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Rush - Rush CD (album) cover

RUSH

Rush

 

Heavy Prog

2.95 | 1234 ratings

From Progarchives.com, the ultimate progressive rock music website

MovingPictures07
Prog Reviewer
3 stars This is the beginning for one of the most influential classic prog and rock acts, with some blues-focused plain hard rock. This is a good album! However, it's far from what Rush would develop over the next 30 years of their existence.

1. Finding My Way- Great song! I really like the guitar on this one and Rutsey and Lee keep up quite well. If this is Rush copying Led Zeppelin, then I think Rush did a better job! That accusation always gets me; they're not copying Led Zeppelin. The only similarity is that this song and this album is blues and hard rock-based. Nonetheless, this is a great rocker most notably featuring outstanding guitar work. 8/10

2. Need Some Love- This song is shorter and simpler than the album's opener, but it's still a really enjoyable song. If you're in the mood for some hard rock, this song is perfectly crafted. Not prog, but a great track. 6/10

3. Take a Friend- The intro is interesting here, building up and then exploding into a style that is similar to the previous song. Lifeson's guitar shines once again; Lee and Rutsey are also definitely up to their game as well, despite this not being prog. It still features some good musicianship! Good track and I feel similarly about this track as I do the previous one. 6/10

4. Here Again- The same feel is continued here, though in a much slower form. This is my least favorite on the album, but it's still a decent song with some good blues/rock-based compositional skills and musicianship. Doesn't strike me as much and doesn't really explore anything groundbreaking, but a decent start for this ambitious trio. 5/10

5. What You're Doing- This is better than the song that preceded it. Early Rush were better generally when they simply rocked out and this song proves that. Powerful guitar riffs from Lifeson drive this song along with Lee's somewhat-echo vocals. Another solid rock song. 6/10

6. In the Mood- It is so interesting to see how Rush started out before Peart and this song is no exception. The lyrics here are definitely not later Rush! Nonetheless, this song is more in the vein of another shorter more blues-based track like Need Some Love, whereas the previous one was more rock-based. 6/10

7. Before and After- Another slower song! This time it's better than Here Again though, but I'm not quite sure how to explain it other than the fact that it strikes me personally with more efficiency. The band is still up to par and the structure of this song proves to continue the somewhat atypical elements to make this interesting and enjoyable, even if it isn't prog. 6/10

8. Working Man- This is more along the lines of Rush that we're accustomed to hearing. This is easily the best track on here and shows the potential that Rush really had in becoming what they did throughout the next couple albums. The guitar is fabulous here and this is early Rush at their best. Working Man is a perfect rocker. 9/10

This may not be prog but it is still one hell of an album that shows the very beginnings of a band that were going to go on to accomplish many things in the realm of music. There is definitely loads of potential here! If you want to rock out, check this out. For the casual Rush fan or someone who isn't into hard rock as much, you can skip this and still be fine.

The low point of Rush's career. and that's quite impressive!

Good, but not essential.

MovingPictures07 | 3/5 |

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