the more guitar-centric tracks on the album, was Rush's only Top 40 hit in the US, peaking at number 21.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2020/04/27/deep-dive-rush/