2112

2112 Best album of all time? Probably not. Best Canadian album of all time? Unless you want to make a case for other rush albums, most certainly. And that decision depends on the listener's fave sound, and rush had plenty of sounds during their almost 30 year existance. I just happen to prefer early Rush, I love the combination of Led Zeppelin-esque british blues rock and the combined amazing talents of Geddy, Alex and Neil. Specifically, in this case, Neil's songwriting ability and sci-fi imagination. 2112 is a must have if you enjoy good intricate guitar and bass lines melodically intertwined with amazing rythms from probably the best technical drummer this world has ever seen.

P.S. As a guitar player I must also stress the improtance of Alex Lifeson and arpeggios!

This is where they got the heavy rock and progressive rock mixture they not so successfully dabbled with on their previous offering, perfect. The guitars thrash, wail, and weep, the drums nock you across the room and the bass growls and rumbles. Listen to this and ask yourself if any members of Iron Maiden owned it.l

Rush, while already submitting two excellent albums full of top-notch progressive rock, had finally broken ground with their astounding classic, 2112. The band was at their creative and musical peak, and have combined to write this classic, which no prog fan should be without. The title track, 2112, is an epic about a man in the distant future where rock and roll is outlawed. The lyrics throughout the album are incredibly thoughtful and in-depth, and the song 2112 is inspired by novelist/philosopher Ayn Rand. While the remaining five tracks have often been criticized as unable to stand up to the grandoise epic, they are an excellent, albeit often overlooked representation of Rush at their best during this period. This epic album should be had by everyone who calls them a prog rock fan, as it rivals all other prog releases to date: It surpasses King Crimson, and is a peer to Yes' Close to the Edge. Rush, in this album as well as others, created the genre of Progressive Metal, and created one of Prog's timeless classics.

This is Rush's 2nd best album behind Moving Pictures. Even though it was made in the 70's, the music has a timeless and energetic quality rarely found in today's music. I don't care for story-telling songs, but the music is so good that you don't care that it takes 20:34 to deliver track one. The emotion, honesty and effort put into this album is unparalleled. The shorter tracks are also good, although I could have done without the speaker-on, speaker-off experiements of "The Twilight Zone". The tempos are varied and interesting and the feel is upbeat and hopeful.

2112 deserves its reputation as one of the best 70's prog-rock albums. The title track is untouchable. I don't even want to try and describe this highly influential, incredible "song;" it's best left for you to just listen to yourself and experience it in your own way. But I ALWAYS thought side 2 was weak, although, granted, anything would pale in comparison to side 1. "Twilight Zone" is a particularly goofy song, sounding like something a jr. high garage band would write. I'm sorry, but it's true! "Bangkok" has an underwhelming riff and I think it was written solely for the purpose of giving the potheads something to snicker at. "Something For Nothing" rocks, but sounds like a leftover from the 1st album. Still, you are NOT a Rush fan if you don't own this.

This is where the real Rush starts - the classic Rush and to me this is still my fave album from them along with A Farewell To Kings.

All of the short numbers on side 2 are good except for that terrible yawner Tears. But clearly A Passage To Bangkok was a call to Stoner-hood with mentions of Bogota, Katmandu and Thailand. We followed those advices. Twilight Zone was still looking at the sort of track that was run-of-the-mill of By-Tor And The Snow Dog era.

Side 1 holds the title track that helped me grow up and acquire a conscience but listening to this nowadays I see a few weaknesses and the simplicity of it all has not stood well the test of time in my ears. How many times did I listened to this fascinating story of this man discovering via the music instrument (an acoustic guitar) the power of self-expression in a repressive society? A thousand time, maybe. For a 15 year-old rebel (were those Priests of Syrinx not our teachers or parents?) , this was all I managed to think about for months and this Grand Finale was absolutely moving most of the times pulling a tear and wanting me to commit suicide just for the sake of it! Very few bands managed to make their feelings come through their music like Rush did in this album.

Although looking or hearing this album now , I can see that it has not aged that well , sounding somewhat simplistic but still so expressive and with grat musicianship. This is one of the most important album of my teenhood along with Meatloaf's Bat Out Of Hell as all of those tracks SPOKE and SAID something to me.

Only four star because , this album has not aged that well to my adult proghead mind, but the teen I was would've given this album seven stars.

As a fan of Rush, I can tell you this is one of their poorest albums (Oh Sacrilege!). But it is true. Musically, only a few minutes of the album (mostly the beginning and end of 2112) is very good, but even this is hampered by Neil Peart's adolescent-level dogmatic lecturing. This is when Peart was most into Ayn Rand and her anti-state, pro-capitalist philosophy, and his lyrics really suffer from it. I find them intolerable (don't get me wrong, Peart is one of my two favourite rock drummers!). The lyrics slowly get better on subsequent releases, and in fact are very good by Moving Pictures (even though Peart still seems to like Rand, but his lyrics became far more intellegent), and even 'excellent' on Grace Under Pressure was released. The music on subsequent albums is also much improved, more complex. Better to get Hemispheres if you want great music, or Grace Under Pressure for great lyrics (Moving Pictures for a good combination). 2112 is definately NOT Rush's peak!

I grant (however grudgingly) Alan's point that the lyrics to 2112 have come to sound a bit puerile over the years, especially considering how subtle and craftsmanlike a lyricist Peart eventually became. But the music isn't that bad at all, and Geddy employs his wail to especially telling effect on "Temples of Syrinx" and "Oracle." The second side isn't consistently up to the same level, but "The Twilight Zone" and "Something for Nothing" still sound great.

2112 is a fantastic album. i couldnt believe my own ears the first time i played this album. everything is close to perfect here, and so is side two. when it comes to the lyrics in the first side, it doesnt get cooler than this.

a young man, who lives in a distant past totalitarian society ruled by the priests in the temples of syrinx,is one day walking in the mountains when he discovers a guitar in a cave. "-what can this strange device be? when i touch it, it brings forth a sound...what can this thing be that i found?" beautiful demonstration of how to play guitar follows. he then brings the guitar back to the priests to tell them of the beauty of the music he can bring forth with the intrument ("i know that it will reach you, hear what it can do!"), but they wave it off with saying that "we have other work to do, another toy will help destroy the elder race of man, forget it, it doesnt fit the plan!"). the young mans reaction to this is of course whipping out the most intense guitar-solo you can imagine.

it doesnt get cooler than this. simple, yes, but works as hell! this is an album that is dangerous to traffic if you put it on in your car!

one more thing: every album after exit stage left are for completists only, but this one belongs in every serious progrock collection. if you dont like this you are probably deaf.

not my favorite but a solid prog era RUSH... some songs just seem not to work... and, sorry, but the twilight zone here has never been covered by IRON MAIDEN... though it was a prog song too but by the german band NEKTAR and entitled King of Twilight. For information, Iron Maiden did a song called The Twilight Zone and it was an original, not a RUSH cover!...

Rush were maturing by now, and it shows on this album, although it is starting to sound a little dated now. The title track is a brave attempt to bring a thought provoking concept to the ears of the rock listener. Alex's guitar work is very good in this. The second side is, admittedly, something of a let down. But Bangkok and Twilight Zone salvage something here, for me. This is a band about to make it big...and the next album certainly showed that!

When I was talking to my uncle about a year ago, he mentioned the band Rush. He told me about how they ruled the world when he was in high school. I said I knew a little about them, but not much else. He almost cried. "My God, you don't know what you're missing. Go to a record store, buy 2112, talk to me later." I bought 2112, and it might have been the best decision that I have ever made musically. 2112 opened my eyes to the beautiful world of progressive rock. I was an adolescent in serious need of a shaking, and my mind was being corrupted by poppy punk and corporate rock. After listening to that album, I wanted more Rush, more prog rock, more, more, more. The album is THAT good.

If you consider yourself a true rock fan, 2112 is a must-have. Without a doubt, this album ranks within my top ten list, and I probably would slot it at #2 or #1. The musicianship displayed on this album is incredible. Neil Peart's full talents aren't on full display here, but still, his performance is unbelieveable. Geddy Lee's bass is magnificent, and the way he's able to mix complex bass lines with some very good vocals is beyond me. However, this album truly belongs to Alex Lifeson. The spotlight is truly on him on 2112, and he shows why many people consider him one of the greatest guitarists of all time. On this earlier album, his style is very Zeppelin-like, with a hard rock feel. His solos are brilliant, and everything seems perfect. His best albums are Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures, but as a band, 2112 is probably thier best work. When these three men combine, the result is nothing short of incredible.

Without a doubt, this album solidifies Rush as one of the greatest bands of all time. This is the album, along with Moving Pictures, that spawned the great progressive rock/metal bands of this era, mainly Dream Theatre. These guys are musical geniouses. Absolutely magical stuff. A must-have in any prog rock colleciton. Go buy it. Now.

What more can you ask for. I mean these guys are not just a "group" or some "band", these men are Gods. To you folks that are contemplating whether or not to listen to this album, I really can't express myself anymore than to tell you that it has changed my life. Not just 2112, but everything from Rush...Flyby Night, Caress of Steel, Hemispheres, Permanent Waves, etc. Why not teach what you've been taught. Geddy, Neil, and Alex have a story to tell. Keep an open mind when listening and you will see what they are expressing to their audiences. An awesome, phenomenal album and yes it is not only a great album, but also my #1 favorite of all time. I have been playing drums now for almost 8 years and I idolize Neil Peart as a percussionist/drummer. In my opinion, he is the best drummer that has ever existed and he still baffles me till this day. He is so good that he gives me the goose bumps every time I listen to him play or when he does a drum solo. The drum solos are insane. There are many great drummers although any drummer would probably agree that Neil is close to every drummer's mentor and inspiration. Everyone is entitled to their own opinion, but for those who haven't listened to this album, should. Those who have listened and didn't like the album or thought it was just OK... you suck :P J/k . Although, maybe you should take another listen. For those who adore Rush and have listened to 2112, Rock On!

This fourth album contains memorable songs. It is probably the first album to become really popular. This is sophisticated hard rock, even mellow and progressive sometimes. It is the first time keyboards are introduced, but we are far from Power windows; Geddy Lee was rather minimalist here, but efficient enough.

The epic eponymic song, which lasts about 20 minutes, is a wonderful hard rock progressive song full of powerful electric guitar, complex bass and drum parts. The other side contains varied songs: the mellow acoustic "Twilight Zone", having a good guitar solo. The more hard rock "Passage to Bangkok", "Something For Nothing" and "Lessons". The peaceful acoustic "Tears" on which floating keyboards and quiet lead vocals allows the listener to really relax.

"2112" was more than an album; for pot-smoking male adolescents it was a rite of passage. To them, the title track was a fulfillment of their rock & roll fantasies: toppling a totalitarian future-world with the power of music. PEART's lyrics were carefully crafted to reference the listener's likely state of mind (notably on "Oracle: The Dream" and "Soliloquy"), and written for two voices (rendered by GEDDY LEE in a way that recalls "Jesus Christ Superstar") as if it were a play. And while it was a dramatic improvement over previous albums, musically the band still struggled with the epic format. The musical themes are incestuous from part to part, little time is found for flashes of instrumental brilliance, the end seems abruptly tacked on, and references to earlier storytellers (THE WHO, ELP) show a band slightly out of their depth. The rest of the album returns to song format, including a paean to pot ("A Passage To Bangkok") that would have fit on "Physical Graffiti", "The Twilight Zone" (about the TV series of all things) and an impassioned manifesto on "Something For Nothing." If you're looking for concrete evidence on "2112" that makes a case for greatness, you won't find it. The appeal of this album is that so many fans listened to this album when they were young, when they were high, and have listened to it often since then. Otherwise, except for the thematic shift from fantasy to science fiction, there's nothing on "2112" that wasn't already present on "Caress of Steel" and "Fly By Night". Of interest, the band does experiment with some new sounds, including the opening synthesizer section on "Introduction", and the ever-popular Mellotron on "Tears" (with Lee providing very Rutherfordian accompaniment on bass).

This is the culmination of the band's first phase, a period marked by music that had yet to break free from the pull of past influences (GENESIS, LED ZEPPELIN, THE WHO et al). In my opinion, "2112"'s is a subjective greatness, a first crush where adolescent emotions walked on a new moon, breathed the air, and found it good.

The first RUSH masterpiece- it's not without its flaws, of course, but this is where hard rock and progressive rock successfully and accessibly came together. Additionally, the sound was so individual and uncompromising (for its part) that it far outclassed the hard rock "progressive-lite" bands like STYX and JOURNEY. You could party to this album, and you could also do some mind-expanding with it. Continuing the 'concept side/shorter song side' system, they also enabled you to get some action with it, given the right partner and some careful song selection (I knew at least one girl who responded to "Tears"). Nerds loved it, stoners loved it, rockers loved it. Being one of each as time passed, it has a nostalgic value to me and is almost required listening for any progressive rock collection for the "2112" suite alone. I'm not saying this is the most polished or involving narrative in prog rock- the "Discovery" part in particular is as clumsy as it is lovely- but it works from start to finish and leaves you satisfied. I suppose a labored analogy would be: RUSH is the fast food of 70s prog, PINK FLOYD is the meat-and-potatos, and KING CRIMSON is more of an haute-couture restaurant (I guess that makes YES chinese food...well, these analogies only go so far). Anyway, if you're any kind of prog fan, "2112" is one of those classic albums you just have to hear.

The big one. The grand masterpiece of pretentious, I mean progressive rock. I do love it, so don't get me wrong. From start to finish,you are taken on an adventure with this album. Side one, is the obvious overwhelmer here with it's intricate weaving of musical and lyrical ideas. It is a powerful song, piece, opus...whtever you want to refer to it as. I still get a charge out of the end with the "attention all planets of the solar federation...we have assumed control". Fantastic! Now, let us not forget the shorter songs on side 2 for they too are fantastic. "Passage To Bancock" and "Something For Nothing" alone would make the LP a must have. Is the whole thing kinda silly? Well..yeah, but...it's a great kind of silly and it rocks. Still a favorite!

The first of the three consecutive masterpieces Rush gave to the world. 2112 has amazing music in it´s main track, the "Overture", "Soliloquy" and "Grand Finale" are the best in my opinion.On the other side there are great tunes like "Something For Nothing", "Tears", and "A Passage To Bangkok", but again a weak track and perhaps the weakest track ever recorded by Rush in their golden years, "Lessons", but the rest of the album make this a masterpiece.

Growing up in a small Northern Ontario city was all about listening to RUSH albums and "2112" was definitely played in my house a ton. IMHO 2112 is the defining moment for RUSH prog a progressive rock. Complete with the 21 Min epic "2112" Rush transports us back into the temple of Syrinx and into the future with "Twilight Zone". As always the line- up are the 3 young Alex Lifeson (guitars), Neil Peart (drums) and Geddy Lee (bass, vocals). Long standing friend Hugh Syme also appears on "Tears" playing some very lovely mellotron (which may be the only RUSH album with mellotron!). Musically these guys were and still are superb, but there is something extra special about "2112"... something that can only be explained by listening to this album. Hate to say it but for me this is a pure masterpiece...!

This was an album my Dad listened to a lot, and I heard it quite a bit. The title song "2112" is the only thing truly worth listening to on it. That song is a true 5 star effort as it portrays a futuristic despotic world where everything is controlled and individuality is a thing of the past. It is heavily based on Ayn Rand's book "Anthem." The instrumentation and lyrics are good, although it tends to drop off towards the end of the epic somewhat, only to be thrown back upwards with the Grand Finale.

Unfortunately, the other songs are what drag it down. They are mediocre at best, with "The Twilight Zone" and "Road to Bangkok" being the only things worth even considering. In spite of this, it is a good gateway album to prog rock, almost as good as "Dark Side of the Moon."

Just like everyone else, Im going to give it 5 stars. Because if there's any rush album that deserves it, this is the one. This is another one of rush's most popular masterpieces. 2112 was definately rush in their prime. Geddy's vocals were perfect, Lifeson had great solos and Neil, as always had excellent drumming on this album. Its one of my top 5ers. :p If you haven't already bought this album, I urge you to do so. You won't be dissapointed.

2112 ( Not that far off!) was the beginning of Rush making serious headway in the prog rock arena. Sure it shows naivety at times but that is what makes some of the early progressive sounds so pleasurable. This is a richly layered gem from Rush. Side one encompasses 2112 as in the whole suite and it is pretty fanatstic! I listened to this just the other day and it reminded me why progressive genres make such rewarding listening. Side 2 comprises of shorter songs but ' Passage to Bangkok' and ' Lessons' really shine.

"Attention all planets of the solar federation, Rush have assumed control". What can you say, 2112 is a prog classic. Overture into Temples of Syrinx, the naive beauty of Discovery, Alex's guitar work to conclude Presentation, Geddy's voice range from Temples through Soliloquy, brilliant. If you don't like this then what are you doing on the site! Great second side too, from the pot-heads anthem Passage to Bangkok to as near to a Rush ballad as you'll get in Tears. Twilight Zone, Lessons, and a good rocker Something for Nothing to conclude. Amazing stuff, and there's better from the band still to come!

Yeah!...You're facing one of the most celebrated albums of Rush for both critics and fans. Just main track is the best reason to go and buy the record and I mean the whole track, not only the breathtaking piece Overture/The Temples of Syrinx that appears in compilation or retrospective albums. For me is a great album with fantastic songs as Twilight Zone, Lessons and Something For Nothing, but I think that masterpieces were just to appear in the next two years, you know what I mean...:).

A fantastic first track, upheld by an unbelievable ( and I don't say it lightly ) "cavalcade- sque" guitar riff which was going to be a source of influence for lots of heavy-metal bands. No doubt, Rush f...kin' rocked in the 70's ! So, 2112 ( the track ) is a classic while the other tracks are unfortunately not as enthusiasming and creative. Anyway, their best acts was yet to follow this good point of start of the great Rush era.

Maybe it's because I'm a newcomer to prog, compared to those who heard this album when it was new, but I can't really see what the fuss is about, for the most part. It's not that 2112 is a bad album at all, but my interest in it is more historical than anything. In this I find the precursors to some of the more current prog bands I'm a fan of, especially AYREON, whose mastermind ARJEN LUCASSEN cites RUSH (and this album specifically, I believe) as an influence on his own work. However, despite trying, I just haven't been able to get into this the way that many of you have. It definitely has its high points, but I really can't call it anything beyond just "good".

The "2112" suite itself is interesting to listen to for the story it tells, and also for the strange guitar acrobatics by ALEX LIFESON that accompany the tale of the instrument found by the narrator. NEIL PEART has done a very good job lyrically, and the concept of this suite reminds me strongly of some of AYREON's speculations about the future (a world where emotion and creativity are no longer valued...see "Evil Devolution" for an example). As for his drumming, in places it most definitely sounds like the precursor to the technique later drummers like MIKE PORTNOY of DREAM THEATER would adopt, and I have to wonder very seriously if his work had a part in touching off the entire metal genre. This has the same rapid-fire pacing in places, even some shredding from the guitars that is suggestive of it. The only thing about this song that I don't really care for at times is the fact that beyond the opening and a few other places, the synths are very underutilized and do little to fill out the atmosphere which consists of three things only: the drums, the guitars, and GEDDY LEE's odd vocals. He is a talented vocalist, to be sure, but listening to too much wears one out eventually!

"2112" is a decent 4-star track by itself...unfortunately, the rather radio-friendly, poppy shorter songs that followed it (for the most part) drag it down in my eyes. I have a hard time comprehending why these are on the same album with "2112". "A Passage to Bangkok", to be honest, does very little to me. As far as I can make out, this one seems to be a ramble about the various foreign countries where one can smoke pot, and quite frankly, I find that a waste of my time. How many other songs from the 1970s have we got that deal with that subject? Quite unoriginal. "The Twilight Zone" does better and has a more interesting sound to it, and was probably the second-best of the short tracks on here. "Lessons"...well, to be honest it just isn't very memorable to me. "Something for Nothing" was rather more interesting...but by the time I get to this point, I just feel lacking...

...especially after having just heard GEDDY LEE's fantastic "Tears". I really found myself wishing there was more of this kind of thing on 2112--more melodic, atmospheric, unassuming (yes, I know prog delights in showing off, but I respect groups that know how to be simple and soulful as well). LEE's lyrics are worlds away from NEIL PEART's bombastic fare, and while much less complex, there is something about them, as they're delivered, that is convincing. From what I heard here, I honestly think that LEE may be more comfortable singing his own material than what PEART writes for him; "Tears" brings out a much more heartfelt side of him that I had never heard before. Perhaps, freed of PEART's excess, he can at last relax be himself, and it really does show. While there's no denying that LEE's voice does support PEART's lyrics to a T, I just think this sounds much more natural, less forced, and the difference is like night and day. And maybe I'm just a sentimental sap, but part of me even wants to call this the best track of the album even ahead of "2112" itself.

Ultimately, though, I guess I just didn't find that 2112 lived up to the 5-star hype that a lot of people are giving it. Perhaps I was born at the wrong time to appreciate this, and thus my ears aren't accustomed to the type of sound production or techniques or some other element. It's not that I reject all earlier music; in fact, I truly love the work of PINK FLOYD. The difference is, though, PINK FLOYD typically had a very ahead-of-its-time production and atmosphere...2112 just seems too much like a product of its era in places for me to really accept it as anything special. I just find myself wanting an AYREON album, or DREAM THEATER, or something, rather than this effort that just seems incomplete to me, for lack of a better word. I imagine those who are interested in classic prog would like this...it's not like there isn't good material here. Still, this just didn't make the best impression on this listener from a younger prog generation.

Rush was finally finding their feet in the Rock-Prog Genre. It is a good try, but what kind of takes it down a notch are the shorter songs on what would be the second side of the album. They are ok but not great. For me, the LP Hemispheres buries this album. That for me is the album that is great where the 20 minute format on 1 side and the shorter sides on Side 2 is the winner. I believe that from A Farewell To Kings onward is where they got better. But please know I am not knocking 2112. I think it is good but not as mindblowind as the later works

What really can be said about this amazing album that hasn't already been uttered in it's twenty-eight years of existence? "2112", the first truly great epic rock album, was the full-length release that gave Rush a market in America and elsewhere in the world. It took them out of Canada and scattered them all over, and oh, how the fanbase would grow...

The first track is "2112", itself. It is, actually, seven smaller tracks all in one; epic indeed. It begins with a sci-fi, almost techno-y laser hum, followed by what can best be described as "cosmic sounds". Then the rock kicks in: Alex's guitar riffs, Geddy's bass providing support, and Neil's drumming crashing in to carry both along. They rip through the first part of the song, "2112 Overture", and then zoom right into the second part: "The Temples of Syrinx" (These first two parts are often the ones used on Rush compilation albums). Afterwards comes the mellow "Discovery", then the slightly harder "Presentation". Expect only the best solo-wise in that segment; Alex Lifeson is, in my opinion, one of the most underrated guitarists in rock history. Following the solo is "The Oracle", a part which helps to further the story the epic is based on. Finally, we come down to "Soliloquy" and at long last, "Grand Finale". They crush through final part of the twenty-minute song, and end it with distorted guitar fuzz, a fading bassline, crashing cymbals and pounding bass drum, all with an electronic, echoing voice shouting about control. It's really a highlight in rock history.

The rest of the album is superb, as well. "A Passage To Bangkok", keeping in spirit with most 70's songs, is about marijuana. Ohwell, it has a very good main riff and Geddy does a very nice job with his vocals to provide an atmosphere.

"The Twilight Zone" is next and it's about... well, the television show The Twilight Zone. A very nice homage.

Next comes "Lessons", a great song about making mistakes and learning from them. Alex goes up high on the fretboard for this one, creating wails to fit Geddy's vocals. It's a rather cool effect which leaves a lasting feeling of amazement.

And then comes the ballad on the album, "Tears". Implementing a violin and acoustic guitar, paired with very somber, very melancholy vocals, it strikes you in the heart and leaves a sad imprint...

...which is quickly taken away by the albums closing song, "Something For Nothing". A very rocking song, to say the least, the boys jump right to it during the chorus and continue until the last chord fades out with the album. Forty minutes of music in a span of six songs.. sounds like Rush to me.

Conclusion:

In the middle of the '70's Rush had thier prog-hardrock, which with it's unbelievable atmosphere fantasy-dreamers and science fiction-freaks nights-long into strange worlds guided, so perfected, that not few fans believe today, the three Canadians couldn't be from this earth. With the "sense of wonder" of Tolkien, the band leaded the complexity of the "Caress Of Steel"-longtracks in more transparent ways and created with the title track of this '76 masterpiece a giant, that forever will be undestroyable and perfect, like the black Monolith in the Kubrick-film "2001". The siren-like vocals in "The Temples Of Syrinx", the all with it carried stellar hurricane of the "Grand Finale" - all highlights of the intelligent, creative rockmusic. What can be elegant driven on shorter floor, shows the B-side of the record with it's five short earworms, which carry the from the long journey through space hard beating heart softly back down to earthground. Mr. Lee, Lifeson and Peart may be from far away dimensions; We can the limitations of ourselves just with the greatest music only hide away for short time.

This album is an absolute MUST-HAVE, not for the historical value alone but for the music. I cannot emphasize that enough; if you're a Rush fan, you more than likely already have this. If you're not, go and find it, cherish it, worship it. It will blow you away, if you let it take control over you. Have a nice journey through space, but don't forget to come home again!

album rating: 9.5/10 points = 95 % on MPV scale = 5/5 scale

point-system: 0 - 3 points = 1 star / 3.5 - 5.5 points = 2 stars / 6 - 7 points = 3 stars / 7.5 - 8.5 points = 4 stars / 9 - 10 points = 5 stars

After the excellent but poorly-selling Caress Of Steel, Rush was at a crossroads in their career--return to the more commercial sound of Fly By Night, or lay it all on the line, and "out-prog" even the previous album? Luckily, they risked it all by choosing the latter. This is a true classic of the genre, but not quite the peak they would reach in the next few years. Almost everything is in place here: Alex Lifeson's increasingly weird guitar styles (his solos are particularly angry-sounding on this album, especially in the title suite); Geddy Lee's virtuosic, musular bass licks; and Neil Peart's acrobatic, octopus-like drumming (though it would get much, much better in the following years).

Side 1 is stunningly powerful and surprisingly introspective, which I suppose is a trademark of progrock. The storyline is well-known, and I won't get into it here, but suffice it to say that this was not your average 70's hard-rock/metal act. Side 2 starts with the colorful "A Passage To Bangkok", a cleverly written ode to the finest cannabis growing areas on earth in the 1970's. While drug songs tend to be trite when looking back at them today, this one is covert enough - and intelligent enough - to be surprisingly well-aged. "Twilight Zone" is creepy, if a little silly. "Lessons" is good fun and is similar to "Making Memories" from Fly By Night. "Tears" is a bit of a snoozer, and one I usually skip, though it does feature some pretty keyboard work (by the designer of most of their 70's cover art, Hugh Syme). "Something For Nothing" is a good closer with some nice guitar, though it's lyrics are somewhat adolescent. Overall, this shows a definite forward progression for the career of Rush, but I believe it is not as good, musically or lyrically, as the incredible five-album streak that would follow next.

This fine classic album introduced me to the music of Rush. I understood the band considered this record being their last due "Caress of Steel"'s poor sales success, and they felt relaxed to do anything they want for the final time. The title tune "2112" is just marvelous, an epic space opera in vein of symphonic music, but played in powerful 1970's hard rock style. The opening with several guitar channels really raise hairs with its melodic curves and introduces a tale of dystopic future vision of interplanetary religious dictatorship, a dreamer crushed between totalitarian realities of his environment and personal yearning for freedom. After few decades of listening this rock suite has stand the test of time for myself, which I find rare when compared to many other longer works of Yes, Genesis and others. The shorter songs on the B-side of the LP lower slightly the personal value of this LP, but I felt "Tears" being a pretty ballad. Even though with few basic rock fillers, I see 2112 as a very fine album still, reaching its full value as a gatefold vinyl artefact.

This is Rush at their studio best, though to see them at their very best, you have to see them live. They are far more hard rock than prog on this album and that is what they do best. In view of the grading criteria, perhaps they shouldn't get 4 stars but the album is good enough to ignore the lack of prog content. 2112 is full of great guitar riffs and solos and the rhythm section is amongst the best around. The only weak bit is the lyrical content (which hints at some slightly right wing views and sounds a bit naive) and Geddy Lees voice falls into the "love it or hate it" category. The second side is all short songs, a Passage to Bangkok and the excellent Something for Nothing being the highlights. Tears is entirely forgettable and should have been omitted. Definitely worth buying overall, but not for its prog content alone.

This was the first concept album I ever bought and I found the concept of a concept album very unusual and it took a while to appreciate and accept the concept of this being a concept album. If you say enough times the word sounds very [%*!#]ing weird. Concept, concept, concept etc... As dated as much of the albums contents and cover "graphics" may well be 2112 is nevertheless still a good listen and ranks as one of Rush's better albums and a concept (concept, concept) album with plenty to offer and shows and how adventurous and aggressive that Rush were prepared to be though maybe not not quite pulling it off as diverse as they would on later albums like A Farewell To Kings or Hemispheres, though 2112 has a certain substance that both of those afore mentioned follow up albums lack. Personally I have always had a preference for the album that preceded this one. A Caress Of Steel had an innocence and a captivating glance of optimism about it, and 2112 has some sterling features but a little ambitious bordering on the cheese factor and lacking the innocent and wonderful naivete of A Caress Of Steel. Alex Lifeson's guitar playing, both electric and acoustic, stand out for attention as he plays tighter and with more imagination than ever before which brings a creative emotion when needed on the album's concept as the tale ebbed and flowed and built through to a massive final crescendo. As well as the "2112" the album contains more straight ahead songs. "Something For Nothing" is a good rocking song" with a great riff, though "Twilight Zone" is a bit disposable, lyrically anyway. "Tears" is a beautiful ballad with excellent vocal from Geddy Lee and plenty of emotion, while the stoners voyage of "Passage To Bangkok" mixes and blends in some wasteful fun. Like the vision of the title track "2112" my own mood changes with the album whenever I have played through the last 20 years or so, getting to grips with Rush in general is never an easy task, starting from 2112 may well be a good starting point but it can be a bumpy ride at the best of times.

First off, let me just say that Canadians don't take kindly to being mistaken for Americans :) They would be pretty insulted if you tried to tell them Rush was an American band :) Rush are, of course, Canadian (I guess they are not one of the few American prog bands whom you can tell are American). And if you ask me, they are the best band ever to come from Canada.

Much has been said about this album already, and I agree with all the positive reviews. Why just four stars? Well, I don't think this is a masterpiece. I think Farwell To Kings and Hemishpheres get those accolades (well, the two albums after those as well). I think this album has some of the most unique Rush work on it, in the form of The Twilight Zone and Tears. Nothing else like these songs in their discography. 2112 the suite, is of course classic and legendary, though I have to say listening to it more than 10 years after I first heard it it seems almost amaturistic. Especially compared to the four studio albums that were to come. But it was their first truly effective foray into the epic format (having had two far less succesfull efforts on Caress Of Steel), so for that is has great value to any fan of the band.

"2112" was THE 70´s prog recording. The openning "mini epic" track "2112" is a beautifull wave of sound and lyrics, a vision of future coming to mind as reading a book. For me Rush fun, it should deserve five stars if wasn´t by some minor details on this record. "Lessons" and "Something for nothing" are weak examples of what could have be done Rush in 72-73 but not for this album. A must, of course for all Rush lovers. If you want to start your Rush collection, get this one first, and let your mind fly.

This is my 3rd experiance with Rush, after listened to Fly by Night and Caress of Steel, which I also consider as master pieces of a band so promising and developing! But the 2112 blew me out of my shoes. I played it as often as I could and still after nearly 30 years this album stands fierce. This is the highlight of Rush'total oevre and I don't think they will ever prpoduce something like this again, although Moning pictures and A farewell to Kings are coming very close to thuis level.

This is the album that got me into Progressive Rock. I remember vividly listening to it for the first time, and thinking how incredible it was. I had never heard of a 20 minute track before, it seemed ludicrous to me. From the first listen, I was hooked.

At this point in time, with the failure of Caress of Steel, Rush recorded this album in a do-or- die fashion. They pulled out all the stops in their creative arsenal, and created a landmark album for progressive music, and a breakthrough in their careers.

The opening of the first track, the overture of 2112, is a memorable experience for me. The opening buzz and the long pause, then the band crashes in, changing time signatures with each transition. The instrumental is superbly crafted, with elements of all the parts coming in to play. A crash comes in and the overture is over, and Geddy says, "And the meek shall inherit the earth". The Temples of Syrinx is another fan favorite, and it is a superb part, with a singable chorus, the song goes straight into Discovery, a quiet guitar only piece that symbolizes the character's discovery of the guitar. The rest of the song is perfect, with wailing guitar, perfect bass, precision drumming, and the mother of all endings, "Attention all pilots of the solar federation, we have assumed control" ringing over and over throughout the speakers, and the song is over.

The second side is a collection of songs, the best being A Passage to Bangkok, The Twilight Zone, and Something for Nothing. The other two tracks, Tears and Lessons, while both good, aren't up to par to the rest of the songs. A Passage to Bangkok has a memorable chorus and introduction, and a great guitar solo. Something for Nothing has great Lifeson riffing, great bass from Geddy, and great lyrics from Peart.

Overall, this is an incredible achievement. While not my favorite album by Rush, it is the one that got me into the band, and it features one of the best songs that they ever did. I give it a 4.5/5.

I find this album to be slightly overrated. It is good, but its not really the end all be all of Rush albums everyone makes out. Its still good though. The opener, the seven part epic title-track is easily the best song on the album. It tells the story of a futuristic society ruled by the power-hungry priests of the Temples of Syrinx. The song starts off with weird, spacy synth sounds, then it rocks hard. 'Overture' and Temples of Syrinx' were a single I think, and they are very awesome, almost metal at times. Then it goes mellow with Discovery, all acoustic and very awesome. The next part, Presentation, is probably the worst part, but its still pretty good. It also has a dynamite solo from Lifeson. Oracle: The Dream is my personal favorite part, very emotional and it rocks pretty hard too. Soliloquy is excellent as well, very emotional with a great, sad sounding-yet hard rocking solo from Lifeson. The last part, Grand Finale is the perfect metallic closer to the song.

The second half of the album starts off with A Passage to Bankok, a great eastern-style song. Of course, Eastern-Style songs are always an A++ in my book, A+++ if they rock hard. Great lyrics and a fantastic, memorable solo from Lifeson. The Twilight Zone, a tribute to the classic TV show, is pretty good as well, with largely acoustic passages. Lessons is weak, the worst song on the album in fact. Tears is another pretty mediocre one. The album kicks back into overdrive for the closer, however, with the hard rocker Something For Nothing. I think a heavy closing track really helps an album; to have that last note still ringing in your head is magical.

So this album is pretty good, slightly overrated, however. Highlights include the epic title track, A Passage to Bankok, and Something For Nothing.

I bought the remastered version in Vancouver because in Holland the prices are twice as high so I earned a bit back from a rather expensive holiday in Canada! But back to the music, this is the first genuine progressive rock album from Rush although from "Caress of steel" Rush turned out to be an interesting heavy progressive rock band. In the titletrack all members prooved their instrumental and compositional skills, what a mindblowing breaks and soli, especially Ale Lifeson his effect-pedal drenched guitarwork is excellent! Another remarkable song is "Tears" because of the use of the Mellotron, it fits perfect to the music but unfortunately for me it appeared to be the last time Rush used this wonderful instrument. The next album "A farewell to kings" became a milestone and presented Rush as a pivotal progrock band. But "2112", especially the titletrack, remains a very good 'heavy progressive' album, so unique for that era. GREAT!!

This is an essential album to any collection, in fact go buy it right now. 2112 is an awesome song about a man in the year 2112, were the goverment controls the future on their computers and he finds a guitar, well I'm not going to go on about but its good. Passage to Bangkok is one of the greatest guitar riffs ever. The Twilight Zone is a great song. Lessons and Something For Nothing is awesome. Tears... not so much. Buy it!

this is the first rush's great album, but not the best. the first song, 2112, is realy powerfull, and it shows in some movements, like temples of the syrinx or presentation, the incredible potential of the canadian trio, but the problem of the song are the abrupt changes in many movements. 45/50 a passage to bangkok is an addictive song, i heard it a hundred of times. is emotive, is amazing, is powerful, is one of my favourites. 10/10 the twilight zone is simply an ugly song, the worst song of the album. 2/10 the fourth track is lessons, it's a fantastic song, together with a passage to bangkok, the best of the album. 10/10 tears is a nice ballad, but it doesn't like me too much. 4/10 to finish my review i got to talk about the last song, something for nothing, well... 10/10

total: 81/100

Quintessential prog-rock listening. Certainly there is that 70's "sci-fi/fantasy" aspect to the lyrics that was always a mainstay in prog rock (see: Yes). But lovers of prog should welcome that side of it anyways. Rush is in top form here and having had worked with Neil Pert for a few years is really starting to show on this album, not only in the concept album story-telling lyrical sense, but musically as well, as the trio has reached a level of playing and composition here that is parralled by few at this time.

My best ever. A masterpice. An one time achievment. I could speak for this record for hours. Instead of this let´s say something for its b side. I want to make clear that its first side is untouchable and thats all. The side b though is very underated. Ok the tracks do not last longer than 4 mins but that souldn´t let you down. In my opinion and not only these short diamonds reflect the way real hard rocking prog should be. Straight forward tracks, fresh, full of powerfull clever rifs, heavy progressive drumming and one of the most original and creative bass in the scene.definitly the root of heavy metal prog. Just listen carefully to those travks and in combination with the outstanding 2112 you have a total masterpiece.

One of my friends in class last year was a die-hard Rush fan, and he lend me this album along with Signals. I haven't listened to Signals all the way through, but I have to 2112 and it is nothing more or less than a solid, outstanding effort. The track 2112 is basically 3 songs meshed together into one 20-minute rock opera, paving the way for other more-improved ones such as Queensryche's "Operation Mindcrime" and Dream Theater "Scenes from a Memory" (which is my all-time favorite album incidentally). The track is never boring and frequently very moving and powerful (the sections "Presentation" and "Soliliquoy" come into mind strongest when I say this). Just an amazing piece. Among the other tracks, "A Passage to Bangkok" and "Tears" are fantastic, the latter being a beautiful ballad with dreamy acoustic guitars and shimmering mellotron and keyboard that sounds like a flute or something near the end. "The Twilight Zone" is also solid, though I didn't particularly care for the other two songs, which were "Something for Nothing" and "Lessons".

Overall, this is a very solid record and my introduction to Rush was a good one! Definately not my favorite band in the world but a very good one and this is probably my favorite by them. Recommended!

2112 10/10 (best track) A Passage to Bangkok 9/10 The Twilight Zone 8/10 Lessons 6/10 Tears 9/10 Something for Nothing 6/10

After some halfhearted attempts Rush enteres the realm of progressive rock in a heavy fashion with a marvelous 20 minute epic. After this album they will improve even further, to me this album is the end of the first phase of Rush, and without a doubt the best album from those 4 early Rush albums.

Side 1 Heavy metal opening, with heavy guitars, great drumming and a strong bassline opens the show, getting more heavy as the Overture develops into The Temples Of Syrinx, which feature some great vocals from Geddy, a trully exciting piece of music. After the 7 minute opening a slow instrumental takes over with a little experimentation. After that the piece alternates from hard rock parts to slow and softer elements, heading for a great heavy metal final. The intro and the final are very easy to get into, but the parts in the middle needs some more listenings, but it really is a great piece.

Side 2 Some good songs, where Rush plays again heavy rock, as they did on the former three albums, only a bit better. Some accoustics thrown in for good measure, and a pleasant listen throughout, but like the previous albums not brilliant. best songs on side 2 are A Passage To Bangkok and Something For Nothing.

I'm inclined to give the album 4 stars, but the weaker side 2 keep me from it. I recommend this album to all because of the great intro to 2112, which is required listening for all metal fans. 3,5 stars really.

Sure it's a four but is it a five. My answer is yes. It's a five not only for the excellent music contained therein but for the attitude held by the band at the time they composed it. Rush was being dictated to by the suits at Polygram and they decided to throw caution to the wind (and if that isn't one of the tenets of progressive music, I don't know what is) and release the kind of album that pleased themselves as musicians. Form imitates content here. The entire first side is about being dictated to by a totalitarian regime which has outlawed music. Come to think of it, dealing so wonderfully with that concept alone makes it an essential piece to have in one's catalogue. 2112 defends the entire concept of progressive music and the freedom it represents. To say it is merely an excellent addition is to miss the point of the album taken in its entire context.

Finally! Another Rush disc I can fully recommend! By this time, Rush have jettisoned the blues-Zep influence and gone total prog. 2112 is a carefully thought out rock opera, with strong melodic music and lyrics that sounds like a script from a play. Geddy's voice has yet to come down from the stratosphere, which makes for a pleasantly jarring dynamic in "Presentation". "Oracle-The Dream" could have been a killer single, in my eyes. The outro is the perfect way to close out the track, with an arrangement that sounds like the soundtrack to an impending apocalypse, with Alex delivereing a lead that makes all other wanna-be faux-proggers quaking in their shoes. Death metal, be ye damned! This is hell!

Now, for the other songs. I personally have no use for "Bangkok", which, to me, sounds like a 3.5-minute ramble about the best places to get baked, but that's why CD players have skip buttons. "The Twilight Zone" and "Lessons" sound pedestrian next to "Tears", which DOES bring tears to my eyes. Geddy hasn't sounded this relaxed and at-ease in a while, nor do I think he ever would again. His lyrics, while not the poesy we've come to expect from this trio, are heart-felt and heart-rending, with a Mellotorn outro lush enough to make ya wanna cry all over again. "Something For Nothing" is a good rocker, but ultimately fails to live up to "Tears". So why am I rating it 5 stars? Simply because "2112" and "Tears" are good enough to carry the entire disc, and more than worthe the price of admission.

I remember vividly how this album has influenced young men in my country who love rock music in the seventies. In many places around Jakarta I can see many graffiti with big letters: RUSH 2112. Yeah, this album rocked the world, I think. Even until now I still find many places with 2112 graffiti. It's so rocking. Musically, through this album Rush has demonstrated their music direction and its standing among the seventies rockers. Their music is still using hard rock as the basis and the band compose their music with multi-part structures combining diverse styles with many tempo changes. The center of this album is of course the epic title track that also serves as album opener: the twenty-one-twelve (2112). The epic comprises seven parts that all together make up a twenty minute stream of full rock music. From the colossal opening "Overture" this epic starts to cast an excellent kind of music especially through guitar riffs and musical harmonies augmented wonderfully with drum work. "Temples of The Syrinx" with high register notes voice by Geddy Lee in relatively fast tempo. The diverse music styles for all parts in this epic has made a strong label for the band as progressive band. The other highlight of this album is the band's favorite for live performance: "A Passage to Bangkok". This track has a wonderful riffs and great melody.

Overall, it's an excellent addtition to any prog rock collection.

Progressively yours, GW

It is a little strange that I approach this CD years after its initial release. I have always known about it having heard it at parties and other events but I never went one on one with it. After hearing about it from a lot of people here, hearing Tiles cover the first two passages of it at CalProg and the stories from some other slightly younger friends of mine who would have considered this a staple in their high school diet of music I decided to give the re-mastered CD a go.

2112- In parts is genius. The hard rocking parts of the overture is a great experience. Neil Pert is a true master of the drums and Geddy Lee is more than just fill. Alex Lifeson certainly is a competent if unspectacular guitarist of his time. Temple of Syrinx picks up where the overture left off and is very solid. Lee's voice screams with emotion to let you know these priests are not very nice. Then the whole thing goes on hiatus for a while. Now I know there is a story being told but the music drops down to zero for too long! (I notice on the live version of this that Discovery is left off.) Lee's voice is not suited for this type of music. If this part was shortened by 2 minutes it might have been a better segue to Presentation which is a great song. The Dream too drags a bit but the ending pieces are as solid as the beginning more than make up for it.

The rest of the CD I have only listened two once all the way through and found little there to spark my interest. Rush had not reached its peak of radio friendly hard rock songwriting yet.

My rating is thus. I wanted to give this 3 stars + but I thought about the title track and its importance in the development of this group. I also thought of another album of like mind ELP's Tarkus. I would give Tarkus only a 4 except the title piece is essential so I would give it 5. Using that rational I give this 4 stars as the title track is an excellent addition to any collection.

Ah, My first RUSH review. 20 stars, IMHO. So many bongs and bottles and various other substances fuel my love for this piece. Rocked out teenage memories, insightful Ayn Rand philosophies and hairless old aged reminisciences. Partying to Bangkok, sobbing to Tears, banging my head to Something for Nothing and spookin' to the Twilight Zone, yeah, those were days to remember.

2112, the magnum opus, is the real reason to add this disc to our collection. Near perfect in the melding of the classical stylings of Yes or Genesis and the power and glory of Led Zeppelin and the Yardbirds. RUSH put it all together and damn near created the Prog Metal genre with this singular piece. All bow.

