GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

Grace Under Pressure" is the continuation of "Signals" but a little bit more unequal and 80's sounding. Although it features dated synthesizers, the first side and the last track are really standouts. By incorporating a few new musical elements, the band proves they were still creative and daring. With Grace Under Pressure, Rush moved a little further in the use of synths. It features the first song to have Geddy's play no bass (Red Sector A), and Neil plays electronic drums here for the first time as well.

The album kicks off on a fresh and positive note with Distant Early Warning, the guitars and synthesizers are more or less evenly distributed in the production. Lyrics deal with the fear of a nuclear holocaust. Afterimage- This is a highly personal song of the group. A friend of the band died in an accident during the sessions for the album, and was immortalized within the lyrics that read as a eulogy. Alex Lifeson, steals the show on this, with his tasteful guitar fills during the verses. The song is one of my favorites on the album. Red Sector A- Wow, this isn't a ballad, but it evokes twice the emotion of any ballad you could name. Geddy's parents were both Holocaust survivors, and this song is a brutal description of the horrors which occurred during those years. The instrumental sections do just what music should, it conveys the message of the lyrics just as powerfully as the lyrics themselves. This song is another classic. The Enemy Within- This is part one of the "Fear Trilogy". The album's title comes from this song. Awesome bass song. It's got a dark overtone that makes the song interesting. The Body Electric- This is the story of an escaped humanoid trying to reprogram himself and seek freedom. It is a decent song, but it fails to stand out as much as any of the songs that preceded it. Kid Gloves- Is upbeat nature, but it sadly fails to impress as much as any of the other songs on this album. Red Lenses-is the strangest song on the album; half funky singing, half proggy interludes, it is unimpressive and not very re-memorable. Between the Wheels- The nihilistic theme reemerges, saying that the way mankind is headed, we could see "Another war, another wasteland, another lost generation." The soloing is downright insane during the instrumental sections. You may find yourself listening to it several times in a row without cease.

Grace Under Pressure is melodic, dark, powerful and bold. Another album in the extensive Rush catalog which I recommend for those of you who like more accessible prog rock. Enjoy.

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