RETROSPECTIVE II (1981-1987)

I'm not sure what to make of this compilation. It screams "commerciality"; especially when most of their stuff is on offer at the local record shop. Yet, it IS a good place to start for the uninitiated. Why?

Well, let's look at the facts. Most of their "classic" period is well annotated, with songs like "Limelight", "Red Barchetta" and "Subdivisions". Yet, if you've heard all those before, you might wanna go directly to the songs from other discs, such as "The Big Money" from POWER WINDOWS, "The Body Electric" from GRACE UNDER PRESSURE or "Time Stand Still" from HOLD YOUR FIRE (a fave in my household).

It's a great starter; don't misunderstand, and the reason why I give it such a high rating is simply because Rush have here a body of work that WILL stand the test of time long after other bands have been swept away by the sands of time.

The reason I WON'T give it 5 stars is this: All of the songs are better represented within the context of their respective records. Not only that, but the set could've done well with a bit of a tracklist change. Say: instead of "The Big Money" (something they frequently do in concert), how 'bout "Middletown Dreams" or "Emotion Detector"? In short, no 5 star rating from me. It's good-to-great, mind you, but the listener (casual or otherwise) would be better served by picking up the respective CD's.