HEMISPHERES

What a stunning little piece of work this is! From the moment you start this up you're blasted to the other side of the galaxy - literally! This album really is brilliant, Rush were one of the greats of the 70's and they manage to show it in this album, and not just this album either, but several others. But it's this album we're concerned with: 5 stars, hands down. I'm not even gonna try and go into too much detail about the music on here, it's way way waaay too epic. But throughout the title track you're taken through blistering guitar solos, Geddy continues the story from the previous albums Cygnus X-1, there the usual excellence of Neil Peart on the drums; unstoppable throughout the song. They take this story, one if you'd told in words alone would be slightly interesting at the most, and make it a journey. Wonderful piece of music!

And then there's The Trees, with A Farewell To Kings sorta intro and terrific lyrics written by Peart, expressed by Geddy Lee. Circumstances spoils it very slightly with a very out of place sorta interlude in the middle, but we soon move swiftly onto La Villa, just the most extraordinary roller coaster of an instrumental that I have ever heard, with each band member showcasing their abilities on their respective instruments superbly.

A short review, but it's hard to describe the brilliance of this album in words. When you're lost for words like that, you know it's bloody good!

Cygnus X-1 Book II - 10/10 Circumstances - 8/10 The Trees - 10/10 La Villa Strangiato - 10/10