SIGNALS

The production of this album is less than perfect, the synthesizer drowns out critical guitar riffs, the band overplays at times, the vocals are imbalanced with the instruments at times yet this album is a masterpiece. I find myself in a debate constantly as to whether "Moving Pictures" or "Signals" is the greater album. In ways, "Signals" blends effortlessly with "Moving Pictures" as if they were equal parts of a double album. Neil Peart's drumming is phenomenal, tasteful, precise, and powerful. Every song on the album is a work of art. I cringe when I hear people balk at songs like "Countdown" or "The Weapon." Those songs have a raw power to them and their structure is bold and compelling.

This album deserves a place among the very best of not just all progressive rock albums, but all rock albums in general. In my opinion, it is the best rock album of the 1980s.