RUSH learned the lesson of combining light and dark, the electric and acoustic, to take a epic idea and create a masterpiece of progressive rock. They made an attempt on Caress of Steel, but hit pay-dirt on 2112. A blistering introduction, main story line, heroes entrance, rebellion, battle and magical rebirth (resurrection). Nirvana (the ideal, not the friggin' grunge guys, ya maroon) for the prog 'n' roll soul.

I no longer indulge, but, raise yer bong or beer skyward and scream.... We have assumed control.... We Have Assumed Control.... WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL.

This is the beginning of Good Rush. An album containing their best of their side-length songs they have made, followed by average pop/rock tunes that unfortunately bring the album down in quality (at least for me)

2112 : I assume this story about a person developing the power of musical expression under a repressive society is supposed to be on the future (hence the title 2112). It is a great cencept epic full of musical movements like if it was a classical music composition. The moods range from acoustic ballads to powerful and overblown electric guitar driven moments. The best moments are in the first 6 minutes, with its amazing guitar riffing and the 'Temple of Sphinx!" which has a great vocal hook. The rest of the music is very consistent and wel done for Rush (they usually do not succeed when making epics) This is probably the only prog rock epic I know that doesn't have keyboards in it. (8/10)

The rest is not very memorable. They are just several short pieces with little to no progressive elements, and mediocre songwriting/melodies. (4.5/10)

My Grade : C

This is the album that began to really show Rush at their peak. They were finally begining to get the epic song format down pat, but still managing to capture pure, unadulterated energy that some epic suites by prog bands were missing. The opening track,"The 2112 Suite", is one of the best displays of Rush's musical skills. Neil Peart's drumming is absolutely phenomenial, and his inspired lyrics are able to tell the story in a concise manner. Geddy Lee's vocals go from mellow, gentle, and almost breathlessly spoken to harsh shrieking that seems to overflow with hatred, despair, and haughtyness, all the while accompanied by his thundering bass. Finally, Alex Lifeson's amazing guitar skills are pushed to the front, allowing him plenty of room to show off. The other tracks on the album are also equally well crafted, the weakest of the six songs being "Tears", but even this weak link is amazingly enjoyable. This album is recomended to all fans of classic bands like The Who and Led Zepplin.

Rush music has evolved in distinct phases, each phase consisting of a four-album cycle, marked by a live album to separate the phases (until 'Rush In Rio' messed with that pattern). I think their best two albums are the ones that cap the first two eras: 1981's 'Moving Pictures' and this one. '2112' is the climax of their years as a metal/hard rock band, before venturing into even more ambitious and refined territory, though it's hardly without its own sophistication.

In terms of composition, lyrics, storytelling, performance and production, the side-long title-track is a masterpiece. "2112" achieves a flow that their other side-long epics (1975's "The Fountain Of Lamneth" and 1978's "Cygnus X-1, Book Two: Hemispheres") lack. Each of the seven parts conveys its own independent strength but flows into the next with ease. The story is communicated easily, with clarity and without complication. Too many times a conceptual piece (song or album) gets tangled in convoluted nonsense. Not here. The musical side achieves the emotion inherent in the lyrics, flowing, climaxing, acting subtly, doing whatever is needed for the good of the piece. I can't move on without mentioning the forceful "The Temples Of Syrinx", being built from one of the greatest metal riffs of all time while Geddy Lee conveys the authority of the priests with sheer intensity. And if there's a more tense and hopeful (and, in the end, tragic) climax to any song anywhere than these final minutes, represented by "Soliloquy" and "Grand Finale", I have yet to hear it. As Rush epics go, "2112" is the ultimate.

Judging the album's second half against the "2112" epic is unfair. Taking it as a more down-to-earth counterpart, you get 5 solid and totally different songs. "A Passage To Bangkok" hangs on a heavy, swaying, arrogant riff, infused appropriately with the fifths commonly heard in Eastern music. It's an inviting, haze-fogged tale of global travels in search of the finest crop (we're not talking soybeans here). "The Twilight Zone" is as close to psychedelia as Rush ever got, a cosmic and sublime journey into the unknown. Geddy's forlorn vocals along with excellent production techniques make this a must for headphones afficionados. "Lessons" has been likened to songs from their first couple albums, but it's way too polished and dynamic to be compared. The carefree verses are blown apart by the crashing chords of the chorus, topped by some seriously convincing vocals. "Tears": a highly effective ballad, conveying everything it intends: sadness, loss, bittersweet memories, loneliness (curiously, the only song to feature keyboards, and those are played by graphic artist Hugh Syme). Closer "Something For Nothing" takes more influence from writer Ayn Rand (a Neil Peart favorite at the time), and some of Geddy's most impossibly high vocal shrieks. Like "Anthem" and "Bastille Day" before it, it's Rush at their metallic best.

Another remarkable trait of '2112' is the production. This time Terry Brown helped the band get it right. Plenty of depth and clarity, all kinds of power without any loss of subtlety. It matches the quality of the writing and performance. Everything in synch. You get the (probably very real) feeling that these three young men are having the times of their lives exploring the musical chemistry they've locked into. And here it is, an album worth $1,000 in pure listening pleasure for a fraction of its true worth...which certainly makes up for the money I shelled out for 'Hold Your Fire' years later...

This is it. The album that changed my view of what music is. I was introduced to Rush by my drum teacher, who found out I had listened to stuff like "A show of Hands" and "Presto", which were CDs my dad listened to. But my teacher told me that the REAL Rush comes from 1976 and he told me to listen to this album. So I went on and bought. I was 10 years old at the time and it was a shock to me to hear such a sound coming from this guys, since I had the impression of listening to the same vocals that appear on presto. Also the idea of a 20 minute song was crazy!! The agressive almost metal sound and the almost screaming vocals by Geddy simply blew me away. I was also blown away by Neil's drumming, back then I was not used to virtuosism in playing so it was quite a shock for me to listen to all those breaks and, MAN!, Alex's guitar solos are amazing on the tittle track. Back in 1995, I liked pop music like Micheal Jackson, and I rememberd buying the HIStory album. Back in school everyone was talking about stuff like cartoons and more of the sort (I was 10 years old,let me remind you), and there I was,listening to some bad ass music by this great Canadian (I love that country) trio. So this was my first contact with progressive rock and with the band that will later become my favorite band to this day. Neil Peart became my inspiration for playing drums and, well, Rush became my inspiration for making prog music and to go on and find more prog artists. I've seen them on tour twice and I think those have been the best days of my life, honestly.

This is the start of the series of interesting albums. Although it is better and stronger than Caress Of Steel, I'm not sure I can give it a 4 star. The epic 2112 is not as strong as the ones from the subsequent fantastic albums, they were still torn between straight forward ordinary rock, some little acoustic elements, and the start of a prog sound that would evolve and ripen to deliver the subsequent fantastic albums. OK 4 stars.

Rush's 2112 was the first progressive rock CD that I bought. And after listening to it I discovered music that I never knew existed.

Track 1. 2112 This my friends is in my opinion, the greatest rock song of all time. About 20 and a half minutes of awesome rocking done by Geddy Lee on bass, Alex Lifeson on Guitar, and debatebly the best drummer in the world, Neil Peart.

Part I: Overture: A moderately hard rocker that as the title says, an introduction to the CD as a whole. Overall has some pretty interesting moments such as the solo towards the end. Also the explosions and almost chorus sounding spacy singers at the beginning make this song really interesting to me. Also let me not forget that the drum work and awkward time signeratures at the beginning are done beautifully.

Part II: The Temples Of Syrinx: This is a strait foward in your face rocker which briefly explains the story of 2112. I would speculate the political system of this time. This song is pretty much like a standard song you would hear on the radio clocking in at about 2 and a half minutes. It also contains a really awesome chorus. Just hearing Geddy Lee the vocalist wailing "We are the priests of the temples of syrinx," followed by ALex Lifeson's da da da da da da da rockin on guitar (I know that sounds dumb but I don't know how elso to explain it) really maked you want to just pick up something and pretend you are playing along in front of a crowd or something.

Part III: Discovery, this is the main area where the plot is discovered. This song is about (a young possibly) person who discovers a "strange device" and after hearing about how the sounds he makes from it fall gently like rain and can sound high like a mountain,you can guess that he has discovered a guitar. This song is kind of slow at the beginning but really picks up at the next part. The vocals in this song are really amazing because it is almost like a tribute to music as a whole not just in the future but now as well.

Part IV: Presentation: This part is one of my favorites because of the awesome solo and how Geddy Lee screams what the Space Federation says to the boy. This song is about how the hero who found the guitar presents it to the Space Federation or the political leaders. However they turn him away and grind his instrument to dust. Overall a pretty mild song except the chorus but trust me the solo is amazing.

Part V: Oracle The Dream: Here represents a lot of the overature that we heard before. This is basically about the hero dreaming about how he can lead a revolution through music. A pretty solid part but not my favorite.

Part VI: Sililoquay: This is an awesome and breathtaking part that really expresses the feeling the hero has for music and also unfortunately results in his death apparently suicide (My spirits are low in the depths of despair as my life blood spills over). This song has great lyrics and the solo with wah is purely beautifula nd slightly tense.

Part VII: Grand Finale: This part is all instrumental and wraps up the song. It has a great dark wah effect during th efinal parts and the suttle solos in the background. Overall a great ending because of the robotic voice claiming "We have assumed control."

Overall 2112 is a great CD however I am at school right now and my break is over and I don't have time to discuss the CD any more. Thanks FOr Reading

Quite a good album, but side 2 does not live up! "2112" is Rush's second attempt at the epic, and it fairs much better than on "Caress Of Steel" but they still have a lot of room to grow. The album opens with the 20 minute opus "2112." After a blistering intro and some excellent solo's by Alex, we are treated to the heavy opening movement of "Temples of Syrinx" and learn about a new world, where everything from what you see, hear, and read is governed by "The Priests". Our unnamed protaganist soon discovers an acoustic guitar near what sounds like a waterfall, and learns to tune and play it proficiently in a couple of minutes.. yea! This aside there is some nice acoustic playing by Lifeson in this part. The song regains momentum when our hero confronts the priests about his new discovery, only to be sent away. Geddy does a good job of different vocal-roles, but nothing on par with Gabriel (..but, who is?) The song has a basic message that can be easily applied to our current society. But the lyrics are not anything overly spectacular, the music is the real treat in this epic, although the compositional skills of the band had some room to improve. The song is concluded the way it began, with a blistering outro, fitting end to this masterpeice prog epic. If I were to rate the album on this track alone, it would most definitely receive 5 stars. But the album loses steam during the second side, as the short songs really do nothing for me, besides the pretty good "Passage To Bangkok" and the heart felt "Tears". The other songs are for the most part pretty generic and forgettable. It seems to me that most of the bands creative energy went into the title track, and it shows. Due to the lackluster side 2, i can only give this album a 3.5/5 - con safo

The title track is a prog masterpiece, followed by several other strong points of interest.

It kick starts into '2112' which upon my very first listen, was not that great. However, it did grow on me. I would enjoy the ability to skip to certain sections of the song, but alas its just one track, I suppose i should listen to it in it's entirety anyway.

''Passage to bangkok'' is next, it is quite a formidably song. I especially love Alex's guitar parts.

''The Twilight Zone'' Geedy Lee's voice stands out here I believe, the guitar is also a highpoint.

''Lessons'' is a great little track, but in my point probably the weakest song on the album.

''Tears'' It's very beautiful, and stays like that.

''Something for Nothing'' starts out amazingly, but I like it less as it progresses, until the solo which redeems this song.

Overall Rating: 4.5/5

Therefore I rounded it up to 5.

Everyone has pretty well discussed the masterpiece that is 2112, but the other 6 songs hold their own. Especially Passage to bangkok-excellent live song- and something for nothing. Twilight zone is also adequate. The true weak point of this disc id tears which is what drops this cd from 5 to 4 stars...good purchase for rush fans, but may not be the best choice for all prog listeners.

2112 is by far, in my opinion, the best Rush album. The song 2112 is freaking amazing. Very progressive and rockish, a great album to blast from your car windows. I also like the fact that this music syncs up perfectly with the movie Willy Wonka and the Chocolate Factory. This sync is better than the Dark Side Of The Rainbow thing. For anyone who is thinking of buying a Rush album for the first time, I highly recommend getting 2112. It'll blow your mind away!

Rush has been one of my favorite bands for a couple years now, and although I generally like their music a great deal, there's something about Geddy's voice in Rush's early years (2112 is a good example) that irks me a little bit. But besides Geddy's sometimes-obnoxious singing on this CD (which actually holds some purpose in regards to the lyrics), it's hard to fault 2112.

-2112 Overture/The Temples of Syrinx: This is obviously the centerpiece of the album, clocking in at 20:33. Some may not like Geddy's screeching in this song, but it serves a purpose if you observe the lyrics. The story being told here is actually quite good and is excellently written and executed. The music matches what's going on in the story and creates amazing imagery, Geddy's voice adjusts to what character he is playing, etc. etc. This is one of the best songs ever written.

-A Passage to Bangkok: One of Rush's more 'typical' songs, but it definitely distinguishes itself from their other songs with it's eastern flair. Good song (even if it is about pot.)

-The Twilight Zone: A wierder song. Not really sure about this one. I'm not entirely sure what they were going for with this one, but it's ambient and flows really well. It's like your average ambient Prog song, only more condensed. Probably the weakest track here.

-Lessons: Nice tune. Geddy goes for the grating effect once more, but it actually suits this song really nicely. Pure classic rock. Love it.

-Tears: A sad song that has a disticntly nostalgic air about it. Not in the sense that the song is from 1976, but in the sense that it can get make you start to think about times past. Deep, emotional and yet elegantly simple -- good stuff.

-Something for Nothing: Classic hard rock with that special Rush touch. Not too much to criticize. I guess my only really complaint is that it doesn't really seem like an album-closer. I always listen to this CD and expect to hear at least one more and I'm almost always disappointed when I realize that this is the last song. But I guess, in some respects, that's not such a bad thing. It is a great song, after all.

5/5: Geddy's voice wasn't exactly mind-blowing, but for the time it was fine and I can't bring myself to take off points for something so utterly subjective (although I know that's kind of the point, but this album is just too good overall to nitpick things like that, and besides that, I can't stand to see Frances The Mute rated higher than this masterpiece!) The lyrics are amazing, the music is amazing and Geddy's voice is quite enjoyable once you get used to it. Plus, it's nice to have a very distinctive vocalist.

30 years later, and people are still eagerly anticipating each of Rush's new releases... Let's hope this next one marks a return to their Prog roots!

(3.5 really) At my time of writing this, an unbelievable 57% of 140 reviews rated "2112" with FIVE stars. I don't disagree that this album isn't good, but it doesn't have enough great content to make me give it a better rating. The song "2112" does have some really good instrumental parts, but their great musicianship isn't showcased throughout the entire album. I've never been a fan of Geddy's vocals, but I think he's outdone himself this time. He really takes the cake with such horrible singing and corny lyrics on tracks like "Passage to Bangkok" and "The Twilight Zone." I swear, if Geddy had never picked up a microphone, Rush would've had so much popularity. I'm sorry if some people like his vocals, but I think potential buyers have a right to know that Geddy Lee has a high pitched voice and writes very shallow lyrics.

Best album of all time, i can think of no bad points for the lyrics, music, dynamics, in fact, the only thing wrong with 2112, in my opinion, is the sound quality of the guitars at 1 OR 2 places, and i would imagine this is only because of the fact that it was recorded in 1976 and was only their fourth album. so they wouldnt have access to the best of equipment and such.

the other songs on the album are also great. Passage to bangkok is a masterpiece in itself, covering the concepts of the drug merchans on their travels. The Twilight Zone also is a masterpiece. With tight fitting lyrics like "a pleasant faced man steps up to greet you, he smiles and says he's pleased to meet you" is an 'exact' way of telling a 'normal' story... then the next line "Beneath his hat the strangness lies, take it off he's got three eyes"... an excelent way of expressing such a simple story line, it truly show just how amazing neil peart is as a lyricist to turn the simplist of verses into a perfect opening verse... Lessons, written by Alex Lifson (not peart), the lyrics fit, it holds a 'fell good' tune and is always a great song to play for any accoustic set.

This is one of my favorite Rush albums among with Hemispheres. It's weird it's so far down on the progarchive's top 100. I think people should give this a second listen nowadays and remember Ayn Rand's masterpiece "Anthem" as well as "Brave New World" and "1984" and listen to the lyrics, atmosphere, and musicianship on this album and see how well it all fits.....Everything is connected!

Rush is a tough group for me to review. I usually have to be in a specific mood to listen to them. And believe it or not, I became a fan of Rush with Counterparts, which many on this site claim to be a horrendous album. Having said all that, here are my thoughts on 2112:

2112 is perhaps Rush's most progressive work. The epic first track (2112) is the headliner and most compelling song on this album. I'm not sure whether it's the music or the story which is so vividly captures the imagination (perhaps it's both). The music of this first track has tons of catchy melodies in the various parts and the story really comes alive and takes you to another time and place. I love the imagery of the young man in the damp cave with the newly discovered instrument and the wonder that is spawned as his senses are awakened to music.

A Passage to Bangkok follows and does a fairly decent job of continuing the musical momentum that was created with 2112. A Passage showcases some of the nice sounds that can be made with Peart's drums and Lifeson's guitar. This song was popular enough that it usually made it into Rush's concert rotations even to this day.

The Twilight Zone is definitely a step-back in my opinion as the music does not quite deliver like the first two songs. However, the song ends with a pretty clever guitar solo which is mildly haunting.

Lessons is the fourth song and is a typical Rush song with driving power chords from Lifeson and Geddy screaming during the chorus, with a more acoustic sound during the verses. There really isn't much here as far as I am concerned.

Now Tears is another story. This contemplative ballad has some beautiful music and is not what you would typically expect out of Rush. Is that a mellotron I hear floating in over the chorus? (Yes, I do believe it is!) This is a nice change of pace and is the only thing that keeps the second half of this album from going off into oblivion (in my opinion, of course).

Something for Nothing is the last track on the album. It starts nice enough with some nifty interplay between the bass and an acoustic guitar. However, the rest of the song sounds like a lot of screaming to me as Geddy's vocals and Lifeson's guitar try to outdo each other. What is a shame is that Geddy's bass and Peart's drumming (both very good on this song) seem to get lost in the midst of the "shouting match."

Overall I would rate this album a 3.4 on the strength of 2112, A Passage to Bangkok and Tears. The rest of the songs just don't do anything for me. While I would love to give this album four stars for 2112 alone, the second half of the album really drags the overall rating down.

This Album is great. Geddy Lee's High pitched voice and fast chords, Alex lifeson and his amazing solos, and niel peart,WHO IS the best drummer who ever lived. when all these amazing musicians come together, the music they make is superb. Even in concert, there music has the exact same quality as in studio. 2112 is the best song ever. I have never heard a more skilfull song played.

A tad overrated.

Yes it's true, this is a real classic. I even think this album will be played even when the guys'll be gone. But to me, this is the wake up call Rush needed to stay in the game.

Rush' career wasn't going too good when this came out, and it saved the day. A story about rebellion, musak and fascim. Is it why it's so popular? Probably, and the fact that Geddy's voice tip top shape doesn't hurt. Or maybe is it the strange sign on the cover that attracts so much? Or could it be the picture of the band with long robes and no panties under? Yuck.

I really never understood why people going berserk on this suite. Temple of Syrinx is a concert classic, but the whole thing isn't gripping me like Cygnus X-1 Book II did for example. Maybe it's one of those records that strucked people in the right place right time.

For majestic suites listen also to Hemispheres, Natural Science and Camera Eye. Those are as good, and gives more cohesion and melodies.

High 5 to Bangkok and Something for Nothing also.

Well I was writing this last night and accidentally clicked on a link that loaded on this page and I lost everything! Everything wasn't actually a lot, I'm still really new to writing reviews.

This was the album for me. This was it!!!

THE album that made me start investigating the prog rock genre. My first Rush album and definately one of my favourites, in fact Rush are my favourite band at the moment and when I first got this album... Boy was I happy.. because that period of time was one of those where I felt as if I was low on good quality interesting music, which basically is an indication that I need more new music. I heard about Rush - my guitar teacher's reply to me bringing up Dream Theater at a lesson was "Oh yeah they're just Rush wannabes!" - so I thought I may as well give an album a listen, and I was doing a little research on what to get. I had a few recommendations in the past for other albums but the sight of the 2112 cover rang a bell so I thought I'd give it a shot.

I found an album that is basically perfect in my eyes (well I should be saying "to my ears") Now I don't believe Rush are Dream Theater wannabes, and when I thought I may as well get an album .. 2112 wasn't my first.. Wow.. am I a bad reviewer or what?! I just realised my first Rush album was "Vapor Trails"... This whole time I've been PRETENDING!! Then again it is really my first taste of the "good old days" of their career and "Vapor Trails" is very different. Let's just say it convinced me to delve into the Rush catalogue a little more.

When I first got it I heard it in it's entirety, which is probably a good thing seeing as I like to listen to albums in that way and this album felt suitable to be listened to in that way.

The title track left my jaw dropped to the ground by the end of it, in fact I remember it hanging a bit at the intro... then when the vocals commenced my jawbone snapped off and fell to the found.

After listening to it a bit and beginning to have an imprint of the structure of the song in my head, I realized there was actually a concept behind this (don't hold this against me! I honestly did not expect there to be a concept behind it at first!). So I thought I'd read the lyrics and information on the net about it. Around that time I saw the film "Equilibrium" and I spotted some similarities within the two plots. Check it out, or if you have seen it, let me know if I'm sane for thinking this.

That song seemed to be packed with everything I wanted in a song at that point in time: heavy good rockin' out moments and also more chill out and really lush times too, high falsetto shrieking vocals, also calm and clean tone as well, grrrreat basslines (as a bassist I loved this!) in fact all the instruments were equally amazing which is what instantly made Rush appeal to me. No member stands out as more popular or talented than another like in popular rock bands like The Doors with Jim Morrison, The Sex Pistols (dare I say it) with Sid Vicious and Johnny Rotten and also Nirvana with Kurt Cobain. Here you just have simple (well complex in contrast to the aforementioned artists!) old Rush, I can't focus on one member being stand out at all, they were all superb on 2112 (plus all other albums I've heard.. but... this is 2112 here not all the other albums).

After the title track I was still in high hopes, and was dreading the chance I could be let down by complete filler. My high hopes had definately paid off because the rest was still great, in fact it let out the tension of patience for the gigantic first track to finish. All these short songs following after 2112 just made it so much more awesome! I mentioned that I played bass earlier, and I even chose for one of my solo assessments at school to do The Twilight Zone! And as far as song selection goes for that sort of thing I'm a perfectionist.

I can't rate this album as a perfect 5... I'd feel insane so... 4.50....

HANG ON!!!! I have to round it! SO IT IS 5 STARS! WOOOOOO!!!

In all seriousness I consider this a masterpiece and feel very wrong for rating it 5 because this is my second review and I feel like some kid that's overrating an album prog nuts find average. This is my first, and it's a special case, but I assure anyone reading this that I only rate 5 stars when I mean it, and I'm fascinated by prog... so there may be a few more 5 stars to come.

'2112' is a very important album, in that it saw the development of Rush from prog hopefuls, into the band that later composed such wonders as 'A Farewell to Kings', 'Hemispheres', 'Permanent Waves' and 'Moving Pictures'. The album itself however, falls short of the status of it's successors.

'2112', the epic focal point of the album, is indeed impressive - and of course tremendously exciting. Particularly so is the Overture and first movement, 'Temples of Syrinx'. Here, the music surges into the first guitar solo with gusto, which Lifeson (needless to say) executes brilliantly. Geddy's voice soars beautifully, although it must be said he has a tenancy to shriek later in 'Presentation' as he vocalises the role of the priests. Indeed, 'Presentation' is probably the weakest section of '2112', or would be but for a tremendous guitar solo closing that movement, blisteringly fast and tremendously exciting. Geddy's bass line in accompaniment is also complex and Peart's syncopated drum line very effective. The solo's end takes us into 'Oracle: The Dream', far stronger and more beautiful than the preceding movement, in particularly the melody and following poetry; "I see the work of gifted hands Grace this strange a wondrous land I see the hand of men arise With hungry mind and open eyes" - subject being the 'elder race of men', who later conclude the epic by arriving to liberate the subject civilisation from the authoritarian grip of the priests.

Fine though '2112' may be, it's structural arrangement simply doesn't measure up to that of 'Cygnus X-1 Book II', to my ears a far greater epic. Equally, the quality of subject matter doesn't match. In Cygnus, Rush deploy interpretation of something of the philosophical legacy handed down to us from Ancient Greece, in an intellectually mature manner. '2112'? Cheap science-fiction, almost on the level of comic magazines and space invaders. Granted, there's a bit more to it; the political questions as to the role of the state and liberty of the individual. But not much more.

'2112' is not the be all and end of the album; four more songs follow, worthy of particularly note however only 'The Twilight Zone'. Subtle and atmospheric, it is at times rather eerie. The chorus sees mysterious interplay between the bass line and guitar arpeggios, Geddy's voice and an unnerving whisper gliding over this texture like ghosts. The customary guitar solo is equally atmospheric. The lyrics are pleasantly strange; "Beneath his hat, the strangeness lies; Take it off, he's got three eyes." How very odd, but also very good.

'2112' is essential listening for all Rush fans, the album having been so instrumental in their development. For people seeking an introduction however, buy 'Hemispheres', or 'Permanent Waves'. Visit '2112' after you have appreciated the full splendour of Rush at their peak. It's still excellent however, my criticisms relative to Rush's greater works, which sets a very high standard. Four stars.

What can be said that hasn't already been said? This is the album that really defined Rush for many people. Although it's not necessarily their greatest work, it's something that any fan of prog should have. 2112, the song itself, is really the only track I concern myself with. Some of the others are nice to listen to, but never really hold me. It's a fun, entertaining listen. The notes fall in the right place, and the inspiration is clearly there. This album was definitely a sign for great things to come.

Canadian three-piece Rush relent and enter the realm of progressive rock with their weirdly titled semi-concept album '2112.' Still firmly entrenched in the band's hard rock roots, the grand scope of the side-long title track and occasional, fleeting moments of contemporary influence make this Rush's first truly impressive and successful release, and the start of their most creative period.

The first half (that's side one for vinyl owners) comprises the epic '2112' suite, Rush's sci-fi rock opera spectacular. Set in a bleak 22nd century dystopia where priests control the masses from their 'temples,' Neil Peart's lyrics tell the brief but entertaining story of a man who finds a relic from a past age: an electric guitar! Learning to play the instrument, he feels all the sensations denied to his people by their oppressive overseers, and his rebellious actions are marked out as a threat by the priests, who fear a return to the chaos of the ancient times. It's far-fetched, strange and cheesy as hell, but serves as a nice precursor to the band's later experiments with similar science fiction themes in 'Cygnus X-1.'

What's interesting about this concept is its execution, as the story has a real effect on the music, rather than simply acting as cool lyrics. Geddy Lee puts himself in the role of both the protagonist and the voice of the priests, adopting a soft singing style for the former and a more aggressive screech for the latter. It isn't always clear what's going on unless you're wise to this, but it's a nice touch, and it doesn't really matter that it's all the same distinctive, much-imitated voice. The second half of the album is free of any kind of concept, and whether this makes the first or second half more appealing to listeners depends on their tolerance for that kind of thing.

---

The epic title suite is divided into seven noticeably different movements, some of the breaks being more obvious than others. The opening 'Overture' and closing 'Grand Finale' are fast, galloping instrumentals that predate and anticipate 1980s heavy metal. The instruments are all their finest here, the guitar, bass and drums giving it everything they can and creating a distinctive and recognisable melody, similar to what The Who did with 'Tommy,' Jeff Wayne with 'The War of the Worlds' and every 70s prog band did with their ambitious concept albums. Some nice, understated keyboards run underneath the other instruments for the most part, climaxing in explosive sound effects.

'Temples of the Syrinx' is where the story really begins, the band making the odd decision to represent the soulless, music-loathing priests with the catchiest riff and chorus on the album. The band settles into its style here, still remaining fast but taking a more funky edge, aided by Lee's bass. His vocals are raspy and screechy here, going overboard to create the villains of the piece by practically spitting forth their self- aggrandising vocals. As mentioned, the rip-roaring chorus seems a little odd considering the subject matter, but it's got to be one of Rush's finest.

'Discovery' is a far more subdued affair. The setting changes to the protagonist, his entrance marked by several seconds of silence between sections. A soft acoustic guitar fades in, although it's unclear whether this is intended to represent actual music being played by the character upon discovering the instrument. The song speeds up and increases in complexity as it reaches the end, perhaps signifying the character getting to grips with his discovery and becoming his peoples' axeman saviour legend. 'Presentation' is a more interesting piece, arrived at seamlessly from the previous part and retaining the same medium tempo. Lee's bass gets a chance to shine, and he performs an interesting, if confusing duet with himself, using both his soft/good and loud/evil vocal styles as the protagonist confronts the priests with his controversial discovery.

A break into an instrumental jam signals the shift to 'Oracle: The Dream,' a great varied piece in which fast guitars solos give way to spacey synthesisers, before a hard, staccato riff leads out this anthem of rebellion. The final piece of the story before the closing instrumental's ambiguous declaration that 'we have taken control,' 'Soliloquy' is, as expected, a sort of acoustic ballad. The acoustic guitar remains in the background, as always on the album, but is interrupted almost at random by a clanking bass riff overlaid with sporadic guitar solos. There's some interesting use of feedback effects and guitar distortion as the scene becomes frantic, chaotic and unintelligible.

---

The second half of the album, which I'll remind you is totally unconnected to the first by concept, is totally unconnected to the first by sound. These five songs are all radio- friendly rock songs of three-and-a-half minutes apiece, and range in quality. 'A Passage to Bangkok' spouts a lazy and vulgar Oriental ditty unashamedly, without any time granted to dwell on the previous epic. This medium-speed song has some good guitars and a relaxing, laid-back solo, but although it's effective at providing light relief after an epic burden, it doesn't work to grab me in the same way. 'The Twilight Zone' is more interesting and diverse, despite being the shortest song at 3:14. Alex Lifeson's dual guitars are high and melodic at the start, but vanish without trace for the track's majority, leaving the bass, drums and vocals to compete for the listener's attention. Another chilled-out solo closes.

'Lessons' is reminiscent of the earlier 'Discovery,' fading in with clean electric guitar that occasionally becomes distorted, the audible changeover giving this a nice live feel. Lee's screams return, and the necessary guitar solo is fast and complex for a change, making for a nice variation in what is becoming an increasingly formulaic album. Thankfully, this concern is eradicated with 'Tears,' the album's only true ballad. Soft and quiet, the pleasant vocals sound like they're floating in a vacuum after the previous half-hour of constant instrumentation, but the void is occasionally infiltrated by what sounds like orchestration, and huge, sweeping coats of King Crimson-esque mellotron. This is a nice song.

The album closes with 'Something for Nothing,' the most upbeat and exciting piece since 'Temples of the Synrinx' so long ago. Lee's bass is in the limelight on several occasions, while Lifeson and Peart seem to be competing for speed in brief jam sections between the catchy, memorable choruses. This is a cool song that really sounds like it's going somewhere, when unfortunately the speedy instruments begin to fade out and end up going nowhere.

Always a little chameleonic, Rush fit will into the progressive rock genre without leaving their more commercial hard rock sound behind, and as always the excellent and creative musicianship makes this an individual, if much imitated production. Released in 1976, it comes a little late onto the prog scene, as genre staples Pink Floyd, King Crimson, Genesis and Yes were all past it by then. While this detracts a little on the creative front, and makes the mellotron on 'Tears' less excusably dated, the '2112' song is a rock classic that should be loved by anyone who enjoys a good rock opera or epic song, despite its structure being more piecemeal than the later 'Cygnus X-1,' which is more consistent and dull.

Rush finally played '2112' (the song, not the album) live in its entirety on their 1996 tour for the album's twentieth anniversary, but its more interesting moments have been used independently as part of the live set since the original recording. The remainder of the album isn't as good in my opinion, the guitars sounding a little too David Gilmour- esque and Neil Peart's drums failing to be impressive as all the hype, but multi-talented frontman Geddy Lee really hits his stride with this release.

The concept is overblown and silly enough for me to love it. T -106 and counting.

I still can remember the first time this superb album went for a spin on my CD player. This was my introduction to progressive music. 20 min. epics...wow not for those with ADD..right. WRONG! Listening to 2112 was a surreal moment, i found myself totally and completely consumed by the track. All members put forth fantastic efforts. I especially enjoy Alex Lifeson's acoustic guitar on discovery and Geddy's vocals shine on Oracle. 20 mins of pure musical bliss, unfortunately 2112 might have been better placed in the middle or at the end of the album because the album begins to fall off rapidly.

Passage to Bangkok - wonderful track live...but here it takes on a mechanical and heartless quality, even a bit overproduced.

Twilight Zone - Adequate at best...pays homage to the TV series.

Lessons and Tears are forgettable filler.

Something For Nothing - One of the finest shorter tracks during Rush's progressive era. Unknown to fans at the time (and maybe even Rush) points towards Rush's future.

2112 the track is one of the greatest art rock songs ever released. 2112 the album, however, is a solid effort anchored upon that masterpiece but rounded out with too many mediocre tracks to gain a five star rating. The title track is the epic saga of an anonymous man in the year 2112 who discovers the gift of music in the guise of a guitar, only to have it crushed by his repressive society. Neal Peart's sparkling lyrics are loosely based on the book Anthem by Ayn Rand, but taken by themselves they still stand as an excellent modern epic. Peart not only wrote the lyrics but also provided the excellent drum work on this entire album. Alex Lifeson is given so much chance for expression on the title track, and he does not disappoint. His guitar truly rocks out in the Overture and Finale, screams over the voices of the Priests, and grows from tentative to wondrous in the Discovery portion. Geddy Lee's voice is almost or just as expressive as the guitar, complementing the necessary emotion in each section. Perhaps the only weakness in the track is the exaggerated voicing given to the Priests' lyrics, but taken in its musical context it is understandable.

After the unbridled brilliance of this song, almost anything would disappoint the listener. Passage to Bangkok does just that; though its theme is catchy it lacks that spark of artistry that characterizes the better work of Rush. The Twilight Zone sounds whiny and the lyrics are very nonsensical, Lessons and Tears are definitely better but nothing really special. The second half closes with Something for Nothing, whose raucous, admonishing guitar theme fits the lyrics and makes it the best track on the side.

2112 the track is a must have for all Rush and other progressive music fans. The rest of the album is probably worth having, but if you don't really enjoy the art-rock sound then go to Itunes and just get the title. 2112 the album recieves four stars.

Rush at its proggy best. As popular as they were in my teen years, not as many people seemed to know about this one. Those who did raved about it. "2112" is a rite of passage for anyone interested in '70s prog (or for those of us around at that time). It was almost a test for anyone serious about rock. If you liked it, you passed. My fever for Rush has diminished over time, but I still like to occasionally pull this one out.

"2112" is the magnum opus, and the primary reason for getting this album. The Sci-fi tale is a bit hokey, but it works well enough. As a teen, I was with it 100%. "F%$# Yeah! Rock conquers all, man!" The concept wears a little thin now, but it is not without its charm. As you would expect, the playing is outstanding. The music rocks, softens, gets downright spacey, and never fails to entertain.

The remaining tracks pale in comparison. They aren't bad, and would have probably made a great EP. But once you have heard the big one, they fall a little flat. Because of this division, I can't call the album itself a masterpiece. That's okay though, the title piece is worth the price. Just think of the others as bonus tracks. Seek it out, listen to it, and you'll probably want to add it to your collection.

H.T. Riekels

2112 is Rush's first strike at greatness, and as most Rush fans already know a must buy.

The album starts off with 2112, a twenty minute epic, that is easily the best song on the album. It starts with a bang, drifts a little in the middle and finishes with one favorite endings to a song. The track also has some great, thought provoking, sci-fi lyrics. The next five songs, were kind of a let down, when I first heard the album, but they grew on me after a few listens. While they aren't bad at all, they don't quite live up to the epic. A longer track then three minutes to end the album would have made this album perfect.

Highlights: 2112, The twilight zone, Something for nothing

Let downs: Tears

In '76, the last thing I was listening to was Rush. I had been through Yes, ELP, Genesis, KC and who knows. In fact, fusion was the thing for me then. My metal/hardrock years were well behind me by then, even Zeppelin and Deep Purple was getting very little notice from me.

This ended up being the first Rush album I ever listened to in it's entirety, and that was 2 years after it's release in '78 when I was in college! The first words out of my mouth were crap! Amatuerish attempt to be some sophisticated "arty" metal band band borrowing heavily from Yes and Zeppelin. The lyrics were laughable, not to mention cartoonish. Come on, a guy in the future finds an ancient guitar and thinks he can change the world and when he doesn't, he kills himself! Ho-ho! The rest is nothing but filler.

Well, after re-visiting this album after few gray hairs growing and guess what? It's still crap! I can't believe some people still worship this album! The production is thin, Peart's drums have no kick at all. I still crackup over his lyrics, thank God he matured later on Permanent Waves when I really started to pay attention to these guys. But after being exposed to Close to the Edge, Relayer, Brain Salad Surgery, Hamburger Concerto etc. in '78, this album was pretty hard to swallow! Especially trying to swallow a beer and listening to this dribble without laughing.

Sorry Rush fans, but these guys at this time were still seeking and not doing a very good job of it. Just ripping-off other artists before and current. But I will go far to say that there was something there in terms of shear musicianship. Yes as a drummer myself, Neil's drumming did raise my eyebrows a bit. But not to the likes of Billy Cobham, who I still think he can blow the skins off of Neil to this day!

Fortunately for Rush, they did catch on to a lot of current trends later and adapted them into their music later on and FINALLY make a sound of their own.

Unfortunately 2112 is NOT a good example of this. Just too early for this old fart! 2 stars and that's the best I can do. 'Nuff said!

I feel this album is a little out of time, and far out of context. Back in 1976, their heavier fase, Rush improves on making a 20 minutes suite. Starting: is it prog? Guess not. Estetically, it is far away from some Close to the Edge in style terms. I think we could view this track as a long duration hard rock song. Obviously, the lenght of the song is due to the lyrics, telling the history wrote by Peart. Later in Hemispheres, they would learn how to tell a history in a 20 minutes suite in progressive style and context. I think it would be better for Rush to have made a concept album instead of a suite, and the calm, softly sang lyrics in some parts in the middle and end of the song would fit perfect in that conception. If I would review this album considerating this song as a suite, I would give 3 stars. But let's pretend (and it's probably true) that those are 7 songs fixed together. Rocky guitars, great and rythmical complex drumming by peart, showing a mature style, although there is no other Rush record in that style. Geddy sings soflty, heavily, his voice being very versatile. A Passage to Bangkok is a good song, but you will get tired of it soon. Twilight Zone and Tears are soft ballads, they are worth your hearing, as well as Lessons and Something or Nothing. They were young and VERY pretentious at the time, their musical maturity still didn't fit the purpose of the music they wanted. In the next years, they would learn and become young, but skilled guys, making great prog works, before becoming definitively mature in their more concise works from 1982 on.

Rush were trying to become a progressive band. After Caress of Steel, which I found worked out quite nicely (but I'm in the minority, I believe). They came out with this great album: a cross between an epic masterpiece and a really, really fun beginner's prog album. It isn't quite a concept album, since the second side is unrelated to the first. The musicianship is note-worthy - Geddy is very likely the greatest rock bassist (in terms of technical skill), Alex a mildly unappreciated guitarist, and Neil, of course, is recognized by many as the greatest drummer in the world. Some complain that his drumming is stiff and robotic, with no feel or creative spontaneity, which may be true to an extent. But in the end, it's undeniable that was, and still is, phenomenal and raising the energy of a song, and his drumming fits this music perfectly.

This album is fantastic. Some weaker songs are on the second half, and grow repetitive and dry. Though still fun, most of the second side isn't weighed by much meaningfulness. The first side, however, is a dramatic tale of a futuristic society. A man (or boy [or I suppose it could even be a woman...]) ultimately commits suicide because of the restraints of his life governed by the Priests of the Temples of Syrinx. What a great rebellious album! There is lots of emotion and adrenaline driving instrumental sections (crazy drumming in the Grand Finale!) and the complexity of the writing, and the dynamic changes, have always be en some of the greater aspects of Rush's music. It is the perfect starter prog album, which isn't surprising, after all, this was one of Rush's first prog albums.

In many ways the quintessential hard rock / prog album of the 70's. 2112 represents all of the best that Rush had to offer, and, in many ways, captured the essence of an entire generation of music fans. While not as popular as such seminary works as PFloyd's Dark Side of the Moon, in many ways 2112 represents the apex of thinking (and non-thinking) man's hard rock in the 70's. The best way I can describe it is that in 4th grade the cool thing in my class was to be "into" Kiss Alive..and two years later the cool thing in my class was to be "into" 2112.

To this day, 30 years later, the opening 20-minute opus known as 2112 is among the all-time epics of prog rock classics. Really, you may argue that there are other pieces that are AS good, but you can't really argue that there are pieces that ARE better. Whether PFloyd, KCrimson, Genesis, JTull, Yes, DTheater, QRyche, Camel, Gentle Giant.none can be persuasively argued to have produced a better, or more influential effort than Rush's 20 minute tour de force known as 2112.

Beyond that is the fact that the second half of the album is, in many ways, almost as great as the 20 epic. All of the five songs that appear on side two of the album are 5-star songs; all among the best short "songs" that Rush has ever produced. A Passage To Bangkok, Twilight Zone, Lessons, Tears and Something For Nothing, each standing alone, are among the best short-song efforts Rush has ever produced. The fact is they've been overshadowed by the tour-de-force that the 2112 opus represents, but in fact, represent a very solid 20 minutes of prog-rock music.

Let's face it..2112 is considered a classic and very deservedly so. In fact, it's probably underrated..with the flip side of the album not getting the recognition it deserves. A true classic. If you don't know the album..go get it now and listen for 2 or 3 times..you'll soon find yourself listening to it again...and again...and again...

rush is one of my favourite bands, and i think this is their best album, one of the best of the enteir prog production. 2112 is an epic suite, and a passage to bangkok is a great hard rock song. all the songs of this LP are good, but it is especially good the album listened from the beginning untill the end...a masterpiece, is the truth...

"2112"is the album where all the pieces came together, where the band realised its capabilities and created something to match. "2112" sees the band adopting strong space rock influences and themes (more themes) and the album has a strong sci-fi story. The concept behind the title track is of a galaxy-wide war which was brought about by the union of all planets under the rule of the Red Star of the Solar Federation in 2062. The empire is controlled by the priests of the Temples of Syrinx. This whole concept reminds me of the recent "Dune" series in which computers are dominating.

In the song "2112" the main character finds a guitar hidden in a cave behind a waterfall and is fascinated by it. In the quiet section following "The Priests of the Temples of Syrinx" there can be heard the flowing of water, signifying the waterfall. Then there is the sound of a guitar being played, at first it sounds out of tune but it soon develops into more coherent music. He takes the guitar to the priests, who he believes would be amazed by the discovery, they aren't. The rest of the concept I'll leave to you to discover, don't want to spoil the story! The instrumentation throughout this entire song is amazing, as in all Rush songs. "2112" has many very quite sections in which there is only subtle chord progressions, tunes and lyrics sung by Geddy Lee. The loud sections are made even more effective by the overall quietness of the song. The use of the mini-moog synthesizer gives the song a real sci-fi feel. At the very end of the song there is a voice that says: "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation, Attention all planets of the Solar Federation, we have assumed control.

"A Passage to Bangkok" follows "2112". It has a very distinctive melody which begins immediately and lasts throughout the entire the song. The lyrics are masterful to say the least here, and they depict the journey through the middle-east to Asia. The instrumentation matches the lyrics in terms of brilliance. It is just an amazing song.

"Twilight Zone" really contrasts in sound and is less heavy than the previous songs but still retains a genuine driving intensity. The quiet sections are very guitar orientated with many parts and bass supporting. The song ends with the good old fashion guitar solo, the song really seems to ends way too quickly.

Next is "Lessons." The song begins with some acoustic guitar chords before being overplayed by electric guitar, bass and drums. Once again the lyrics are fantastic and carry a very Robert Plant quality. It's not just the music but also the guitar is very reminiscent of Led Zeppelin. I guess this can be said about many Rush songs though. That said the track has Rush's distinctive song structure that douses all thoughts the song being a Zeppelin-clone.

"Tears" is the mellowest song of the album and it is mainly focused around Alex Lifeson's classical guitar and acoustic chords. The vocals from Geddy Lee are very soothing and the song features guest on mellotron. There is also a flute on the album, though it may be synthesized but it sounds pretty real to me. "Tears" is really different from the rest of the album, save maybe the quiet sections in "2112." It is none the less a fantastic song.

