RUSH

I'm going against the popular grade on this record and giving it 4 stars instead of 3. I dismissed this album for years for being "Peartless" but soon realized that, even though his unbelievable drumming is missed, the songs are still worth a listen. Look at it this way: if Rush had only made this record, it would now be a "collector's item," 1 of those sought after lost treasures (think Sir Lord Baltimore) that demonstrates a hungry band firing on all sixes and ready to conquer the world. And I love trying to imagine what your typical rock fan would have thought of "that voice" back in 1974. Sure, the lyrics are typical 70's-party rock (another area where Peart's absence is glaring), but they also seem heartfelt and personal at times, like Rush's later stuff. Hints of greatness to come in "Before And After."