PERMANENT WAVES

Without a shadow of doubt (now that could be a Neil Peart title in itself) this is the best Rush LP beating 'Moving Pictures' in my mind by virtue of it not having a single slightly iffy track ('Vital Signs' just takes the edge off that album) and one of those true great prog albums. From the radio friendly 'The Spirit Of Radio', itself a protest at that medium with it's reggae and Simon & Garfunkel referencing, to the quintessential prog classics of 'Natural Science' (checkout that bass line underpinning the guitar solo around 4:00) and 'Jacob's Ladder', the album is beautifully balanced and an example of one of the better produced Rush albums. Even the quiet, overlooked, penultimate track 'Different Strings' with it's fade-out guitar solo - distinctly Lifeson - sets the tone for the first part of the last track. 'Freewill' sits nicely after 'Spirit' with it's classic high-pitched Geddy Lee vocals towards the end and belter of a guitar solo - in fact the only track without a real guitar solo is 'Entre Nous' with it's cleverly constructed, yet simple, chord and arpeggio based guitar work giving Lee a chance to overlay it with some simple and subtle synth. And Neil Peart displays a subtler side to his drumming previously unheard from the maestro. Yes it drew a line under the style of prog that they built their fan-base on but it's a fine example of the way prog was changing and how they help shaped that change, and really one of their last true great albums.