Last of all is "Something For Nothing" which is perhaps the easiest song to recall on the album due to its very catchy chorus. The song begins with arpeggio chords played on more than one guitar as well as the bass backing. The song seems to get more and more intense as the song progresses and some of the guitar-work from Lifeson is fantastic and he has more than one solo here.

"2112" is the second highest selling Rush album behind 1981's 'Moving Pictures' which reached the status of quadruple-platinum in the US (4 million sales), while "2112" reached 3xPlatnium in the US (3 million sales) and remains an icon of progressive rock music. Funny though, the album only charted at number 62 initially yet still achieved platinum statutes all but one Rush studio album have gone gold (500,000 sales.) The band is fourth in overall Gold albums which is an amazing feat!

1. 2112: (5/5) 2. A passage to Bangkok (5/5) 3. The twilight zone (4/5) 4. Lessons (3.5/5) 5. Tears (4.5/5) 6. Something for nothing (5/5) Total = 27 divided by 6 = 4.5 = 5 stars

Essential: A Masterpeice of Progressive Music

"2112" is really a fantastic album and gets a 5 from me. "2112 has the perfect set up for me, and what's more a fantastic concept. I'd recommend this album to Rush fans, it's a real must have and secondly to all of you who like a good Art Rock album with Sci-fi themes.

This is the album that turned me into a Rush fan for 3 decades and counting. The title track is a work of pure genius musically and lyrically, telling the story of a world where creativity is subverted and life is controlled by the Solar Federation. A stark vision perhaps but one that has been translated into a musical masterpiece.

The remaining five tracks are of a more "traditional" length, adding up in total to a little less than the length of the first. But it is hard to see any of them as weak. A Passage To Bangkok is a colourful trip which propels you along at a fair clip. Next up is The Twilight Zone which perhaps alludes to the consequences of that trip to Bangkok, with its refernce to a pleasant faced man with three eyes.Alex Lifeson's Lessons is softer by comparison but no less compelling. Tears is a ballad which slows things down more and draws out some sorrowful, even painful emotions, showing what Geddy Lee is capable of musically, lyrically and vocally. Finally, the album closes with another anthem, Something For Nothing, which both rocks and uplifts.

I'm tempted to give this one five stars but that would be more for the special fondness I have for the album rather than for its content. Also, it's not Rush's best album in my opinion. So, I'm giving it four stars because it is excellent and shows how, by this point, Rush were well on the way to greatness.

An incredible album which is often considered among one of the all-time great progressive rock/metal albums ever.The album rules in terms of storytelling great lyrics,musical performance(as always been) and big compositions.When compared with other progressive rock pioneers of that time,Rush take attention on their heavy sound full of amazing guitar riffs,melodic solos and high screams.On the album,musical quality meets with the quality of writing.One of the "must hear" progressive hard rock albums of all time.Regardless of tastes,you must hear this classic masterpiece.

"2112" is a definite cornerstone in Rush's long career, since it is the album that simultaneously culminated their heavy rock oriented first phase and set the pace for their progressive second phase. From the opening synth layers and initial guitar-bass- drumkit blows of the namesake suite, you can tell that these guys are headlong toward the exploration of a deeper artsy trend in their own rock essence. The joint pair of the first two sections have grown to bear a personality of their own through countless renditions in countless tours. The 'Overture' consists of a set of following sections' portions, while 'The Temple of Syrinx' displays a powerful example of vintage Rush in a most majestic expression. The final classical guitar flourishes end this section with soft elegance. 'Discovery' and 'Presentation' are also paired in a continuum, the former built on a serene guitar chord exercise, the latter bringing another solid example of typical Rush rock, albeit with an enhanced melodic vibe. 'Oracle' and 'Soliloquy' we have two brief musical sketches that serve dramatic purposes for the story's development - that is not to say that the amazing guitar lead at the interlude of 'Soliloquy' has to be dismissed, on the contrary, it is one of the most emotionally charged Lifeson solos ever. The fact is that these two sections find themselves a bit "stuck" between the splendid ending section of 'Presentation' and the incendiary 'Grand Finale'. It is impossible for the Rush-head not to feel moved by the sinister sound of that infamous robotic declaration: "Attention all members of the Solar Federation1 We have assumed control" while the trio displays tons and tons of their rocking power all the way through the main riffs toward the red hot chaotic conclusion. This is real prog metal before its time! The album's second half consists of a catalogue of shorter numbers. 'A Passage to Bangkok' pretty much anticipates the atmosphere of controlled sophistication that will be used recurrently in the 77-81 albums' shorter tracks. 'The Twilight Zone' also builds on that, although I wish this particular song had been more developed, since its bluesy nuances and mysterious ambience had enough potential as to be explored further - anyway, that's the authors' call. After the funny 'Lessons', penned by Lifeson as a joint homage to The Who and Led Zeppelin (two of the most prominent influences on Rush's earliest years), comes 'Tears', one of the most beautiful Rush ballads ever, penned by Geddy Lee. The marriage of acoustic guitar and mellotron serve as adequate sonic vehicles for the romantic vibe incarnated in the vocal lines: indeed, you need not be a prog fan or a hard rock lover to enjoy the simple beauty of this song. The album is closed down by 'Something for Nothing', an effective rocker related to the spirit of the "Fly by Night" and "Caress of Steel" albums. Well, what else can I say that many people haven't said months and years before me? "2112" is an excellent item in any good rock collection, and it is of special meaning for Rush, since it is the ultimate statement of the maturity of their own musical voice. From now on, they will be left with constant refurbishing.

2112 marks Rush's first essential album. This album enjoyed commercial success despite its decidedly non-pop format. Pop songs are usually in the 3-5 minute range, and the title track is a whopping 20 minute opus. However, enough people stayed out a Studio 54 cocaine- and disco-induced haze to realize the raw talent of this trio from Canada. Today, the album stands as a hallmark of 70s prog.

2112 opens the album with electronic whirring, as if your record (or CD, as I'm used to) player was coming to life. Neil, Alex, and Geddy come in thunderous force and the opening movement is propelled with a mid-tempo rumble The guitars and drums give way to explosions until an brief silence falls with Geddy's spoken word "And the meek shall inherit the earth." The sonic bludgeon returns for "The Temples of Syrinx." Geddy shrieks the part of the priests, almost forcing you to sit up and pay attention. The lyrics give some background to the world in which the song takes place, a sort of 1984 meets Anthem (the author, Ayn Rand, is credited with the inspiration for this song) dystopia. The volume drops out completely and is supplanted with a lonely acoustic and nature sounds for "Discovery." This pattern will be the basis for the rest of the song (soft when the protagonist thinks, crashing, when under stress or when the priests are involved). The unnamed protagonist discovers a guitar in the waterfall behind his home. Alex's guitar chords become more and more complex to represent his learning to play.

The protagonist decides to show the instrument to the priests to gain their favor. "Presentation" marks the return of the rest of the band, furious as ever. The protagonist shows his relic to the priests and argues that it can educate people on the glory of the elder race (most likely humans from Earth). Geddy alternates between the priests' shrieks and the protagonist's soft pleading, and it stands as one of his finest vocal performances. Also a great solo from Alex *Concept ends here to avoid spoilers"

"Oracle" marks a return to Alex's acoustic, and is a fine continuation. "Soliloquy" alternates between soft vox and agonized screams. The song ends with bombastic instrumentation and a P.A. stating "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation, we have assumed control."

"Passage to Bangkok" opens side 2 of the album. The lyrics sound as if they were written by Kyuss, Monster Magnet, or another stoner metal band. The songs involves a journey through Asia, getting high. A cheerfully light tune to balance out the dystopia of the title track.

"Twilight Zone" is a quirky ode to the T.V. show of the same name. It almost sounds if the boys wrote while on the passage to Bangkok, if you know what I mean. The track is a little weak coming off of the other two songs.

"Lessons" is a mellower number, and not really that memorable.

"Tears" is a beautiful ballad that keeps things simple. It sounds out of place on this album, though.

"Something For Nothing" obliterates the softness of the last song with more heavy guitars. The feel of the song matches the lyrics, and the song is enjoyable.

2112 is a great album that gets hampered by one or two filler tracks. If you like prog, and I assume you do, this album is a necessary addition to your collection

Grade: B

Rush's finest hour?

Maybe not as an album - but the title track is up there with the best of their songs. Every prog fan should be familiar with this song, an epic twenty minute re-telling of Ayn Rand's novel Anthem with masterful performances by all three musicians. Peart's lyrics on this song are amongst his best, and as ever his drumming is superb. Geddy's bass playing is faultless and his vocals really bring the story to life - the shrieks in the 'Temples of Syrinx' section of the 2112 suite are fantastic. Alex also shines on the title track, the sounds of the protagonist learning to play the guitar in the 'Discovery' section really brings the story to life.

Phew.. Enough about the title track now. After delivering a twenty minute opus, we are left with five shorter songs, all around four minutes long. These offer a great respite from the epic title track, and most are quite fun and catchy. 'A Passage to Bangkok', 'Something for Nothing' and 'Lessons' are all fun and up-beat songs, while 'Tears' and 'The Twilight Zone' are slow and haunting. Interestingly, there is also a chance to hear lyrics which were not penned by Peart - 'Tears' was written by Geddy and 'Lessons' by Alex. The shorter songs on the second side of the album are a solid bunch, and shouldn't be avoided.

4.5 stars really. A must own - Even if it's just for the title track.

Wutu Banale on "2112".

The prevoius LP "Caress of Steel" was meant to be their ground-breaking masterpiece. Unfortunately CoS didn't do very well, it went barely on the charts and droped quite quickly and got bashed by critics. They were told to make "A Good album", otherwise their label would drop them.

Is "2112" a good album? Well I am having pretty contradictorious feelings as I am writing this... It DOES have the astonishing title epic track 2112, BUT... The rest of the tracks are well... Crap. Passage to Bankok and Twilight Zone are quite listenable but the rest three tracks are just plain awful. Boring and pointless songs, clearly filler tracks. 20-minute title track is one of the best Rush songs ever. Interresting riffs and tight musicianship. First Rush track to use Synths by the way. It's been a 364 days (As of 22.12.2006) when I first time listened to the title track. It really got me hooked. (I didn't own any Rush album back then and now I own them all!) Even though it's been barely a year since I heard it for the first time it never fails to give me those nostalgic vibes.

Concidering when this album came (About 30-years ago) I could rate this 5 stars, but it's easier to rate this now days, since they have made other excellent albums. My rating is 3 stars. This is worth to buy for the title track alone. The next album "A Farewell to Kings" is their first true "Absolute Prog Rock Masterpiece".

It was like RUSH was at the plate with two out and two strikes on them and with "2112" they hit a homerun, and the rest is history. The band did feel that if this one wasn't successful the game was over, that this was their last opportunity and this could possibly be their last record.

The song "2112" would be their second side long suite, the first coming on their previous release "Caress Of Steel". In an interview Alex had said that the band was really happy with "Caress Of Steel" and they wanted to develope that style but because it didn't do well commercially the record label and their management were directing a lot of negative feelings towards them. "The Fountain Of Lamneth" had been their first concept song and they were determined to make "2112" which was like an extension of it. Alex said there was a lot of anger and passion on this record. It was about one person standing up against everybody else. Which is just how they felt.The first part of it called "Overture" sounds like synths are firing off all over the place, and when Neil starts going crazy on the drums it's fantastic. "The Temple Of Syrinx" is a short 2 minute passage that begins with Geddy singing "The meek shall inherit the earth" and then all hell breaks loose as Geddy lets it absolutely rip. We are assaulted on several fronts during this earth shaking passage. "Discovery' opens with acoustic guitar, the sound of water flowing and gentle vocals. "Presentation" is my favourite part of this epic. Some great heavy parts in this one, nice bass too.The contrast is incredible between the heavy and mellow sections. Alex ends it with a really good solo. "Oracle : The Dream" opens with sad vocals but it gets intense. "Soliloquy" opens with acoustic guitar and running water again before we get some scorching guitar and passionate vocals.The "Grand Finale" closes the song with a beautiful instrumental.

"A Passage To Bangkok" has an eastern sound to it and is quite dark until the chorus when things lighten up.This is such a great song.The guitar solos are amazing. I think this is the only RUSH song that has it's focus on drugs. "The Twilight Zone" is both haunting and empty, at least that's the feeling I get from the chorus. "Lessons" builds in the intro to some passionate vocals and some good guitar. Nice song ! "Tears" is a sad song that features some beautiful mellotron from Hugh Syme, flutes in the verses and strings in the chorus. "Something For Nothing" is another song that contrasts the light and the heavy very well.

This is the one that put them on the world map, and it's a masterpiece !

What a masterpiece! One of Rush's defining moments, an absolutely killer album that seems new to me every time I listen to it. One of the great prog epics, one that stands up to the other colossal five star prog albums in its time period. This album catapulted Rush on to the mainstream market, and brought them world fame.

The album starts with the title track epic "2112", an amazing epic comprised of seven smaller songs. Every part of this epic is masterful, from Alex's guitar, to Geddy Lee's always astounding bass playing, to the crashing, pronounced drumming. The song is easy to listen to, despite its epic length, it flows well, and time just seems to slip by as you sit back to enjoy a wonderful song, and ultimately, a wonderful album.

"A Passage To Bangkok" provides pleasing lyrical relief. The pleasing, sing-songy lyrics set a new atmosphere, and the song is no less memorable because of it.

"The Twilight Zone" is about, you guessed it, the Twilight Zone television series. A nice tribute to this delightful show, and the song proves itself more delightful than the series ever was, because the song is amazing, like the rest of the album.

Ever made a mistake? Ever learned anything from it? Well, that's what the next track, "Lessons" is about. Unfortunately, Rush does not provide any examples of lessons learned from mistakes, because they make non during this song. It is flawless, a masterpiece that rightfully earned its place on this album.

"Tears" sets a somber, sad mood, only to be followed by "Something For Nothing", with a more traditional rock approach, it contrasts beautifully as it rocks out.

An amazing album, a good intro to Rush, and if you are already a Rush fan and you do not have it, shame on you! There is no smoke without fire, and there is no Rush without 2112.

Spaceship Rush, Ready For Launch

This is the first Album turned into a classic from this Canadian band. The keyboard and futuristic sound experimentation mixed with their Led Zeppelin and some other Hard Rock influences of these guys make of this release an experience full of contrasts, moments of calm interrupted by the powerful voice of Geddy Lee, the changing rhythms by Alex Lifeson and the drum nuances by Neil Peart are some of the things that make from this album a magical experience.

"2112" is opened with a space sound taht gives a sense of relax and suddenly a distorted guitar floods the air with tension and perepares the mood for the musical stampede that is approaching. With a more defined sound and an excellent execution, Rush finally finds in this album what lately would become in their very particular seal; which is visible on this excellent song , that keeps the door opened for a more extensive experimentation.

A mix of rock with a spark of oriental musica inaugurate "A Passage To Bangkok" followin a very marked standard, at this point, the album turns into a rollercoaster in which this guys from Toronto reinvent themselves on each song that shape this excellent release.

A slow and very melodic song continues this work. "The Twilight Zone" show Geddy Lee's vocal ability, inwhich his particular style with a very nasal sound silence those critics that he's only yelling. The versatility that he's reached is perfectly decorated by Alex Lifeson's guitar solo.

"Lessons" es a very happy song that elevates you once again to that euphoria achieved in "2112", the work by Neil Peart is very remarkable and probably is the most distinctive element on Rush Music.

"Tears" is one best of the Progressive Rock Ballads ever written, the lyrics are very deep without pretensions, the music, without trying to be too complex or intricate, is the best company for the sweet voice that comes out from Geddy Lee's throat in this theme.

"Something For Nothing" takes the control of the wheels and raise it for a vertiginous fall that ends up in a very sublime way this fantastic experience.

Even when the compositions are pretty good, there are still some details that would reach the perfection en their next albums. Even though, this is a great addition. I could give it 5 stars, but comparing it with the other 3 Classics ("Hemispheres", "A Farewell To Kings", and "Moving Pictures"), this is the weakest of them all in my opinion, so I'm going to give it a 4 Stars Rating.

While Moving Pictures is the hard rock fan's favourite Rush endeavour, 2112 is the title of the album that is still spoken in reverence. After all, it contains a glorious paean to music in seven parts - a true epic which inspires us all, no matter what our dreams might be. Of course, debate rages about the root of the lyrics - some consider them to represent strong libertarianism, and as such, repulsive - yet the message is one of music uniting us against oppressors and historical revisionists.

The main problem with the album is that it runs out of prog after 270 seconds. Of course, the 2112 suite has just reached full swing by that time and it unfolds most enjoyably - just not challengingly. Indeed, the only part of the album that is difficult to come to grips with is the overture and by the second play that also passes smoothly.

If you're a hard rock fan, side B of 2112 is a smash hit. This reviewer is not, and considers it a trainwreck. There's still a higher level of play in evidence because the band are who they are, but what's missing, again, is any trace of invention. Rush remain the band that, were someone to overhear you mention them in conjunction with progressive rock, they would be doubtful and mistrusting of your subsequent opinions on music.

So how many stars should I give this one? Two? One? One?! Two.

The first complete Rush masterpiece. This is where "prog metal" originates in my opinion. The side long suite "2112" is a guitarist wet dream. Power chords, suspended, diminished chords; harsh to soft, loud to quiet, emphasizing the lyrics, carrying the changes, Alex did the job. And while Peart's lyrics were sometimes referred to as having a fascist bent, too many forgot to read them or listen to them. It was a message of independance, free thought, of reminding oneself that "guidance" & "direction" from authority, be it government or mob led, is often not something that the "priests" will tolerate the questioning of. The punks sneered at Big Brother, Neil was on their side. They just couldn't see how a dinosaur rock band couldn't believe in the big machine as being the answer. And oh, the oft disparaged second side, for those who remember LPs. A Passage to Bangkok rocks, with the lyrics obvious as to their meaning, wink wink, nudge nudge. The Twilight Zone was a soft step into a dream, an interesting song. Lessons for a long time was among my favourites, a song that I would play constantly on my acoustic, again revelling in Alex's use of more than just power chords. The words are simple, but they do relate to the album's concept. The acoustic verses to electric chorus would recall earlier Rush songs from Fly by Night. Tears is the odd man out here. Apart from Rivendell on FBN, Rush doesn't do "ballads" too often. This wasn't your typical "pop" ballad, but it did fit in with the Rush style, with beautiful words to carry it home. Then , a masterpiece to finish a masterpiece - Something for Nothing. Again, this is a song that I still play on guitar after all these years. Peart was starting to get his point across in a more concise manner & nailed it in this set of lyrics. The music hailed from Rush's Zep influenced peaks from their preceding 3 albums. Glorious open chords in the verses,these same chords hammering through the chorus with the addition of single note lines. Whew, I get tired just trashing though this song in my mind. Anyways, this is where Rush made their stand. And would rightfully stand justified !

The album that either makes you a Rush fan for life, or makes you hate everything about them (but usually just Geddy's shrieking). "2112" really is a hallmark of the genre and is a great example of how rock can be elevated to new artistic heights. The band's playing is tight and their sound gigantic... and epics were never so sing-alongable. I particularly enjoy Geddy's non-Syrinx vocals and Alex's solo on "Soliloquy".

The rest of the album is not as good (admit it), and falls somewhere between "Fly by Night" and "Caress of Steel". "Passage to Bangkok" is about as good as side B gets, with "Something for Nothing", "Lessons" and "Twilight Zone" sounding awfully close to filler. All of these three songs don't bring much new to the table, which is unfortunate. "Tears" is remains the bands only real ballad (and it's actually pretty good), but when mixed together they are simply dwarfed by the red-star of "2112".

Essential for everyone who even half-way likes Rush for "2112" alone, with the other songs fun for an occasional listen.

Songwriting: 3 Instrumental Performances: 4 Lyrics/Vocals: 3 Style/Emotion/Replay: 3

I stand atop a spiral of stairs....

When I first heard this album, I was 15 and I immediately got hooked on the hacking rhythm of 2112 Part V The Oracle, and the frantic screaming of the priests on 2112 Part II The Temples of Syrinx. I was an Iron Maiden and Metallica fan at the time, but the first step away from 80's metal was set.

Side one of the LP, or the first track on the CD version is burned into my mind forever , I can dream every note of the Overture and The Grand Finale. Only three instruments produce the whole sound of this track (apart from the short keyboard contribution in the intro). Rush was known to be a loud band long before they released an album, and with 2112 they had not yet lost that capacity - even though the suggestion to play it loud was no longer printed on the cover, as it was with their debut.

A Passage to Bangkok is sort of relaxing after the wall of sound that is the ending of 2112. It took a few years before I realised what the song was about, but it's an addictive track - pun intended. The riffs are catchy in a certain way, and Neil shows his interest in gadgets by adding some melodic percussion under the song's intro riff. The track Twilight Zone that follows is a tribute to the producer of the TV show of the same name, who died during the creation of the album. A very relaxed song, and far from complex track with a nice slow guitar solo at the end - plus haunting whispered backing vocals in the chorus.

The next two tracks are written individually by Alex and Geddy respectively. Lessons is a clean guitar tune, with lyrics that will bring back memories with every post-adolescent. Nice guitar work, in a rather plan rock song. Tears is the first and by my knowledge only Rush track that uses a mellotron, played by cover artist and multi-instrumentalist Hugh Symes. Apart from the mellotron, the song is played only on acoustic guitars, and Geddy proves that he can actually sing. I once danced to this song with my wife, which is rather unique for a Rush track I guess. Closing track Something for Nothing is, according to the biography Rush Chemistry by Jon Collins a message from the band, indicating that they have their goals set and realise after releasing the flopped Caress of Steel that they won't get there for free. A driving rock song, with lyrics showing the spark of wisdom that ignites in the musician's minds.

With this album, Rush sets the course for the next few years, as I learned years after I heard it for the first time, when I finally got interested in the stories behind the bands that I liked. As for progressiveness, the epic 2112 leaves no doubt, the shorter tracks are still more straight forward heavy rock songs in the style that the band started out with. Because of this, the album doesn't deserve the full 5 stars on the ProgArchives scale, that the title track by itself would get without a doubt. Alas, 4 stars it is, including an extra half for the use of a mellotron.

Were the rest of the album on par with the title track, I would easily be able to throw the album a 5-star rating; however, this album suffers from what I call the "Deliverance Complex".

"The Deliverance Complex" evolved out of my opinion of Opeth's Deliverance album. In that album, I found only one truly disappointing track: Wreath. All of the rest of the tracks were excellent; however, due to one incredibly standout track (in this case, Master's Apprentices), I was unable to appreciate the rest of the songs on the album for quite some time. (If you aren't an Opeth fan, consider Dream Theater's Change of Seasons album instead.)

2112 suffers from this same handicap. The title track is incredible and encompasses everything I love about Rush. Geddy Lee's vocal performance is a high for his early work, the music is wonderful, and I especially like the pseudo-opera effect, where Lee varies his voice to represent different people, singing lower and with more control to represent the protagonist and full-out screaming for the priests. It does a wonderful job of distinguishing between the two parts. By contrast, I remember almost nothing about the following five tracks. After the 25 minute opus, they just don't stack up. They are good rockers by themselves; however, in context of the album, they fall far short.

In essence, this album is poised between two ratings. If the title track were removed and replaced with more of the rest, the album would earn a 3 at best. If the other songs were replaced with another song of 2112 quality, the album would easily earn a 5 star rating. Given that neither of these two occurred, a four star rating seems fair.

I only know of one other album with a number for a name (ie 90125) and this is soo much better than that- in a different legue entirely!

The title track is, of course, prog legend, and rightly so. This album saved Rush's career after the dismal faliure of "Caress of Steel", and it is quite obviously because of this track rather than the others. One of the painfully few rock epics that is accepted by both prog fans and metalheads; 2112 is just as rocking as it is prog, juxaposing dreamy segments (ie 'The Oracle' & 'The Discovery') with straightforward hard rock workouts (ie the 'Overture' and the 'Grand Finale'), classic storytelling from Peart binds the concept tightly together and makes it work so well. Not to mention, of course, the mammoth musicianship coming from the trio (insert typical OTT praise for Pearts' drumming, Lees' bass and Lifesons' Guitar work). Nothing bad can really be said about this track, apart from maybe avoid it if you're into easy listening ambiant type music, I suppose. Thundering applause abounds worldwide for this effort.

And the rest? Hmm. Well, I like 'A Passage to Bankok' myself, but I suppose it is a bit average, perhaps. Definatly has more in common with the first Rush album than the following ones. 'The Twilight Zone' seems to be a tribute to that old TV show of the strange and bizarre, an unusual subject for a Rush song, but I like the music to the track, even if the lyrics are silly. 'Tears' is beautiful, but sometimes when I listen to it, it is a bit corny, i suppose. Nice use of strings, though, complements it nicely. 'Lessons', and 'Something for Nothing', I don't really like very much. They are far too generic and smack of filler- also the way the vocals fade out and the outro solo fades in on 'Something..' really annoys me for some reason.

But, of course, despite side two obviously not being as good as the masterpeice title track, Its not that bad really, and it strikes me that it may just be the fact that side two has a tough act to folow that makes it sound slightly bad. So, a much well deserved four stars.

And the meek shall inherit the earth.

In an effort to stick it to the man Rush decided to release 2112 with the 20 minute epic as the first song. This was a big gamble as the previous record (Caress of Steel) didn't sell very well. But the gamble paid off. It got them their first U.S. Top 100 Album and the album also went Platinum in 1981.

This album holds special meaning to me as it was one of the first Rush albums I heard and also has the first epic song that I listened to. But enough of my thoughts and memories, onto the music!

2112 is broken into seven parts (Overture, The Temples of Syrinx, Discovery, Presentation, Oracle: The Dream, Soliloquy, Grand Finale). Discovery is the only section that is musically different as it only has Alex Lifeson playing acoustic guitar. The best parts of this song are Overture, Soliloquy, and Grand Finale as these all contain the classic Rush sound and these parts are mostly instrumentals. This sound (for me) incorporates Geddy's prominent bass, Neil's powerful drumming, and Alex's brilliant solos (as seen in the end of Part III: Presentation). The story presented in the lyrics is a dystopian story, meaning it is a story about a totalitarian government and the protagonist tries to escape this oppressive society. Neil's lyrics are very close to the novella Anthem by Ayn Rand (they give a reference to her in the sleeve notes) except instead of discovers electricity, the protagonist of 2112 finds a guitar. A Passage to Bangkok is the beginning of Side Two of the album. It is about a trip across the globe to find the best weed, apparently. It has a great riff and interesting lyrics and is a big reference to the drug taking of the 60's and 70's. The Twilight Zone is another good song by Rush (a bit mediocre if you ask me). It still has vague hints of the classic Rush sound but has some hard rock tidbits here and there. Lessons (written by Alex) is the most hard rock sounding song on this album, it is very rocking but sadly does not live up to the progressive rock music we got on Side One of this album. The last mediocre track of this album is one written by Geddy. Tears is also the first song by Rush to feature another musician. Hugh Syme plays the mellotron beautifully on this track. Yes this is the same Hugh Syme who created all of Rush's album cover art since Caress of Steel and who created Rush's star man logo (it is featured on the back of this album). This album ends on a good note with the great song Something For Nothing. This is a good round trip from prog (2112) to hard rock (Lessons) to prog again (Something For Nothing). A spectacular version of this song can be heard on All The World's a Stage (the live album Rush released after this album).

This album contains a few great songs (2112, Something For Nothing, A Passage to Bangkok) but these are not enough to merit a 5 star rating from me. The mediocrity of a couple of the songs (Lessons, Tears - yes even with the mellotron added does not make it a good song) does not merit a 3 star rating, so I will give this album 4/5 stars. It is a good addition to anyone's music collection.

That this embarrassment of an album is highly praised by anyone who is not a Metal and Sci Fi-obsessed pimply teenage fanboy is simply inexplicable. It's full of pointless pretention and ludicrous concepts together with some of the worst singwriting Rush have ever committed to vinyl. Yes, this is defintiely where Prog Rush was born, but all the problems of that particular period - and they are legion - are here in full force; heavy-handed experimentation side by side with tired cliché, ludicrously high intellectual ambitions entirely unmet and laughable philosophizing with all the depth of a sun-dried puddle.

The Prog period that this ushered in was definitely better on these counts, but this is obviously a faltering step into that area with heart (and brain) still firmly in Hard Rock territory. I believe Rush got better the more they moved away from both these aspects; the stiff virtuosity of their Prog style as well the hackneyed Hard Rock that they started out with, and there's really nothing *but* these two aspects on this album.

So, this is one for completionists, Hard rockers or Objectivists. Not for anyone else.

THis is one of those talismanic albums, a sacred cow that cannot be criticised.

Well, here goes. The songs on the second side are not up to muster. The earlier rocky numbers on Fly By Night are far better. So before going onto the great concept piece we're already half an album shy of greatness.

2112 is better than Fountain of Lamneth. The is a coherent theme that carries the listener through from the crashing pomp of the Temples of Syrinx through the delicate discovery to the triumphant finale.

Well shoudl this be revered as a great philosophical treatise ....a book about the philosphy of Rush talked about the dystopian antichrist Father Brown ... sorry the deep thoughts are beyond me. As far as I could amek it out: weird priests rule, music is banned, the hero finds a guitar, hey it's cool, he pays some chords, even cooler, the preists don't like it, he's all sad, bummer, but music sets us free and the whole fabric of the priests' state collapses. Wow.

When I first listened to this album in the 70s I thought it was great: I was 13. It's gathered a fair bit a dust since then, although every time I take it out for a re-listen it gets put away for another long rest ...

My least favorite of the 70s Rush albums

Well, I'm afraid I'm with Teaflax and Obiter on this one. While I did enjoy the long suite when I was young it has not held up for me over time. Listening these days I must admit that I find the music to be less convincing and definitely less memorable than Caress or Farewell. I would simply point to Fly By Night or Caress as the stronger examples of young Rush, their period that ends with this album.

2112 (the song) is certainly more power-chord chugging than Fountain of Lamneth but the themes are predictable, it lacks the charm and to this listener, the sincerity of both Necromancer and Fountain. While side 2 has its moments those tracks are not as vibrant and consistent as the short songs of Caress (or even Fly By Night for that matter). While I initially rated 2112 two stars I had to come back and edit that to three to be fair. 2112 is very far from my favorite Rush but I have to acknowledge it deserves three at a minimum.

We have assumed control

I do not list Rush as one of my favourite bands. I do however enjoy some of their music, and certain albums appeal far more than others. "2112" was the first album I bought by Rush, mainly of the strength of having heard "Soliloquy" and "Grand finale" from the "2112" suite on the radio, not long after the album was released. That particular section is indeed imaginative and impressive, and when I discovered it formed part of a major piece, my hopes were high.

After a couple of competent, if rather unadventurous rock albums, "Caress of steel" gave the first indications that there was much more to be had from the band. While the general feeling is that the album was a heroic failure, "2112" sees Rush suddenly burst forth with a 20 minute epic which firmly establishes their identity. The lyrics for the entire suite are written by Neil Peart, who acknowledges 20th century author and philosopher Ayn Rand. Rand, a Russian born American "objectivist" was also a principal influence on the lyrics for "Anthem" on the previous album. The story here tells a rather grim tale of life in the 22nd century, where human life is entirely controlled by computers. The sleeve, which contains the full lyrics, also includes further narrative to clarify the underlying story.

Right from the futuristic sounds of the "Overture", the band make it clear that "2112" is going to be different. Anyone with any misgivings about Rush's prog credentials simply needs to hear this suite to have such doubts dispelled. While Geddy Lee's vocals are undoubtedly an acquired taste (and one I have yet to acquire), the structure of the piece and the overall performance render any criticism of that aspect appear churlish. This is Rush's defining moment.

Side two of the album is more in line with the previous albums, with five unconnected shorter pieces. The songs are however notably more refined, with "Tears" even featuring symphonic mellotron.

In all, "2112" is a superb release, which was instrumental in promoting Rush from being simply another rock band to the world conquering act they have since become. The album is not without its faults, but it still stands today as landmark album.

Let's begin this review in a new and original way, shall we? 2112 was the first Rush album i heard..... DOH!

Okay, this album is the entry point into the world of Rush for most people, and the first one they dod really well, in my opinion. It was not their first attempt at writing epics, they had done that on both Caress of Steel and Fly By Night (although by-tor and the snow dog might not be considered a full-fledged "epic", it is an attempt at more progressive songwriting) however, it is the first time they really succeeded. The title track is an epic science-fiction tale with some really corny lyrics delivered by one of the most infamous voices in prog.

It's not a very "mature" album, however, lyrics about space federations and pot-smoking tours, along with the fast and heavy music, screaming, high-pitched vocals made it an obvious choice for the vinyl racks at the homes of all the teenagers all over the world when it came, and though Rush would mature immensley in the next few years and start making more complex music on albums such as "Hemispheres" and "Moving pictures", 2112 has a sort of youthful charm to it which seemed to disappear as they went along (of course).

Rush has always, with a few exceptions, been more of a technical band than an emotional one, and while they're not one of my favourite bands, and my appreciation for them seem very inconsistent (i like 2112 and hemispheres, but not AFTK, for example), a few parts of the title track struck a chord in my heart ( despite being THE least metal fan on earth at the time i first heard it) and, if you just surrender to the corny sci-fi world Neil Peart creates, just might strike one in yours too. D

espite my adoration for the title epic, i can't give it any more than 3.5 stars because of the second side which simply doesn't hold up at all in comparison. "Tears" is especially bad, and i can't believe i actually used to listen to the whole album the whole way through without skipping this track. If you have a soft spot for mellotrons, however, you just might find it interesting.

Still, highly recommend it to all who like moderately heavy music, are in college/high school and/or just want to check out one of the most popular bands on the archives. It is, after all, a great entry point to Rush, and even if they may not make my personal top 10 or 20, they just might make make yours.

Is Hard Rock most Heavy, is progressive, is intence, the first 20 minutes of this album is pure adrenaline, Neil Peart is the best in this album teach to play the drums. This band is the influence to Iron Maiden (i don't think for what), to Dream Theater, and the bands of progressive metal. This band have influences of Led Zeppelin, a little of Styx, The Who (i can see for miles). Yes is a concept album, talk about the free will and the freedom. Maybe their think in the spirit of the teenages when their make this album. And i wish to see and hear the 2112 complete live. The version in the Rush in Rio, i don't like too much. I become fan of Rush for 2112 and i a fan of them of their 70's ages, the rest is good and i like to much. But i'm a fan of Rush of the 70's. And this album is the best of all ages of Rush.

A masterpiece.

Now, this is really a masterpiece, which is characterized by an equilibrium between hard rock energy and prog rock complexity. The '2112' suite is throughoughly great from the overture to the grand finale (my own favorite parts are the overture and "Syrinx"), as it explores almost all aspects of the rock spectrum from hard explosive rock to mellow athmospheric music. Lyrically, it tells an interesting tale about music, freedom, and totalitarianism (and allegedly Rush extrapolated some of the problems they had with control-hungry record company officials at the time into the dystopic sci-fi world). In addition to the title track '2112' contains a handful of shorter straightforward tunes. Especially noteworthy here are 'Passage to Bangkok', which (musically at least) is very cathcy albeit totally non-commercial, and the energetic 'Something for Nothing'.

'2112' deserves five stars and a place in your CD collection.

This album has an amazing first side, and a terrible second Side. Though I am not sure why Rush needed to put seven completely different songs together into one really long song, the title song 2112, is quite an excellent song, with some great drum work, amazing vocals and limber basslines. After this song, a second side of mediocre classic rock songs rear they're ugly head and destroy what left of an otherwise four star album.

I guess I should go over the title song. Well, as I mentioned before, there is no reason to put seven completely different songs on to one song. They dont share the same key, tempo, or at some points time sigs (though, this is in the early age of Rush when they mostly did 4/4). Either way, that dosent make it a bad song at all, that just means I dont consider an epic. Now for the song! It starts with some very cool effect, then explodes in a very high energy and exciting instrumental section, filled with some amazing drums and bass, (btw, I still do not recognize Lifeson as a very good guitar player for only playing the pentatonic). This eventually leads to the very cool second part of the song themples of Syrinx. I guess this is where the concept beggins, with Geddy's screaching vocals displaying a very powerful (and maybe oppressive) voice of a priest of some religion that obviously rules the planet, led by computers and temples. Musically this song rocks! Very hard and very metalish, with some rock solid guitar and vox. After this song there is a brief silence, then a detuned guitar that quickly turns very pretty and rythmic... leading to the third part of the song: Discovery. This parts about some random guy in a waterfall who finds an ancient musical device (a guitar), then realises how beautiful it is and how he can show this to the priests who rule the world, so they can show the world, so everyone can make pretty music. musically, the song is a bit slow and melodic, with some pretty vocals and guitar, then an electric blast comes in and the next part comes in. Presentation is very cool to me because it flops from the soft acoustic parts with the man showing the priests the guitar, to the very hard screchy vocals of the priests smashing our hero to the ground, and with that, I have explained this part of the song. Oracle the dream is probably the weakest song on the album musically, as in there is nothing interesting. Of course the concept goes on with our hero walking home sadly then falling asleep and dreaming of an oracle showing him earth 1000 years ago with beauty and music ect ect. Siloloquy is a very sad song with a very cool guitar solo ( I said it) and very nice vocals! The last lines of this song are just about our hero feeling sorry for hmiself and then killing himself, because he know that life will be meaningless without the beauty that he has uncovered. From then on is the grand finale, an instrumental part, not as good as the first, but good none the less! If I had to review this song, I would give it 4.5 ****

Now the rest of the album is not ear shattering bad, but reminds me of an early led zeppelin album, so it's pretty bad! The first song, a passage to bangkok, is pretty nice with some cool experimentation, but with some otherwise lame lyrics. The twilight zone dosent make sense to me, the drums are doing a country kind of one-two beat, and everything else goes with it to sound almost like VERY electric country. The lyrics are a bit cooler, but dont impress to much. Lessons has a cool easy strum riff, but with some punk rock rebelious lyrics that dont make much sense either. Tears is probably my favirote song outside of the title song, a very slow ballady song with very sweet lyrics and cool mellotron. Something for nothing is kinda the closer to the title song, basically dashing our hero's dreams into the dust, musically a strereotypical classic rock song.

Well, A very mixed up album with some very high highs and some low low's. Overall I rat

3***

To be honest, when I first played this album, I did not understand how it was the masterpiece it 's supposed to be. But, like with a lot of good prog albums, it takes a few listens to fully appreciate it. The first thing that strikes me is the astounding musicianship. Geddy Lee's Bass playing is simply phenomenal, and being a bass player myself, I appreciate this a lot. Peart's drumming is out of this world. Alex Lifeson is also a superb guitarist and really shines on this album. And Lee's individual vocals are very awesome as well.

So first up is the famous 20+ minute title track. Sometimes this feels like several short tracks rolled into one, but i can also see how this is a single piece. All the parts are really effective from the grandiose Overture, the hard rocking Temples of Sarinx, the subtle Discovery, all the way through to the haunting Grand Finale.

With the first listen I didn't think the other tracks could match up to the title track, but i have grown to love a few of these. First there's the ever so slightly cheesy, A Passage to Bangkok, about a journey through Asia. The lyrics are nowhere near as sophisticated as the previous song, but it's an entertaining little tune. This is followed by the creepy Twilight Zone, which is very spooky and atmospheric, though not as much as the later bits of the title track. Then there's the mediocre Lessons. This is Lifeson's composition, and is probably the weakest track here. It's not that it's a bad track, it just doesn't stand out in the midst of the masterpieces. No worries though because the next track is the beautiful Tears. This is Lee's track and it is simply sublime. It mixes beautiful music, with even more beautiful lyrics. This is my favourite short song on the album. The final track is the fun rocker, Something for Nothing. Very upbeat, with a political hint in the lyrics. In fact the tune is something of a contrast to the lyrics, which aren't particularly cheerful.

So ends 2112. This album is an absolute must have, but I don't think it quite gets the 5 star status, as it does have its flaws, and falls just short of a masterpiece.

4.5 stars

Being a little dissapointed with their highly acclaimed Moving Pictures, I decided to go back on Rush discography, starting by this album. I came to the conclusion that Rush are in their best when their ROCK. In fact, this album is an amazing trip of adrenaline, power and rock, that puts me very high. It blows my head apart everytime I listen to it because it rocks so hard, damn, I need more of this! Another thing is that Rush play with so much passion! At first, I didn't like very much Geddy's voice, and I even came to think that it ruined the music. But after some time, I realised it suits the music perfectly and makes the whole experience even more intense with the high pitched vocals. Also, the guitar work is outstanding, stunning riffs here and there, and well thought solos. Lee's Rickenbacker has THE perfect tone for rock music and makes a very, very solid base with the proffesor Peart who is as impeccable live as in studio.

Going to the tracks, the 20 minute opener epic "2112" is a masterpiece itself. Going down to the parts, The Overture and The Temples Of Syrinx are perfect and when the killer riff comes in I feel I'm in heaven. Geddy sings with so much passion on the chorus! The rest of the epic goes up and down, with some gentle acoustic guitar parts, soft segments to contrast with the ROCKER, loud parts. Ahhhhhh, so much power! Memorable parts here and there, and the three guitar solos, specially the first one, are to be remembered. Epic Hard Prog masterpiece. I'm glad I discovered this. Then goes "A Passage To Bangkok" a catchy, song with a nice main riff and a very well thought chorus, very enjoyable. "The Twilight Zone" is next. This one goes down a little bit and has an spacy feel attached to it, relaxing overall. In the exact moment when you may want the rock back, there comes "Lessons", which starts with happy acoustic guitar and a country feel, and then explodes, again, with Geddy suiting the music perfectly with his voice. Intense. This is intense! The ending guitar solo is mindblowing. To calm down things a bit, "Tears", the obligatory ballad, goes, which, while not being outstanding as the other ones, is still enjoyable. To finish things up, the rocker side of Rush comes back again with "Something For Nothing". More complex than the other short songs, and flows very natural, as a rock trip with constant headbanging, specially on the chorus. Intense again. Then I think I want more, but I realise the album has finished.

I think I leave my head at another place after listening to this recording. The only weaker track is the ballad "Tears". The rest is Hard Prog masterliness, and 2112 is now among my favorite songs ever. This rocks. This rocks hard. And anyone who likes this side of music ought to hear it.

Rating: 4.8/5

The culmination of their first era.

You guys know the background behind the recording. Rush's previous outing, "Caress of Steel", displeased the record company greatly due to poor sales. They were warned to avoid more epics so what do By-Tor, Lerxt, and the professor do? Well, I think you know the answer to that. "2112" is one of the most praised albums of not only prog, but modern music in general, and rightfully so. The title track is just stunning. It is the perfect follow up to their previous epics. The story is magical, being about a guy who lives in the year 2112 in a civilization that is repressed by the priests of the temples of Syrinx. In a cave, the man discovers an ancient item that "gives forth a sound and have wires that vibrate and give music". He shows the guitar to the priests and they destroy it, as it "doesn't fit the plan". Consequently, the man takes his own life right before a revolution begins. All you hear at the end is "We have assumed control", but it is not known which side is speaking. I felt I had to tell it as it deserves to be told multiple times for its brilliance. Geddy does a great job, playing the priests. He changes his voice depending on the character, much like Peter Gabriel. This song is worth buying the whole album, even if you don't like the other songs.

Much like "Caress of Steel", the shorter songs pale in comparison to the epic(s). They are a big improvement, though. My favorites are "Tears" and "The Twilight Zone". Overall, this album is great and should be in most prog collections. However, I can't give it a fifth star because of the slight weaknesses of the shorter tracks. 4.5 stars.

2112 is a great album in many aspects. the title track is what makes this album. I would say that based on the ratings system this album is a five but I think that based on the quality of most of the songs lowers the rating to four. 2112 and The Twilight Zone are the only songs that stand out to me. Many of the other songs are just mediocre. I do think however that this album should be in everyone's library.

The magnum opus of Rush, the end all be all of progressive epics, it is, the one, the only, 2112.

....

Not so much.Yes, this album is excellent, but it isn't without it's flaws.

The Good:

2112 IS a great progressive epic; however, not the greatest. Being a Rand fan, I was instantly drawn to this epic. Discovery is my favorite part, not because the musicianship is the best, but for the first time, a song really sold me on the idea of a "rock opera." The artistic showing of the protagonist improving in skill at the guitar through this movement was really special to me. The subtleties in this song are what really make me realize how good this is.

Oh yeah, not to mention this song sounds great in all the other parts. Lee's vocals would annoy the hell out of me, if I didn't know that his vocals are supposed to be annoying to act as the priests. I've come to really like his shrieking vocals in this song.

A passage to Bangkok is awesome. I like the idea of the song more than the song, not to demean the song, it's still good.

The not so good:

Tears is inexcusable. I can't even finish the song. For all I know, there could be the most kick ass guitar solo ever at the end of this song, but I don't know, because I can't even finish this goddamn song.

Everything else is really average on 2112. I even grew bored of Something For Nothing with enough time. Most of the time, I play this album, just for 2112. It's too bad.

