GRACE UNDER PRESSURE

This is a bit hard to rate as a Rush album. It breaks significantly with the sound of previous albums (even with Signals, which also broke with the sound before it). Alex Lifeson's guitar sound went from progressive rock power chords and fast solos, to ethereal echo-laden Andy Summers-like accents. There are no epics. Geddy is singing down the register. This album largely set the formula that would be followed on Power Windows and Hold Your Fire, two of Rush's weaker albums from the 1980s. Yet, Grace Under Pressure is really good! The songs have more potency and urgency than anything on either Signals or the other 80s albums. Neil Peart has said this album was made during a difficult time, emotionally, for the band. Perhaps that spurred to members to feel things more and to put their hearts into the compositions. The songs on this album are consistently good, even if very different from the style set by Rush's 70's classics. The lyrics here are some of Neil Peart's best, in my opinion (not only poignant, but full of double entendres, puns, etc - I even remember reading that MAD magazine had awarded them some award for the humourous lyrics). So, while for me Signals feels too safe somehow, this album feels like the band are taking some real risks and laying their creative souls on the line. The album flows exceptionally well as an album. While some tunes got more radio play, I think virtually all the songs on this one are very close to each other in quality, not "essential" but solid, with great lyrics. For me, this is one of the few Rush albums they did post-Moving Pictures that deserves four stars. I give it 8.2 out of 10 on my 10-point scale, which translates to 4 PA stars.