PRESTO

After releasing Hold Your Fire, Rush left their longtime label, Anthem, and signed with Atlantic Records. The ensuing album, 1989's Presto, saw the band return to a more guitar-centric sound. However, despite ditching the synths, Rush were unable to shake off their generic '80s sound. This was just now a different type of generic '80s sound. Presto is hampered by thin, dry production that makes everything sound weak.

The opening "Show Don't Tell" is a five-minute slog that feels so much longer than it is, but "Chain Lightning" is the first interesting song the band had recorded in a long time. It features some of the band's trademark weird rhythms. I'm not wild about Alex Lifeson's guitar tones anywhere on this album, but "Chain Lightning" is a strong enough composition that I'm willing to overlook it.

The same cannot be said for most of the rest of the album. Every song is in the four-to-six-minute range, and almost all of them feel interminable. "Scars" isn't particularly good, but I give the band points for trying something a little different, at least.

There are only so many ways to call something dull. Presto is marginally better than Hold Your Fire, but both should be avoided. They're just not very interesting.

Review originally posted here: theeliteextremophile.com/2020/04/27/deep-dive-rush/