This album is excellent, but it's inconsistencies keep it from a 5 star classic.

Here's Rush's first true masterpiece.

2112, the immaculate opener, is the name of the album and first track, and its breathtaking. Over 20 minutes of perfect musicianship and a story that is fantastical, epic, and personal all at the same time. Geddy's voice was at an all time high-point, its a brilliant wail that jumps from different characters beautifully, making the story and music jump to life. Lifeson's guitar playing is notable as well, power chords and solos dominate, all played with emotion that goes very nicely with the overall theme. And do i need praise the Professor's percussion performance??

After the incredible opening track, which is all of side A, side B starts off well with the concert-favorite Passage to Bangkok. A good song, high repeatability.

The Twilight Zone is a song about the show of the same name, it focus on a few specific episodes, and is a nice little ditty at that.

Lessons is minor Rush, but a good song. Tears is a beautiful track that feels more on the lines of the opener, a great ballad.

Something for Nothing is a good closing track that is lyrically brilliant.

Maybe all the songs seem smaller after 2112, but they really aren't. Anyways, this album is perfect, a standard in all prog collections.

More a 3.5 really.

I have listened to compilations of Rush music all of my life (thanks to my parents, bless them), but this is really the first album I owned of theirs. I even had a few friends who spoke of Rush's "20 minute long song (!)" epic 2112, and finally about a year ago I bought 2112 and have listened to the album a million times since.

The song 2112 is a masterpiece of an epic, only musically second to Cygnus X-1 Book 2 in my opinion. Rush finally really kicked off with progressive elements with this album. What they did with the epic is somewhat similar to what authors of literary merit do with their books; the craft is complimentary, and sometimes parallel with the textual content. It is all a commentary (from what I hear, based on a novel) on the dangers of a society ruled by religious, fascist, and technological figures, and how they would one day deprive us of our freedom to attain individual enlightenment. Overture is, well, self-descriptive. Temples of the Syrinx has Geddy practically screaming the priests' words of demand for submission with Alex playing a quite imposing sounding riff. Discovery has our hero find a guitar and in a way, attains enlightenment. Now this important point and is often missed: the guitar has almost always been a symbol of freedom of expression, the freedom to "make their own music," and would especially be so to libertarian musicians as the Rush members are. Musical-lyrical parallels are especially prominent in this section of the epic, such as when plays "notes that fall gently like rain," were individual guitar notes are each gently plucked to simulate the description. In Presentation, as one might expect, the protagonist is persecuted when he presents this item to the priests. "Forget your silly whim, it doesn't fit the plan!" They disapprove greatly that he is starting to become independent of their strict teachings. They destroy his guitar and cast him out. The Oracle allows him to see a growing society of free people "light-years away" and that they may someday "tear the temples down." This epic ends with the hero tragically dieing, his life without freedom being "cold and empty."

More to it than you previously thought? And now the reasons why I rated it a good. The entire album, even the epic, is not wholly progressive with Rush still clinging to their Led Zeppelin roots and just now surfacing as a major player in progressive act of the seventies. I don't recall any odd time-signatures (sorry if I maybe missed one or two), that much diversity or sophistication (compared to their later albums of course) and only the lyrical content pokes its head out as truly strictly progressive. And finally the rest of the album was dwarfed in quality songwriting compared to the epic. As much as I love this album, I feel it is really good but by no means a masterpiece. Still, 2112 was an artistic launcher for one of the greatest progressive bands of all time, and a must for any Rush fan who enjoys their early music.

Wow! there are a lot of reviews on this album.Heres my take on it; the epic 2112 has an awesome errie sci-fi beginng fasntastic bright overture, really well composed describing the songs epicness, some nice emotive melodies on Lifeson's guitarwith hints of Tcychovsky's 1815, Peart pounds away at the drums, and Lee maintains those difficult time signatures well. The Temples of Syrinx is a real highlight as well Geddy (whose voice is unusual to many) manages to sound menacing and the music sounds dark and sci-fi even though there is no keyboards present which is quite an achievement. The rest of the epic track took a while to groww on me, but overallk it supurb, its sounds at places that Jack White of the White Strips took some cues here (he group up on a lot of prog). The finale is great with the solar federations voice, that part in fact this whole epic piece will bring out feelings of your childhood that liked sci fi comic books and cartoons. Peart's lyrics are brilliant, the part ( IV Presentation) when the Priest's reject the guitar can be seen as a metophor to many things in our own lives, in the sense that authority has rejected many great and amazing things for fear that they may lose control; I'll leave you to discover this for yourself because music can speak to different individuals in different ways. Side two starts of promising with the two tracks A Passage to Bangkok, and the Twilight Zone, both which are radio worthy, but the last three tracks are quite forgettable and show that although Rush accomplished a mammoth masterpiece they still require some more growth (although for a lot of lesser bands this would be suffucient, but Rush have so much more to offer). Lessons is just a clone in most parts of Led Zep's song Ramble On. Tears is just a forgettable ballad, but at least Something for Nothing is only intriguing in thatit sounds like it influenced The Police (reminding me ofthe song Wrapped around your finger), but other than that its still prettry forgettible. Overall worth your while, thee last kind of barebones Rush album before they added keys and percussion, there is a certain charm to 2112 that was lost, but yet at tthe same time Rush had to develop and grow if they wanted to improve. 4 satrs, good addtion some great music, some weak tracks, the next album would reach even loftier goals in one gigantic stride.

Just ignore the second side

RUSH were under considerable pressure when they released 2112, their record label was on their backs to release something succesful and Neil Peart decided to show it to them by writing an amazing sidelong epicr. 2112 the song is fantastic, it's one of the best prog epics ever written and it tells a very clear if slightly cheesy story which is an amazing achievement for a piece of music, unfortunately there are 2 sides to a record and the B-side in this case is a waste of time. 2112 starts of ominously with some sound effects before that very distinct syncopated section comes in and then things step up and we here glimpses of a certain classical piece with a similar name. The second part of the song 'The temples of syrinx' is really quite heavy and the chorus is very addictive. Things then quieten down for a bit before the electric instruments return triumphantly. The ending of the song is great, it's quite moving and instrumentally powerful and the voice over at the end is just funny.

The second side of the album is full of 3 minute pop-rock songs and contains no real progressive merit but they aren't overtly bad and because of the sheer greatness of the title track and the influence of this record I think it deserves 4 stars.

To my ears ''Caress of Steel'' was a really hot start into more adventurous territories for Rush, unfortunately the public did not share the same opinion and the album was followed by limited sales and, thus, to small live tours.Mercury pressed the band to return with a more commercial album in the future, instead Rush seemed to believe in their own forces and returned with ''2112'', which contained another sidelong track.The album was recorded in February 1976 at the Toronto Sound Studios in Toronto and introduced for the first time Hugh Syme as a guest member on keyboards, the man who was responsible for the surreal artworks of Rush'es albums.

The eponymous track, clocking at 20 minutes, was based in a concept story set in Neil Part's mind, taking place in the year 2112 when everything is controlled by the so-called ''Priests of the Temples of Syrinx''.Musically this is a Hard Rock-oriented piece with progressive leanings, not really based on indulgent technique or virtuosic solos, but more on the beautiful atmospheric changes throughout the track.Basically it moves through the electroacoustic alternations and presents a variety of moods depending on the lyrics, offering sharp guitar riffs and intense rhythmic passages, where the LED ZEPPELIN bluesy influences are still apparent, along with dreamy acoustic lines and Lee's high-pitched voice in the forefront.Syme provides the opening synth effects on the ARP Odyssey synthesizer and the tracks flows amazingly easy despite its length.

The second side is more easy-going, typical of Rush'es style during their early years, with shorter tracks, however the songwriting remains incredibly consistent at some point.''A passage to Bangkok'' is a very dramatic Hard Rock cut with outstanding guitar work and excellent solos, while ''The twilight zone'' offers a mix of pleasant Blues Rock lines with light psychedelic tunes and good guitar melodies.''Lessons'' is rather forgettable and sounds too amateur regarding the composing level Rush had reached at the time, but the following ''Tears'' shows the more sensitive side of the group, introducing Syme's Mellotron over Lee's emotional vocals and Lifeson's ethereal acoustic guitar.The album closes with ''Something for nothing'', another track that recalls more of Rush'es first albums, being Hard Rock-oriented with guitars in the forefront and strong LED ZEPPELIN inspirations.

While the best had yet to come, ''2112'' moves the style of Rush a bit further.Keyboard introductions, a tendency towards constantly more progressive songwriting and a concept story as the centerpiece of another release.Strongly recommended...3.5 stars.

This was first introduction of Rush, and if anyone who starts out with Rush get 2112 first. This is the album that got Rush up there with the big Art Rock giants. Rush knew when 2112 came out it was something special. 2112 is probably my favorite epic of all time how can any body not like this song. Neil Pearts drumming in the temple of syrinx is like nothing i have ever heared, and Geddy's top notch bass playing, and Lifeson's beautiful guitar, he has some amazing solo's on 2112, a very under rated guitar player. The other half of the album has more short hard rock songs, there are some good one's like A passage to Bangkok, Twighlight Zone, and Something For Nothting. But of course the title track makes the album worth while and i give this album 5 stars mainly for the song 2112. This was the start of the great 5 masterpieces of Rush. Any art rock fan or hard rock fan should own the first Rush masterpiece. 5 stars

Gettin' out the angst!

By the mid seventies Rush was starting to get noticed, their first album "Rush" (while not very prog) had given them some major credit in the hard rock world, while their sophomore "Fly By Night" had gone on to prove that Rush was not Zeppelin wannabes. Then came the controversial "Caress Of Steel", which sold just as much as it's predecessors, but was called "a dog" by the press. The band, feeling they were onto something with that album, and had put their all into it, were fairly disappointed, and, fearing the worst, named the corresponding tour the "Down the Tubes Tour". They may have thought it was the end, but no. They stil had one album left on their contract. Ignoring the advice of producers, and getting all their anger and angst out of their system, Rush released 2112. Expecting little, Rush was surprised to find that this was their highest selling album to date, the record companies also extended their contract. This was the beginning to Rush's classic era.

Let's start with the opening side. 2112 is a bombastic, apocalyptic epic that starts with the instumental "Overture", which twists and winds as Rush shows just how good of musicians they would eventually be known to be. It all comes to a slow as Geddy's voice comes in, ("...and the meek shall inherit the Earth...") and is soon blasted away by the metal riff that opens "Temples of Syrinx". This part is brief and soon we're into some quiet time until we're introduced to the main character nd the story really takes off. Now, I'm not going to get right into the story, nor will I explain the rest of the song, but I will mention some highlights. "Oracle: The Dream" is a nice part, and "Finale" finishes the song off with the same kind of force it was started with, not to mention the increadibly creepy "ATTENTION: All planets of the solar federation; We have assumed control...". Indeed, this is an epic that essential for any prog lover.

The rest of the album is a mixture of hard rock tunes, nothing really progressive there. For us classic rock fans, however, this side is almost as good as the first! PASSAGE TO BANKOK and SOMETHING FOR NOTHING are both classic Rush tunes, while others such as LESSONS or TWILIGHT ZONE are great as well.

So while this album may not be Rush's best, it certainly is great, and definately the start of something beautiful. 4.5 stars, excellent!

This is the only Rush album that I own- which is a shame really because it's excellent. The epic 2112 is easily the strongest track on the album, with some incredible playing from prog's greatest trios (that's right ELP, you heard me correctly), especially on my favourite section, The Temples of Syrinx. The epic tells a tale of a man in the future who discovers a guitar and his struggle to bring the light of music to the people of the future. The album is not let down by it's shorter tracks in any way, with excellent pieces of music such as A Passage to Bangkok, which lifts me full of glee and musical appreciation on every listen, and Tears, which show why Rush stand out amongst other prog bands- because they are masters of combining musical prowess with accessibility. This album really is a good one for any prog fans, and an essential album for fans of Rush and heavy prog. 4 stars.

Rush has quickly become one of my favorite bands. This is one of their best efforts along with Moving Pictures. The epic title track comes in at a remarkable 20:37 and does not let down one bit. My favorite part of the title track is The Temples of Syrinx, but the rest are as just good. Altogether, this is one of the best prog epics ever written.

The second side contains 5 shorter tracks. These tracks clock in at about 3 minutes each, with lessons being the longest at 3:59. The best songs on the second side are A Passage to Bangkok and The Twilight Zone. The first song, A Passage to Bangkok is about marijuana, while The Twilight Zone is about the tv series it is named after. Something For Nothing, and Tears are also very good tracks. My least favorite track is Lessons, which seems dull and boring.

All in all, this is much better than their previous effort Caress of Steel. The epic title track is amazing, and is essential to any prog collection. The tracks on the second side are not as proggy, but are still very good rock tracks. I tink the record deservs a 5/5 because of the title track impact it had on later prog records.

Here it is Rush first classic album, famus mostly for its 20min epic title track and not very famus for thos other songs on side 2, very much like ELPs Tarkus that it often gets compered too, the diffrence is that while Tarkus side 2 shorter songs where all pretty dull the shorter songs on this one actualy isent, i like all of em, no masterpices of prog maybe but still nice pop and rock songs in thiere own right Tears is even a very good ballad. Anyway theres not much more too say realy this is a classic proto prog metal album that you shuld own. Its not perfect but close. And no doubt one of rush best and most famus albums, the one that defined em.

4,25 stars

Aptly titled 2112 - since side 2 is overshadowed by its grandeur - I guess this is what many consider the first essential Rush album. Also the first one I picked up after some discussion with my father (another fan). At the time, 2112 (the song) just didn't do it for me, but side 2 was played over and over again.

From A Passage to Bangkok with its smoky, Eastern feeling, the mysterious, alluring The Twilight Zone, the powerhouse that is Something for Nothing to the smooth, yet rebellious Lessons. I was hooked. Couldn't stop. Repeated over and over and over again. Why, oh why! My life's greatest musical experience until I listened to A Farewell to Kings.

I won't make this review much longer, since it isn't necessary. Of course I fell in love with the 20 minutes of 2112 as well. Only natural progression. In my book one of the few epics that grabs your full attention all the time. It's perfect in every way, musically and with a story that's easy to follow and love. What keeps the album from a perfect 5 is Tears (not bad, but inferior to the quality of the rest of the album), but I can live with that.

If you haven't heard this album yet, you might as well sell a piece of your soul. A perfect gateway to the world of Rush if there ever was one, particularly if you're approaching it from the hard rock direction.

//Linus W

I think the key to understand 2112 (at least side A) is listening to it with the ears of a 16-year-old young man fed up with parents, school, all of it. Yes, for the first some spins it sounded like a complete crap, poor and raw sounding, weak production, parts of the epic falling apart, so I was wondering how so many of you could have given 5 stars to this. But then I imagined a boy coming home after school surrounded by hostile father and subtle mother, shutting the door on himself and starting to DREAM. Everything is possible in childhood's dreams, you can save the world with one damned guitar and lose all your life with the loss of it. I admit that the references to communism are constrained but the album was made during the coldest cold war, maybe it seemed a good idea to the company men... Musically I personally enjoy 2112 very much. The solo at 3:00 and the distorted guitar around 19:00 are wonderful, the vocal is passionate, playing two roles extremely well. NP is one of the best drummers ever. This is not a concept side or epic but a rock opera so there are different scenes and actors, it doesnt matter that the parts are not in the same key, tempo, whatever. They work together, thats enough. Side B is much better musically, the first two songs about marijuana dreams are very clever and intelligent, the lyrics fit them at the highest point. Mellotron is nice in Tears, but the mood recalls a bit King Crimson to mee. Anyway, I like it! :-) I dont know to what extent the boys stole from others at that time, but this music is lightyears better than Zep or Sab or Purple. The music is ingenious and exciting all the way. Just give it a chance! In its genre its definitely a masterpiece.

2112 was the album that made Rush into one of the biggest bands of the 70's, but is an album that leaves me cold. The title track strikes me as being a disjointed collection of songs rather than a proper epic, especially with the change between The Temple of the Syrinx and Discovery which really ruins the flow of the song. the second half of the album is filled with short songs that seem to me to be little more than high quality hard rock songs, but definitely not prog. Its these shorter songs that I actually get the most enjoyment from on this album, with Tears being the only lamentable effort. Of the three musicians, only Geddy Lee stands out for his impresive bass work, ALex Lifeson shows that he is definitely a competent guitarist but spends most of his time in Lee's shadow whilst Neil Peart earns his monicker as the profesor with a cold precise and workman like performance. I rarely come back to this album as its deficiant to much of the progressive music of the same era.

I guess you had to be there.

RUSH do not so much abandon as extend their hard rock personas and try something of a prog rock number here: the title track is not so much an epic as a connected series of songs telling a far-fetched sci-fi story. As usual with RUSH, LIFESON's guitars are understated, creating a 'lite' feel, with the emphasis on rhythm rather than lead guitar. As a consequence I have never really thought of this band as 'hard rock', more 'art rock'. PEART does a competent job, and GEDDY LEE starts to sound a little more like himself and less like ROBERT PLANT.

The major importance of this album is as the first in RUSH's progressive sequence, but in itself it's hardly stellar. The epic title track really is the stuff of bong smoking frat students: coming to RUSH much later, I find little to enthuse me in the music, just a disjointed series of musical vignettes. And the five songs that constitute side two of the album are very lightweight, save the melancholic 'Tears', for me the highlight of the album.

There's no doubt this is above-average fare. However, it came along years too late to give RUSH a place in the top league of 70s progressive acts. They would, of course, go on to carve out just such a place, taking advantage of the decline in standards in the late 70s and early 80s.

Worth a listen, as much for its historical importance as the actual music.

Review 20, 2112, Rush, 1976

Here is a case where my criteria for a masterpiece harpoon me. I would love to give this album the full five stars, I absolutely love it pieces, I enjoy every listen, I know all of the lyrics, and always end up singing along to many parts. I even play the world's worst air guitar ever to a couple of songs. However, it's not truly perfect, and it's not a really challenging album, so it doesn't get a fifth star from me. Nonetheless, quite possibly the most-listened album in my collection, and so a very favourable review is forthcoming:

There are a few things that mark out this album from its followers: Alex Lifeson is still a bestial guitar soloist, while his later solos often feel rather sterile to me. Neil Peart's lyrics give the album a very individual feel, a lot of visual ideas, and a great concept: overblown, absolutely, pretentious?, perhaps, but still I feel his lyrics here are superb. His drumming, while often praised, usually leaves me cold on albums like Moving Pictures and Permanent Waves, but at this point in time has a real warmth and fluidity as well as technical competence. Geddy Lee's bass, as always, is superb, and his vocals are at their peak, with very high, high-energy singing throughout, that really brings out the lyrics, as well as some basic vocal fiddling around on various tracks.

Starting a review with the second side first, because I feel it could otherwise be neglected:

A Passage To Bangkok is one of those cases of superb verses being brought down slightly by an over-repeated chorus. Still a great song, but I could have done without so many repeats of the chorus (even if there is some quite neat variation in them). The opening and verses are absolutely classic, with Geddy Lee's memorable bass riff, and Lifeson and Peart both coming in very neatly. The chorus, slightly less so. It's still decent but lyrically I felt it didn't really match up to the powerful verses. Let us not forget a stunning Lifeson guitar solo prior to the final two chorus repeats. Standout performances from all involved, and only one small issue.

Twilight Zone is quite a weird song, since it begins with a potent guitar riff, then changes into a weird upbeat acoustic thing with Peart largely working around the guitars and characteristic high, slightly straining vocals. The chorus section (which is repeated with a whispered accompaniment that I've grown to like) features slightly softer vocals and a 'ni-ni-ni' thing that might annoy some people. Lyrically it's not up to the standards of many of the tracks here, but is nonetheless tolerable. The real highlight of the track for me is the slow-paced, tasteful electric guitar solo that harks back to The Necromancer.

Lessons (lyrics [of an acceptable standard] from Lifeson, here, IIRC) is a good rocker, with a particularly amazing bass performance from Geddy Lee, great vocals and a general energy that's always fitting. The song again combines acoustic and electric guitar. The long guitar solo is decent, but the way it's slowly faded while the acoustic strumming remains pretty constant just doesn't work for me. I'm not the biggest fan of fades, even if the one here isn't particularly offensive.

Tears is no ordinary acoustic ballad, it's an acoustic ballad with a mellotron, delicate bass playing and superb vocals. Geddy Lee's lyrics feel right for the song. I really don't have much to say about the song, except that everything comes together very neatly, and it has an emotional impact on me.

Something For Nothing was evidently the way to end this album. The rhythm section stands out, and Lifeson's rocking guitar is great. The lyrics and vocals are immaculate, motivating and extremely energetic, even managing to go to a mantra-like forcefulness without feeling aggressive or overblown. Another stunning guitar solo on this one, and a better, uplifting closer would be hard to find. With such a great opener and closer, the album certainly feels a little stronger than it perhaps really is.

Now. 20+ minutes of assorted drooling over the title suite. Firstly, this song was a first-time-blown-away-and-still-recovering-from-the-effect song (Caress of Steel, conversely, was a first-time-blown-away-and-still-recovering-from-the-effect album), and features Peart's superb lyrics, with emotional resonance, moral ideas, obvious real-world parallels and the advancement of the fairly basic sci-fi plot all taking place at once. It is, admittedly, a selection of seven songs, with parts from several of the later songs being foreshadowed in the Overture, and one fluid storyline.

The Overture begins with swirling synths, and throbbing bass, establishing the sci-fi atmosphere before the guitar-and-drums hammer their way into the mix, foreshadowing the later Oracle, Priests and Soliloquy moving straight on into the rocking main theme (with bits of background keyboards and acoustics added). Peart provides a sterling drum performance, connecting Geddy Lee's jabbing bass and Lifeson's rhythm/solo guitar cross, before the trio move into a brief jumping section, followed by the 'And the.

The Temples Of Syrinx is the album's almost-unchallenged high point (I didn't like it so much when I first heard out of context, though) - everything that makes early Rush for me stands out on this track. High-energy, powerful vocals emphasising the lyrics that establish the setting, introduce part of the story, question political conformity and fit in with the theme of the piece, as well as being awesome. Powerful, unindulgent, flowing rock drumming. A great rocking bass and guitar combination, rounded off by a short acoustic reminder of the Overture.

Discovery is in my mind the weakest section of the suite, the acoustic stylings (slowly developing from random strumming to more typical, upbeat acoustics) and the waterfall effect were both decent ideas, and work fairly well. Where this song falls down a little is lyrically. I think Peart did the best job he could with his idea, but it is simply very difficult to poetically describe a guitar without seeming a bit lightweight, despite the clever context he puts it in. Not weak, but not as great as the rest of the suite.

Presentation is where the ideas of the previous two songs are merged somewhat, with the two sides being represented. The protagonist presents his guitar to the priests, who break it, and Geddy Lee voices both sides very convincingly, and his bass seems to go along with it. Really, the argument between the two songs within this is very impressive, with all three musicians changing their sides very neatly. The lyrics are again excellent. When the argument's been concluded, Alex Lifeson provides his style of solo, very powerful and emotional, fairly fast, with a twisting, defined edge.

Dream: The Oracle begins with a distorted acoustic shimmering and gentle vocals, and moves into a much harder, slightly pompous, theme, with great vocals, lyrics and percussion. One of my preferred Neil Peart drum-parts.

Soliloquy is another of the absolute stunners, bringing back the light, beautiful vocals and acoustics (as well as the waterfall effect) of some earlier parts, before exploding with one of the most honest lyrical lines I've yet heard ('Just think of what my life might be/In a world like I have seen!') into an amazing, soulful hard rock song with one of my favourite guitar solos of all time. Perfect.

The finale is equally stunning, hammering through some altered bits of the Overture. Another great performance from all involved, ending with a tortured guitar sound, dark humming and the return of the elder race of man.

As said before, I love this album. Highly Recommended.

Rating: Four Stars, but I'd love to say five.

Favourite Track: 2112, especially Temples and Soliloquy

Edit: Snippity-snip. Well, I guess I'd say some of my enthusiasm for this one's worn off. The title suite is still great fun... the second side hasn't got the same sense of freshness or energy, really... it's not a wreck, but I felt that maybe this amount of non-first-rate-material, a four was out of line with how much I actually like the album as a whole.

my first rush album, and my favorite one, i know its not as progressive as a farewell to kings or hemispheres, but 2112 is one of those records that i always want to hear, the main song i think is one of the best creations of rush ever, i don't know, its just one of those that when you hear it, it makes you want keep having that long hair, or grab a guitar and just get crazy; in fact, i want to hear it now, see ya. p.d: i would give it 5 stars, but this isn't a total progressive recording, so i'm giving 4.

"2112" is the 4th full-length studio album by Canadian progressive rock act Rush. The album was released through Mercury Records in April 1976 (and through Anthem Records in Canada). "2112" was Rush first major commercial success. They were actually asked by their label to write more mainstream material after the commercial failure of "Caress of Steel (1975)", which sold less than "Fly by Night (1975)" had done. But Rush chose to ignore the advice and continued to write more progressive inclined material. In retrospect that was of course a great idea, but back then it was a major gamble, where they fortunately ended up collecting the reward. Had they not succeeded with "2112", who knows what the label would have done with them?

Stylistically "2112" is more or less the natural successor to "Caress of Steel (1975)". The album features one 20:33 minutes long progressive epic (the title track) and five shorter tracks. The "regular" length tracks vary in style from hard progressive rockers, to more mellow progressive rock tracks. None of them are overtly complex in structure, but they still feature a progressive edge, which makes them quite intriguing. The real attraction here is the title track though, which displays a lot of different sides of Rush. Their instrumental superiority, Geddy Lee´s incredible vocal range, Neil Peart´s adventurous lyrics (in this case set in a future sci-fi universe), and their songwriting skills.

"2112" is a very well produced album too, and the sound production is a great asset to the album. It´s powerful, warm, and organic, and especially the drums feature a great sound. "2112" is in many ways an impressive release, and it´s obvious why it´s often mentioned among the highlights of the band´s discography. One of the things which makes "2112" stand out compared to the next couple of releases by the band, is that it still features quite a lot of hard rocking riffs, rhythms, and vocals. Sure that has always been a part of the band´s sound, also on subsequent releases, but this is the last album by Rush to feature the primal aggression of their early material. I´d even go as far as to say that the most hard edged and aggressive moments on the album feature heavy metal leanings. A 4 - 4.5 star (85%) rating is deserved.

2112 is arguable Rush's first true masterpiece, a landmark of music history and the true birth of Progressive Metal. There is a no-looking-back shift from the Led Zeppelin influence sprinkled throughout Rush's first three albums. The mood here is furiously dark, no better expressed than on the Presentation section of the side-long epic title track. The more conventional songs are distinctly Rush now the plodding riff of A Passage To Bangkok, the light-dark contrast of Lessons and the atmospheric Sci-Fi influenced The Twilight Zone up until this point in the band's career almost untouchable. 2112 is, almost undeniably, some of the most intense and overtly heavy music of the 1970s yet at the same time is pretentious, ambitious and characteristically Prog-Rock. From the dystopic magnum opus of the title suite to the hauntingly melancholic Tears 2112 is a flawless masterpiece that deserves mention alongside Pink Floyd's The Dark Side Of The Moon for its impact on the Progressive Rock world.

Better than "Fly By Night" and "Caress of Steel" in my opinion... But still bellow the best Rush's efforths!

I must say that I absolutely love the opus 2112, the first 20 minutes song of the album... But the rest of the songs don't do too much for me. If the quality of the album were so high as the first track, then I would give it 5 stars without a doubt!

This first side of the album is just great, and one of the most progressive Rush's songs... There are seven related but different sections, all in the same mood and with a coherent structure. Just great! I specially like the acoustic parts, really inspired Lifeson's playing here. The lyrics are a bit confusing, and I have not read the book... But it's not really important, while the music is outstanding. Marvellous long song!

But the rest of the songs are not so good, and it's a pity... Ok, the quality of these tracks is also high. Higher than the previous Rush's short tracks... But there are just good, and not great like the first side of the album. I specially like the acoustic feeling of Lessons, and the frantic Something for Nothing. The rest are not bad, but not really special...

Conclusion: a great first side, and a correct second side... Wich makes this album a bit irregular. The outstanding quality of the tittle track is not matched by the rest of the songs. Some of them are good, like Lessons and A Passage to Bangkok, but the boring Tears is just forgettable, for example. So this is not a masterpiece... But it's still a very good Rush's album, similar in style than the two previous efforths, but clearly surpasing them in quality. So I recommend this album to every prog lover, because the song 2112 is wonderful and really interesting... But the whole album is not one of the Rush's bests. The following albums are far better in my opinion!

My rating: ***1/2

2112 is Rush's fourth album and their first real breakthrough in terms of both record sales and critical acclaim. The band arrived rather late in the progressive movement, their debut self titles album, having been released in 1974, a full five years after King Crimson and their contemporaries brought Prog blazing to the forefront of popular music. In addition, Rush didn't really get progressive until their third album, Caress of Steel, their earlier attempts being competent but somewhat derivative and undistinguished hard rock fare.

They first began to show signs of a more ambitious approach in 1975 with their Fly By Night album. After the departure of the original drummer, the band had the incredible good fortune to find a replacement in Neil Peart. Not only was he a fantastic drummer, but he also turned out to be quite a gifted writer, and his lyrics were a major part of what took the band to the next level, as well as his penchant for science fiction, fantasy and more ambitious subject matter in general.

Hints of this can be found as early as in Fly By Night's sprawling By-Tor and the Snow Dog, a first attempt at an epic that didn't quite work. But fortunately for Prog fans everywhere, the band did not let the raggedness of these early attempts discourage them, and their next release was the even more ambitious Caress of Steel. Once again, critics called it a failure, although fans seemed to be warming up to what the band was trying to do.

Finally, despite fervent objections by their record company, Rush made 2112, and in doing so struck musical gold. Just as bands like Yes and Genesis were running out of steam, and with the arrival of the Ramones in 1976 threatening to shred the very fabric of Prog to ribbons, Rush came out with an epic that experienced a popularity not enjoyed by any twenty minute plus song since Jethro Tull's Thick As A Brick four years earlier. It certainly didn't hurt that the band's reputation was more cemented in hard rock, a popular genre at the time, than in the rapidly waning excess of Prog.

Now let's meet the musicians who brought us this wonderful record. The frontman for Rush has always been Geddy Lee, and it would be hard to find a more unique band leader, whether in looks, sound, or instrumental virtuosity. Geddy sings and plays the bass, also providing support on keyboards when needed. His extremely high pitched voice is often a source of controversy among listeners, and many are turned off by what they deem to be an intolerable, banshee-like screech. Many others, myself included, feel that his voice is powerful and unique, and lends an energy and distinctive sound the band, and makes their music even more appealing. In the early Eighties, Geddy decided to start singing in a slightly lower register, making his voice much more accessible to the masses. Whether this was due to public and critical pressure or whether he finally realized that he couldn't keep shrieking that way without ripping his vocal chords out is anybody's guess, but it helped in gaining the band even more popularity, even though I personally prefer his earlier style of singing.

All that is to say nothing of his bass playing. Now bass guitar is not normally an instrument that gets a lot of recognition. Instead of the flashy excess of lead guitar or even drums, it is often relegated to providing a simple backdrop to whatever is going on in the "more important" instruments, rarely taking solos and often mixed so low that it is difficult to hear, even at high volumes. Geddy Lee proves that all of this is silly nonsense. He plays the bass like a monster and when he does it's impossible to ignore. Never before have I been distracted away from a guitar solo to listen to the bass part until I heard Geddy play. He is a truly remarkable musician.

Equally remarkable is the aforementioned Neil Peart, who is now recognized as one of the top drummers in the world. The energy, power and complexity of his playing adds immeasurably to any track he plays on, but especially lends itself to the ornate shifting time signatures that characterize Rush's style. And that's just on drum kit. He also specializes in percussion instruments of all varieties, including, but not limited to bells, chimes, wooden blocks and innumerable small percussion toys that have worked their way onto Rush albums over the years. His only real competition in this area is from the excellent Bill Bruford, who approaches his craft from a more jazz oriented style than Peart, who is through and through a rock and roll kind of guy. Peart's intellectualism, strong writing ability and sometimes controversial political views have helped transform Rush from a simple garage band into a powerhouse Prog Rock outfit, but more on that later.

The third member of the group is guitarist Alex Lifeson. While he too is a top notch musician with a unique style all his own, for some reason his playing just doesn't grab me as much as that of his bandmates. For one thing, he's not quite as showy in his approach to the guitar, opting for slower, more melodic solos instead of the lighting fast technical flourishes of his peers. This is by no means a bad thing, and indeed, it would probably be tedious to have him playing as furiously as Peart the entire time. What's really impressive about Lifeson is his range. He plays just about every kind of guitar you can think of. - six string, seven string, twelve string, acoustic electric and everything in between. In fact, his sound is so varied and he plays each instrument with such attention to its own unique qualities that at times it's difficult to believe there's only one guitarist in the band.

Power Trios such as Rush have a long and distinguished history in rock music, from early pioneers like Blue Cheer, to later masters like Cream. I was at first skeptical of the concept, because three instruments just doesn't seem like enough to produce a full, rich sound, especially in Prog. However, all these bands have managed to deliver the goods, so I guess my fears were unfounded.

All three of the members of Rush are among the best in the business, so it's no surprise that what they created would be so wonderful What is amazing though is that they've stayed together for more than thirty years with no lineup changes. I recently had the pleasure of seeing them in concert on their Snakes and Arrows tour, and they're still as good as they ever were, if not better.

But enough of that. On to 2112 itself. I bought the album right in the middle of a small progressive rock kick I was on, before I really got into the style. I had never heard Rush before, but I had heard good things about them and I knew I liked long songs, so this seemed to fit the bill. As a matter of fact, the cover alone is enough to pull one in, with its striking image of the Star Man against the black backdrop of outer space, a flaming red pentagram at his feet as he stretches out towards the infinite. This solitary man standing alone against the cold and empty void of space symbolize the strident individualism represented by Neil Peart's personal beliefs and the repeated themes on the same subject that appear throughout the album. I have been meaning to pick up a copy of the original vinyl, as I imagine the full size image would blow me away, especially compared to the tiny reproduction on the CD case.

2112 opens with dramatically swirling synthesizer sounds, conjuring up the kind of science fiction images and otherworldly magic that would later become a hallmark of all Rush releases. This is significant because up until this point the band had been a purely guitar, bass and drums trio, and the entry of keyboards into their sound, especially in such a prominent way indicated right from the get go that something was going to be different this time around. So begins the first section of this multi-movement suite. The first section is designated "Overture" in a nod both to classical form and as an indication that a story is about to follow. Overture was a term originally reserved for opera, and would be a sort of montage of the themes the audience could expect to hear throughout the play. This served to familiarize the music, making it easier to appreciate the second time it came around, but perhaps the primary reason for such a section was to get people to stop talking and sit down before the action of the plot began to unfold.

Rush's overture serves these same purposes. It introduces the main melodies that we will hear throughout the twenty minute epic, being played one by one with the fury and energy of Alex Lifeson's guitar playing. It also succeeds brilliantly at getting the listener's attention. The pounding guitar work and frantic drums, combined with the aforementioned synthesizers immediately get your adrenaline pumping and it is impossible not to feel excitement for what is to come. Slowly, quietly Geddy Lee's voice enters, singing an ethereal sustained melody above the instrumental fireworks in the foreground.

After all the themes have been played, the overture settles down and we prepare to hear the tale about to unfold. Just before the next section begins, Geddy utters a single phrase as though setting the mood and commenting on what he is about to sing, almost like a modern day version of Shakespeare's Puck. He gravely intones "And the meek shall inherit the Earth."

Now, to understand the implications of this phrase regarding the song as a whole, we will need to take a diversion into philosophy and discuss the inspiration and political messages present in the lyrics. Without understanding where the writer is coming from, we can hardly hope to understand or appreciate the art he spent so much time and effort creating. Neil Peart is a very strong supporter of the philosophy known as "Objectivism." It was first put forth by the ex-Soviet writer, Ayn Rand, and I shall attempt to briefly sum up its key points here. Basically, Objectivist philosophy states that every person should live for themselves and watch out for their own best interests (provided, of course, that doing so does not infringe on the rights of others.) It is often considered a branch of Libertarianism, and states that taxes are merely disguised theft and therefore immoral. Individual liberty is highly stressed Ayn Rand believes that no one should be forced to support another, less capable person. Indeed, she discourages even charitable acts towards the inept or lazy, whom she deems "moochers" off of the able and ambitious. Capitalism is viewed as the only acceptable economic system, as no other is based entirely on voluntary cooperation. Therefore, the phrase "And the meek shall inherit the Earth," taken from the Bible when Jesus gives his sermon on the mount, is used here ironically. Ayn Rand has been very clear that she is opposed to the values of Christianity, such as the belief that one should put the welfare of others above that of himself. Furthermore, Rand clearly has no use for the meek, as her philosophy glorifies the rugged individualist who isn't shy about sticking to his principles and being ambitious enough to achieve something great. Ever since the arrival of Neil Peart to Rush, their lyrics have frequently dealt with the these topics, such as in the songs "Anthem," "The Trees," and "Freewill."

In the interest of full disclosure, I must confess that I am, essentially, an Objectivist, although I detest that name. To call your philosophy "Objectivism" seems to me no different than calling it "Correctism" or something similar, which I find rather arrogant. I try not to let politics get in the way of my listening habits, but I must admit that I find it refreshing to hear a band supporting my point of view for a change. That may be part of the reason I like Rush so much. But I digress.

The primary inspiration for 2112 came from a book by Ayn Rand called "Anthem" which is also the name of Rush's music publishing company. The book is similar to other dystopia novels of the time, such as George Orwell's 1984 or Ray Bradbury's Fahrenheit 451. The plot centers around a young man in an oppressive future society where freedoms are almost non-existent and the "good" is viewed as self sacrifice for the good of the community, at the expense of the individual. This is the very antithesis of Objectivist philosophy, and the young man's realization of his imprisonment and escape from the society are the central plot points of the novel, all of which is prompted by his inadvertent discovery of electricity. A discovery to which the community leaders are highly resistant, fearing change and the threat of one individual becoming more or less than any other. I won't give away the ending, but it is a good read and I encourage anyone interested in these sorts of moral, political and philosophical issues to pick up a copy.

2112 is based on Anthem, but only loosely, as many of the details have been changed for reasons known only to Neil Peart. In general he's given the piece a more "science fiction" feel than that shown by the original work. I'll address these in more detail as they come up.

After the Overture, the next section is called "The Temples of Syrinx. It is told from the point of view of the leaders, or so called "priests" that govern this oppressive society, as they explain their jobs. The music here is fast and furious and Geddy sings in an extremely high register, with frenzied energy. One of the interesting things about his vocal performance throughout the song is that when he switches back and forth between different characters, he changes his register or level of energy or some other minor aspect of his singing. This has the effect of very clearly delineating the different characters, eliminating any confusion one might expect to arise from a single voice playing multiple parts. We can hear this again on Rush's Hemispheres album, although it is not so marked as it is here.

The priests sing about how they have taken care of all the needs of their people and how everyone is equal and balanced, but the irony shines clearly through. Here "taking care" of someone is merely a euphemism for enslaving them. This section of the song is important, as it shows how the priests (another jab at organized religion, that they should be so called) use euphemisms and doublespeak to disguise their true actions and motives. If you are constantly saying that you are working for the good of society, bemoaning the plights of the poor or disabled, it is hard for anyone to paint you as a villain.

The term Syrinx used here is an allusion to Greek mythology. Syrinx was a nymph who, after being pursued by that rogue, Pan, begged the Gods to help her escape. In response, the Gods transformed her into hollow reeds that grew along the river's edge. This did help her escape from Pan, although I doubt if it is what she intended. The Gods had a sick sense of humor back in those days. These reeds became known as Pan Pipes and over time Syrinx became a symbol of music itself. Since music is one of the many things outlawed in this imagined society, the use is, once again, ironic. It is interesting to note that when Rush perform 2112 live, they typically stop after the Temples of Syrinx section. However, this is probably just due to time limitations and the fact that the section ends a nice, final sounding cadence, rather than to any ideological point being made.

The third section, called Discovery, is particularly interesting for its uniqueness and unconventional approach to storytelling and programmatic music. In this part of the story, the hero stumbles upon a guitar in a cave, a forgotten remnant from long, long ago, and teaches himself to play. The music begins with a soft background sound of a babbling brook, flowing peacefully away from the prying eyes of the authoritarian government. Slowly, we hear Alex Lifeson begin strumming open strings off his guitar, tuning a little along the way as he goes. This is somewhat reminiscent of the beginning of the classic Yes song "And You And I," in which Steve Howe tunes his guitar before playing, but the important difference here is that the tuning actually fits in with the story line, rather than just being an interesting musical effect. Our protagonist has never seen a guitar before, or even heard music, and this is reflected masterfully in Lifeson's playing. Gradually the random plucking and strummings of an amateur evolve into a coherent piece of music, becoming more and more complex as our hero gains skill on the instrument through countless hours of practice. It is really quite a beautiful thing, as if we are witnessing the birth of an artist before our very ears.

I should mention that this part of the story differs slightly from the original book, in that the book tells of a man accidentally discovering electricity, not a guitar. However, this is a really minor diversion, and let's face it, a guitar is way more rock and roll than electricity (sorry AC/DC.)

After the the guitar playing becomes significantly complex, we segue smoothly into section four of the song "Presentation" in which our hero brings the guitar, quite naively, to the priests, expecting them to reward him for his amazing discovery and use it to better the lives of everyone in the community. The joy of discovery is plain to be heard in Geddy's voice as he makes his offering. However, he is immediately shouted down by the shrieking falsetto of the priests, whose power is threatened by anything that might give the people a sense of individuality. They dismiss the guitar as "another toy to help destroy the elder race of man" and chastise the messenger, ordering him to "forget about your silly whim. It doesn't fit the plan."

The next section, called Oracle: The Dream deals with the frustration and internal struggle of the protagonist after his rejection and chastisement by the priests. He lies in bed, fitfully tossing in his sleep and dreaming of confronting an oracle on top of an ivory staircase. The Oracle tells him of a fantasy landscape where people are free and unoppressed by government or any other kind restrictions, happy with their individuality. Free to produce art and anything else they please. A world that could be, if only.

In the next section, Soliloquy, he ruminates on the new ideas he has discovered and ultimately concludes that, now that he has tasted freedom, he can no longer live in such an oppressive society. Seeing no other way out, he resolves to take his own life, reasoning that it is better to be dead than a slave.

The last section is the Grand Finale, an instrumental section that rocks really hard and brings a sense of climax to the proceedings. The last thing heard in the song is a mechanical sounding voice proclaiming "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation. We have assumed control. We have assumed control. We have assumed control."

This ending is ambiguous and different fans interpret it in different ways. One common belief is that the voice is an arm of the government, announcing that all planets will soon be forced to bow to its will. This is a very dark and pessimistic interpretation, especially following a suicide. Rush are usually a pretty positive band, so I personally reject this view and tend to side with the other common school of thought, that the voice is coming from the original humans on Earth, relieving the tyrant priests from their positions and restoring freedom to the planet. Only Rush knows for sure which is the correct answer.

know I said that I wouldn't ruin the ending of the book, but just know that the last few sections of the song differ GREATLY from the novel, which has a much more uplifting (and much less sci-fi) conclusion. That's all I'm gonna say.

Side two of the original Vinyl is a much lighter and less political affair, which is nice given the heady nature of side one. I just wish the material were a little better. A Passage to Bangkok is about scoring good Marijuana all around the world. (okay, a LOT less serious than side one.) Despite its questionable subject matter, it is actually a great song with a very catchy guitar hook. It has been a concert staple for Rush for years.

Next comes The Twilight Zone, an homage to the 1950's sci-fi television series, created by the late, great Rod Serling. The song is okay, but feels a little pointless and meandering, with a really strong melody or riff to keep it going.

Lessons is a strong song, with another message from Neil Peart about learning from your mistakes, but Tears is un unmemorable ballad penned by Geddy Lee. As much as I love Geddy, his songs are usually not the highlight of any given Rush record.

The album closes with the rocker Something For Nothing. This iss an appropriate closer for the album, because it sums up in a less bombastic way the basic message of 2112. "You can't get something for nothing. You can't get freedom for free." It's a continuation of Peart's Objectivist leanings and a darn good song to boot.

So, to sum up, 2112 is not Rush's best or most consistent record. The imbalance between the two sides definitely hurts it, when compared to A Farewell to Kings or Hemispheres. However, the power and ambition behind the title song is such that I cannot in good conscious give the album less than five stars. It IS essential and every Prog fan SHOULD own it, even if they never bother to flip the record over.

2112 is considered by many a fan as one of the finest hours (or half an hour) of Rush. The titular epic certainly holds true to that claim. The instrumental opening encapsulates the sheer volume of the group as well as their complex ambitions, giving the listener a prelude for what's to come later. Every riff later in the epic that is derived from the opener has an ''off'' kind of sound that made it different than what you heard before, a sign of clever composing. But the real treat of the epic is the ''Grand Finale'', where Rush instrumentally explodes giving the listener a reward for sticking around for the whole twenty minutes.

