HEMISPHERES

Probably the most deserving of its place on a prog rock website this is Rush in their early pomp. Perhaps they thought they'd exhausted the epic prog tracks, if so they certainly finished on a high for Cygnus is a creative masterpiece to rival 2112, building to a crescendo before finishing with the sublime and thought provoking Kind of Dream. There are no weaknesses to follow in the other three tracks. Circumstances is a catchy track made memorable by the little synth interlude in the middle, pure Rush brilliance. Classical Spanish guitar breaks into hard rock for The Trees (still trying to get the full meaning!), and the closing track may indeed be an exercise in self-indulgence but it's a damned good one. Why didn't I give this five stars? Don't know, probably frightened by the warning panel and that Moving Pictures was to follow, my all-time favourite album!