GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

Back in 1984, Grace Under Pressure, the 10th studio album by Rush, confirmed many fans' suspicions that the band were about to fully incorporate synthesizers into their sound - something which was hinted at on Signals (1982). Some might say that this caused a paradigm shift in the band's music, but in hindsight, the Rush that created this extraordinary album was, and still is, unmistakably Rush. Sure, they change their style every few years, but isn't that what we love about them in the first place?

The mood of this album is claustrophobic, cold, distant and harrowing, and the musical performance robotic but by no means unemotional. This album was the first without long-standing producer Terry Brown since the debut album. Supertramp producer Peter Henderson was the "objective ear" for just this one Rush album, but did a fine job. The songs really are the stars, though...

1) Distant Early Warning (9/10). As the title suggests, this song sketches some sort of apocalyptic vision of the future both musically and lyrically. The main musical hook is a synthesizer riff not unlike the one on "Subdivisions" from two years earlier. No complaints, though. This is a Rush album opener. I dare you to find fault. 2) Afterimage (10/10). A very emotional song dedicated to a personal friend of the band after his death. Starts off with a soaring verse and goes into a rhythmic synth flourish. Alex's swooning guitar adds to the emotional impact. 3) Red Sector A (10/10). A song just made for open-air stadiums. Once again a very emotional vocal performance with added synth and chopping guitars. An almost disco- like groove pervades (like Donna Summer's "I Feel Love" - sorry about this) 4) The Enemy Within (9/10) The fist part of the (at the time) lyrical triptych. A fast- moving rocker with amazing bass- and drum-work. An obvious musical equivalent is early Police stuff like "So Lonely". 5) The Body Electric (9/10) A song about a robot with a military beat and almost chant- like chorus which mimics its subject to a tee. Not bad at all. 6) Kid Gloves (10/10). A fast-paced track with a tricky time signature in the verse and the greatest chorus of the album. Oh, and the greatest guitar solo of the album as well. 7) Red Lenses (7/10). An interesting musical experiment that didn't fall flat on its face but didn't wholly succeed either. The best part is the instrumental part starting at about 02:10. Excellent bass-playing throughout. 8) Between the Wheels (10/10). Dark and heavy synth is the main draw here. A musical tidal wave and custom-made album closer (minor key, fade out). I never really paid that much attention to this song (and would have given it an 8) until I heard it live on the R30 DVD. There it just took on a new life and I rediscovered the song. Now it is probably my favourite track on the album.

Rush would amaze again in 1985 (and '87,'89,'91,'93,'96 and 2002 for that matter), but this is a unique gem in the Rush treasury and is just waiting to unfold its glory to OPEN- MINDED individuals.