The remainder of the album doesn't quite live up to the heights of the opening epic. Only ''Something for Nothing'' and ''Lessons'' have some progressive intrigue, but none of the five songs are of the essential prog listening. ''A Passage to Bangkok'' is more of a fan favourite, but it's compositionally empty and gets tired only after a few listens.

This album, while not their best work, is indeed a Rush masterpiece, and is recommended for any prog fans.

The album opens with the 20 minute epic 2112, which tells a tale of a man who discovers an ancient miracle (It's actually a guitar), and decides to share this new wonder, but is rejected by the Priests, because it was another toy that helped destroy the elder race of man. Afterwords, the man returns to his home where he has a dream. In this dream, an oracle confronts him and reveals the fate of his world. He is also shown a better place that he con go to, but can only get there through death. When he wakes up, he realizes that his planet will be taken over (By the Elder Race of Man), so he kills himself to reach the better place that the oracle talked about. After this happens, his world falls.

After 2112, this album contains classics such as A Passage To Bangkok, and The Twilight Zone. It also contains the decent tracks Lessons, Tears, and Something For Nothing.

Overall, it's a good album, but not the best. It still makes a good addition to any prog collection.

A masterpiece, and a fundamental rock album of all history.

I could stop here. 2112 is the powerful breaktrhu of Rush, which in 1976, after 3 albums, explode with a masterpiece of brilliant eclectic and coloured rock. The title-suite is the compendium of all the best a power-trio could write and perform: in 20 minute they condense the brilliant power prog (Oracle), the power ballad (Soliloquy, thrilling!), the heavy rock catchy anthem (The temple of Styrinx). The Ouverture is a lesson of what rock is and should be: fast, breath-cutting, heavy, various. The heavy and the romantic are merged in a great afresco. The instrumental leadership of the three is shown in all its greatness, and it stands as a standard for everyone to come after them.

After the suite the album offers great pieces of rock like the exotic Passage to Bangkok, the misterious and shady Twilight Zone, the happy Lessons, the sad Tears, the powerful Something for Nothing - this last one particulary is a great rock song still hard to find in a lot of modern bands.

A 5-star album of every time, one of the most important in my life, and a lesson to every band which tries to approach prog-rock. A monument.

Widely regarded as one of the most important progressive rock records ever released, "2112" is also considered as an unparalleled album in the large discography of Rush. The album is divided in two sides: the first one, which contains the epic title track, clocking in at (more or less) 20 minutes, and the second one, which contains five shorter tracks. While I must admit that the title track is indeed a classic, a great great song, I also have to say that, unfortunately, the second half of the record really harms the whole listening experience. All the songs featured on the second side are, so, pretty average and even weak.

Anyways, you can find here great performances of the three musicians (this is Rush, remember that!). Geddy Lee delivers a very varied performance, vocals-wise, sometimes shrieking and screaming like a madman and sometimes singing very melodically and softly. His bass playing is also top notch, as everyone says. There is also an use of keyboards, I think that's he who plays them. They are used mostly on the title track, especially on the beginning of it.

Alex Lifeson, the gifted guitar player, is another essential element of the trio, also delivering a varied performance, as he also uses the acoustic guitar very often, especially on the title track (on some movements like "Discover" and "Soliloquy") and on the more laid-back songs of the second half of the album.

The most important element of the band is Neil Peart, though: what a kick-ass drummer indeed! He is pretty dynamic throughout the record and, most of all, his playing is extremely technical. You can never tell what he's going to do next, he's extremely unpredictable, complex beat after complex beat, fast fill after fast fill, he really delivers a very good performance. He was also responsible for the writing of the lyrics; they are pretty good, especially on the title track. The concept of this tune is also great, even reminding me a bit of Orwell's book, "1984", with its themes of domination of the government over the people. Basically, the story speaks about a guy who lives in a world ruled by the Priests of the temples of Syrinx. Later he discovers an acoustic guitar and begins to express his feelings with it. Unfortunately he presents the instrument to the Priests; they immediately destroy it. The guy, then, dreams of a better world and begins to feel that the Priests are unjust and... I think I have spoiled the story enough.

Musically, this epic piece is also pretty varied and absolutely great. "Overture" is its first movement, being a nice instrumental, preparing the listener to what's next. It's no "YYZ", but far from a filler. After Geddy Lee sings the legendary verse:

"And the meek shall inherit the earth"

The second movement begins, being called "The Temples of Syrinx". Lyrically, it speaks about the Priests that rule those temples. "The Temples" is a very dynamic rocker, featuring one of the most aggressive vocal performances of Geddy Lee. It is a relatively fast movement and the catchiest section of the title track, since the chorus is incredibly addictive. "Discovery" is a slower movement, with Lifeson using his acoustic guitar and Lee singing very gently. "Presentation" is heavier, though, especially during the "dialogue part", where the main character of the concept talks with the Priests about his discovery. "Oracle: the Dream" and "Soliloquy" are, again, calmer. The last movement, "Grand Finale", is another instrumental, pretty similar to "Overture", featuring some nice guitar solos. The song ends with a mysterious outro.

Unfortunately, the second half of the record is a lot worser than the first, some songs are just average and some really weak. "A Passage to Bangkok" is probably the best track of the second side, being a straight-forward hard rock tune. "Tears" is a poor attempt at a emotional ballad and "Twilight Zone" is very annoying, with that stupid interlude ("you have reached the twilight zone"...). "Something for Nothing is another rocker, with a catchy chorus, and "Lessons" another calm (and weak) song. It seems that Rush used all their energies on the composition of the title track and forgout about the other tunes. Unfortunately, because of that, the whole listening experience is harmed.

Anyways, this is a decent Rush record, better get JUST the title track, trust me, it's the only thing about this album worth listening. Better, get the title track, "Tears" and "Something for Nothing". If the album had this tracklist, it would be a lot better.

Best Moments of the CD: -the chorus of "The Temples of Syrinx"; when the main character of the title track is learning how to play the guitar; the outro.

32 years later and this album still has the power to captivate thanks to an almost obsessive conceptual framework on the theme of discovery and enlightenment. Hard prog rockers Rush released in 1976 perhaps their most famous album, '2112'.

A strong narrative text is evident in the title track that rocks with moments of high complexity merged with the simplistic standard song format. '2112' begins with narration and a brilliant instrumental workout in 'Overture'. Rush were a musical virtuoso band, primarily due to the guitar riffing of Alex Lifeson, but also featured incredible vocal gymnastics with a high falsetto range in the form of Geddy Lee. When he powers into 'The Temples of the Syrinx' he nails it to the wall; such is the incredible high vocal range Lee is unable to repeat this in later years live, as is evident on the brilliant 'Different Stages' CD.

The track merges seamlessly with the rest of this epic as the quieter 'Discovery' begins. The concept concerns the weird tale of a boy who has a dream and consults an oracle to find the answers and has a dream that holds the key (a theme that would occur over and over in concept albums - the tales of discovery by consulting a supernatural force - even Kiss did it on 'The Elder'). I don't pretend to understand all the conceptual content, however, I prefer to sit back and let all the musical arrangements wash over, and Rush were masters of the epic performance.

The other tracks on side 2 include 'A Passage to Bangkok' a straight rocker, and the raucous 'Something for Nothing'. This was a brave album for Rush after presenting their own brand of heavy prog such as 'Caress of Steel' and 'Fly By Night', but it works because the tracks are memorable and superbly executed. The Drums of Neil Peart are a definite highlight and keep the relentless rhythms flowing in perfect sync. This album is highly influential to the likes of Dream Theater's '6 Degrees of Inner Turbulence,' that feature a series of songs wrapped in the cocoon of one long album side track, and each song section has the power to stand alone.

Overall this is an excellent album, but the piece de resistance would come on the incredible followup album, 'Farewell to Kings'.

A passage to Prog

Having started out as a highly derivative Blues Rock/Hard Rock band strongly influenced by Led Zeppelin, Rush had gradually incorporated progressive elements and structures into their music over the course of two further albums (Fly By Night and Caress Of Steel). But it was with the present, their fourth album, that Rush took the major step toward progressive Rock. For the first time in their career, the whole first side of the vinyl album was occupied by an epic, multi-part composition and it was also the first album to feature keyboards (although, very sparsely) in addition to guitar, vocals and drums.

In my opinion, the 20 minute plus title track still stands today as one of the band's finest compositions. Especially, the two first parts of it: Overture and The Temples Of Syrinx. The band is simply on fire here, with Neil Peart's drumming being some of the best I've ever heard and Geddy Lee's vocals being more intense than ever before (or after) and Alex Lifeson's guitars more to the point. The six-part song tells a story of a authoritarian society where music is banned.

The second side of the album is less powerful in comparison and has more to do with earlier albums. Still, we have here five fine Rock tunes with A Passage To Bangkok standing out as the best of the lot. Tears features the famous Mellotron.

Overall, a great album and the first great Rush album

The first of the Rush's Masterpieces 2112 is a kick in the nuts, the very first time you hear it, it's like a punch in the stomach, the way the get in the main riff of 'Overture' and then 'The Temples of Syrinx' The whole album shows how good Rush are, as musicians, composer and writers. In the other side we have a great guitar solo in 'A passage to Bangkok' that beautiful song called 'Tears' and the heavy 'Something for nothing' I'm not good to express myself at writing reviews, but trust me, if you like classic pprog rock or hard rock this one is for you. You don't find albums like this every day

Rush's forth album entitled "2112" was the bands early breakthrough album. Speaking of breakthroughs, it was also a "make or break" album for the boys and their record label. The album flat-out Rocks! Going against what everyone was saying they should do, RUSH wrote the complex, multi-part, thematic, epic, "2112". A 20 plus minute story set in the future where a Utopian society lives without music or any individual freedom of expression. Frankly, when this was recorded, the boy's were angry and it shows. 2112 is full of energetic angst. It also shows off Neil's drumming ability.again, along with Alex's powerful guitar work and Geddy's excellent bass lines. Rush gained legions of fans over this one. The second side is a little weaker, A Passage to Bangkok is very memorable, and my favorite, Something for Nothing, is just a great rock song. The epic 2112 is worth the admission price alone. This album has become a progressive rock classic that any serious 70's rock music collection cannot be without.

Best Tracks: 2112 and Something for Nothing.

The first truly progressive work from the great band Rush. The title track is a classic in all aspects and I still remeber how strong was the impact this release had at the time. Up till then the band was considered a competent, above average power trio, but little more. With 2112 everybody started to take them more seriously. They really spread their wings in here, not only musically, but also showing they had a lot to say.

2112, the epic, was based on sci fic story written by Ayn Rand, was the first tune to actually feature a synthesizer sound (albeit used only for effects). It was a total departure from their previous stuff and no one at the time could tell if it would work. Fortunalty for the band it sold 100.000 copies on the first week of its release. It paved the way for even greater things in the future. It is still a impressive piece of work for a band that was still called 'little Zeppelin' at the time (they would be no more). Is anybody interested about the prog metal influences?

Second side is not that different, some songs bearing the earlier sound, something closer to Caress Of Steel (which was, by the way, an improvement over Fly By Night). Passage to Bangcock being a proof they could hadle more styles than most would believe and Tears is an interesting slow ballad.

All in all this is much more than a transitional record. it was a fantastic leap forward for such a new band. It is one of the truly classic stuff by Rush and much more was to follow. 4,5 stars at least.

Having done the FtK review just a minute ago I realized this one was on my list as well. In fact it will have to be more of the same where comments and ultimate rating are concerned. But that doesn't mean the 2 albums are more or less the same.

The stand out track on this one is of course the title track and this one has faded from me in a less drastical way than most other tracks on this album or its successor. 2112 is a classic and a special epic. Does that also mean I go nuts about it ? No, it doesn't but it will always be one I treat with respect. I was blown away by it in the eighties when I didn't know that many epics but now that I do I still count this as a great one though not a masterpiece to me.

The shorter tracks on the B-side of the vinyl are just about of the same quality level as those on the successor. Also on this one we find a ballad (Tears), real beautiful if you are in a sentimental mood. There's the one with the filosophical siginificance (Something for nothing), an interesting life lesson. Compositionswise A Passage to Bangkok has always been my favourite of the short songs on this album. The other two mean less to me.

So even though this one is just about as good as Farewell to Kings it has another impact on me. Strange enough it doesn't make a difference for the rating. 3 stars for 2112 as well (3,3).

After three albums showing ever improving composition and song writing, Rush really broke through with 2112. Oddly enough, their record company was quite concerned when they made two conceptual tracks (both easily over 10+ minutes) on their previous album, Caress of Steel, and pressured them into making more commercially attractive numbers. Rush stuck to their principles and although side two of this album contains a number of decent songs suitable for radio play, the first side features the 20+ minute, seven-part title suite.

Lyrically and musically, the 2112 title suite was the most complex piece Rush had ever composed up to this date. I remember first hearing it back in the 1980s (I was too young in 1976, having been my Sesame Street years) and was utterly amazed by the performance. Almost 30 years later, I'm afraid the suite hasn't aged as well, mostly because it was from Rush's early growing years and obviously because Rush only got better and better with each album after this. Still, this song has a place in prog rock history because by this time period other prog bands were releasing rather embarrassing albums. Rush filled that void and would continue to do so well into the 1980s.

The tracks on side two aren't really in the same league as the title suite, nor are they as finely done as shorter pieces on later albums. Still, they are good songs, particularly A Passage to Bangkok, The Twilight Zone, and Tears.

Since the music on this hasn't aged as well as other later Rush efforts, and Geddy Lee's voice is a bit too raw for me (he'll improve considerably on future albums), I'm going to give this three stars (3.5 would be more suitable). A must have for Rush fans.

This is really a great album, one that I have a special place in my heart for. This was my first Rush album that I had listened to, and I absolutly loved it. This is also Rush's break-through album, saving their carrer, because of Caress of Steel being comercially terrible, and every critic hated it, so it really saved Rush's ass. There are many great songs and classics on this album. The epic 2112 was Rush's real taste at comercial success, as it is one of Rush's most famous peices. 2112 is split into 7 peices, Overture,Temples of Syrinx, Discovery, Presentation,Oracle,Soliloquy, and Grand Finale as the Overture and Temples of Syrinx are the most popular parts of the song, but the song as a whole is unified by all of the peices. I will grade each song on a scale of 1-10, 10 being the best, and 1 being the absolut worst (luckily, there is no bad song on this album).

2112- One of Rush's best epics that they have ever made. This features Rush's first real use of a keyboard/synthesizer instrument, as the beginning of the Overture uses it, as a somewhat whistling noise, more or so. The lyrics describe that a man has found an ancient mircale (a guitar), but the instrument, and all music has been banned from the unniverse. The man was hoping that everyone would be happy that he had found it, but the priests (father brown) were very dissapointed, and the man went into hiding. As he was hiding, he decided that he couldn't do it anymore, and he commited suicide, and the beginning of the Grand Finale portion of the song begins. As they lyrics are very mystifying, the music is also incredible, with rolling basslines, crunching, angry, and fierce vocals, as with strong and loud guitar, the snare and bass drums are being pounded on, so many melodic times, making the album 2112, and the song 2112. 10/10

A Passage to Bangkok- Another very popular song to emerge from the concept album 2112. This, lyrically, is a drug destination song, and doing weed, and whatnot (even though the band has never really been known for doing many kinds of drugs, but its a good song). The bass is very strong, with rolling riffs by Alex, and strong drums by Neil. There are 3 firsts on this song, as well. The first is that Geddy uses slap bassing in the chorus section in the song. Second, Geddy uses a double neck Rickenbacher 4001 model with a 6-string guitar as the bottom neck. The third is for the company Rickenbacher, itself. It was the companies first time making the Rickenbacher 4001 model with the 6- string guitar. The music is dazzling in this song, one of the strongest tracks. 10/10

The Twilight Zone- This is, lyrically, interesting, but the music is a little more to be desired, but its still and interesting song all together. The song incorperates 2 episodes of The Twilight Zone, hence the name of the song. The name of the episodes escapes my mind, but they must have been pretty damn good to make a song about it. The drums are a little quiet in this song, but the guitar compliments the drums. This song uses more acoustic guitars than the previous songs. 8.5/10

Lessons- Though its really not that well known, its a really great poppy song. The acoustic guitar is fast, and very melodic with the riffs. The first few minutes are very, well, I can't really put this in a better way, hippie-like, or very mellow. After about a minute or two, it goes very hard rock, with rolling basslines and interesting riffs, with mini guitar solos after very time Geddy sings No you Didn't Listen again! what a great vocal range for Geddy, as well. A stunning song, very polished, pop song, and it fits with the album perfectly. 9/10

Tears- The only composition written by Geddy Lee, and its a very beatiful one, at that. Geddy sings in his normal, but soft, very high voice, hiting the notes perfectly, and very passionatly. The guitar is very sad, and depressed. This is the most prominate use of keyboards, as an extra voice, if you will, in the song. A very touching song, something that the album needed. 8/10

Something for Nothing- This is another pretty popular song that Rush played alot live, and it got some radio air-play will it was popular. The music starts off acoustic, with the electric on chorus, and very background. Geddy hits a little lower this time, but as the electric comes in, hits the high notes almost perfectly, as he always will. The roiling bass is very noticable, and its a very interesting bassline as well. A track that perfectly closes the album. 10/10

The song has great song, and no song is bad. This album is near perfection, and it saved Rush from breaking up, or making another Rush like album.

As much as I have tried to think highly of this very good album, I do not enjoy nearly as much as many other releases. The epic is somewhat banal by this point, even for Neil Peart, a fan of the writings of Ayn Rand. The bottom line is this: It's good rock music overall, and fans of Rush would love it. Otherwise, one could pass it by without missing much.

"2112" Mystical intergalactic noises initiate one of Rush's most revered epic tracks. During the heavily accented prelude, the notes echo out, and from the distance, Geddy Lee's voice contacts the listener, as though lost somewhere in the deep reaches of outer space. The introduction relies heavily on Alex Lifeson's guitar work. A thunderhead introduces Lee's calm and ironic proclamation just before "The Temple of Syrinx" begins. This segment is structurally the most simplistic. Soon, a quiet classical guitar interlude welcomes tranquil waters, and the sound of a detuned guitar (the protagonist having only just discovered the six-string wonder) eventually forms more complex phrases (indicating that the hero is teaching himself this lost art). He produces the chords for the next part. It rises and falls in tempo as the singer excitedly describes sharing his revelation to the others. The rest of the band enters as he tells of his discovery to the aforementioned guardians of society. Even though Lee was never the theatrical vocalist as the likes of Peter Gabriel from Genesis, he does use his range to differentiate between speakers. Lifeson delivers a powerful solo over a spirited reprise of "The Temples of Synrix" once the protagonist is summarily disappointed in the answer he has received. The segment thereafter depicts his despair, and has some brief experimentation with the sound. A stately section follows, but the sound of the waters is heard again, as is the sound of the lonely guitar. Over this, the main character recounts his nightly vision, but falls into a self-detrimental hopelessness. Lifeson rips into one more well-structured guitar solo, just before Lee announces the conclusion of Peart's ill-fated tale. The final minutes employ both heavy rock and experimental guitar work. An ominous and ambiguous announcement terminates the piece.

"A Passage to Bangkok" Over a guitar phrase (with that stereotypical oriental riff), Lee sings fairly simple narrative lyrics about drugs. The lyrics are certainly about marijuana given not only the content and innuendoes presented within, but by the visual presentations on certain tours. There is only one guitar accompanying Lee for a while, but soon the sound becomes fleshed out. Rush's sound here is very close to that of earlier albums (Caress of Steel comes to mind). The chord progression, lyrics, rhythm, and guitar solo are all fairly straightforward, so this song does have a tendency toward being lackluster.

"Twilight Zone" The short introduction is very different from the jazziness that follows. Lee sings what are short synopses of actual plots from the television program. The two episodes are "Will the Real Martian Please Stand Up?" and "Stopover in a Quiet Town." Hokey backup vocals whisper beneath him. Lifeson concludes the song with a decent, but fairly uneventful solo.

"Lessons" My personal favorite from the short songs, Lifeson doubles up the rhythm guitar with an acoustic and a sprightly electric. Lee's voice travels quickly from subdued to a high-pitched screech, as he throws in some outstandingly tasteful bass riffs. Peart's drumming is full and lively on this one. It is, incidentally, Lifeson's guitar solo that falls a bit of on the bland side; even as everything is fading out, he still sounds like a tired country rocker.

"Tears" This is a fairly simple song from the pen of the bassist. It is certainly melancholic enough, and Rush's primary album cover designer Hugh Syme puts a further touch on the album by playing the Mellotron. It's memorable after a while, even if unremarkable.

"Something for Nothing" Twelve string guitar, bass, and a simple beginning ends the album. The lyrics are drenched heavily with the philosophy of Objectivism. It's a decent song, but mostly uninteresting (by the time Lifeson begins soloing, the song fades out), and it's a shame the album ends this way.

'2112' - Rush (7/10)

This is generally considered by Rush fans to be the band's 'breakthrough' album, and the album that essentially saved their career. Although they definately had some stuff (particularily 'Caress Of Steel') that was stellar, there were only a few people that really cared about the band until '2112.' While the album itself isn't a masterpiece, the song itself is, and is an essential track for Rush.

The science fiction theme comes front and center in the first few seconds of the song, erupting with a trippy spacy intro that was very rare for the time. While the music is very hard rock centered, the concept and theme of the music gives it a very progressive dimension to it.

There are heavy parts, mellow parts, and an epic, dramatic finale. Everything that an epic should have. It is in fact, the first epic that I fell in love with, and undoubtedly the precursor and influence that drove suceeding band's like Dream Theater to write their epics.

The rest of the songs range from being just alright to great. 'A Passage To Bangkok' is a great song, with oriental influences. The only really forgettable song on the album is 'Lessons.' The rest of it is actually really good.

I don't enjoy this album so much anymore (although I've had it for quite a few years) but I figure that if it really was a masterpiece, it would still hold alot of virtue for me. Good, great even. But it's too hard-rock oriented to stand the test of time, at least for me.

|C+| Very good and essential to Rush fans.

Hi everyone! This is my first review after looking around this wonderful site for the past couple years or so, and I figured what better a place to start than a classic album by my favorite band. I look forward to (finally) being a participant in one of the leading sites of my favorite type of music.

This was one of the first Rush albums that I bought after listening to my parents' Chronicles compilation all my life, as I had heard from someone that this is one of their most essential albums. In a sense I disagree, as I consider the following three albums some of the greatest musical work of rock history, but this is definitely a great one to start on, or at least it was for me. But this pretty straight up hard rock for the most part, not too progressive in the conventional sense, but certainly with prog overtones (I mean, how many hard rock bands were doing epics, even at that time? Not too many, I don't think). The Led Zeppelin and Cream influences are still rather obvious throughout, but one can definitely hear the band branching off starting to develop their own sound, which would unleash into a furry of masterwork in the following albums. However, I think whenever I rate an album, I want to consider how the album stands alone and avoid making comparisons. And as this album stands, I feel there is great writing, melodies, riffs, etc., but nothing really that transcending or even outstanding.

The best achievements from this album would definitely include our beloved epic suite, 2112. I'm sure there are plenty of reviews here that go to depths of explanation on this epic I shan't dare to venture, but I think I'll cover the basics just for this review's sake. The lyrics are based around a science fiction novel set in the year 2112. A man in a fascist society discovers a guitar, plays it for the priests of the temples of Syrinx who rule over the people, and is banished for his discovery, not of the guitar but of the concept of self expression he learned from the instrument. He then is confronted by the Oracle who gives him visions of a free thinking society, and realizes he is doomed to a worthless life, and thus commits suicide. This is where I feel the essential brilliance of this album lies: in the lyrical presentation of this story and how the music matches so well with the plot. As so many have said before me, the real point of attaining this album is really for this great hard rock conceptual suite, which is in my opinion some of Peart's best lyrical work with the band. Sometimes I wonder if I have a soft spot for this epic just because I'm overall pretty anti-government libertarian minded, as it seems that was the idea Peart presented in the lyrics. Again, there are some reviews I've read that go much more in depth with all this, and I won't invade their territory. Overall I wouldn't say the musical quality is masterpiece material, but it's pretty up there. Everything Rush does best (which is a lot) can be found here, but a bit more on the basic hard rock oriented side (which I love, but don't have full musical respect for compared to most stuff on this site.)

The songs following the epic on side two are definitely, almost ridiculously dwarfed by the epic. Passage to Bangkok is a Rush classic, period. But other than that the following tracks are quite mediocre, which is probably what mainly keeps this album from hitting four stars on my rating scale. As you'll read in most reviews on this album, the paragraph about the epic is huge, and the paragraph for the rest of the album is either smaller or more drawn out. I really dislike Twilight Zone, I consider it one of the few honestly badly written tracks Rush has made. Lessons is a catchy song, and Tears and Something for Nothing are very mediocre, I enjoy them in a hard-rock fanboyish sense but can't site them as something I'd recommend to anyone else. And seriously, when you look ahead at even the album following this, you wonder how these tracks ended up like most of Rush's early material. I guess they put most of their focus in the epic, which I suppose payed off in the end.

This is certainly a wonderful album for the prog-newbie to check out if they want to become familiarized with the music of Rush. It is also essential to the Rush fan, as many as there are of us out there. But it's not the album I'd recommend to the staunch prog listener, I'd tell them to go straight for the gold (the following three or four albums).

Phew, that was a good first review, I think. I certainly look forward to future reviews, and I'll try to mainly focus on albums that get less attention. Again, I'm pleased to be participating in one of the leading website communities on progressive music, and in a sense giving back to all of the incredible music this site has lead me to discover. Happy progging everyone!

The beginning of the Rush legend. This is the album that most Rush fans heard first, if they were there when the band began (I wasn't, but I heard this album and Moving Pictures at the same time). And it is a classic. The playing is at an absolute best for this type of music, in this period. The band is playing their hard prog style to the absolute limits on the title track. I really can't imagine what else they would have done in this style after this. Keyboards were neccesary to expand...

This album is a classic for two reasons. For many people, it is a classic because of the title track. Some consider this Rush's best song, their best epic, their reason for existence, the song they never topped etc. And then they go "oh yeah, side two is okay." I will say this for the title track: the opening and ending of the song are Rush's best hard prog moments. The way the overture alternates so effortlessly between captivating riff after captivating riff is truly impressive. The band had really gelled and had finally gotten into a style that really suited their abilities. And there's on lyrics during the beginning or the end (well, a few during the end...) which makes it so much more enjoyable for me. And they take up a good five to six minutes of the song, if not more, which puts me in a good mood already. After Geddy intones "and the meek shall inherit the earth..." and the band erupts into that classic riff for the "Temples of Syrnix" section, most Rush fans are in heaven. I'm still enjoying it myself: that vocal melody and riff are absolutely great, one of the best moments in Rush history. So, it's about ten to twelve minutes of very goo music on this song...unfortunately, that goes away. The rest of the track is merely okay. I will say this: I like the way Lifeson fiddles around with his guitar to impersonate somebody slowly learning guitar. And the riff he plays under Geddy's singing is good. But the atmosphere of this section is way too silly, and the lyrics way too pedestrian. In fact, the lyrics in the title track are amongst Neil's worse. For as much as I dislike Ayn Rand, I can't deny the fact that she was a decent writer with some ability to create interesting scenarios, plots, and characterizations. As for Neil Peart...let's just say I'm glad he hasn't given us that novel yet. This whole plot, about solar federations, the banning of music and art, dystopian futures...it has been done so often in rock and roll that it's a cliche. The results range from much much better than this song (LIfehouse by the Who) to arguably worse (Killroy Was Here by Styx) but I couldn't imagine a more cliched subject for Neil to tackle. And he does it in his blunt, irritating way. What's worse, is that the band during most of the rest of this section suffers from something that would occasionally plague them latter: pushing the lyrics up front and forgetting about the music. I can't remember any melody or riff after the whole "I found this here guitar" section and the song only gets going again after the narrator commits suicide. This section would only really truly erupt live on stage, but it's still a lot of fun. Except they ruin this even, with the whole "attention all planets from the solar federation" section. So, the song isn't a success as a whole, but at least half of the song is enjoyable. If it was an EP of just this song, I'd give it a three.

However, this album has other songs on it. Five other songs. Sometimes people forget that. And they shouldn't, because these songs help save the album. These songs show the final maturation of Rush as songwriters in this idiom. Side 2 is probably the best side of music that Rush ever made in this early period. In fact, if the band could have maintained this high level of songwriting throughout their career, and had focused solely on this style, they could still have been a popular and interesting band. It is to their credit that they pushed ahead into unknown boundaries as often as they did.

Passage To Bangkok has a great intro riff, and an even better chorus riff. The melodies here are instantly memorable. The band is playing great. It's a great song. The lyrics are about getting stoned...unusual for Peart. So I can definitely dig it.

Twilight Zone has a very strange atmosphere to it. The intro riff isn't as distinct as I'd like, but it's still interesting. The verses seem slightly upbeat, which is kind of weird considering the topic of the song. So I can dig that. And the choruses are extremely downbeat and atmospheric. Again, the band shows a great understanding of dynamic contrasts. The song has good melodies, and the lyrics aren't bad. However, as Mark Prindle said, they really only mention one eerie thing, but they still help set an interesting mood and combined with the melody help make the song very strong.

Lessons. Now we're getting into some controversial territory. It is a song with lyrics written by...Eric Lifeson. Uh oh! No Neil Peart? No Ayn Rand blather? No sci-fi thematics? Whatever shall we Rush fans do? Eh, the lyrics are okay, if indistinct. They don't really create a mood, image, or theme for me, but they don't irritate me either. They sing well, which is sometimes more than you can say for Peart's lyrics. The song itself is another great example of Rush dynamics: the verses sound almost like a typical soft rock or folk song. "Sweet memories..." Tell me you can't hear James Taylor singing something like that? But then, the pre-chorus comes in, and the rock guitars enter and Geddy's singing gets more strident. Then the chorus comes in, and the riff is different, and equally memorable, and the melody is solid and interesting. In fact, this might be the best song on the album...maybe. At least musically. It's definitely better lyrically than 2112 in that it's not embarassing or stupid.

The next song is Tears which is another controversial song. It was written by Geddy, and is a ballad. This is one of the rare Rush ballads that works for me. It has a great melody, and the music is lush enough to make it pretty. The mellotron definitely helps here. The lyrics are nothing to write home about, but they're not completely banal.

Neil comes back lyrically with Something For Nothing which is a great album closer. More great riffs and melodies, more dynamic contrasts, and a drive and force that almost matches the overture in the 2112 suite. The lyrics are typical Peart, but not awful. In fact, besides the 2112 lyrics, Neil doesn't really embarass himself here. He's getting better. In fact, this is the first album by the band that can be considered a solid consistent album, that is great all the way from the beginning to the end...except for ten minutes of the 2112 suite. In fact, if the band had made those ten minutes better, this would be a solid five stars. However, it's not a masterpiece. It's simply their best hard prog album, hands down. After this, they had nowhere else to go in that idiom, and instead of repeating the album, they tried to branch out with keyboards, and move into a more progressive direction, which is laudable. But the results may not have been...

To me this is the first Rush album that really showed what the band was able to. The album is made up of several short tracks and the epic title track, which is as you might expect, the most important track on the album.

The tiltle track "2112" is made up out of several different parts representing different chapters in the story the song tells. The story is about a man who finds a guitar in a distant future ruled by technology, I'm not going to tell the whole story, cause it's very enjoyable to listen to it by hearing the song. The first part is "Overture", which is my favorite part of the song. It's not as progressive as you might expect, it is in fact just a bunch of cheesy riffs thrown together with some excitement added...but the cheesy riffs all are fantastic! so is the pretty short guitar solo, a very great opener. Second is "The Temples Of Syrinx", which is in the same style as "Overture", but contains great vocals and some different riffs. Though being a good and enjoyable part, it is nothing special actually. "Discovery" is next. This is a pretty soft part, rain can be heard on the background and Alex supports Geddy Lee's singing with some clean guitar playing. "Presentation" starts out with a gentle and funky section, that returns several more times. The funky riff sometimes makes places for a distorted riff. Both different styles are used as a dialogue between the hero and the priest of the temples of Syrinx. Suddenly a powerful guitar solo comes in, very haunting. "Oracle: The Dream" is a heavier part in the style of "Temples Of Syrinx", it's more diverse than "Temples..." and better I think. "Soliloquy" is a very soft and sad part, it isn't very special, but tells the story excellent. "The Grand Finale" is the final part, and it really is a grand finale. "2112" ends in the style of "Overture", the reffs are different and the part is overall more bombastic. An excellent prog-outro I think. "2112" is not as good or progressive as some of Rush's latter epic's, like Xanadu and Hemispheres, but it is a great track, sometimes a little bit cheesy and not always very proggy. This song is a essential track for anybody who is into Rush.

The rest of the album is much weaker than the title track, "A Passage To Bangkok" has some nice riffs, but really lacks the spirit, not one of my Rush favorites at all.

"The Twilight Zone" is the best of the short tracks, not one of Rush's bests, but a very decent one. The song starts out with a catchy intro and changes into different styles. The funky and mystical verses both are very good and Alex pulls out a nice solo.

"Lessons" is very uninteresting, it's a poppy song with some heavy riffing in it. That's a pretty strange combination and the song could have been pretty good if the happy acoustic verses were replaced by something heavier, cause the heavy riffs are pretty nice.

"Tears" is a ballad, it's a gentle, sad song. Tears is not my favorite Rush ballad, but it is a nice song, not enjoyable in every different mood of course, as it is a ballad.

"Something For Nothing" is a decent track, very much in the style of "Lessons", but it's less poppy and much more powerful. The song has some nice riffs, great vocals from Geddy Lee and two nice guitar solo's, one fading out and closing the album.

"2112" is not one of Rush's best albums I think. The title track is excellent, but the shorter tracks are all only decent or even bad, so I have mixed feelings about this album. I will rate the album three stars, because of the amazing title track, the others leaves me uninterested.

Rush meets Rush for an intergalactic stoner romp through time and space.

This is the first "real" album for Rush. This is where they overtly shed their very plain and easily noticed influences in favor of their own identifying sound. the title track is also one of the most well known songs in their catalog.

This is also where they finally began playing as a full band, and not just a group of people jamming together. The title track which takes up half the album houses many very good musical ideas, and most of them are explored adequately. Still, many weak moments pop up from time to time. The fiery first seven minutes of the song are pure classic, while the song slowly dips farther and farther down as it progresses along.

The softer segments never went across well to me. I felt that Geddy's voice wasn't strong enough to skillfully implicate the song's theme, and their prowess as a band only shines on a few key portions of the song. As much a powerful statement 2112 can be, it is held back by stagnation from previous tendencies, and the lyrics haven't gotten much better. the hard rock past has been amplified, and they rock harder than ever before, but it still hasn't risen above some somewhat simplistic structures and rhythms.

Side two is the normal gamut of hard rock with progressive touches that Rush so expertly perform. The arrangements are solid, and never offend. A Passage To Bangkok is well enough for a rocker, but the keyboard touches bother me. Not the strongest seen, but competent.

The Twilight Zone is the first major sag in quality. They get softer, and it doesn't flow well. The main melody is fine, and the guitar wails, but after that, it all goes weak and meandering. Geddy doesn't show off, masterfully, but the mood it creates is serviceable. In fact, the entire second side is mainly classic hard rock, with a Rush tint. Lessons cultivates this notion with the derivative main guitar riff, and almost power ballad in the use of singing register and simplistic acoustics.

Tears drops even lower.It slows down even more, and the main theme is even more shallow, but not as shallow as the worst from previous albums. An improvement overall, but mainly in Rush having found their sound, rather than any real technical progression or advancement. Something for Nothing closes adequately. The song feels stiff, and they don't have cohesion that the first side had. The album's atmosphere is far stronger than any other album Rush made, so far, but this still feels like amateur composition by the band.

In all, you get a lot of hit and miss with the first real Rush album, with many highlight moments on side one, and side two being very much the latter, as it caters to the simplistic classic rock fan. A more coherent and "together" album than anything they made, but lacks a consistently high quality.

Best Moment - Side 1

Worst Moment - Side 2 (lessons/tears specifically)

*** Interstellar Stars

There is no point in beating around the bush about it, 2112 is immensely good fun.

The stage is set for a serious and contemplative work, the concept of the title track being a meditation on individuality set to the tale of a free thinker who attempts to bring music to an oppressive dystopian future.

With all due respect to the intellectual prowess of thinking drummer Neal Peart ? it wouldn't matter if it was a song about the best way to eat a banana, blindfolded, while riding a unicycle*, what matters is that it is great. With an explosive assault of an introduction Rush batter away any suspicion that the concept could crush the life out the music with its weightiness. We are treated to a 20 minute extravaganza of soaring bass, crisp guitar work and thunderous drum fills. Fists clench, feet tap and hands drum, unbidden by the brain. The sheer musical enthusiasm gets under your skin and raises a smile in all but the most rock- phobic listener.

The enormous noise and energy that Rush achieve in the side-long title track does wane slightly in parts of the second half of the album. 'The Twilight Zone' and 'Lessons' are good tracks, but don't live up to the excellence of '2112'. 'Tears' is a worthwhile attempt at a slower number, but it doesn't quite ring true and sounds a little out of place. 'Passage to Bangkok' and 'Something for Nothing', on the other hand, are both blazingly brilliant. The former driven by a deceptively powerful eastern tinged riff, the latter being a classic high tempo rocker.

2112 isn't quite a perfect album, but it could be forgiven any multitude of sins by its enormous energy, you'd be hard pressed to find a more entertaining and fun album anywhere.

* the best way is blended through a tube attached to a bladder in a rucksack, obviously.

Listen to my music, And hear what it can do, Theres something here as strong as life, I know that it will reach you.

This album is very easy to review in my opinion, and probably i have to give the same rating as many other people. Side 1 is something magnificient and Side 2 is something else, except for "A passage to bangkok".

In this album we saw Rush take a very big leap in their music, and the track 2112 is the result of that leap. I'm not going to analyze this album further, but there is one thing i have noticed with Rush music. It really catches the ear of the listener. I have many friends who dislike prog in general, but sometimes i hear them singing the "We are the priests" anthem(i've even catched my girlfriend singing these lyrics!). That said i think 2112 is a solid 4 star album, not a masterpiece but far from bad.

I really like 2112, it's like I have an epic weakness for the first side, but the second side, not as much. Oh how I love the opening sounds of Overture, those hard guitar riffs by Alex Lifeson, accompanied by 2 great musicians, Geddy Lee and Neil Peart.

Overture passes onto Temples of Syrinx, and it feels like they never stop. The hard guitar riffs of Lifeson mentioned earlier continue one into another like an endless stream, to be continued until eternity. After the riff part of Temples of Syrinx, it starts to cool down on the riffs and Geddy starts singing, and boy how can he sing. Many people dislike Geddy's vocals, and those who don't, worship them like vocalists can't be worshipped.

Overture then mellows down to a 3-minute guitar tuning session (you know who you are), which is a relaxating piece only featuring Lifeson on an acoustic guitar. He starts with open strings and simple notes, then moves onto complex chord sequences, which cue Geddy's vocals, once again.

The 2112 suite is not full of vocals like Caress of Steel's Fountain of Lamneth, it features heavy use of instrumental sections, used to demonstrate what the Rush trio has really got, much like Camel's The Snow Goose.

The second side starts with A Passage to Bangkok, a very nice riff-based song, but it's riff doesn't compare to those of The 2112 suite.

The second song on the second side is Twilight Zone, a song based on the TV show from the 60's. It is a rocky yet mellow song, with lots of chords, unlike other riff-based Rush songs.

After that, there are 3 songs, Lessons, Tears, and Something for Nothing. Lessons is a nice song, featuring a chordy verse yet a very heavy and diverse chorus with an amazing solo by Lifeson, and high-ranging vocals by Geddy. Tears is a mellow song, written by Geddy, not really recommended, and not a favorite for the heavy Rush fans. Something for Nothing is sort of a lame addition to the album, as it is, like Tears, not a favorite for fans of the hard rock sound of Rush.

4/5 for 2112. I haven't talked about Peart's drumming, because Rush fans who have acquired previous albums just need to know that Neil Peart delivers what's needed.

Seen by most as their best accomplishment from their beginnings, it sure is a wonderful album. But there are some weaker spots in the song writing (Twilight zone, Lessons) that bring down the average quality of the album. Also, not as a point of criticism but merely as an observation, this is still a hard rock album. Yes, there's a 20 minute title track but that's made up of 6 separate hard rock songs that do no interact much musically, only lyrically. 2112 is a strong album no doubt, but only for those interested in the hardrock side of Rush, the real prog rock years were lurking on the horizon.

The first album from Rush I listened to was Presto, the second one was 2112. Presto was OK, and I still didn't get the buzz about this great band(now my all-time favorite band). Only after I've listened to 2112 my life changed. It's a concept album inspired by Ayn Rand's "Anthem"(which they named their label and a song from "Fly by Night"), about a guy who found a guitar and present it to the priests of Syrinx in a dystopian future. Where the priests "take care of everything, the words you hear and the songs you sing". later They tell him the guitar is "another toy,who helped destroyed the elder race of man", they destroy his guitar while later he is having a vision of the past world where everyone has freewill. The music is amazing with the first part inspired by Tchaikovsky's 1812 overture. Geddy's singing is something that grows on you. When you first hear him you can't be OK with it, you either Love it or Hate it. I fell in love with his singing, and with the whole band.

This is the ultimate example of how Progressive Rock album should be.

2112 is the only 70's album I have from Rush- so far at least. Rush combines hard rock , progressive rock, and elements from other genres, such as metal, to make a sound that has become a favorite of both prog fans and non-prog fans. Rush manages to make music that is unique and non-derivative, but also accessible and not particularly hard to wrap one's head around.

2112 begins with the epic, multi-part title track. It begins with the heavy, sprawling, guitar-led Overture. That then goes into The Temples of Syrinx, which continues this dynamic, but adds Lee's excellent high-pitched vocals. After that comes Discovery, a more quiet, laid-back part. Then is Presentation, which combines Temples and Discovery, going back and forth between these two styles as different parties speak. After that, Oracle: The Dream and Soliloquy are hopeful, powerful pieces, and the song ends with Grand Finale, an instrumental that concludes the 20-minute song in... well, grand fashion. After that come A Passage to Bangkok and The Twilight Zone, energetic rock tunes in traditional Rush fashion. Lessons is much like the previous two songs, though not so much energetic as rousing. Then comes Tears, a sad, tender ballad-type song. And finally, Something for Nothing, which continues in the same fashion as Lessons. Overall, it is a good album, that makes a nice addition to anybody's collection. Three stars, recommended to fans of hard rock and otherwise heavy prog.

The early progressive masterpiece of Rush!

Indeed, this is a masterpiece in all extention of word, there are many disagrees with this album but this one is in the list of 1001 albums you have to hear before die or something.. I have my first experience with this album thru The Twilight zone when I hear this one i thought wow what a great song! so I got the album and it blew me ok ok not the first time but with severals listenings I loved it.. Also in this album we have the 4 epic of Rush (By tor- Necromancer-The fountain) and perhaps the most popular, everyone have listened Overture/The temples of Syrinx but all the Suite its exciting,,

After this one we have single songs with any reference to the 2112 Suite, but these songs rocks, A passage to Bangkok its a great song with an Oriental riff taste, The Twilight zone is the darkest one here the bass line is amazing, Lesson and Tears contains lyrics written by Alex and Geddy respectivily, both are great song!!.. And the last one is written by Neil maybe if you read the whole history of this album you can find any sense with 2112, by the way the riff on this one is superb.

In summary this great album is a MUST have in any prog rock collection but if you dont think so at least for rush fans is a Must... Give it a deeply try and you´ll love the whole album....Epic!

Opening with the masterful 2112, just over 20 minutes long split into 7 sections (it took a while to get round to listen to it as it was before i'd really got into prog when i first was sent it over e-mail by my dad which is kinda funny since he doesn't particularly like prog at all) its probably my favorite song of thiers, I love the storyline behind it though i'm not familiar with Ayn Rand maybe I should look him up hmm...anyway getting back to the songs, the suite grabs me within the Overture and keeps me hooked until the Grand Finale, (the song Oracle i really like Geddy's vocals) in my opinion a five star song within itself.

The shorter songs are pretty good, i like them all very much A Passage to Bangkok, The Twlight Zone are my favorites out of the bunch but wouldn't discredit any of them.

The cover is nice to look at even though it's somewhat basic, i enjoy the bold colours it uses and the striking red star really caught my eye when I got it.

How is it that 2112 is so underrated here? This album, and everything about it, is fantastic. The title track is more or less a textbook example of the perfect progressive rock epic. The rocking instrumental sections in the "Overture" and "Grand Finale" meld well with the acoustic doodlings and lighter rock that comprise the middle, creating a most satisfying listen, and certainly the best side-long piece ever written. The second side, oft overlooked, has a lot of solid tracks as well. "A Passage to Bangkok" in particular is an example of Rush's dominance over the short-form progressive piece, and "Something for Nothing" is a perfect hard rocker. Nothing about this album disappoints, and I'm continually amazed at how overlooked it can be.

2112 is where things really got on their way for Rush. Conceived as another make it or break it release, after the unsuccessful Caress Of Steel, the band finally received the recognition they deserved!

The track 2112 is a mind blowing experience. I remember listening to it after already hearing Permanent Waves and Moving Pictures not really knowing what to expect so it really took me by surprise. The band managed to fuse the musical and lyrical themes into one continuous and very coherent story arc which is something that only highly experienced artists can pull off. I would like to note that I never considered Rush to be a progressive band, instead they fit in the same sub-category of as such great artists like The Beatles and David Bowie. The band took in the influences of times and added them into the mix by broadening the scope of their music direction. Unlike other artists who only took a quick stab at different genres only to create a series of poorly composed releases, these chameleon type of bands and artists managed to put their newly acquired sound direction to good use by creating a massive following of their particular take on this sound of the times.

The second part of this album falls in the same disappointing category as ELP's Tarkus for me. These shorter 3-4 minute compositions don't leave much of a lasting impression but luckily, since there aren't any truly terrible tunes here, they maintain the album afloat all throughout its duration. A Passage To Bangkok and Something For Nothing are generally considered to be the better compositions out of the bunch but to me they just sound like poor versions of the great short tracks from the band's previous albums. Incidentally, is there a possible connection between succeeding in one songwriting category while automatically failing miserably in the other, especially one that you already assumed to be a master of? For me Geddy Lee's Tears is easily the highlight since it offers a nice melody combined with some really sentimental lyrics.

This album might not be an all around excellent release but the title track still keeps 2112 an important album to fans of classic epic songwriting. This one is definitely a keeper!

***** star songs: 2112 (20:37)

**** star songs: Tears (3:31)

*** star songs: A Passage To Bangkok (3:34) The Twilight Zone (3:17) Lessons (3:51) Something For Nothing (3:59)

If for no other reason than how very important I consider this album to be in Prog Metal and Hard Rock/Prog history, '2112' should be an item of interest to even the most general of prog fans. In this respect I consider it "essential". Not a masterpiece, but "essential" nonetheless.

Caress of Steel was a mere 'practice run' for this album. This is the album that marks the 'coming of age' of Prog-Arena Rock. '2112' was the band's breakthrough album as evidenced by the extent to which a blazing red star "held high in hand" would become deeply associated in the fans' consciousness as the band's "symbol" for no few years to follow.

This is the album that should be famous (some might say infamous!) for paving the pathway for our Prog-Metal music of today. While this album is not prog-metal at all, and many modern Prog-Metal bands may distance themselves from the association, virtually an entire generation of Proggie Metal-heads and Hard Rockers cited Rush as a major influence. Another very strong branch of the Prog-Metal family tree traces through Dream Theater back to Rush. The goal of Prog Metal-ites is not so much to reproduce Rush as much as it is to pick up where the band left off and to realize the fully complex and powerful potential of which the trio only 'scratched the surface' in the 1970's.

Of course, Prog Metal doesn't exactly have to be your favorite sub-genre of prog in order to enjoy this album on a purely musical level. The 'epic' "Side One" 7-part title track holds my attention from start to finish. Side Two is weaker but ends strong with the thoughtful, if slightly preachy, "Something for Nothing".

Like Darkside Of The Moon, this album is a wee bit overrated, but it's one of those albums that lives up to it's standards.

After the positive feedback of Caress Of Steel, Rush decided to take things one step further, and make their songs even longer.

Yes, there is only one epic on this album, but my God, is it epic. Yes the title track is monumentous and is an amazing piece of music.

The other songs are extremely strong album tracks and are the perfect songs for releasing singles (Rush aren't a singles band, as you may know by now.

1. 2112 - The title track really is something. This song is actually quite special to me, because it was the first ever Rush song that I had heard from start to finish, and I was addicted to it straight away. I also have a very odd memory of this song, having listened to it from start to finish while I was pondering around a hospital (my brother had a seizure, and he reviews on this site now, yay). The song starts off with an amazing space like feel with some amazing sound effects that makes me ponder did they even exist in the mid 70's. The Temples Of Syrinx is a classical moment of the song with an amazing chours that's really anthemic. The Discovery part is quite calm and I love how it tells the story of the album using sound effects. The next part, Presentation is amazing, with Geddy changing his voice to suit different characters. The Oracle part is very magical followed by a quite sombre Soliloquoy. The last part is amazing with the fading line, " we have assumed control," that sends shivers down my spine every time I hear it.

2. A Passage To Bangkok - A song about drugs I believe. Yes this song has an amazing chorus, and I love the oriental like sections.

3. The Twilight Zone - I'm not too fond of the lyrics of this song, their a bit too childish in the verses. The chorus is great though, presenting a really eerie tone.

4.Lessons -A very Led Zeppelin like happy song. Very cheery and another great chorus (this album is full of these.)

5. Tears - A more solemn ballad like side of the album. I love the mellotron sections, very prog.

6. Something For Nothing - Very kick ass way to end the album. Another great chorus. This is one of those songs that paved the way for Iron Maiden, I expect.

CONCLUSION: Classic album. If you don't have it, then there must be something wrong with you.

A prog classic, I won't beat this review to death, but I had to get around to it! After all, how could I not? This is 2112 by Rush. I was actually surprised when I heard this album, at the time the only "true" prog rock band I really knew was King Crimson, and I suppose Pink Floyd as well. So the heaviness, and overall hard rock feel on "2112" threw me a curveball. Well, I loved it!

This is a pretty good album. Prog rock, (as opposed to metal, tech metal, etc) is not my forte but I really thought of this as more of a hard rock album, but with definite prog rock tendencies. The opening song seems like a 20 minute epic but it feels more like a bunch of songs grouped into one. I'm used to gaps in music but too many maybe? I don't know, doesn't flow well. Maybe a book with chapters? However, bunch of songs or prog epic aside, it is a great song and the intro had me thinking I was about to listen to space rock!

Tears is the only song on the album I don't really like. No doubt it is mellow and melodic, but it does not hold me very well. Not a terrible song, but I really don't want to go out of my way at all to listen to it. The rest are all good, and it does not drag often. Lots of good hard rock riffs, with some space rock, melodicism, and prog rock feel thrown in. The musicianship on this album is really superb. Lifeson lays down a lot of great riffs, solos (and varies their style throughout) and holds the album together well. Peart's drumming is really good, and Lee's bass playing is as well. His vocals took some time to get used to. Talk about prog being influenced by the hard rock/psychadellic bands of the 60's! Besides the music, listening to Lee's vocals you'd think it was Robert Plant from Led Zeppelin!

Good album, don't know if it's for all proggers. I am really torn between three and four here. When this happens I take my gut instinct and here I want to bump it up to four. However, my true rating for this album is

Three and a Half stars

If there's such a thing as The Stereotypical Rush Album, then this is almost certainly it. Pretty much any serious discussion of Rush will bring this album up early on, and I've found reactions mostly tend to fall either into worshipping the album or spitting upon it. As often happens in such cases, I fall in the middle.

As with Caress, this album shows Rush showing itself as both a prog rock band and as a more conventional 70's hard rock band. This time around, though, this division actually seems to have been totally planned, and the confused feel of the last album is gone on this one. The production is also a LOT stronger and more forceful here than there, even if the sound still isn't as powerful as on Fly by Night. This album also lightly introduces synthesizers (and even a mellotron here and there) into the band's sonic pallette, and they work more effectively than I might have thought from just listening to the band's first three albums.

The first side is occupied in its entirety by the famous title track suite, with which I am not head-over-heels in love. The story is closely based off of Anthem (it also has some similarities to the plot of Lifehouse), and the liner notes contain the sentence, "Dedicated to the genius of Ayn Rand." Basically, the story concerns a future totalitarian society in which The Priests of the Temples of Syrinx control everything that people can read and listen to. One day, a man makes the archaeological discovery of an electric guitar, which he is instantly able to start playing in a way that produces coherent music. He shows the guitar to The Priests, thinking they'll be all proud of him and amazed at his discovery, but instead they tell him it's of no use to them and they destroy it. The protagonist then sulks about this (and has a vision of the world in which this guitar was created) until he's gotten so depressed that he kills himself. The end. Wow, Neil.

Needless to say, I'm not at all impressed by the concept of this piece, and it's really the quintessential example of why Rush tend to annoy the living crap out of me. The more "dramatic" moments of the piece work for me only as unintentional comedy; hearing Geddy squeal "I don't think I can carry on!" and "My lifeblood spills over..." inevitably makes me laugh every time, and the ending "announcement" is one of the most ridiculous things I've ever heard on a rock album. The closest comparison I could make would be to the ridiculous "This is our Independence Day!'" speech in that 1996 movie, and that is definitely not a compliment.

So ok, I don't like the lyrics or the story, but what about the music? Well, truth be told, I think the actual music of the "Overture/Temples of Syrinx" part is fantastic, and close to the best (and at least the most powerful) music to come from Rush in the 70's. A bit too much of it is taken up with dated sound effects, but when the band is actually playing, it almost seems as if they've found a bottomless well of cool riffs. Plus, the lyrics are so over-the-top hilarious that, in the context of these good riffs, it's almost impossible for them to hurt anything, and they even almost contribute to my enjoyment of the piece. The rest of the piece, though, strikes me as thoroughly mediocre. Only the reprises of the opening theme have much of a positive effect on me at all; the rest of the time, the emphasis is clearly on the lyrics, and the music just isn't memorable to me in either melody nor in arrangements. So basically, the first half of the album consists of seven minutes of greatness, and thirteen minutes of me waiting for the second side to start.

The second half of the album, then, is where I get most of my enjoyment, and is the reason this album almost gets a ****. The Lifeson-penned hard-rocker "Lessons" is a messy throwaway, but I find every other song on the side to be good or better. "Passage to Bangkok" has a great set of riffs and some decent lyrics that seem to be about going to various drug-producing locations in the world, and is a Rush song I can easily get in the mood for. "The Twilight Zone" has some goofy lyrics, but they amuse me, and I find the introduction great and the song itself quite good, so it can stick around.

The last two tracks end the album on an extremely high note, and ultimately ensure the album its grade. My personal favorite is the oft-ignored but oh-so-beautiful ballad "Tears." Laugh if you want, but I think it has an absolutely beautiful acoustic guitar line, a nice vocal melody, lyrics that are good enough for the song's purpose, and even effective mellotron use. Yes, it's a "wussy" song, but I can't help it if I think the wimpiest song on the album is easily the best. At the other extreme, the closing "Something for Nothing" is a screeching rocker with some nice guitar lines and a GREAT memorable chorus. The lyrics strike me as stupid and obnoxious (they read like a Libertarian creed in parts), but they're delivered with enough power that that is at least somewhat offset.

In the end, I actually consider this a perfectly ok album, and a necessity for all Rush fans. It just so happens that my reasons for liking it will be different from the reasons that most Rush fans will have for enjoying it. Slice through the pomp and half-baked "artsiness" of the title suite, and what you're left with is a really decent 70's hard rock album.

This album is a masterpiece and is the reason I listen to prog. Everything seems to fall right in place for the band on this album. It has amazing solos vocals drumming and bass. The title track is up there with "close to the edge and "suppers ready" in terms of extended tracks. Its one of the songs that will stay with you. Alex Lifeson is underrated but amazing and it shows in his solo near the end of 2112. and unlike some albums Cough tarkus cough. The songs after the main track are also very good and finish the album off well. This is the ultimate Rush album as well

This album gets a 5 and an instant recommendation.

Rush was the first progressive rock band I ever started seriously listening to starting with this album. While in high school a acquaintance of mine lent me a copy of 2112 which converted me to a fan within its first six minutes. Everything in the album seemed much more intricate than your run of the mill rock band.

The first half of this album is the real bread winner. While it is one song that lasts what to normal rock fans a tedious 20 minutes, it seems to fly by quick with exciting drum fills and guitar riffs. The most difficult thing to appreciate from this album would be Geddy Lee's vocals which are very high pitched, and seemed more forced than many other vocalists.

The second half of the album has a few songs all lasting within three minutes. These songs are enjoyable and a fun listen, but not up to snuff compared to the title track.

If you enjoy harder rock and progressive rock Rush would be recommended as they meld the two genres quite well.

THERE'S SOMETHING HERE AS STRONG AS LIFE, I KNOW THAT IT WILL REACH YOU

With 2112, Rush entered definitely in the spotlight. The title track became their most famous epic song, an evocative science fiction piece in a orwellian world where the main character discovers a "strange device" that awakes beauty and emotion in a cold, sanitized world. Of course, the device is a musical instrument, so in the end 2112 is an ode to music.

Lyrically interesting and evocative as it is, musically it is not yet then that Rush mastered the art of epic songs. They still struggle to make the piece sound as a whole, to make smoother transitions between the different parts of the song. It is funny to think that many prog bands could compose sidelong complex music but struggle to make it lyrically cohese and coherent. Rush had precisely the opposite problem, and 2112 is a perfect example. That only emphasizes Neil's lyrical talent.

Despite the small holes in the song's craft, 2112 is still a great song and an obvious improvement from the previous albums' epic tracks. Very good melodies, powerful solos and guitar riffs (as usual), an interesting vocal work, an exciting opening, delicate passages and a dramatic climax. The song has it all.

Side 2 is far less ambitious, and a bit more flawed. The songs all clock under 4 minutes and, though not bad, sound underdeveloped. The hard rockers A Passage to Bangkok and Something for Nothing are the highlights. In between them, three slower pieces not particularly attractive, that doesn't sound very different one from the other. A Passage to Bangkok has some interesting percussion and a catchy guitar riff backed by mandolin. Something for Nothing is a song in the vein of Anthem and Bastille Day, with ambitious lyrics and powerful guitar work. Though it has an unresolved coda - as the live version will prove - still is a nice way to close the album.

It is interesting to notice that 2112 suffers from the exact opposite problem they had for the previous album, where the progressive songs were clearly the weakest points. This time, they worked harder on their progressive composing skills, with a huge improvement, while the shorter, hard rockers are a little bit less enjoyable, probably because they didn't give it the same careful treatment.

I had a really hard time evaluating what would be the fair rating to this album, because it pales in comparison to average 4-star albums, and it is quite unbalanced: tracks 3 to 5 are considerably weaker, while tracks 2 and 6 are very good, but a bit unresolved, as it is, in fact, the title track. The latter has not the cohesion I expect from an epic song, but its good moments are actually great, and most of the album is perfectly enjoyable and appealing to prog rock fans. Balancing all its ups and downs, I give it 4 stars.

As their most ambitious work to date, 2112 shows an evident leap in quality, particularly in their composing skills and progressive sound. Nevertheless, Rush was (still) a rough diamond. But that was to change soon, very soon.

[Procede to live album All the World's a Stage for chronological reviewing]

This is my first Rush album. And one of my favorite albums in general. Though I'm only really regarding the title track as it, seeing as side 2, very much in the same vein as ELP's Tarkus, seems to be some fooling around with some ideas, though you can find a few good tracks there, if you're not easily scared away by the 'evil' radio friendly music, seeing as they are all pretty short.

It should be said I got this in 2009, at the age of 14, and i never had any connection between this and "pot smoking". If you're a fan of classic liberalism/libertarianism/Ayn Rand then this, and Rush in general, will just appeal that more to you.

But all in all, this is the perfect mix between hard rock and prog rock.

"2112" is, listen closely folks, THE GREATEST SONG OF ALL TIME. It is not only my favorite Rush song, it is my favorite song by any band, ever. But, one song never makes an album, as 2112 is merely 20 minutes, theres still almost 20 more minutes. If it weren't for these extra 20 minutes, this would be the greatest album ever, but alas they exist. But they aren't terrible. Here is my track-by-track review of 2112:

0) Artwork: (8/10) It gets the 8 for introducing the starman who would forever be the mascot of Rush. Other than that its pretty plain (which is not a bad thing at all).

1) 2112 (11/10) I know its maybe not allowed, but if there was ever a song deserving an 11, it is this. All twenty minutes are simply amazing, and the band is at they're ultimate high point. I shall review part by part: I. Overture: An amazing instrumental. Really sets the bar for the rest of the song, as every instrument is amazing. II. The Temples of Syrinx: Really incomplete without Overture, this short bit is excellent. III. Discovery: An essential part of the song, very creative how you can listen to the discoverer learn how to play. IV. Presentation: So original how you can hear the man's point of view with the soft guitars, and then the Priests with the harder music. Very well done. V. Oracle: The Dream: Chaotic guitars prompt thoughts of suicide, then the dream. Interesting part, and very emotionally charged. VI. Soliloquy: Pure emotional excellence. Geddy's vocals just add to the emotional guitars to really make you sadden. Maybe the best part of the song. VII. The Grand Finale: Excellent closure to the song. Every time I hear this I think of a battle that occurs over the nation controlled by the Priests. Excellent instrumental, and then it closes with the famous "Attention all plants of the solar federation, attention all plants of the solar federation, attention all plants of the solar federation, we have assumed control, we have assumed control, we have assumed control."

2) A Passage To Bangkok (7/10) Ah, the beginning of the infamous side two of the album. Catchy riffs and chill vocals exemplify the stoner lyrics.

3) The Twilight Zone (7/10) Another catchy, yet not amazing, song. Based off of the show of the same name, this song is a satisfactory, multi-layered song.

4) Lessons (8/10) A fun song with great lyrics. Rush doing what they do, but softer. At least until around the minute and a half mark and then it starts to get edgier. Enjoyable.

5) Tears (7/10) An emotional ballad written by Geddy with beautiful instruments to accompany his vocals, which seem to be comfortable singing along to something that he wrote. Probably one of Rush's best songs in terms of singing, but it's really not Rush.

6) Something For Nothing (7/10) The album ends on a rather disappointing note with this hard rocker. It sounds like something off of Fly By Night, but it is good nonetheless.

Overall: 56/60= 9.3/10= 4.65/5

The title track is the greatest song of all time, but the pedestrian 2nd side slows down this album. But still a definite five star rating here.

There's probably not a lot I can add to the numerous reviews written about this classic album, the one that catapulted Rush from being an interesting Led Zeppelin sounding hard rock band, to one that bestrode the global stage.

This was THE album that any self respecting rock fan in the 70's had to own, with its incredible cover, and the correct way of calling it twenty one twelve, as opposed to non initiates who would say two thousand & etc.

The epic track itself was inspired by the writings of Ayn Rand, a Russian-American writer who was a powerful exponent of libertarianism. There was an amusing incident upon the album's release, in that New Musical Express accused the band of being a bunch of fascists, a charge that led to a refusal to speak to the rag which exists to this day. The charge was grossly unfair to Rand as much as anyone else, given that she also hated the corporate fascism espoused by Mussolini and others, as well as state socialism.

The epic itself stands up very well to the test of time. A track of seven distinct movements, which veer from melancholic to grand to out and out rocking. At the centre of it all is quite the most incredible vocal performance from Geddy Lee, it has as its hallmark the best of all concepts - it tells a complex story very simply, and for that Peart must take a huge amount of credit.

Side two, I'm afraid, does not stand up so well. Good enough, but not much in a progression from the earlier fare as the epic itself. In fact, listening to them now, I realise it will be many more years before curiousity gets the better of me again.

For that reason, this does not deserve the epithet "masterpiece", although it is, to me, an album which most definitely should be an essential part of any self respecting prog collection, if only to appreciate a slice of rock history.

Four stars. If you are a young reader of this, and haven't got around to exploring what classic hard rock was like in my younger days, then here is where to start.

Welcome to the twilight zone.

2112 is Rush's fourth studio album and is arguably their best. It is also one of their most successful albums reaching 61 on the album chart tin 1976. It is also a three-time multi platinum album, definitely making it their best selling album to date. The main track, "2112", talks of a man who finds a guitar and discovers how to play different music than that of the Priests of the Temples. When they find out they destroy his guitar and goes to a cave to commit suicide. Musicians on the album include Neal Peart on drums, Geddy Lee on bass and vocals, and Alex Lifeson on guitars.

The first song, "2112", begins with a spacey opening that dies down into an awesome riff by Alex Lifeson. Rush employs a cool echo effect on the riff, which blends in nicely with the synths and brilliant drumming of Neal Peart. They then transfer to the main lick which is speedy and totally instrumental for the first couple of minutes. The riff keeps repeating until Alex Lifeson has a great guitar solo, where the music slows down to accompany it. Then a very good sounding banjo joins the party, making it a very well rounded song. There is also a soft vocal section right after the instrumental section that then leads into harsher vocals. Neal Peart does a very nice job in this section drumming wise. Overall this is a great effort by Geddy Lee in terms of writing this song. It has very nice guitars and vocals, which become awesome licks and choruses.

A "Passage to Bangkok" starts off with a really cool riff, which sounds a lot like the Oriental Riff, by Alex Lifeson. The chorus is good, though the vocals are a bit high and squeaky, but they somewhat blend with the rest of the song. It then transfers to a cool instrumental section which is all guitar and bass, but than quickly goes back to the choruses and electric guitar. Tool uses the main riff of this song to introduce their song "Cold and Ugly" when they play live.

"Twilight Zone" starts off with just electric guitars and drums, which then transfers into a chorus that is much slower than the rest of the songs. The drums in this song seem to be much more basic and plain sounding. At the end of the song there is a really cool echo effect on the chorus that leads into a screaming guitar solo by Alex Lifeson. The song is based on two episodes of the Twilight Zone by Rod Serling that are "Will the Real Martian Stand Up?" and "Stopover in a Quiet Town".

The next song, "Lessons", has a cool acoustic opening with soft vocals that go back and forth from high pitched to a little lower. The chorus is a bit weak but it sounds good in the song, which employs the symbol very well. There is also another guitar solo to end the song.

"Tears" has a very good use of synths that go along nicely with the slow beginning vocals. Since it is slower it really breaks the album up because it is a lot different from the others, which are much faster. Rush also has the first guest performer of the album in Hugh Syme who plays mellotron on this song.

"Something for Nothing" features a nice riff opening up the song with the rest of the instruments joining in eventually. It starts a little slow put then it builds up to have a similar riff to that in "Passage to Bangkok". There is very solid drumming, and yet another guitar solo to round it off.

Yet another great release from Rush has come to my grasp and I have enjoyed it deeply. One thing I find curious is that almost every song ends with a guitar solo by Alex Lifeson, though this necessarily is not a bad thing since he is a vey solid guitarist. For their solid effort the deserve 4 stars, easy.

Let's start with the story behind the "2112" song. It certainly gets ragged on a lot. Some say it's just cheap Ayn Rand, some say it's elementary school philosophy, others say it's overblown science fiction. Well, if the story's so bad, why was it made into a major motion picture in 1984?

It wasn't made into a movie you say. Oh, but it was. I'll give you a hint. It starred Kevin Bacon, Sarah Jessica Parker, and John Lithgow.

That's right, "Footloose".

Other than the fact that music is banned in "2112," and dancing is banned in "Footloose," the stories are the same. In "2112" the main guy presents his guitar at the temple hall and is voted down by the Priests of Syrinx. In "Footloose" Kevin Bacon presents his idea for a dance at the town hall and is voted down by John Lithgow.

See, it's the same story. But instead of committing suicide, Kevin Bacon just decides to have his dance in the next town over? seems like a better option to me.

I shouldn't make jokes, because "2112" the song is a tour-de-force. It is a perfect 10. They play the first two sections with such aggression and strength that it almost sounds live, and I don't think they ever again match that level of energy in the studio. From there, the song takes a breather with "Discovery," then continues to build up through "Presentation," until the song absolutely explodes in "Oracle: The Dream," with Geddy singing the "I stand atop a spiral stair" section. This type of crescendo becomes ubiquitous in Rush epics moving forward, and it absolutely got me hooked on their music. If you've never heard this song, you are missing out; buy it.

The second half of the album is not on the same level, but it's still good. "Something for Nothing" is the best here, and it ranks as a close third behind "Anthem" and "Bastille Day" as their best short early rocker. I'm not a big fan of "Tears". Greg Lake would have loved to have the lyrics, and if you drenched it in Emerson keyboards, it could have been an ELP hit, but that's not a compliment in my book. You also have "Lessons," which is not bad, but not memorable. Lastly there's "The Twilight Zone," which has a killer bass line and nice guitar parts, but the lyrics are certainly not their best.

From a historical perspective in Rush's career, this album was critical. The record company did not like "Caress," so "2112" was really make or break, and it turned out to be a huge success. "2112" hit number 61 on the pop album charts and eventually went platinum. More importantly "2112" gave Rush the confidence and artistic freedom to record whatever they wanted moving forward.

More at RMR- www.rushmusicreviews.com

To write a slightly balanced review of an album that has meant a heck of a lot to me for the last twenty years is difficult. But it has to be done, I am afraid.

2112 really does not need any introductions or any long review either. I will be brief and to the point in this review.

2112 is a seminal album in the history of progressive rock and in particular; art rock. The twenty minutes long title track is in my view one of the best ever rock epics. It has a lot of dept and twists most other epics are sadly lacking. It is on full par with the best epics Yes has written. It is a giant of an epic....... It also means a heck of a lot to me, these twenty minutes. The lyrics are also special in their weirdness. Yes, the over excited vocals is an acquired taste but that is only a small blemish on 2112. Geddy's vocals on the slow parts is brilliant though.

Then we have the shorter tracks at the end. A Passage To Bangkok is a classic and the same goes for Something For Nothing. The hidden gems here are Tears and Lessons while The Twilight Zone is a great song but nothing more than that.

In short; this album is among the five best albums I have in my house and a true classic in my estimation. It is also a part of me now as an avid listener to it for two decades. Nuff said.

5 stars

After having below average results to what the band thought was their master-work, Caress of Steel, they were furious. With all this fury and passion, the band decided to go against what the record company wanted and released one of their best and most progressive albums ever. Symphonic Heavy Metal was the main attraction, as the trippy story and music will last in the hearts of Rush fans for years to come.

1.2112 - Clocking in at over 21 minutes, this is easily Rush's most accesible, complex and consistent epic yet. The problem with the other two epics on the last album was that they were very cheesy and were very rough in songwriting, yet this one solves the problems. The amazingly consistent song has about six different parts; all of which connect with one another in a very fluid and natural way. Neil Pearts lyrics on an over-powering Toltarian society and the war to bring music to society is excellent, as he sends us on a trippy journey to another planet and then back again. Of course, the instrumentation is pristine. Geddy Lee's bass playing is at it's peak, with a full Rickenbacker 4001 tone bursting through the seams. Alex Lifeson adds his best riffs and his best solo's, making him one of the greats of guitar playing history. This track is not to be missed by anyone. (10/10)

2.A Passage to Bangkok - After such a harrowing and psychedelic journey as a title track, one needs to chill out with some marijuana. The song utilizes the oriental riff and middle eastern pothead destinations into a riff galore. Of course, the band plays with a sort of laid back feel that has not been heard of on the last few albums. Lee's vocals are a standout, as his smoothly sings on the chorus yet screams with passion on the verse. An excellent progressive pop track. (10/10)

3.The Twilight Zone - Not as consistent as the first two tracks, the song is much more scary than the other two (well, hold for the title track). The song is a bit sloppily played, but it seems to work to it's advantage during the eerie chorus. Lifeson's guitar playing and riffs are amazing, yet still retaining a sort of professional feel with the acoustic bits. Pearts lyrics are a homeage to the show, of course, and are mostly shadowed by his excellent drumming skills. (9/10)

4.Lessons - A lot of people don't give enough credit to this track, as it is one of my personal favourites. Sure, it's a bit poppy and very different from anything that the band had ever done, yet it's smooth and very groovy. The lyrics, written by Lifeson, are about learning the lessons and hardships of life, are very different yet work well with the insane chorus of total heavy metal groove. The acoustics and electrics from Lifeson are total 70s heavy metal at their best. Lee's vocals are my favourite on this track, as he shrieks excellently; while adding a smooth yet rocking bassline. Pearts drumming, to say the least, is godly. He brings such a power and intensity to the already raw sound. Grooving for something a bit late on the times. (9/10)

5.Tears - Probably my least favourite track off of the whole album, yet I can respect what it does for people. The song is a ballad, lyrics written by Lee, and actually has total emotion after such hard rock grooves. Oddly dark in nature, Lee's smooth vocal and Hugh Syme's depressing mellotron make for the best of both worlds. (8.5/10)

6.Something for Nothing - The first time I listened to this song, I hated it. It has, luckily, grown on my since, as it now remains one of my favourite off of the album. The lyrics are amazingly coherrent, as you can't get everything you want. Pearts lyric combined with the darkness of the music adds for an awesome musical journey. Lee's screech is uncontroled and almost operetic with Robert Plant mixed in; albeit a bit more original. Lifeson's use of acoustic guitars and electric to form a large musical soundscape is astounding for such a dark track. A classic. (10/10)

The album is the best thing Rush has done so far. The large musical consistency and the amazing lyrics come from the heart and are very true to the hardships the band were going through during this time period. I have to give this album a 5 stars because of the amazing heavy progressive tendencies of the band and shear musical talent of these three (or four, however you count it) young musicians.

I'm giving this five stars, even though I HATE the second half of this album. The reasons behind this are more to do with historical issues surrounding prog than the music itself, though it is not like the title track is significantly lacking.

Everyone on this site should know the story behind 2112: RUSH's near dissolution, the Down the Tubes tour, fighting their record label to produce another side-long epic, all that jazz. This isn't the history I'm talking about.

The history I am referring to is the sonic imprint the title track left on Rush as a band. While "The Necromancer" featured the first serious song produced as a true Rush song, the title track here features sounds that I would argue they plumbed for... well, pretty much until MOVING PICTURES, which offered another sonic shift. And honestly, it makes sense; "2112" features the most cohesive and satisfying long-form musical piece Rush had completed up until this point, featuring in turns virtuosic progressive musical prowess, hard rock and heavy metal riffs, a kind of pop sensibility in terms of approachability, astute lyrics (much to my chagrin; I'm no Ayn Rand fan, but these lyrics are pretty good), and great song-writing. All of the pieces feel like they belong not only together, but also proximal to one another. In short, it feels like one big epic.

Honestly, though, side 2 is garbage. I don't even like "Passage to Bangkok," which I've been informed is Rush sacrilege, but I can't really care about that. These are throwaway tracks that feel like the last remnants of their pre-2112 songwriting approach that had been fading away up until this point. In a way, this album is like TARKUS in that the first half is one of the most important prog epics and the second half is just terrible.

Five stars for the historical value, three stars for the music, if you follow.

There's a first for everything, and 2112 was my first Rush album, and I guess also the first '70s Prog' album as well. When I bought it, I was a massive Dream Theater nut, and I was aware that Rush was the biggest influence to the band. I also knew that I liked 20 minute songs, and since the 2112 suite was the only Rush song to actually cross the 20 minute mark, I decided to head there first. After all this time, here are my thoughts on this otherwise legendary album.

If you know your Rush, you'll know this album comes after 'Caress of Steel' which was a commercial failure. You'll recall also that that album too had a 20 minute suite, named 'The Fountain of Lamneth'. While this suite had some great music, it was flawed because the format was essentially 6 short songs separated by silence, rather than being one continuous piece. Those who were underwhelmed by 'Fountain' will be pleased to hear that the 2112 suite is (quite literally) light years ahead of it's predecessor. While still not being a continuous piece from start to finish, some of the parts do link to the next one, and all of the silences between the other parts feel more natural within the suite. Also, rather crucially, the story of the suite is far more evocative and exciting, and the music itself is far better than Fountain.

The story itself is set in the future (no points for guessing which year). This is a dystopian future where a group of dictatorial priests control the media and all forms of art are strictly forbidden (uncannily similar to the 2002 film 'Equilibrium' by Kurt Wimmer, which is also fantastic). A man who discovers a guitar in a cave, begins playing and discovers a range of emotions he has never felt. Excited, he brings this to the priests, but is dismayed as they smash it to pieces, saying that it is all 'a silly whim' and 'doesn't fit the plan'. He then dejectedly returns home, and has a dream where he learns that the 'Elder Race' all moved to another planet, where they lead lives far superior to his. Awakening, he is distraught knowing that he can never lead a life as happy and fulfilling as that which has seen in his dreams. Ultimately, he returns to the cave where he first found the guitar and kills himself. The song ends with a statement from the priests: 'We have assumed control.'

This is only my interpretation of the lyrics, and you can be open to make yours, but I find that reading others opinions helps me form my own. Within the CD and LP editions, there are annotations between the lyrics, fleshing out the story with more information. Whilst some people enjoy concept albums which can have many interpretations, I find Rush's presentation to be perfect on this one. Coming up with your own story to suit the lyrics of an album can be difficult and time consuming, so I really appreciate the fact that Rush put in most of the effort to come up with a solid story, and leave relatively small details to be sorted out by the listener. On other concept albums, such as Misplaced Childhood by Marillion, it is more difficult to come up with your own idea of what the album is about. While the album doesn't patronise you by fully telling the story, 2112 gives you sufficient information to really appreciate the story, which honestly does not happen that often in prog.

The music played in this suite is also extremely good. The song really rocks hard and heavy in places, but more can be said. The band have an amazing use of their instruments to explain parts of the song. When the protagonist finds the guitar, for example, we first hear the sound of someone tuning the guitar, then trying different notes, then playing simple chords and ultimately playing faster and more technically, simulating a speeded up version of the process of learning guitar. The way Alex Lifeson plays this section is masterful, not only giving a good impression of this process, but playing it in a way that sounds musical, rather than a series of random notes and riffs. Also, praise must be given to Geddy Lee's use of vocals to give different accents to the protagonist and the priests. More precisely, he uses a higher and louder singing voice to characterise the priests, giving real depth to the song. Unfortunately, he can no longer reproduce this on stage, and the live versions really suffer. Musically, the band saves the best till last, and the Grand Finale is one of the best outros heard to any suite in prog rock.

On Side 2 of this album, there are no less than five short rock songs, all between three and four minutes long. Unfortunately, these don't share an ounce of prog between them, but they are nonetheless enjoyable. A Passage to Bangkok, Lessons and Something for Nothing are all geared to be favourites when played live. Of these, 'A Passage to Bangkok' is the most enjoyable because of it's anthemic chorus, perfect for concerts. Of the remaining songs, The Twilight Zone, dedicated to the show of the same name, is a truly bizarre composition, being very uncatchy and having too much contrast between the verses and the choruses. Finally, Tears shows the more mature side of Rush. Rather than rocking out as usual, the band instead hold back and instead perform an effortlessly beautiful and melancholic song. As a piece it is very underrated because it is radically different to the hard rock Rush sound.

The album is extremely lopsided. Surely Rush knew that five short rock songs (who's combined running time is still 2 minutes shorter than 2112) would not be able to compete against the epic on Side 1! As far as history goes, Rush were steadily getting proggier at this point, and the extreme success of this album encouraged them to keep writing sprawling epics. Whilst 2112 was a great album, with it's superb title track, the best was yet to come.

THE BEGINNING OF SUCCESS

It was with "2112" that Rush began to pave the way for success in the years that would 80.Their first three albums were heavily criticized, but that is acclaimed by today.I'm surprised by the classification "low" this album here on the website (although 4.2 is a great score).

Except for the title track, all other songs have 3 minutes.Say the title track is a masterpiece is almost a crime (although there are always different opinions, of course). This monstruous 20- minute epic instantly overwhelm us since its introduction spacey, touching on the various sections of hard-rock (perhaps precursors of the progressive metal of the 90s and 2000) until his incredible final section.Each of the three members shines in his role, though I think sometimes we overdo Lee Treble (I prefer his voice in "Moving Pictures"). The other songs are average, though I have a preference for "Tears".

4 stars

While Rush had been experimenting with longer concept pieces on their previous albums, it is with the side-long twenty minute title track that they earned their prog credentials. This piece has it all: sci-fi lyrics, complex chords and rhythmic sections, and many different movements. But it's also plagued with Geddy Lee's shrieking vocals (he's gotten better), and a weird section where it sounds like Alex Lifeson is just tuning up his guitar.

But have no fear - Rush overcame those difficulties in later live performances of this piece.

The second half of the album does not fare as well.

A Passage To Bangkok is the best of these songs, but it, too is marred by Lee's vocals. Like 2112 this song has fared better in later live versions. And I know some people don't like the song Tears, but it has Mellotron in it, and it shows that when Lee wasn't shrieking, he sounded pretty good.

Ahhh...1976, when men were men, and Geddy Lee still shrieked! While this Rush album does not get the most turntable play for me, (that honor goes to PERMANENT WAVES), I can readily understand why 2112 gets it's great Prog raves. The title track needs no introduction to Rush fans, and I will only say it is Prog perfection in a bit over 20 minutes. The rest of 2112 fails to reach this standard but there are some great gems here nonetheless- "A Passage to Bangkok", and "Twilight Zone" being the standouts. While some earlier Rush works like FLY BY NIGHT and CARESS OF STEEL seem dated to me, 2112 has held up over the years and it is always a joy to rediscover it after letting it sit on the shelf for awhile. 4 1/2 stars.

The album that put Rush on the map! This is truly one of the great prog albums, more underrated on this site than expected.

The title track is perfect. It just is. From the beginning Overture, through the Majestic finally, it tells one of the greatest stories in prog. All of the sections are great and really do play out like a play. The lyrics tell the story well, even if Ayn Rand isn't my favorite writer. Side 2 isn't bad either. Bangkok is actually a really good rocker (about a funny little oriental plant!) and the Twilight Zone describes episodes from one of The Twilight Zone. It always reminds me of watching the marathon with my dad over New Years, its one of his favorite shows. Lessons"s unquestionable highlight is Alex's solo, one of his best from the early period. Tears took me a while to get. Only lately have I realized that it is actually kinda nice. Finally, Something for Nothing. A very good rocker. The middle part is the best, but the rest of the song is still strong.

As with most of Rush's releases, this one is gold. 4.5/5

I must confess that I knew very little about Rush before I listened to this album (as well as other random tracks). My first impression is that this music seems to go in a straight line from the Who and AC/DC with dashes of King Crimson thrown in. The Who part of the sound isn't as powerful as it should be, partly caused I think, by the bass following the lead guitar a bit too closely much of the time. I find the vocals rather histrionic (which is where the AC/DC connection probably stems from). The writing is rather basic, but there is often good invention in intros and conjoining passages. That for me, is where the best of Rush lies in what I've heard so far.

It all seems rather perfunctory, but certainly not a lot wrong with the playing, just a lack of real solid focus. For fans sold on the idea only.

RUSH -2112 What to say about this album ? Its the one that got me started on Rush - though i was aware of them before this. It is as has been said a real progressive rock classic. The opening sounds of swirling space noises and stacatto riffs suck the listener in before it launches into The Overture and doesn't let go for the next 20 minutes. Its an epic piece of rock theatre and it never really gets old no matter how many times you listen to it - it will be a lot. If you have never heard this sort of thing before the sheer level of muscial skill and talent and the scale of ambition and vision from three truly gifted men - that just blows the mind away.

I don't know how many Rush fans are musicians themselves but I suspect it is a high percentage, and I can tell you that like Billy Corgan and myself they have all had a jam or three on this track. The reucrring riffs and the themes in the music and lyrics make it a true story telling masterpiece and a must have for Rush fans and really anyone who enjoys classic rock.

The second half of the record is still very stong if not quite at the same level. Train to Bangkok is an ode to everyones favourite medicinal herbal painkiller and really good fun. Twilight Zone has some really sweet atmospheric moments on the chorus with Lifeson injecting guitar wails over Geddy's quiet bass and Neil's restrained drumming. Lessons features a neat acoustic backing track and some decent rocking in the middle section - before an extended guitar solo fade out - its a good "finger to the Man" type of thing. Tears feature more nice acoustic work from Alex and also exposed vocals from Geddy - its a nice quiet track and makes the following blast of Something for Nothing seem even more muscular and energised. I have to give this 5 stars - not only becasue I love it so much but also because it is a masterpiece in the genre and a truly influential work that still sounds great.

With this one Rush was on a clock either make a successful album or die as a band. So they pretty much said "Fuck it, were gonna do what we want to do and if its the last one fine." With this one you can hear the anger they had at the time on the epic 20+ min piece which is a fantastic track start to finish better than The Fountain of Lamneth from the previous album. They got the epic song right with this one but it almost makes the other songs on this album pale in comparison. A Passage to Bangkok is a great drug song but it worked better live IMO. The Twilight Zone and Something for Nothing are really great songs as well. Overall, this is Rush's first 5 star album just pound for pound a great album that should not be passed up by hardcore proggies or even the casual listener. 5 Stars. Highlights: 2112, A Passage to Bangkok, The Twilight Zone and Something for Nothing.

We have assumed control.

Here we have one of those truly classic albums in prog rock that is slightly flawed. The album, Rush's commercial turning point, is prog rock's favorite "half concept album," as so many people call it a concept album, but they overlook the second side of the album, which is comprised of much shorter, unrelated tracks. The album truly is crucial in the Rush story. The band had been buffeted by critics who despised the band's previous album, the highly progressive giant Caress of Steel, and the record label they were signed to didn't want the band to continue in the trend of extended pieces of music for fear of loss of sales. What happened next was the complete opposite of what the label wanted, 2112, a 20 minute long epic, and a (half) concept album about rebelling against the system (A.K.A. Mercury Records). Of course side 2 is compiled of short, poppier tracks, but we traditionally don't look at that ;-). This album exploded as the band's first real hit, with the album's lead single "Overture/Temples of Syrinx" exploding as a huge success, driving the band into the limelight of rock music success. One can really see this on just the liner notes. On 2112, the band is listed as "Alex Lifeson - Acoustic and Electric guitars, Geddy Lee - Bass, Vocals, and synthesizer, Neil Peart - drums and percussion," while on A Farewell to Kings, just one album and one year later, the band is listed in a verbose manner as "Alex Lifeson - electric, acoustic and classical guitars, bass pedal synthesizer, Geddy Lee - vocals, bass guitar, twelve string guitar, Mini-Moog and bass pedal synthesizers, Neil Peart - drums, cymbals, cowbells, orchestra bells, wind chimes, triangle, bell tree, vibra-slap, tubular bells, temple blocks." That's quite an improvement, especially financially! Even just in the liner notes, one can see the importance of this album for the band, the rock world, and the music scene forever.

Of course the album is more than just money and pop hits. The album is a fantastic display of the band's compositional prowess and ability to mesh musically as a band. Whether it is Lee's piercing vocal capacity, Peart's incredible rhythmic prowess, or Lifeson's fantastic guitar work, the entire album is brimming with musical virtuosity and ability. The title track, full of fantastic melodic, rhythmic, and compositional qualities, is a crowning achievement in the band's discography. The lyrics, geniusly crafted by master lyricist Neil Peart, are some of the best there are in the rock world (and are influenced by the genius Ayn Rand), and tell a fantastically creative and inventive story. Whether the band is churning out a fantastic riff or playing an extremely well-coordinated solo section, the entire masterpiece is a fantastic prog rock epic. The song has a fantastic amount of dynamic, transitioning effortlessly between hard rock sections and mellow prog sections. Overall, this song is truly fantastic. In the end, with this song, Rush truly did assume control.

Sadly, however, the album is not all just one giant 2112. Side 2 is comprised of five, shorter, unrelated proggish rock tracks. Although these songs aren't bad in any way, they are truly dwarfed by the magnitude of the track on the opposite side. Each song follows a similar format, with a verse, a chorus, a verse, a chorus, an instrumental section, and then a final chorus, with each track averaging around three and a half minutes. Each of the five songs present themselves as pleasant, pop rock songs, with a nice beat and (usually) some interesting lyrics.

One thing I found rather interesting is how obvious it is when Peart's lyric writing ends. After "The Twilight Zone," Lifeson and Lee pick up the lyricist duty (excluding the closer, which Peart writes lyrics for). I have to say Lifeson and Lee's lyrics are a bit... well... a bit cheesier. Although the songs still have that signature Rush style, they have the typical classic rock feel of that era that would have made the album more popular, which undoubtedly what the label wanted. Obviously, this seemed to work, as I doubt the massive epic was all that attracted thousands of people to buy the album (although it was a huge hit still, especially the concept among rebellious youths). Overall, these shorter, poppier tracks add little to the massive side one, but rather fill out the second side to appease the label. Good, but not essential.

In the end, this record is more of a balancing act between the two sides of the record. Side one is an absolute masterpiece and one of the most incredible prog epic out there. However, side two is a less fantastic side compiled of some pretty good proggish hard rock songs. In the end, however, this album is truly one of those classic progressive rock albums, and if it were not for this album, we may not have hat the innumerable masterpieces the band produced in the next few years, from 1975 to 1981. Overall, this album is truly an excellent addition to any progressive rock collection. 4 stars.

Well this is the most political Rush album and I think it's the best what they released in the 70's. First side is a 20 minute long title suite inspired by Ayn Rand's literary output. Yeah the bible of all libertarians. Those to the left shouldn't listen to this release, it's not for commies. Anyway to be more serious this masterpiece starts with a short intro then the band kicks in. Guitar, bass and drums fill the air. No keyboards just solid hard rock work. I have nothing against keyboards of course since Keith Emerson is my fav musician of all time but I think it's cool that Rush have dicided to record 2112 on basic hard rock instruments. First two pieces of the suite are the most remarkable of this album and were often played live. The rest is also very good especially that some riffs of Overture appear later in the suite. Side two of 2112 includes 5 shorter tunes that grab attention as well. I especially enjoy Passage To Bangkok (ass kicking solo) Twiling Zone (pre-Different Strings) and metalesque Something For Nothing (anthem of all libertarians "you can't have freedom for free" and socialists boil).

2112 is obviously a masterpiece and not for commies as I mentioned above although maybe if they listen to this closely they'll stop believing the marxist bulls**t. Enjoy good music and lyrics.

By the time Rush came to record 2112, Caress of Steel had been a commercial and critical flop and the band fully expected it to be their last album. Kicking off with a side-long prog metal epic despite their advice of their label, the band suddenly and unexpectedly turned out to be quite good at this prog thing after all. The title track from this one blows away the false starts of Fly By Night and Caress of Steel with stellar performances from all concerned, tighter compositional structures in which there's always something interesting happening, and a plot which is unashamed of its nerdiness and which is still exciting to hear after a dozen listens. (Oh, come on, tell me you don't get a shiver down your spine when you hear the distorted voice declaring the Elder Race's conquest of the solar system at the end of the song.) So what if the plot might be a thinly-veiled Objectivist allegory (or, more likely, a swipe at the music press for not accepting Rush's musical vision) when it's so good to listen to?

The second side of the album provides a tight set of shorter songs which proves that the band had also got the knack of producing these as well. As goofy as the thinly-veiled weed worship of A Passage to Bangkok is, it's still one of the catchiest songs they've ever done, with its thunderous guitar solo by Lifeson being a particular highlight of the album, Lessons is enjoyably upbeat and manages a nice blend of acoustic and electric guitar lines, and Something for Nothing is a great barnstormer to close the album.

The album isn't quite perfect - The Twilight Zone lacks the boundless energy the rest of the songs have, and doesn't quite hit the spooky atmosphere it aims for (though it comes close), and Tears is a lacklustre, melancholic ballad which even the generously applied heaps of Mellotron can't save from being bland middle-of-the-road slop. But even with these roadbumps on the second side, the album is still an enduring classic and the first sign that Rush might be able to stick it out for the long term. Finally mastering the progressive metal style they'd been tinkering with for two albums, the band took their place at the spearhead of the nascent subgenre, and with 2112 they more than earned it.

In my opinion, this is Rush's first five star album.

Rush tried this style on their previous album Caress of Steel, however, they were not able to achieve what they were able to accomplish on this album. It is far more focused than its predecessor and that gives it an edge.

The title track opens up with some spacey synths before going into a typical Rush jam session,one of the best in their history. The song alternates between hard rocking areas and soft sentimental areas. The song itself tells a story about a group of priests who control every aspect of people's lives, including art and music. A young man finds a guitar and learns how to play it. When he brings it before the priests, they destroy. The boy dreams about the "Elder Race", those who originally inhabited earth who provided art and music. Distraught, the boy commits suicide, but in his dying eyes, a rebellion ensues against the priests and the galactic federation (thought to have been by the Elder race). The song ends with someone saying "Attention all Planets of the Solar Federation, we have assumed control." This is ambiguous, as it can be interpreted either as the elder race or the priests saying it.

The following songs after are focused rock songs not lasting over four minutes. "A Passage to Bangkok" is a heavy yet very catchy song. "The Twilight Zone" is ethereal song with a spacey guitar solo. "Lessons" is a simple rocker, yet does its job. "Tears" is a beautiful song that incorporates some mellotron into it. "Something for Nothing", the closing song on the album,features some fantastic lyrics that only Rush can do.

The reason this album gets five stars is because it is Rush in its prog stages, but is far more focused than its predecessor is.

I can't pass up the opportunity of reviewing this album today, it being 2/1/12 (little-endian date format). It is one of, what I call, The Quartet - the four best albums Rush ever put out. It's one of Rush's semi-concept albums...the 2112 theme on Side 1 and a bunch of short, unrelated tracks on Side 2. What can I say? The music is tight, the sound is clear, it has a dark sci-fi theme, and the genre is prog/metal. So, for me, as near to perfect as makes no difference. I give it 4 and a half stars because nothing is so good it deserves 5. Not even this. Hey look, every album has imperfections...but few come this close.

Their strongest album to this point in their career, best known for the 2112 suite, a true epic that is rightly called one of the first pieces of progressive metal. There are some absolutely outstanding sections in this piece, namely Lifeson's very memorable rhythm part in the verses of "Presentation", Lee's cathartic vocal performance on "Soliloquy", and just the serious attitude and energy they put into the whole piece, but the best things about it may be the story itself (written by Peart), one that is profound, timeless, and universal. All of the sections are connected seamlessly, and even when there is a pause in between tracks, it really feels like it should be there. (The original vinyl semi-indexed the parts of the suite.) The other side of the album is a masterpiece in and of itself, being comprised of five great rock songs of varying sub-genre, from the angular riffed "A Passage to Bangkok", the dark and stirring "Twilight Zone", the sprinting acoustic-electric "Lessons" (one of Lifeson's best songs), the emotionally devastating "Tears" (one of Lee's best songs), and the rolicking "Something For Nothing." Great songs, great performances, great production and mixing job on a very focused and artistically successful album. Recommended to all prog and heavy rock listeners, and well, all of society, for that matter.

I'm as guilty as the crooks in Congress for thinking that, because high-quality prog rock being made by any artist or group in the western hemisphere was as rare as getting struck by space junk, I had every right to nourish my biased skepticism of the Canadian band Rush. That's just one of many stupid reasons I had for ignoring them over a span of decades (for a more detailed but no less excusable explanation for my ridiculous attitude see my review of "Fly By Night") but I've finally come around in my old age to deciding to honestly give their albums a fair listen. My becoming aware of how determined this trio was to be true to themselves and to follow their progressive-minded muse even if she led them perilously close to entering the bleak lands of obscurity where groups who got dropped from their labels went to die had a lot to do with my decision to assess them anew. If there's one thing I respect above almost anything else in music it's rugged individualism and having the courage to go against the grain. Like them or not, Rush has those characteristics aplenty and deserves your admiration.

In the mid 70s prog rock was still enjoying widespread popularity but it was also veering into a period of transition where many of its most famous purveyors drifted into other styles that sometimes did and often did not make for better prog. Yes was undergoing yet more personnel changes while putting together "Going for the One," Genesis was attempting to replace Peter Gabriel and prove they were still viable with "Trick of the Tail," ELP was crippled by egos run amok during the sessions for "Works, vol. 1" and Pink Floyd was trying to follow up the biggest LP of that era with "Wish You Were Here." In the fledgling stateside prog scene Kansas was still straining to get their foot in the door with "Masque," Styx was timidly straddling the fence between prog and pop with "Equinox" and we all wondered what the hell Santana was trying to do via the weak "Amigos" disc. In other words, in the eyes of the American record executives, progressive rock was something you imported but you didn't cultivate locally. They'd determined that the populace just wouldn't support or buy it. That's the sermon the head honchos and their legion of yes men were preaching to the spunky little trio from up north after their third album, "Caress of Steel," had failed to set the world afire. The members of Rush had a decision to make. Bend to the winds of commercialism or stand firm and damn the torpedoes. They chose the latter option and their landmark "2112" is the result.

They boldly spat in the face of their masters by starting the record with a side-long epic, the career equivalent of going all in with their remaining chips. It was a case of their way or the highway and this time the good guys won. "2112" opens with a spacey drift that's neither overdone nor tacky. The group's extremely tight punches lead into an energetic hard rock motif and some very well-thought-out, intricate passages that wend through tricky prog terrain. Bassist Geddy Lee's shrill voice adds a sense of urgency and alarm to the storyline's warning tone. The "discovery of the lost guitar" moment is presented with flair and just the right amount of drama before they deftly elevate the song's intensity level back up from that subtlety. Lee shows he's much more than a frantic screamer in the process. The following up-tempo section is a spirited jam and the finale is suitably ominous. I'm compelled to hand it to these boys for having the billiards to buck the trends and do exactly what they were born to create come what may. No one else on this side of the planet was attempting to rival the UK-based progressive rock juggernauts on their lofty plateau quite like Rush was and this extended, highly-involved piece of music takes a back seat to none of them.

They made their defiant, game-changing statement on side one and the rest is gravy (and excellent gravy, at that). "A Passage to Bangkok" is arena rock & roll presented with an original, independent streak running through it that prevents it from becoming mundane. On "The Twilight Zone" the steady progress they were making in their technical abilities and their studio savvy really shines through as they fearlessly abut different tempos and rhythmic feels to create a sound that's distinctively their own. "Lessons" is next and the track's acoustic guitar approach is not laid-back or syrupy but goes a long way in keeping things unpredictable. What strikes me most on this cut is how drummer Neil Peart can be overtly busy on his kit without being indicted for the crime of overplaying. Guitarist Alex Lifeson's solo is red hot, especially during the long fade out. My favorite song is "Tears." Like both Genesis and Yes, they weren't afraid of alienating their rocker fans by displaying a softer, more delicate side of their art. This number has a beautiful melody and a lush depth of field helped in no small part by their employing Hugh Syme to add his expressive Mellotron work. As he did on "Fly By Night," Geddy's ability to adjust his vocal approach in order to give the song precisely what it needed to be most effective is a big surprise for me. The subdued beginning of "Something for Nothing" contrasts strikingly with the powerful momentum they generate during the more driving sequences of the tune. Neil's poignant lyrics sum up the band's mindset as the music showcases their unified purpose and their aspirations for future endeavors. "What you own is your own kingdom/What you do is your own glory/What you love is your own power/What you live is your own story/In your head is the answer/Let it guide you along/Let your heart be the anchor/And the beat of your own song," Lee warbles with confidence and resolve.

Curious how it's the rebels and the nonconformists that make the most lasting marks on civilization. No label wanted The Beatles but they changed the course of history. No publisher thought kids would care to read thick books about a young wizard but they couldn't get enough of Harry Potter. I could go on and on with more examples of those "in the know" not knowing diddly squat about what the public desires but you get the gist of my argument. The suits at Mercury records told Alex, Geddy and Neil that nobody would sit through 20-minute long songs and that the only way they'd survive in the cutthroat world of the music biz was to write catchy tunes that had the potential to scale the Top 40 charts. According to the "experts" prog rock was on its way out and they'd better get wise before it was too late. Thank heaven they didn't listen to those short-sighted dolts. The truth was that rockers of all ages were still eager to indulge in challenging music that offered an alternative to "Frampton Comes Alive" and Kiss' "Destroyer." "2112" not only outsold every album Rush had made up to that point, it became a testament to the persevering spirit of progressive rock that, against all odds, consistently refuses to lie down and die. Personally I think this band had yet to make their masterpiece but there's no denying that this album deserves every accolade it receives. 4.3 stars.

4.0 stars

One of the first prog albums that I fell in love with (Rush was the band that got me hooked on prog), I realize now that I only love this album for the title track. Rush is in my top en favorite bands, and 2112 is probably one of their greatest songs. Their first true progressive effort Caress of Steel (highly underrated, by the way) failed, but they went back to the studio to rebel and try again to make a truly amazing progressive record, and the title track really makes the entire album worth it.

"2112" is amazing, to put it frank. It was the first long progressive song that I really loved. And you cannot listen to the short 7-minute version, the entire song is definitely the way to go. Based on Ayn Rand's book "Anthem", this album really hits the spot when you want some amazing heavy prog. My favorite section might be "Discovery". Geddy Lee's vocals are very soft and unlike anywhere else on the album, or maybe in Rush's entire discography. "Presentation" shows a dramatic change in the vocals. The entire song has a lot of great transitions, and the guitar solos are great. 5/5 stars

"A Passage to Bangkok" is a pretty good song. Basically about drugs from Asia, there isn't a ton of real content on this song. It does contain a great guitar solo. My second favorite song on the album, it probably deserves a good 4/5 stars.

"The Twilight Zone" is not a good song, in my opinion. I don't like it that much. It transitions from cheesy to dark and eerie. The vocals aren't great, and the musical qualities aren't "hooking" and "catchy". 2/5 stars.

"Lessons" is also not a really gripping song. Short, nothing special here. The musical qualities are not great. In fact, I dislike the music. I don't really like the way Geddy's vocals are (although don't get me wrong, I like Geddy Lee's vocals). 2/5 stars.

"Tears" is a little better, but very average. There is still nothing special about this track. The lyrics are kind of cool, though. The music is a little better. 3/5 stars.

"Something for Nothing" is a good song. I actually enjoy it thoroughly. The lyrics are very controversial, but yet still cool. I like the mood of the song. Overall, a much more upbeat song. 4/5 stars.

The amazing title track definitely secures a 4 star rating for this album. The B-side isn't really that great. Rush has better albums, but it is difficult to like a Rush as much as "2112".

While "Caress of steel" epics were a wrong move, they sure have paved the way for new things to come? Among those things we have the monster epic 2112. This sci - fi piece de resistance is one of the cornerstones of progressive rock and with good reason , among it's 20 minutes it's musically flawless: the overture rocks hard , the ending is superb and the rest of the song features high peaks of emotion.

While musically flawless , the same cannot be said about the lyrics since they sound a bit lame to my ears , but that does not keep me from listening to this song. Now to side 2? it's not THAT bad actually! featuring an acoustic ballad "Tears" a pop song "Lessons" and 3 hard rock tunes that deliver.

Summing up , the first proper Rush album having an amazing title track and solid tunes on side 2. Not a masterpiece but still a very good album. 3.5 stars

2112 is where they finally got their prog sound right. Their previous albums definitely had some proggy moments, but this is a much more focused and honed sound.

The title track is obviously the star of this album, as it is arguably Rush's single greatest creation. Musically, the song is still in the realm of the harder rocking sound of their previous albums, often relying on heavy riffs from Lifeson and a strong and driving rhythm section in Lee and Peart. No doubt the musicianship is very strong on this one. But amidst all the madness the band is still comfortable in slowing it down a bit for some rather ethereal acoustic parts. Though this is really just seven songs mashed together to form a 20-minute song, it is done appropriately, and much better than the previous epic The Fountains of Lamneth. Usually I don't pay attention to lyrics, but the story here is phenomenal. What Peart lacks in the songwriting department he certainly makes up with his lyrics.

The remaining songs are not bad by any means, though they obviously not at the same level as the epic. 'A Passage to Bangkok' is a heavy riff based song with some energetic solos from Alex.

'The Twilight Zone' and 'Tears' are rather untouched territory by the band. The former has a slightly spooky vibe, as the name implies. The latter is noticeably downbeat and melancholic compared to everything they've done up to this point. This is also one of the few songs to showcase the beautiful mellotron.

'Lessons' is a fun, upbeat song that interchanges between some tastefully played acoustic parts and harder rocking electric guitar riffs. Something For Nothing' closes the album, and is probably the best song on side two.

Overall, 2112 is truly the first album that plunged Rush into the prog scene, and consequently is the first album to represent the classic Rush sound. This album is worth it if only for the title track, though the other songs are perfectly fine rock.

8/10

Wow!! I love this album. To my mind this is Rush's magnum opus. I loved it when I heard it the first time on its release and I never grow tired of it. 1. 2112 - Taking up the entire side one of the album is a masterpiece and it is one of my all time favorite prog epics. This track is such a jump from any of the previous Rush tracks and to my own mind it has never been bettered by Rush. 2. A passage to Bankok - I love this one as well and for me it has one of the most instantly recognisable opening rock riffs - up there with Smoke on the Water and Radar Love. 3. The Twilight Zone - absolutely brilliant - instant classic shorter track. 4. Lessons - Very good rocker. 5. Tears - I love this soft track, it is one of those tracks that can bring a tear to the eye it is so emotive and good. 6. Something for nothing - this I find to be the weakest track on the album but that doesn't make it weak compared to other rock fare.

This album will always be one of my favorite albums to listen to and it will always feature on my "to play" lists - I never tire of it. Spooling it up is like sitting in an easy chair next to a very good old friend.

Since Caress of Steel got pretty much rejected by the public, Rush had to change something. Though they bravely kept the side-long epic format, and focused instead on making it more direct, both musically and lyrically, as well as putting only single-esque songs on Side B. The surrealism of "Fountain of Lamneth" is gone on this album, as is the fantasy of "The Necromancer". Instead, we have an astonishing amount of irony and anger beneath the 2112 concept, only matched by the raging Roger Waters lyrics found on "Animals" imo. The social commentary from Peart is really on top level here.

This album is less adventurous than Caress of Steel, but way more confident, mature and simply made for commercial success. Just like they would do on several albums later (especially Moving Pictures), Rush here manages to do exactly what they want, and still please their audience. Personally I do prefer Caress of Steel because of the more abstract and personal theme in "Fountain of Lamneth", but this album is obviously directed at larger scale success without leaving out any of the signature mid-70s Rush vibe.

In fact I despised the 2112 story during the first few listens, I thought it was way simplified and standard, but eventually the nuances in the story became clear to me and the fact that the story wasn't simplified, I was the one simplifying it. Sure, I did so also since I was in love with "Fountain of Lamneth" (still am) which remains superior, especially conceptually, but I went too far, to put it mildly.

With the exception of "Moving Pictures", this is the most cohesive Rush album I have heard, yet it does not lack variation either and it just never gets boring. All the B-side songs are good, from the slightly goofy "Passage to Bangkok" to the mellow "Tears", the up-beat "Lessons" and the simply great "Twilight Zone" and "Something for Nothing". These songs are though not really progressive, but that doesn't matter to me and shouldn't to you either. It's hard rock, and it's damn good hard rock, with some depth to it at times and some nice humour at other times, all delivered with extreme dedication and technical accuracy. A most delightful album.

"2112": The album that got me from classic 70s rock into progressive music in one move. One of my all-time favourite "Heavy Prog" albums, and I thought I'd write this because I can't believe how underrated it is on PA, compared to the later Rush albums that just include a couple more time signatures. "2112" is probably the most powerful work Rush created, both sonically, through the unique tones of their instruments, and the soulfulness of the delivery of these pieces. The band really works as a strong unit on here, and since 3 years ago when I got into progressive music, this still holds up as one of my top 25 albums.

Beginning with a heavy rock overture to "2112", lots of modern synthesised sounds are evident here, and very well assembled as you hear it over and over, singling out where each section appears on the 20-minute epic, even through the most subtle bass lines by Geddy. Starts the album on a big symphonic high, and morphs into the storyline behind "2112", with "The Temples Of Syrinx". Some of Geddy's best vocals are apparent on this particular part, teamed with an aggressive pounding guitar from Lifeson. Of course, Neil Peart is very commendable on this album and remains a consistent drummer to give the whole album a lively backbone, so I won't go into too much detail about him. "Discovery" tells the ingenious tale of a man finding a old, out-of-tune guitar in a cave, which is beautifully narrated through Neil's lyrics, plus Geddy's soothing yet astonished voice at his "discovery" of the "strange device", plus some great waterfall effects and exceptional guitar playing by Alex as he starts to become (much) better at this brand new instrument, playing specific chord shapes at various places on the fretboard, which would in time develop into his signature openly resounding major chords heard on "Xanadu" and "Hemispheres". Probably my favourite section of the sidelong epic.

"Presentation" then acts as a powerful victorious component of the piece, strongly contrasting the much more intimate and personal "Discovery", as the character shows off this instrument to the priests of Syrinx. As the majestic climatic choruses jump in, the lyrics fit perfectly! "Yes we know, it's nothing you, it's just a waste of time" is unbelievably phenomenal with the major chord (to my ears at least) and one of the highlights of the album. One of Lifeson's many solos then leads you into "Oracle". Almost feels like some sacred chapter of a book come to life, with chords that really shouldn't work together but staggeringly do. The lyrics and very dynamic teamed with Lee's delivery and once again work splendidly! "Soliloquy" carries on the flowing, phased guitar atmosphere with more relatable than profound imagery through the lyrics, morphing suddenly into an undoubtedly soulful, passionate portion of the track, and another astounding solo from Lifeson! Sets you up very nicely for the ever-building chaotic "Grand Finale", where you are thrown into some sort of battle scene with squealing guitars everywhere, and odd time signatures, chords and effects to great use, that get more and more symphonic until ending on Peart's faintly robotic voice, bellowing "We have assumed control". Neil stated that this is the victory cry of the Elder Race, but without the information, it leaves you on an ambigiuous cliffhanger, greatened by the abrupt end to the cacophony of the battle's soundtrack. This track alone could make the album a 5-star masterpiece for me, but becomes an even more solid work with side 2 included...

"A Passage To Bangkok" is a classic sort of early Rush song (i.e. first 2 albums) written and developed with more knowledge and maturity. A nice way to come out of the detailed concept of "2112" and into something a bit more light-hearted and not to be taken seriously. This is shown by the out-of-the-way lyrics, which help you listen more to the relatively complex and constant chord changes and harmonies, mostly emanating from the guitar. Really more of a guitar-centered song (as with most of the album), and not as many progressive instruments as their later albums, so I can sort of see why people aren't as favourable of this one. Nevertheless, probably the heartfelt album in Rush's catalogue. "The Twilight Zone" is erring on the eerie side. Whilst not being as experimental as the title suggests for a prog rock band, nonetheless amazing. Very hypnotic chords and lyrics, still managing to convey solid melodies and a piercing yet minimal guitar solo to the listener. Also has a very definite and fervent intro with that ridiculously simple riff. It's the way the notes are projected by the band that make it such a brilliant song though.

"Lessons" is the most upbeat song on the album. Great little acoustic chords, matched with a climatic chorus and solo like all great Rush songs. Once again, the lyrics are very powerful paired with Lee's vocal delivery and the chemistry of the band here is conspicuous. This one in particular though is so excellent, and very underrated on such an album as this. "Tears" then introduces a very watery, emotional song to the album. Perhaps a little too much for a heavy progressive rock album like "2112", so it clearly stands out from the rest of the songs, but I really admire that risk and the song is superbly written as well. The chords are sensational when you analyse them, especially if you are a guitarist like myself. Of course, marvellous percussion on here by Neil, as with Geddy's singing and bass playing. A delightful addition here too with Hugh Syme's mellotron, making a lovely piece. "Something For Nothing" then takes you back into the phased guitars you heard from the beginning, which are also cleverly out of tune. Probably not intentional, but the raised pitch separates it from the previous track, and welcomes you into a sonically new area - an ingenious technique, even if it was a mistake. Easily my favourite song of the album, because those lyrics are just as indulgently pretentious and profound as heard on "2112" as they are distinct and "in-your-face" as "Lessons". I love the pounding tritonal Am & D chords just before the chorus, and similarly the wispy minor retreat of the E major and G majors (essentially acting as a pretty E minor). With the particularly unique Lifeson signature solos, shrieking vocals from Geddy that build alongside Neil's second-to-none drumming and display such an awesome track by any means. The musicality and the magic somewhere between those notes creates a magnificently well-structured monument of a track and a brilliant way to end.

A(+): The connection between the pinnacle of heavy rock and progressive rock for me. A must-have for any fan of either genres!

2112: ***** A Passage To Bangkok: ***** The Twilight Zone: ***** Lessons: ***** Tears: **** Something For Nothing: *****

I'm not so secure about if I can say anything new about this album... but as a RUSH fan and by following their career since from the first album and (of course) even not reading all 193 reviews in PA, I find one thing that I think must be said... in the case of 2112, I wish to call attention for the great Lifeson's ability to create "riffs" and almost symphonic atmospheres using chords instead simple notes from a scale ( something already demonstrated in their previous albums , like in "Finding My Way" from "Rush", "Best I Can" from "Fly by Night" and "Bastille Day" from "Caress of Steel". In 2112, this fact clearly can be observed as soon the music starts - "Overture" is a example, the majestic theme is dictate by these guitar chords . "The Temples Of Syrinx" is the most significant track to illustrate my thoughts, the chords progression is so explosive and impressive like a Blackmore's or Page's "riff", but, even so retains the majestic of the previous track. Another detach in this track are the Geedy dramatic interpretation. "Presatation" a wonderful composition, alternating heavy and soft moments with stunning perfection and is "crowned" by a great wah-wah solo and the precious partnership from bass guitar and drums... simply unbelievable !!! "Grand Finnale" close the epic whit absolute perfection. "A Passage to Bangkock" has a real riff and like said the PA menber Sukmytoe (review (#934145) "one of the most instantly recognisable opening rock riffs". The last track "Something for Nothing" says in their lyrics "In your head is the answer, Let it guide you along, Let your heart be the anchor, And the beat of your own song"... and in the documentary "Beyond the Lighted Stage" shows which although the record company and the producers are contrary ( due the critics reaction to "Caress of Steel" musical style and the image of the band) they bet in your own conviction and they was right. My rate is 5 stars !!!

So here it is, Rush's moving through a really good direction in prog rock. I always say that Rush is not one of my favorites, I don't really like them a lot, but no one denies that they are giants! They did a great work in this album ONLY in the epic 2112, one of the best songs that I have heard in my life, it is really great, one of their true masterpieces! But really there's nothing else to say about side 1. Side 2 is completely different, asi it includes 6 short songs that I really don't like, almost every song is the same as the last one, they clearly wasted all their energy in the outstanding suite, that they had no more material and they got these songs out from somewhere (that's how they sound). I'll put it this way, if you group together all 6 songs in side 2, it will represent less than 30% of the greatness of 2112. I could give this album a 5 star rating if it was something like 2112 part 1 and part 2, one on each side, or something like that, but the songs on side 2 are really poor, it's a shame. Nevertheless a good finding and really nice music, every prog fan should listen to it, really...

I like this album. I think it's a really great starting point for both the band and progressive music in general. The highs are way high in the sky (space, even), and there aren't really all that many lows, and even the ones that exist are very forgivable. This album is definitely important both as a reference point for a bold close to the band's first era and as a historically influential album.

So here's my breakdown of the music itself:

2112 is a masterpiece song. Wow, what a suite it is! This is not only musically accomplished, but thematically mature. The story is emotional, well-informed from a literary standpoint, and is complimented masterfully by the music. You can practically hear the menace building in the final moments as an autocratic power grab to stamp out all freedom occurs, the tentative mystified attitude of the main character as they discover a guitar from the long lost past, and that character's cathartic decision to end their life coming to fruition in Alex Lifeson's solo during the second-last movement. Talk about a work of art! A masterpiece through and through.

While it may be true that the rest of the songs aren't on the same level as the opening monolith, they aren't completely without merit, which prevents me from writing them all off as bland filler tracks. Some may offer more than others, but I don't think of any of them as inherently bad songs. Passage to Bangkok has good instrumental work, especially in the solo passage. I'm morally opposed to marijuana consumption, so the message of the song is very much lost on me. This aside, it's a pretty straightforward track, nothing too mind-boggling, but not bad. Twilight Zone has good mood contrast between verse and chorus and is worth the listen as a short track. Lessons is okay, definitely not bad, but nothing special. Tears is a good early Rush ballad, and the mellotron passage at the end was very pleasant to hear. This along with the compelling lyrics and emotional sensitivity in Geddy's voice set it apart from other early Rush ballads in a very positive way. I like it quite a bit. The best of the post-2112 tracks is Something for Nothing in my opinion. It has an energy, drive, and variety about it that proves Rush had more to offer than just one epic track. It also points toward the type of direction they would pursue in their next era, employing heavy contrasts that are both effective and interesting. This makes for a good closer to the album and has a lot to offer.

The album is, needless to say, as powerful as it is significant. While it may not be perfect or as consistent as their later ones in terms of quality from track to track, this one still holds up and is worth many revisits, along with the recognition it has gleaned among progressive music fans throughout the past nearly 40 years it has been around. I highly recommend giving it a listen. If nothing else, listen to the title track. It's a monumental song that serves as a high watermark for prog epics, especially those wishing to accomplish more than show off each individual member's ability to solo for long periods of time.

RUSH's groundbreaking album that kept them from becoming a footnote in history. 2112 took what was insinuated on the previous two releases and really upped the ante to make their first classic album. The title track is one of the best examples of classic heavy progressive rock out there. It excels in lyrical content, instrumental prowess and most importantly the ability to shift from act to act while remaining thoroughly exciting throughout its entirety. This is not a grower. This is something that is instantly lovable yet only becomes more so upon repeated listens. This title track is often cited by RUSH fans as the absolute best thing they have ever done. I can't say that I disagree although i'd be hard pressed to pick an absolute favorite this certainly is up in the higher ranks.

One of the things that has always (slightly) disappointed me about this album is that is isn't a full-on concept album. I would have loved to hear an entire album dedicated to the exploration of the theme set about on the title track. However, not imposing my futuristic will upon an album that was cutting edge at the time, I have to admit that despite it not being what I really want it to be it still is a great album. The songs on the second side are excellent. "A Passage To Bangkok" is one of the best songs they have ever recorded and although the other tracks took me a little longer to appreciate, I have succumbed to their charm as well.

Despite really wanting to give this album 5 stars, I have to think what would my most ideal RUSH masterpiece be. After giving it a little thought I think it would be "2112" from this album plus "Xanadu" and "La Villa Strangiato." THAT would be the perfect RUSH masterpiece. This album has one of those ingredients but unfortunately the rest of the tracks are not that great but I do enjoy them. They are not masterpieces and this just falls short of the top honors but I really love this album anyways so 4.5 but since we don't have a half point system here i'll just have to make this a weak 5 star album.

A difficult album to review properly. One awesome multi-part epic and 5 mediocre short songs.

Side 1: The title epic is without a doubt the crowning achievement of their early period (first 4 albums) and shows a great advancement over the flawed epics of Caress of Steel. This one actually has an overture, and though not all the segments flow cleanly into each other, it actually feels like a single piece of music. The music itself is still classic hard-rock a la Zeppelin/The Who, but takes one more step towards genuine progressive rock. Neil Peart does a great job adapting the writings of Ayn Rand into song, no small task. An essential piece of the Rush catalog.

Side 2: Apparently, while writing the outstanding title track, the band got sloppy with their shorter tracks. With the possible exception of A Passage to Bangkok, these are some dull songs. The Twilight Zone is Rush at its most lyrically absurd - almost impossible to take seriously. Tears shows Geddy Lee attempting to get sentimental with disastrous results. Lessons and Something For Nothing are OK, but far below the levels of earlier rockers like Anthem and Bastille Day.

An uneven album, though worth the purchase for the title track alone. We are still in prog-related country here, but all that will change very soon...

Side 1 - 4/5 Side 2 - 2/5 Total Score: 3/5

The album that started it off for me on my prog adventure!

Everything about this record just screams 'listen to me!' ? for me it's always return to this album following all the keyboard-driven prog from other bands and listen to some guitar-driven prog greatness!

The focus of the album is the 2112 suite which is just full of boundless energy and can be listened to on loop on a long car journey without ever growing sick of it!

I suppose you always like your 'first' album from the band the most as you return to it with nostalgic fondness - but i really think this is where rush set the 'benchmark'.

Do yourself a favour and rush out (har har!) and listen to this one again ? a trip into the past via a trip to the future!

F x

The beginning for me of a lifelong relationship with a band that sung the story of my life. My first Rush album in 1976 when I was sixteen and very impressionable. The epic tale told through marvelous lyrics and music made my imagination soar. The unique, progressive tunes captured my soul and never let go. It is an album I have shared with many friends and family from multiple generations, always looking into their eyes to see if they felt the magic. Some did, some didn't ...... those that did have the same blessings I have had....to have a band there creating, evolving, willing to take chances, not conforming to to pressure from peers or record companies. I am proud to say this was my first Rush album and it will always possess greatness to those that souls resonate when listening to it. Woooohooooo!!! and I am one :) :) :)

So, according to most critical aclaim, this is when Rush has a breakpoint. In my opinion, this is the start of there prime era. It was when they got a good grip on prog, however Caress of Steel is still a pleasent album. Alex, Geddy, and Neil bring us 2112, with a 20 minute title track telling the story of a dystopian future where some man rediscovers music but is denied to make it. The album is very good, however, not in a way of instermentation, but in concept, which of course is an important factor in prog.

So we start with the one song A-Side, "2112." This begins with futuristic sounds ahead of there time! A very good intro. Then we get a few licks from Alex, they eventually start to repeat and echo-soon it changes-and then a riff-add acoustic-add Geddy-add power! This is the amazing overture taking us into the year 2112. This entire overture is basically a...well overture, playing some music we will soon be hearing again through the song. The overture ends with an explosion and Geddy sings "...And the meek shall inherit the Earth." Immediately, there is a riff for "The Temple of Syrinx." This part is describing the rulers if the dystopia. The song is very good and is played a lot live with the overture. Anyway, the next part gives us a sound of a river and a gutiar. The part is when music is rediscovered by our protagonist. "Discovery." So, you can hear him teach himself guitar. However, he must be a genius because he taught himself to play very well within three minutes. I mean, he probably doesn't even know what a scale is and all and...oh forget it. So he teaches himself gutiar, and goes to the Preists to show them in one of my favorite sections, "Presentation." What's awesome is how Geddy basically makes the two characters, like, "Listen to my music." "YES WE KNOW." I was very happy seeing that in the set list for R40, they will be including this part with 2112. This part is concluded with some heavy double guitar soloing. Things start calm in "Oracle: The Dream." It's calm at first, and grows in a strange way when it gets heavier-a very cool section for sure. I guess he has a dream about how the Priests gained power and it wasn't always like this. Our river sound is back in "Solioquy." Like the last part, it starts calm and acoustic. Then the riff comes in, one of the best ones. It's very underrated. Ten comes "Grand Final." A few riffs are played, and some back noises are heard. It all ends with a robot voice saying "WE HAVE ASSUMED CONTROL." Rush has assumed control.

Now "A Passage to Bangkok" starts with a regular riff and then gets Asian. The riff repeats and Geddy songs about ridding to Bangkok, which is probably an analogy for Weed. Close to 2 minutes has a strange transition into a great gutiar solo. Afterwords we get Asian again and Geddy sings the melody. Not a bad song, but not the best.

The next song is "The Twilight Zone." After the 30 second intro, the song becomes very spooky. Geddy starts with a "I ni ni ni ni ni ni ni ni." The lyrics of this song are very creepy, though I wish they had the spooky part be the majority of the song and, with the end and the spooky part going on, some more "i ni ni's" would make it perfect.

"Lessons" fades in on acoustic guitar. Slowly we hear Neil join in on drums. This is a simple song, and get's great when the electric guitar kicks in! I like this song, it should be appreciated more.

The most bitter sweet part of the album is in this next one, Tears." With an acoustic intro, guess what's next? Mellotron! They have a guest mellotron and flute. That is what makes this song so beutiful as a prog rock song. It's usually great when tye have a fourth member with them. Anyway, the song ends with an amazing meletron.

The final song is "Something for Nothing." Like most f the songs on the album, it starts acoustic and then electric gutiar kicks in. This one has a few great gutiar riffs, it also has powerful lyrics. This song is one of the best on the album. It fades out, and I love when albums end with a fade.

I was gonna give this 4 stars, but I think it deserves 5. It's skilled, powerful, has great concept. However, it isn't Rush's best album. That would probably have to go to Moving Pictures, or maybe Permanent Waves or Hemispheres.

Song Ranking: 1. 2112 2. Something for Nothing 3. A Passage to Bangkok 4. Tears 5. The Twilight Zone 6. Lessons

Favorite quote from the album: "Listen to my music, and head what it can do." -From "2112"

Caress of Steel was considered a huge disappointment for Rush, who almost instantly abandoned traditional hard rock (except for a few songs like "Bastille Day") for the more complex progressive rock route. Many fans weren't able to deal with such a swift change in the band's sound at the time, and the album's tour was eventually known as the "Down the Tubes" Tour because of extremely poor concert revenue. Not only that, but the album itself was very disjointed and overlong, a harsh departure from the consistency the band's previous two records. But Rush, sticking to their guns, refused to listen to Mercury Records and ended up not selling out. Proof? Look at the next effort 2112, with a 20-minute epic literally opening the damn album! Naturally, the record label were praying that Rush knew what they were doing because people feared that the band would be done for good. Luckily, everyone was dead wrong.

2112 ended up selling more than people expected, and has garnered numerous accolades over the years; to this day, it's considered one of Rush's best albums and a classic work of progressive rock. If anything, the title track certainly suggests this as it's one of Rush's finest pieces. Clocking in at 20:34, the epic illustrates a world where priests (of the Temples of Syrinx, of course) rule every facet of everyday life and one man discovers an old guitar that is deemed obsolete by these Priests. Meanwhile, all planets are ruled by The Solar Federation as a result of a large scale war. This whole story is fascinating to listen to with the music and keeps the listener's attention throughout; the music also sees a huge upgrade from the previous album as one would expect. Spacey synthesizers kick off a thundering hard rock overture, with every tempo/time signature change performed more fluidly than with the previous album's epics. There are seven sections of the song in all, none going past the 4:33 mark; this is refreshing in its own right, as no segment overstays its welcome. One particular section to note is the Discovery portion, in which the volume dies down and the listener is given some nice atmosphere. Once the man in the story fully tunes the guitar he found, the melodies played by Alex Lifeson are beautiful and give off a feeling of renewal. The last thing to mention is the ending of the song, which is pretty unusual; the heaviness of the piece reaches its climax as the drum fills are going crazy and the guitar distortion is more intense. An announcement comes on: "Attention all planets of the Solar Federation; we have assumed control." It's interesting how the song has a bit of an ambiguous approach to the story as it concludes, but it's cool seeing different theories float around about it. Either way, the song is amazing. It's Rush's first successful epic, maintaining its freshness even today.

The other songs, however, are a mixed bag. They range from great ("Passage to Bangkok," "Something for Nothing") to alright ("The Twilight Zone") to downright awful ("Lessons," and ESPECIALLY "Tears"). To start on a positive note, "Passage to Bangkok" is an extremely fun, drug-influenced hard rock song that benefits from a strong Lifeson riff and solid Geddy Lee vocals. "Something for Nothing" is especially great, mixing a heavy guitar sound in the chorus with cleanly played verses. The dynamics are well-done and the tempo changes keep your interest until the end. But let's talk about "Tears" for a second... it's AWFUL! It features some of the worst attempts at melancholy, the overall product sounding more sappy than endearing. Then again, with a song title like "Tears" coming from Rush, I guess it's probably a bit expected. Anyway, the instrumentation is sparse on this one, especially in terms of alarmingly simple drumming from Neil Peart. But as I said before, what makes it fail is the poor attempt at a sad atmosphere; future songs such as "Roll the Bones" and "Red Sector A" would prove to be better examples of a dark vibe by Rush.

So how does it all add up? Even though there are some very weak tracks on this, the record as a whole is still quite well done. The title track alone is a 5/5, but there are good songs during the album's second half as well, particularly "Passage to Bangkok" and "Something for Nothing." If you can get past some mediocrity, the overall reward is still more than worth the price of admission.

Infamous prog rock legends Rush never had an easy ride in their early years. They began as a hard rock band with incredible potential, and it did indeed take them a few albums before they struck brilliance. A short ways down the road, after the rather ambitious (but not bad) Caress of Steel, they faced trouble with the record company who wanted them to avoid the complex song structures, unique lyrics, and the like associated with Rush now. The Canadian prodigies didn't heed these warnings, and went all out on their 1976 masterpiece, 2112.

You could say that this was the album in which Rush found their sound, so to speak. Many consider this their magnum opus, while I disagree; this record is pure brilliance. Rush proved that they weren't just some Canadian rock band, they were going to be what is arguably the greatest band of all time. Many praise this as the greatest rock record of all time, others claim it is overrated; all opinions aside, the status that this album still holds to this day is legendary.

The album is split down the middle, with the famous epic 20 minute title track on side A, and five different marvelous tracks on side B. The title track features seven different movements of varying structure and intensity, while the 5 on the B side are rather unique to each other as well. One of the main issues with Caress of Steel was its rather broken and inconsistent structure, which hurt the album as a whole. However, on 2112, the stunning title track transitions seamlessly while keeping each of its seven sections distinct and profound. This would be one of Rush's greatest strengths in their following albums in the 70's and 80's: the ability to construct moving and fantastic epic pieces without compromising continuity, and it began here.

The title track is one of the most profound pieces of rock music ever composed. The narrative of this track combined with the sheer talent unleashed in its movements is mind-blowing. This song is evidence that Neil Peart was the secret weapon that Geddy and Alex needed, not only as a drummer, but as a lyricist. The heavy lyrics of "Soliloquy" are of sharp contrast to that of "In the Mood" or "Finding My Way", and it marked a point in which Rush were maturing into the living legends they are now; but the lyrics are only a compliment to the sheer awesomeness of the music. The song also showcases a seriously profound amount of musical talent with its diverse yet perfectly flowing movements. The aggression and pure power of "Overture" and "Temples of Syrinx" tempered by the awe-inspiring "Discovery", "Presentation", and the lovely "Soliloquy" makes for a song that transcends the boundaries of any ordinary "epic" song.

The B side of 2112 often will get criticized as being "weak" or even "just not very good". I'll tell you straight up that's bull[&*!#]. Granted, when you have a monster like "2112" preceding you, it can be hard to stand out; but these songs are each wonderful tracks. The two in particular that are fantastic would be "Lessons" and "Something for Nothing". "Lessons" remains a favorite of mine with its charming verses and aggressive chorus. "Something for Nothing" is one of my all time favorite Rush songs with a badass bass line and one of the best chorus' that Rush has ever written. "Tears" is one of my favorites when it comes to slow, poignant Rush songs (while "Losing It" takes the cake) with a very nice atmosphere and fantastic vocal performance from Geddy. The weakest song is "The Twilight Zone", but even then it is still a great track, showing that this album follows and keeps a very high standard of greatness.

The musicianship and songwriting on this album is fantastic. Alex Lifeson developed a less gritty and more atmospheric guitar tone that adds a bit of dimension to the music, while Geddy Lee's gritty, driven Rickenbacker tone would first show up here. Not only did their sound evolve into something amazing, but the musicians' true instrumental talents began to show their colors on this record. Alex's guitar playing is rather unique, resorting to lots of thick and heavy open chords to give a thick wall of sound while Ged hammers away with that sexy Ricky. Alex's soloing is, however, still quite dirty and bluesy on this album. This is evident all throughout the album, and while I prefer the entrancing solos he would play on later albums, he adds another level of aggression with solos such as those from the title track, "Lessons", and "Something for Nothing".

Neil's drumming is of the highest level, with fills and rhythms that are quite creative and adept in their nature. This isn't Neil's greatest performance, but it definitely remains one of best to be played. The quick fills and aggressively creative drumming of the overture and "Temples of Syrinx" are not only present there, but on the whole album. While his insane fills and unique patterns are one of the famous traits of Neil's drumming, he also plays delicately crafted rhythms whenever the album slows down to go right along with what the song is doing. A great example of this is on one of my favorite parts, "Presentation", in which Neil plays along wonderfully to match the intensity. Neil's percussive mastery is always one of the most exhilarating additions to Rush's music, and one could argue that his legacy began here.

2112 is generally heralded as Rush's masterpiece, and honestly, it really just might be. Such generalizations, however, don't fit a band of the caliber of Rush, the greatest album to some might be one of the weakest to others. With a career spanning over 40 years of brilliance, releasing only a couple weak albums, any of their many albums can be claimed as a magnum opus; but none of it would've been possible if not for 2112. This album smashed boundaries and it continues to be one of those records that just inspires awe upon the listener. This is essential listening for all prog rock fans, its influence was massive and it still is a hallmark of the entire genre. Truly amazing stuff, definitely one of the greatest albums of all time.

"You don't get something for nothing You can't have freedom for free You won't get wise with the sleep still in your eyes No matter what your dreams might be!"

Originally written for The Metal Archives

The very first progressive metal album?

4.5 stars

After the experiments and commercial failures of "Fly By Night" and "Caress Of Steel" - where the band still searched itself - and the disastrous tour that follows, RUSH was at the edge of bankruptcy. The record label Mercury urged the musicians to abandon the progressive approach and compose solely radio-friendly songs. So what was the decision of our Canadians? The exact opposite!

By combining their punchy heavy / hard rock with the complexity of their rhythmical structures and their instrumental virtuosity, the Canadians simply possibly created the first prog metal album, and also delivered one of the most iconic record of the progressive world, all that in 1976. Although not as sophisticated as YES' or GENESIS', the music is however more direct and catchy, as well as a bit ahead of its time in terms of aggressiveness. This disc has inspired future prog metal bands such as DREAM THEATER, and maybe even IRON MAIDEN. It also marks the first appearance of synthesizers, played here by cover designer Hugh Syme, in the band's universe. With "2112", RUSH has at least completely emancipated from its initial British hard rock influences, and delivers their first major opus.

The title track is of course the highlight. A science-fiction musical story, taking place in year... 2112, in a dystopian world where totalitarian priests have banished art and a young man discovers a guitar. Beginning with a spacey electronic introduction, the "Overture" and "Temples Of Syrinx" are the best sections: thundering and ferocious, with epic galloping riffs! I was just completely blown away the first time I listened to it. Grandiose and perfect progressive metal! "Overture" evens contains a short tribute to TCHAÏKOVSKI's heroic "1812 Overture". The rest is also very good. The discovery of the guitar beneath the cascade is reproduced by a gentle hesitating acoustic solo from Alex Lifeson and aquatic sound effects. The opposition between the hero and the priests is rendered by an alternation of soft and hard rock passages. Concerning the ending, it simply rocks! One of RUSH's ultimate compositions, needless to say more.

The second side consists in of short songs, but is nonetheless also quite good. "A Passage To Bangkok" combines a funny little Eastern theme with heavy punchy riffs. Powerful and original! Based on the TV show of the same name, "The Twilight Zone" is a calmer ballad, delicate and touching. Not much to say about "Lessons", except the fact Lifeson wrote lyrics. An enjoyable rock piece, alternating soft and harder passages. With lyrics by Lee, "Tears" is another melancholic ballad, pretty but a bit repetitive and finally average. Don't rely on the sweet beginning of "Something For Nothing", this track is a ferocious and epic proggy metal song that truly rocks! The best song of Side 2.

If you want me to nitpick, the only negative points I can find are a few strange transitions in the title track and "Tears". Otherwise, "2112" is a great album, thundering and innovative, with an overall constant quality. Originally accused of being a LED ZEPPELIN copycat, RUSH have at least found their identity with this signature record. The music is definitely not just hard prog rock like their neighbors KANSAS, but truly pioneering progressive metal. No wonder future bands such as DREAM THEATER refer to the Canadians as a major influence.

The musicians were right not to follow their record label's instructions: "2112" will be the band's first commercial success and will save them from bankruptcy.

This fourth studio offering is the one to start with if you're not familiar with RUSH. Geddy Lee's high-pitched teenage vocals may not please everyone at first listen, however they're finally well adapted to the ambiance. A cult and iconic disc in the progressive world, opening new musical horizons. This elaborated and complex hard/heavy metal was quite unique at the time, I can't think of comparable bands venturing in this territory with such power in the 70's.

One of RUSH's best albums, an essential listen for progressive hard rock and heavy metal fans!

REVIEW #8 - "2112" by Rush (1976)

Facing pressure from their record label to make a more commercially-friendly album, Rush decided to ignore the threats and create another album similar to their panned "Caress of Steel." Drummer Neil Peart, an objectivist and avid reader of Ayn Rand's work at the time, sought inspiration from Rand's novella "Anthem" (for which he dedicated a song back on their second album) to create an epic based upon the archetypical dystopian story. Titled "2112", this album would amazingly bring the band to the mainstream; attaining success against the concrete beliefs that commercially-friendly music is the only path to mainstream success. With a minimalist cover, it also marks the first appearance of the "Starman" logo that would be become a symbol of the band.

The first side is the epic "2112" (5/5), for which the album is named after. A concept, it details the story of an unnamed protagonist who stumbles upon a guitar and realizes the nature of the totalitarian world he lives in. After foolishly trying to present the guitar to the leaders of his society, he is shunned and falls into a state of depression after experiencing a dream of a better world free of bondage. This depression prompts him to commit suicide, ending the story. It is believed that, through the final lines of the song, that the society he dreamed of indeed came back to Earth and freed the people from the totalitarian regime. Coming in at twenty minutes and being the longest song the band would ever record, this is a very good epic, although it does not necessarily feature any outstanding musicianship. The seven parts of the song (including an overture and a finale) range from an acoustic passage to full blown Alex Lifeson guitar solos. It is still a musically diverse song with an interesting story - a story so rooted in objectivism that it drew criticism from media outlets such as NME, who labeled the band as "Nazis", "fascists" and right-wing "extremists." A great epic, and one of the most famous in prog, it is a must-listen.

The rest of the album is a series of shorter tracks. The first is "A Passage to Bangkok" (4/5), a song which is essentially about drug tourism, mentioning Bangkok, Afghanistan, Lebanon, Kathmandu, and other popular Asian destinations to get high. A jamming song through and through, with a nice guitar solo and a humorous theme. Next up is "The Twilight Zone" (3/5), a song about the TV series of the same name. All in all a pretty average track, just like the next track "Lessons" (3/5), written by Lifeson. It gets even worse with the soft track "Tears" (2/5) written by bassist Geddy Lee - a boring love song that just seems out of place with all of the other material on the album, which contains philosophical or science fiction subject matter. However, the listener is salvaged by the decent closing track "Something for Nothing" (5/5) - a song deeply rooted in objectivist philosophy, similar to "Anthem" from their second album in its blunt statements. Overall the second side is pretty weak, yet is overshadowed by the monstrous "2112". Outside of the opener and closer here, it is better to just play the first side over and over again.

Now having attained success, Rush would embark on a trip to the United Kingdom to continue their phase as a prog rock band, recording their next two albums in Europe. A seminal album for Rush fans, without its success, the band would have had a much shorter lifespan. A good album, and a solid example of conservative philosophy in music, Rush's music at this point in time was certainly unique. The title track alone is worth purchasing the album, and it is a must-listen for Rush fans and those who prefer heavy prog, as this album certainly crosses the threshold into heavy metal. Although I prefer their next two albums, "2112" will always reserve a spot in my heart for being one of the first prog albums I ever listened to. It is a nostalgic album for me, and I suppose it is for many others here. Unfortunately the awesome "2112" (which still lends this album my recommendation) is saturated by the lackluster content on the second side, and as an album in its entirety, it is sadly adequate.

OVERALL: 3.67/5 (C-)

The album where it all began! The first truly progressive release from the Canadian trio. After three albums where Rush was still trying to find out their true calling, came this near-masterpiece.

Poor critical reception towards their previous effort sparked a positively violent reaction from the band, who refused to give in to the musical business's demands. Music biz wanted something more accessible and mainstream, but Rush gave them a concept album dealing with the theme of tyranny, abuse of power, and restraints upon artistic freedom. Little did they imagine that more than 40 years later, 2112 would be considered one of the band's many milestones.

The title track, which filled the entire side A, wasn't their first epic. Fly By Night gave us "By-Tor & the Snow Dog", while Caress of Steel gave us "The Necromancer" and "The Fountain of Lamneth", but none of them had the energy, the creativity, and the virtuosity of the band that "2112" had. Its story is neatly told and interwoven with the music, in a way that both complement each other perfectly. The first two sections set the tone, with the time signatures that would become the band's trademark and an amazing guitar solo that showed Alex Lifeson shredding prowess. Next comes "Discovery" , which perfectly describes what any person would probably do upon touching and playing a guitar for the first time after discovering it. "Presentation" ends with another genial guitar solo, backed by a solid rhythm section that never strays behind. "Oracle: the Dream" is the weakest and fortunately the shortest section, followed by the superb "Soliloquy", with a slower, heavier, and denser beat. "Grand Finale"... well, the title says it all.

Side B starts with the powerful "A Passage to Bangkok", another guitar feast. "Twilight Zone" and "Lessons" are nice fillers, followed by a love ballad, "Tears" . This song is a lesson on how NOT to do a love song. After Fly by Night's "Rivendell", it is in my "worst Rush songs" list. "Something for Nothing", on the other hand, is a magnificent closer, with powerful riffs and lyrics.

A 4-star album, the first in a long streak of excellent albums, the real beginning of the band's successful career.

We have arrived at a point in Rush history where the band finally started to pick up steam (both from an artistic and musical standpoint as well as for the band's record company). Even though their record company did not particularly like the brand of music that they made they still had them signed but it did not seem like they would for long. From a historical standing this album was the most important in the band's discography as it was a bit of an ultimatum for the band. The record company threatened to drop them from their label if it didn't succeed and produce the results that they wanted. The guys were saying "if this is our last hurrah then so be it! We are going out in a blaze of glory!" What happened afterwards turned out to be one of the most triumphant moments in music and artistic history (a huge victory for artistic freedom!!) . It turned out that the band was right. Their record label did not and has not told them anything ever since this album was released! On to the review of the actual album right?

1) 2112 - The album opens up with the title track and it is a song of epic proportions. It starts off rather spacey for a bit but then it turns into a heavy hitter filled with plenty of energy, vigor and power. Even though it is not as complicated as future epics this one still packs a wallop as it goes through about 6 different portions of song (I am particularly fond of the Presentation portion of the song) with plenty of heavy moments. It not only has those heavy moments though it also has light and delicate moments (I love the light and shade that this band is able to pull off). With tracks such as these you know the band is able to pull off epic suites similar to the ones that Genesis and Yes were doing but also very different!. This is a Rush and early Prog Metal classic. 10/10

2) A Passage to Bangkok - I believe this one is about the use of drugs ( a subject matter that I am not too keen on). However, despite the subject matter the band was able to pull off a track that was very memorable. Alex shines quite a bit on it. The ending to this track demonstrates to us why Rush is so beloved. I don't think it is perfect but it's still really good. 9/10

3) The Twilight Zone - I love this track. I love how spacey it sounds (just listen to that intro!!). Everything about it is awesome from the guitars to the interplay between Geddy and Neil. It is complex but not too much. It ends in a rather mysterious manner (epic soloing from Alex). 10/ 10

4) Lessons - The jumpy song off of the album. Musically it is a very animated and lively piece. While listening to it you just know that Rush are players of the highest quality and this song demonstrates to that to a tee. Perfect track in my opinion. Grade A playing. I love it. 10/10

5) Tears - This one is absolutely breathtaking! On it the band takes to you to a place where they never have taken you. Neil takes a bit of a back seat (he drums a bit but not too much) to Geddy and Alex on this one. It has some very haunting yet beautiful guitar, bass and mellotron. It is probably my favorite track on the album. 10/10

6) Something for Nothing - This one is very much a high energy piece and thunderous track (you could tell that the band was trying to get it out of their system). I know I keep saying that Rush are the Fathers of Prog Metal (it is debatable though) but they really have all of the prerequisites and they fit the criteria. This is a song that demonstrates that even more. Even though it is a bit repetitive it still cooks especially during the ending. 10/10

Overall, I feel 2112 is a classic Rush album and one of the very first Progressive Metal albums. Highly recommended especially for those who like heavier prog music. You might still like it as a regular prog fan though. 5 stars!! Peace out!!

After an incredibly shaky start, and then a massive commercial flop in the form of Caress of Steel, on the verge of going entirely bankrupt, Rush decided that if they were going to go out, they'd do it with a bang, subsequentally causing them to skyrocket into popularoty and eventually become one of the most iconic progressive rock bands. When looking back on it, it's quite clear to see why 2112 would do that, as it's such a drastic leap forward in their sound, taking the ambition of Caress of Steel, and not only turning it into something actually listenable, but refining it into such an incredible prog epic that fully deserves to be as beloved as it is. The second side is less good, but still overall provides a decent array of hard rock tracks that mostly surpass what came before in the band's discography, bar a few highlights. This second side also stops this album from actually being a concept album, despite what so many people will tell you.

The undoubted highlight of the album is the title track, as the iconic 20+ minute suite that it is, with strong science fiction imagery bleeding through the entire song, in terms of lyricism, grandiose tone, and the use of synths that can be found throughout, but are especially prominent in the intro, sounding as if an intergalactic spaceship has just blasted off. The first 7 minutes of this song, which covers the first 2 sections of it, are definitely some of the greatest music that I think Rush have ever put out, which is saying a lot when looking at the next few albums past this point. Every moment of this has incredible energy and some absolutely incredible riffs, backed up by extremely tight, intricate interplay from both the bass and drums, making this both impresive in terms of composition, and the amazing playing. Overture continues in such a way, never dropping its energy at all and just bombarding the listener with excellent riff after excellent riff, all ending quietly as Geddy finally kicks in. The Temples of Syrinx takes this energy from Overture, and then ups it dramatically, especially with the high energy vocal performance dominating everything else that Geddy had done so far, and definitely still stands as one of his best vocal moments, absolutely belting it out without the abrasive quality that sometimes can come with his higher notes, especially when sung loudly. The chorus in particular is something that will stick in my head for hours after I've given this album a spin, and is definitely nothing short of breathtaking. The next 2 sections play out much slower, with a stronger focus on melody and storytelling, but still adding some flair here and there, especially with Neil Peart's drum fills. I in particular love Presentation, acting as a converation between the protagonist and antagonists, Geddy Lee putting on a more intense voice to represent the antagonists, and a lovely, melodious one for the protag. As the section draws to an end, the pace picks up once again and brings back some power, stopping the song from going on too long without some sort of climactic part. The Oracle serves as this climax, having a grandiose, uplifting tone to it that is once again absolutely incredible, before dying down into Soliloquym which maintains a lot of the passion, while slowing down and upping the intensity dramatically, all culminating in an absolutely stunning guitar solo, before ending with a gradual crescendo as more and more elements are introduced, becoming somewhat chaotic as a robotic voice penetrates the wall of noise that's being created, before the song then dies down and ends.

The second side of the album is a lot more conventional and straighforward, none of the songs going over 4 minutes and all following a very basic structure, just being fun rock tracks. A Passage To Bangkok is a catchy song and another one that I find myself humming at random points in time, mid paced and with a decent riff and hook. The Twilight Zone is what I'd consider the best song on this side other than Something For Nothing, having a bit more variety to it and having a great, galloping rhythm that's nicely broken up by the softer bridges, while Something For Nothing is at the opposite end of the spectrum, and simply works well as a great, fast paced rocker. The two songs, Lessons and Tears are nothing to write home about, although I'd still say that they're passable, despite te fact that they're easily the low point here, being fairly generic and not really carrying anything all too special to justify their existence here.

It's easy to see how this album managed to save Rush from bankruptcy, as it blows all their previous material out of the water, especially the absolute masterpiece of a title track, which singlehandedly provides great merit to the album. The creativity and ambition of the band was pushed extremely far here, this time becoming fully developed and realised, rather than falling flat on its face like the two epics on Caress of Steel did. The second side drags this album down a bit, especially with its two middle tracks being as underwhelming as they are, but even with this, on the whole, the album is extremely good, and deserves its popularity and acclaim.

Best songs: Something For Nothing, 2112 (this one especially)

Weakest songs: Tears, Lessons

Verdict: The first of the great Rush albums that would continue for quite some time, being filled with great energy and amazing technicality being presented from all members of the band, displaying intricate interplay and a lot of instrumental passages that never end up feeling overwrought. While the second side is definitely weaker than the first, both are good, and the first side is amazing enough that it's my first recommendation for people wanting to get into the proggier side of Rush, even if I'll tell them not to bother with the rest.

2112 achieved a triple feat: 1) it saved Rush's career (which was threatened by the commercial failure of Caress of Steel), 2) it showed artistic integrity (after all it is a record that "doubles the bet" of its predecessor, incorporating even more elements of progressive rock) and 3) it was a major contribution to a subgenre (that is, prog rock) that seemed to be in decline after reaching its peak in 1974. The title track is worthy of the progressive rock's tradition of 20-minute epic songs, whose greatest exponents are "Lizard" (King Crimson), "Tarkus" (ELP), "Supper's Ready" (Genesis) and "Close to the Edge" (Yes). The inspiration could not be more unusual: Ayn Rand's libertarian philosophy, which serves as the basis for a critique of collectivism, incarnated in this song by institutional religion (and, indirectly, the State), for its repression of individual freedom and self-expression. There are certain verses of the second section ("The Temples of Syrinx"), however, that also resemble The Great Inquisitor (Dostoevsky): "We've taken care of everything / The words you hear, the songs you sing / The pictures that give pleasure to your eyes (...) / Never need to wonder how or why". The musicianship of Neil Peart (drums), Alex Lifeson (guitar) and Geddy Lee (bass) in each of the seven sections is amazing; they move easily through various styles and time signatures. Initially, Geddy's high pitched vocals irritated me, but with time I got used to it - even because I understood that they are performances (for example, to represent the anger of the priests of the Temples of Syrinx). The B-side of the LP (or tracks 2-6 of the CD) has five shorter songs, but they shouldn't be considered minor tracks compared to "2112"; actually two of them are very good: the hard rock "Something For Nothing", which also has libertarian lyrics - "Oh, you don't get something for nothing / You don't get freedom for free"; and the funny "A Passage to Bangkok", which tells the adventures of the character to find good-quality weed during the tours around the world: "We'll hit the stops along the way / We only stop for the best". In its combination of Rush's hard rock origins with the complex musical structures of progressive rock (Yes seems to be a particularly strong influence), 2112 served as a template for Rush's next two records (A Farewell to Kings and Hemispheres), but its experimental impulse - in a move that could have been a commercial suicide, but ended up being their breakthrough album - persisted for rest of the band's career.

2112 is considered the first masterpiece signed by Rush.

Is it a real masterpiece?

Let's see.

Side A is occupied by the suite 2112, lasting about 20 minutes, which starts with spatial, cosmic sounds, then Lifeson's hard rock guitar enters, and we witness a continuous change of rhythm, marked by the virtuosity of Neil Peart. As soon as the Overture closes, the voice of Geddy Lee is heard, at first sweet, then, when the hard-rock music starts again, shrill, screamed in that typical way of heavy metal that I don't like, it reminds me of the Neapolitan melodrama: when you go beyond the tone, the real emotion is absent, it is more form than content.

However, this short second song is certainly overwhelming, and ends with an acoustic guitar, then, with the sound of water, the narration of this futuristic and dystopian poem continues where music is prohibited. The piece is acoustic, soft voice and acoustic guitar. Then the rhythmic Presentation starts, very heavy, with the shrill voice in the foreground; a hyper-fast guitar solo ends the piece; Oracle still starts with a sweet voice and acoustic guitar, then becomes hard rock, with the characteristic shrill voice. The sound of spring water returns, and again an acoustic melodic piece is the prologue to a hard rock piece, the formula seems clear enough and repetitive. Finally, the Grand Finale, a short virtuoso show. As happened with the second side of the previous album, even here, more than a real suite, this long piece of music is only the set of many songs united by the same theme, songs that do not have a true unitary musical development.

Great effort, but in my opinion we are far from the masterpiece.

Rating 7,5/8

Side 2 2. A Passage To Bangkok (3:34). An oriental jingle, a guitar riff, the voice of Geddy Lee, and we are facing a conventional rock ballad, with a good guitar solo. Rating 7.

3. The Twilight Zone (3:18). Inspired song, partly electric, partly acoustic, with rhythm changes. A small prog-rock pearl, which however ends too early with a Lifeson's solo. Rating 7.5 / 8

4. Lessons (3:51). Acoustic guitar, rhythmic progression, screaming and scratching voice, we are faced with a good conventional hard-rock with guitar solo. The arrangement suffers from the exact same solutions. Rating 7+

5. Tears (3:32). The song begins with a melodic and romantic, acoustic piece, then arrives the mellotron played by Syme. Sweet song, very melodic and slow. The singing by Lee is finally whispered and not howling. Too short. Rating 7,5/8.

6. Something For Nothing (3:59). Concluding song with an acoustic beginning that soon becomes electric and very sustained, coarse voice, central guitar solo (I can't deny that the sound seems rather monotonous to me), again coarse voice. Rating 7.

There is very little progressive in this second side. In general, both for the arrangements and for the singing, Rush seems to me only a group of simple hard rock, very competent, ready to write suites which, however, so far (the first two albums) are more than anything else the union of single songs always hard rock. Good music rock, visceral, engaging, but rather simple, and short songs seem uncared for. A step forward compared to the previous album, a discreet but still immature album.

Quality Side 2: 7+.

Medium quality between side 1 and side 2: 7,5. Three stars.

I admit that I am not a big fan of Rush mainly because I find the vocal's colour irritating and not enough progressive rock elements in the piece I've heard so far. Rush is a fine instrumental band albeit limited to bass, guitars and drums at this level. This lays more focus on the rhythm part of music and highlights dynamics as opposed to layers and advanced composing. With 2112, Rush successfully combined elements of classick, hard and progressive rock. In its essence, I wouldn't call this record a progressive rock, I'd characterize it as a sophisticated and adventureous hard rock.

The highlight is the title track that is ambitious, versatile and shows potential. Guitar playing is top notch but bass and drums don't play second fiddle. The first minutes are somewhat anthemic, before becoming mellow and coming back to the aggressive hard-prog extravaganza without any vocal disturbance. Another highlight is the finale of the song with equilibristic instrumentation.

Shorter tracks are very good executed and designed, albeit limited to the hard-rock/classic rock area. Melodies are quite memorable. Those looking for accessible rock, should listent to "The twilight zone" and the great ballad "Tears". "Lessons" may be the most conventional hard rock song on this album. This is a 4 star hard-rock album and 3-star progressive rock album.

Review #76

This was actually the first Progressive Rock album that I've ever heard: I was 10 years old and I had absolutely no idea of what the hell Prog was. My cousin Jorge (who is only four years older than me) came to my house one time with a disc holder in which he kept his favorite albums so he can listen to them in his Discman (it was 2004, there were no iPods and the travel by bus from Mexico City to Oaxaca City is a seven hours journey).

Along with some non-progressive rock bands such as KASHMIR, MUSE, and THE MUSIC, he introduced me to the Progressive Rock of THE MARS VOLTA's "De-loused in the comatorium" and RUSH's "2112"; I expanded just a little bit my musical taste that back in those days was founded on KISS, THE RAMONES, MOLOTOV and GREEN DAY. It was actually until 2009 (when I started listening to Progressive Rock) that I re-discovered the album and finally fell in love with it.

--- A-SIDE ---

1.- 2112 (20:33): The opening track of the album is a phenomenal twenty-minute suite that talks about a post-apocalyptical age of time running in the year 2112 when the music is an unknown part of human history and the Priests run over the world and live in The Temples of Syrinx. The song is divided into seven parts that would function really well as individual songs but altogether function much better.

I) Overture: As the name of the first part claims, this is the overture of the song: it is a 4 and a half minute piece that is completely instrumental until its very end when we can hear just one line "and the Meek shall inherit the Earth". The music in this section is absolutely mind-blowing: all the bass, the guitar, and the drums were played with very aggressive patrons and the addition of the synthesizer ARP Odyssey played by Hugh SYME gave it a very spacey atmosphere that went perfect with the thematic of the song (it reminds me a lot to HAWKWIND).

II) The temples of Syrinx: The second part continues with the intense hard rock only the melody changes completely; unfortunately this part is really short and the third chapter is not intense hard rock but a soft slow melody. The chapter explains how the Priests who live in the temples of Syrinx have controlled the population and blocked all creativity and individualism.

III) Discovery: This is a very soft melody that starts with water sounds and a very calm guitar, then LEE sings and the guitar starts to play faster until it changes to a more rhythmic tune. In this chapter, a man discovers a guitar and he starts to play it so he discovers the lost art of music.

IV) Presentation: More strong Hard Rock with powerful guitar riffs and drums; the instrumental final includes one of the most intense guitar solos of the album. In this chapter of the song the unnamed man takes his beautiful discovery to the Priests at the temples, he is really excited to "share this new wonder and to show what it can do" but he finds out that the priests knew about this "waste of time" and they're not interested in any silly device from the ancient days. The priests destroy the guitar and banish the man.

V) Oracle: the dream: This section of the song starts with a very calm guitar line and a soft sung part and then it changes to a more hard rocky section. In this chapter, the man dreams about a planet in which creative people live.

VI) Soliloquy: Another song that starts with a quiet melody and changes to a rockier section. The man wakes up and realizes he will never be part of that civilization so he kills himself in depression.

VII) Grand final: It's just an instrumental ending of the song; the drums in here are particularly amazing. The end of the story is confusing and hard to interpret.

--- B SIDE ---

2.- A passage to Bangkok (03:34): The first song of the second side of the LP is a slow-tempo rock song with a well-marked riff. This is a song about weed and the best places to get it (the song mentions several cities and countries from around the globe with the fame of growing good weed such as Bogota, Jamaica, Acapulco, Morocco, Afghanistan, Lebanon, and Katmandu).

3.- The twilight zone (03:19): Maybe the most oriented to Progressive Rock from the B-side: the atmosphere this song gives is very mystic; the lyrics are inspired in the television science fiction show with the same name.

4.- Lessons (03:52): This song was written by Alex LIFESON. It starts with an acoustic guitar line increasing its volume until the drums and bass appear and then the lyrics do it too. It is a very cheerful melody with intense rock in the chorus.

5.- Tears (03:34): This song was written by Geddy LEE. This is a very beautiful acoustic soft ballad with the addition of the mellotron played in the studio by Hugh SYME (LEE plays it himself at live shows).

6.- Something for nothing (03:57): Probably the most iconic song from the B-side of the album; this hard rock piece with that unmistakable guitar riff became a favorite in RUSH's concerts over the years.

Excellent stuff!

SONG RATING: 2112, 5 A passage to Bangkok, 4 The twilight zone, 4 Lessons, 4 Tears, 4 Something for nothing, 5

AVERAGE: 4.33

PERCENTAGE: 86.67

ALBUM RATING: 4 stars

Rush's 2112 is a excellent album and definitely a essential album in any prog rock collection. This is really all thanks to the first song on the track 2112 Overture. 2112 Overture tells the story of a distant future society where creativity and self expression is outlawed. And our protagonist stumbles upon a guitar in a cave. He then takes his new found discovery to the priests who rule. And they tell him that the guitar is a waste of time and a danger to there modern society. And this dwells on him and drives him to suicide. The song outlines the importance of freedom and self expression, as a lot of rush songs do. This epic 20 minute track instantly makes the album a masterpiece. However I do have one complaint. The expectations that this song sets is too high to make the rest of the album as enjoyable. and it personally left me bored. So if I were to listen to this album again I would start on the back side. 4/5

This was originally written several years ago by myself under a user name I used before my current one. I made only a few minor changes for this review here.

This is the album that kept Rush alive as professional musicians and gave them a larger audience. It didn't quite give them mainstream success (that would happen soon enough though and probably with "Permanent waves") but it is the album that saved their career and is possibly one of the biggest cult albums of all time.

This might not be the best place for someone totally new to Rush to start with (for that I would say either "permanent waves" or "moving pictures") but it's not bad either and if you are a moderate fan or even sort of like Rush you should definitely hear the is album. It will make you a believer.

The vinyl version consists of the 2112 suite on side one and five shorter songs on side two. The cd plays consistently with no bonus tracks in the same order. The 2112 suite consists of 7 separate sections that make up the entire piece(and side). Overture starts with an eerie synthesizer played by Hugh Syme that soon kicks into high gear for an instrumental hard rock tour de force of a track. At the end Geddy Lee sings "and the meek shal inherit the earth" which suddenly segues into another monster guitar riff that starts off "the temple of syrinx." "Discovery" starts with the sounds of water and a mellow electric guitar telling the story of the protaganist and his battle with the priests who don't understand his discovery. The rest of the sections on the 2112 suite seem to alternate between mellow parts and heavier moments often with melodies that are repeated from earlier sections. The 2112 title track ends with a distorted voice with the words "attention all planets of the solar federation" repeated a few times. The voice concludes with the line "we have assumed control" which is repeated a few times. This adds to the eeriness and somewhat dark nature of the track and is one of the most intense and goosebump inducing moments in rock that I have heard.

Side two starts with "A passage to bangkok" which is a mid tempo rocker about touring areas that specialize in a certain natural substance that many musicians know all too well. This was a good track to start off side two. "Twilight Zone" is the band's tribute to the old black and white fantasy tv series narrated by Rod Serling. The next track "lessons" starts off with strumming acoustic guitar before kicking into high gear. A decent enough track but probably the weakest on the album. "Tears" is the most mellow track on the album and probably the closest so far the band has come to having a traditional symphonic sound due mainly to the use of mellotron(played by Hugh Syme). "Something for Nothing" is the final track on the album and is the hardest hitting and most powerful on side two. Lyrically it tells us to not take our lives for granted and that we need to be in control of our own destiny. This song sums up the frame of mind the members must have been to the extent that 2112 was a make or break album for the band and they needed to take control like the mysterious voice that ends side one.

The side long title suite on side one is worthy of five stars. The second side is good but not mind blowing like the first side so three stars. So, therefore I give it an over all rating of four stars. An obvious choice for anyone wanting to further explore Rush after hearing their radio songs or "moving pictures" and or "permanent waves."

This is a difficult album to rate. Side 1 has the classic epic 2112, starting a string of great Rush records. The other side is mediocre and salvaged mostly by brilliant musicianship.

2112 - This is pinnacle 'Rush' for me. 2112 is up there with their best epics. I love every minute of it. It feels like a journey and it's proggy as heck. 10/10

A Passage to Bangkok - Brilliant musicianship elevates a mediocre song. As they will do more often in the future. 8/10

The Twilight Zone - Acceptable track of a disappointing B-side. I love the shrieking guitar. 7/10

Lessons - Another mediocre track awesomely played. 6.5/10

Tears - I hate the chorus. A lot. The rest of the song isn't that great either. Mellotron can't salvage this one. 6/10

Something for Nothing - This is another track I don't dig. The worst track on the record. Bad closer. 5/10

2112, the track, is essential listening for prog fans. But the remainder is for fans only. I will choose the middle ground. And rate it 3 stars.

After the commercial failure of 1975's Caress Of Steel and the ensuing disappointment of the resulting "Down The Tubes" tour, Rush was teetering on a precipice. Their album sales, pre-COS, were respectable but not exactly lighting up the stratosphere. Now with their first commercial dud, the label was on the verge of dropping the band entirely. Only with assurances from the band's manager that they would go in a far more commercial and accessible musical direction were they granted a stay of execution. They got the go-ahead to record one more album. Certainly Rush wasn't crazy enough to stick with their epic/prog ambitions, right?

Rush doubled down on the crazy. Sticking to their artistic vision, their fourth album 2112, released in April of 1976, featured an entire album side dedicated to a 7-part, 20+ minute suite, a quizzical science-fiction ode to objectivist philosophy. The way Rush saw it, if they were to be damned, they were going to be damned for who they were, rather than what the record label assumed they should be.

Well as I mentioned before, they doubled-down on their hand and the ensuing play netted them quite the bounty. 2112 was a commercial breakthrough, quickly going Gold in North America and eventually hitting Triple Platinum in sales. Sections of the ""2112" suite ? specifically "Overture" and "Temples of Syrinx" played in succession ? and "Passage To Bangkok" received significant FM airplay. The resulting tour made bank and brought them back to the forefront of the mid-70s AOR stage.

The album also introduced significant Rush iconography: specifically the image of the naked man (symbolizing the individual) standing before the pentagram (symbolizing the restrictions of the collective). Known as the "Starman Emblem", this image has been closely associated with the band ever since. This wasn't the only iconic Rush image; rather unintentionally, the picture of the band garbed in goofy kimonos on the rear album cover has been a cause for joyful derision, even among devoted fans of the band.

And that's all well and good but let's talk about the album itself, shall we? The first half of the LP is dedicated to the "2112" suite, and while only that side makes up the "concept album" portion of the record, it is so entirely pervasive that 2112 is consistently mentioned among the list of rock's premiere concept LPs.

(I'm personally not the biggest fan of concept albums. Too often they get caught up in their own self-indulgent goofiness and meandering pretense, or spiral into shallow, pseudo-intellectual exercises in proselytizing tedium. I mean, every time Pete Townshend tries to reinterpret or repackage Tommy into a new format or daring new presentation, it gets that much more one- dimensionally laughable. And I *like* Tommy!)

So yes, in many ways the Ayn Rand-inspired story behind "2112" is just utterly silly. It has something to do with a futuristic society in which the "Elder Race of Man" has left the solar system, leaving behind the "Solar Federation", a system ruled by a totalitarian theocratic regime, stifling individuality, creativity, artistic expression, and the entire concept of self-idealization.

The suite's protagonist finds a guitar in a cave, begins to make music with it, and presents his findings to the Priests, who pooh- pooh his ideas entirely. Crushed, he returns home and dreams of a world before the Solar Federation, that of significant human achievement and creativity, and upon waking commits suicide out of total despair. Then the Solar Federation is destroyed as the Elder Race of Man returns to reclaim his birthright.

Or something like that. It's all a silly bit of piffle if you stare at it too long.

Roger Ebert once said that a great movie isn't so much what it is about, but rather how it's about what it's about. What makes "2112" so unbelievably satisfying is the performances by the band and the incredible music provided by Lee, Lifeson, and Peart. Unlike the stilted musicality and underlying cheesyness of "The Necromancer" from the previous album (I much prefer "The Fountain of Lamneth", flaws and all), Rush found away to embrace the otherworldliness of its subject matter by injecting it with a deeper thematic resonance; relating to 'three warriors battling some nebulous super-villain' is a ponderous exercise dabbling in adolescent romanticism, whereas the creative/artistic/self-fulfillment conflict between 'the abstract man and the masses' gives the work a greater sense of urgency and (dare I say) 'gravitas' ? even while it has been ostensibly decorated with 1960s TV sci-fi tropes.

Plus "2112" really, really rocks. Up to this point, the band had never been this consistently great at presenting a cohesive, integrated musical theme with this amount of melodic motion, heavy metal crunch and power, and FM radio hooks. "I. Overture" does exactly what it sets out to do, introducing the tone and feel of the work by presenting and unifying queues and motifs from each section. It's hard, heavy, and segues perfectly into "II: The Temples of Syrinx", a thunderous power-chord rocker that establishes the antagonist body of "2112" while maintaining the hard rock momentum from the Overture.

"Part III: Discovery" presents an instrumental discovery of the long-lost guitar in an underground cave, what with echoing waterfalls and strange tunings and atmospheric effects aplenty. This leads into "Part IV: Presentation", a back and forth between the protagonist and the ruling Priests, the gentle earnest melody of our hero contrasted against a wall of distortion emblematic of the antagonists' dismissive anger, erupting into Alex Lifeson's ripping guitar solo of self-righteous rage.

"Part V: Oracle: The Dream" delivers a fantasy sequence in which our hero dreams of a better world, two minutes of straightforward rock that establishes the freedom and creative triumphs of the Elder Race of Man, lost to antiquity. It's a punchy, almost anthemic number, which leads into the slower, bluesy lament of "Part VI: Soliloquy", in which our hero takes his own life. The two songs make for an interesting pairing, dropping the action and tempo down a notch to move the story along while still maintaining the musical momentum of the piece.

"2112" ends heroically with "VII: Grand Finale", a fast, hard-rocking instrumental piece that wraps up the suite with great flourish and incredible musicianship from the band. Much debate has ensued from the apparent open-ended conclusion, but I'm convinced the "good guys" won. Neil agrees with me. So there.

The "2112" suite is such an iconic representation of Rush's music ? certainly some of their most recognizable ? as well as an engaging and ultimately satisfying piece of music, that the remainder of the album almost feels anti-climactic. Almost. But perhaps anything would, in comparison with what came before it. Instead of continuing the story on Side 2 (or creating a separate suite of music), Rush recorded five stand-alone songs instead.

The side opener, "A Passage To Bangkok", features one of their most iconic riffs (marred by an unfortunate piece of Oriental musical cliche during the opening). This ode to mind-altering experimentation is an absolute winner; a strong, melodic, confident number from start to finish.

"The Twilight Zone" is a bit of a step down for me; their homage to two episodes of the classic Rod Sterling television show features rather unremarkable verses. The chorus, however, is fascinating. It feels soft, eerie, and is punctuated by a strong minor-key riff that leads into Geddy's restrained, haunting vocals. Kudos for not using any elements of the show's TV theme whatsoever. While a bit weaker than the preceding tracks, the song definitely has its pluses.

Lifeson's acoustic strumming and Lee's punchy, walking bassline opens up "Lessons", a rare Lifeson-penned track (Neil Peart is the primary lyricist and has penned the lyrics for nearly all of the band's songs). The tune wears its Zeppelin influence on its sleeve; Lifeson seemed to be in pure Jimmy Page mode here. But this is influence, not homage, and the work stands on its own as an enjoyable if not overly memorable rocker.

Geddy Lee took his turn at album lyrics with "Tears", a gentle, mournful ballad featuring some tasteful mellotron work by Hugh Syme. It's a good song and one I definitely enjoy, but it somehow feels out-of-place on this album. As if to remind us of this, Neil returns to the lyric desk with the closing number "Something For Nothing", an austere rocker that reminds us that the rewards of life always come with a price. The tune works well, as an album closer and as a thematic callback to the entire "2112" suite. I find it more of an expression of the freedoms and consequences that come with asserting individualism than as some kind of snarky right-wing anthem. Your mileage may vary, of course.

2112 was a game changer for Rush. It legitimized their prog-leanings in the eyes of their label and solidified their status as an FM radio staple. It sold by the truck-load and assured the band a strong measure of creative freedom to continue making music their way. It is also viewed by most fans as their first "classic" album (of many), as well as setting up a "trilogy" of like-minded records with A Farewell To Kings and Hemispheres. And it ingrained itself in other pop culture biospheres as well: author Ernest Cline even established a 2112 "planet" in his insular yet enjoyable sci-fi'ish novel Ready Player One, and there's a playable 2112 section (set in the world created by the album) in one of the Guitar Hero videogames.

However you wanna slice it, 2112 was the record that elevated Rush from a scrappy, hardworking Canadian power trio to the big leagues, a commercial success and headlining act, a position they've retained to this day. Plus it's a damn great album. This one's a keeper, gang.

Review #27!

Six songs. One eponymic, side-spanning prog epic split into seven movements, followed by five classic rock tracks. The dramatic, powerful, jaw-dropping title suite '2112' followed by a song about a group of stoners traveling the world for the best weed: 'A Passage to Bangkok' ? who has the nerve?! It makes me lightly chuckle to think about it. But not to underrate the other five songs. 'The Twilight Zone' is a somewhat dark song that reminds us what nerds Rush were (it doesn't feel surprising to find that the band were 'The Twilight Zone' fans), while also showcasing Geddy Lee's amazing vocals. 'Lessons' is a sweet song about enjoying life and living it to the fullest. 'Tears' and 'Something for Nothing' are both relatively sad songs, with the latter being less so, and are strong tracks on a strong album. To conclude, '2112' is truly at Rush's best. It is impressive to achieve something like this so early in your career. And there's only more great Rush albums beyond.

Following the disappointing sales of Caress of Steel, Rush's label wanted the band to go in a safer, more commercial direction. Instead, they recorded an album with an even longer song. 2112, released in April 1976, was the band's popular breakthrough. The seven-part, 20-minute title track is considered by many fans to be one of the crowning achievements of progressive rock, and it's clear to see why. Lifeson's riffs are inventive and fresh, and his soloing is masterful; Geddy's bass cuts through to the fore; and Neil's drumming is technical while having raw power behind it, to say nothing of his dystopian, sci-fi lyrics. In an improvement over "The Fountain of Lamneth", "2112" feels like a cohesive, multi-parted suite that flows naturally.

I can't be quite as effusively worshipful of the rest of the album, though. "A Passage to Bangkok" is enjoyable and reminiscent of songs off Fly by Night, but the rest of side 2 fails to make much of an impression. "The Twilight Zone" meanders torpidly in a way the big, sharp main riff can't offset, and "Tears" suffers from a similar problem. Rush were never a band for ballads. Meanwhile, "Something for Nothing" and "Lessons" feel like weaker renditions of "A Passage to Bangkok" or "Fly by Night"?to-the-point, melodic hard rock, but lacking the memorable qualities of the latter two songs.

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

After the commercially unsuccessful "Caress of Steel", the Canadians were faced with the dilemma of continuing to make the music they felt like, or giving in to the "recommendations" of their record company. And so they decided to risk their skin and embark on the project they believed in. The final result was "2112", their first big international hit.

From a distance and with the perspective that time gives, it is clear that the bet went very well for them. The courage to face such an uncertain situation and stand firm gave a very special vindicatory flavor to Rush's 4th album. "2112" made them climb several steps in general consideration and they began to be considered as a band with a lot to say.

Without neglecting the initial Zeppelian influences, and adding important progressive textures, "2112", the song that bears the title of the album, surprises with a great sample of musical maturity, beginning with the powerful and unbeatable instrumental "Overture", and with a continuous flow between moments of aggressive climaxes and tense calms, until closing with the intriguing message of "The Grand Finale". Geddy Lee's raspy voice adds a special dose of drama; Alex Lifeson's versatility with guitars solidifies the proposal; but undoubtedly the percussion and lyrics (the legendary and controversial dystopian story built around Starman) by the extraordinary Neil Peart, were fundamental to the final result.

Given the buzz of the suite "2112", the additional tracks on the album went a bit under the radar, but it's worth noting the interesting riffs on "A Passage to Bangkok" and the energized "Something for Nothing" which closes the album.

Each band has its decisive moment, the one that makes the difference between taking flight or not, and "2112" led Rush to start flying, high and with good weather.

3.5/4 stars

Review Nº 674

"2112" is the fourth studio album of Rush and was released in 1976. The album features an eponymous seven part musical suite telling a dystopian story about a man who discovers an ancient guitar and learns to play his own music in the year of 2112. The "2112" suite fills the entire A side of the album. Besides that suite, the album has more five tracks on the B side. Rush repeated this musical arrangement on their sixth studio album "Hemispheres" released in 1978.

"2112" represents the last studio album of the band that belongs to their first musical phase. That phase started with their eponymous debut studio album "Rush" released in 1974, followed by "Fly By Night" released in 1975 and "Caress Of Steel" also released in 1975. This musical phase is a less progressive phase that is more characterized by the hard rock and the blues tunes and some more complex progressive tracks that "2112" is the greatest testimony of that.

Rush has always been regarded as one of the very most important bands in the progressive rock and metal history. Their intricate song structures and the use of outside influences has become a staple of countless of the band's sound. The complexity of their masterpiece suite, the twenty minute epic track "2112" is undeniably one of the greatest achievements that this legendary power trio have ever put their name on. However, the album to which it lends its title contains no other really worthwhile music. Sure, there are some fine riffs on the last five out songs, but none of them can rival with the colossally layered mastery of harmonies and atmosphere displayed consistently on the title track. Nor do the display the unbelievable musical intensity that Rush could often take on effortlessly. The acoustic parts everywhere, but the first song feel thin and lifeless, but it's all made up for before you even get to those songs, really.

About the individual tracks, "2112" is the lengthiest and the greatest track on the album. So, I must talk more deeply about it than the other five tracks. Lyrically and briefly, "2112" tells the story of a futuristic society run by a priestly intelligentsia that brainwash the masses into believing that they are happy. One day a boy finds a guitar and being expressing himself through music. The boy wants to share his music with others, which infuriates and terrifies the priests. Musically this is really a great piece of music with a magnificent huge sound. It's on a par with some other great progressive pieces of music like Yes's "Close To The Edge", King Crimson's "In The Court Of Crimson King" and Pink Floyd's "Wish You Were Here". What distinguishes more "2112" is that the band manages to create such a giant sound with not much than a guitar, a bass, drums and vocals. While there is some doubling of guitar, mostly during solos or when acoustic guitar is added, and a few keyboard passages, the vast majority of "2112" is produced with only three music instruments. So, all of this elements and the story makes of "2112" a true masterpiece in the way that it sounds.

Relatively to the other five songs on the album, while "2112" rightfully gets all our attention, side B is praiseworthy in its own right. While side A perfected their progressive rock elements, side B is the group's more direct hard rock dimension. On side B, Rush move out of a shadow of Led Zeppelin to create a hard rock sound with a very distinctive Rush touch. I'm not saying that the second half of this is completely bad, or even that it doesn't rock face times. There are definitely some riffs driven joints to be found here. These songs tell vivid stories or describe intense emotional experiences and in each case, Rush finds good melodies and hooks to convey these stories and feelings. For instance "A Passage To Bangkok" captures the energy and exoticism of travelling in far of lands while "The Twilight Zone" creates a spooky ambience. Even the ballad "Tears" is quite impressive, with Lee delivering a beautiful vocal performance, while guest musician Hugh Syme provides excellent atmospheric backing melodies with his Mellotron. When I want to hear these songs, I usually choose the respective live versions. But I admit this is a personal preference.

Conclusion: "2112" isn't truly a cohesive effort due to the great differences between both sides of the album. The side B of the album isn't as progressive and as good as the side A is. I think it suffers from the same problem that "Tarkus" of Emerson, Lake & Palmer suffers. However, I sincerely think it has enough quality not to spoil the general musical quality of it. Probably, the main problem with the both sides of the album is that Rush, in my humble opinion, was never a pure progressive rock band and always had a more direct hard rock aspect to their sound, at least, through "Moving Pictures". By the other hand, with "2112", Rush took a real giant leap into their music and began the release of a true amazing set of studio albums that shuttling them definitely to the stardom. With "2112", Rush made exactly the album that they wanted to make, rather than the one the label was being for. Few bands haven't been brave enough to maintain their artistic integrity in that situation. Thus, "2112" became so important that neither progressive metal nor alternative rock bands would be what they are today without it. As a whole, "2112" stands out because of its title track.

Prog is my Ferrari. Jem Godfrey (Frost*)